by Michele Hauf
“Want to go home and compose a duet?” She tapped her fingers along his erection. She could play that.
“Do you have two violins?”
Deflated by her less than successful attempt at seduction, she didn’t let that stop her. Leaning in, following his innate cedar scent, she kissed his jaw, then nuzzled her nose against it. “I mean a different kind of composition.”
He pulled her onto his lap and his hand slid over her breast. “I know that. Music stirs me to a heightened sense of awareness. What of you?” His fingers pinched through the thin fabric, tweaking her nipple.
She leaned in to kiss him again so she could purr into his mouth. Didn’t want anyone else to hear her pleasure but him. Hooking a leg up higher at his waist, she forgot she was wearing a dress and probably a stylish woman wouldn’t be caught dead hiking up a leg and making out with her boyfriend at the opera.
But she wasn’t that woman. And Nicolo’s hand gliding up her thigh enticed her to kiss him deeper. He tasted like the wine that sat in the goblet to his right. And when his fingers slipped aside her panties and found her clitoris she was thankful for the dexterity of a musician’s hands.
Wrapping herself about him so he could yet view the stage, she rocked her hips against his hand, finding they subtly matched the rhythm that filled the theatre. What a kick, getting off to the classics. Ha!
Nicolo nuzzled his face against her breasts and licked before biting softly as his finger just found...that spot. The music raced. Summer’s heartbeats dashed faster. Body tensing, she buried her face in his hair and gripped a thick hank of it to smother her moan as she came in the first movement of Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9.
* * *
After the opera, and a rousing make-out session, the twosome strolled under the midnight sky down the rue des Pyramides. The city never slept, which made for brightly lit streets and tourists still exploring this late. But it was the same as Nicolo remembered it. A lively city.
He threaded his fingers through Summer’s hand and smiled at her. He was having a great time being alive again and didn’t want it to end. Remarkably, Summer did not appear offended by his paternity. In proof, he’d gotten an exquisite hand job during the third movement of the symphony. Could he ask for a more understanding woman? She truly wanted to be with him. He felt that.
And she was doing everything in her power to make it possible for him to remain alive and in this realm. Yet if she’d really buried the black violin...
“What if it kills me?” he suddenly asked, stopping at a corner across the street from the Tuileries. The huge carnival wheel lit with red-and-blue lights spun slowly before them. Such a marvel that the intangible substance called electricity was everywhere!
“What if what kills you?”
“You said you destroyed it,” he said “How, exactly, did you do that?”
“I stepped on it and smashed it.”
He cringed at the thought of destroying such a precious instrument. Even if it had been born straight from Hell. “You...?” He gestured in a crushing motion with his fist.
“Had to be done. You know it.”
He did know that. But. “What if it brings my end? The violin’s song brought me to life. What if now it’s gone...so am I?”
Summer crossed her arms and assumed an assessing pose as she looked him up and down. “You look pretty alive to me.”
“Well, yes. Now. But—”
“But I think if it was going to have the reverse effect on you, you would not be standing here right now talking to me. Yes?”
“Perhaps so. Of course, devil’s magic could never work so logically.”
“True. But I would think it to the Big Guy’s advantage to keep you alive.”
Such an idea startled him. “You think he’ll offer the bargain to me again?”
“I don’t know. Why can’t he just give you the powers? Why does it have to be accepted by you? Is it as I suspect? That you have to take the power?”
He nodded. “Such evil must be assumed of my free will. That was how it was originally explained to me. But what if I did accept?”
“You would? Of course, you’ve no reason not to now.”
“Summer. My Brightness.” He clasped her hand and tugged her into his embrace. “We may have known each other a short while, but do you really believe I could do such a thing?”
“I hope not.” Her gaze fluttered from his, unwilling to make contact for too long. “But after you’ve had time to think about it, you might change your mind. I mean, do you believe you would not accept the deal? Really believe that?”
“It may have been almost two centuries since I died, but little has changed regarding my moral values. On the other hand, I can’t know what I would do should the offer be presented. This new world has changed. As have I, in ways even I cannot fathom.” He tapped her chin to force her to look at him. “I want to resist, if it comes to that. But I do wish to have as wondrous a life as I can now. Like playing on stage again. I simply must stand before the spotlight again.”
“I’d like to see that. And I think with some clever name change and maybe even a fashion change, you can do it.” She tugged at the clingy dress, which hugged her tiny curves.
“A dress is not your comfort, is it?”
“Just tried to fancy things up for the opera, but it makes me crawly. I hate feeling a breeze on my knees.”
He eyed the knees in question. “They are too pretty to cover. I should kiss them—”
She stopped him from kneeling. “Save the PDA for—wait. I know. Want to go for a ride on the Ferris wheel?”
“Is that the spinning monstrosity right there? The one glowing with so much electricity?”
“Yep. Come on.” She grabbed his hand and led him across the street. “You can see all of Paris when you’re at the top! And, I’ll let you kiss me. And my knees.”
Twenty minutes later they indeed sat at the top of the world. Nicolo stretched his gaze around the City of Lights. He’d never been up in the sky higher than the bell towers in Notre Dame. Now the city glittered as if stars had fallen to earth. Such beauty!
Summer’s warmth hugged his arm and thigh as she snuggled closer. “What do you think?”
“This new world is a marvel, Summer. I can’t go back. Please make sure I won’t go back?”
“To your coffin? Nah. You’re here. You’re breathing. But we will have to figure out your new life. You can’t use your name anymore. You could still be Nicolo. But Paganini has to go.”
“Hmm, I suppose.” The wheel shifted into movement again, and they started their slow descent, pausing every length as a new car arrived at the top. “Yet what am I without my name? I am Paganini!”
“You were Paganini. And you made an incredible mark on the musical world. You can still perform. But not as Paganini. Besides, I suspect your musical style might change a bit if you listen to Bitter/Sweet often enough.”
“I do like the hard-metal stylings.”
“Heavy metal. Rock and roll. But there are so many genres of music. You’ll want to listen to them all.”
“I will. Can I ask my witchbox to sing for me?” He patted the inner coat pocket where she’d told him to keep the device. It wasn’t turned on, though. Still, he felt like he belonged carrying it around with him. He had become one of the people in this new age.
“Yes, I’ll teach you tomorrow how to use the GPS so you can navigate the city. And if I ever need to find you, that’ll help.”
“Yes! My first initiation into the modern world. Now, about that promise to kiss your knees? It did take us a while to reach the pinnacle. I imagine we’ve some time while going down. And I do use those words going down in a manner on which I hope you’ll pick up.”
“Yeah, I got that, Nineteenth-Century Guy with the Slick Hookup Line.” Sh
e inched her dress up her thighs. “I’m all yours.”
Chapter 15
Summer had never been overly romantic. Though she’d grown up watching her parents make out and canoodle (yes, her dad, the fierce vampire Vail, called it canoodling) every chance they got. As well, her father was an extreme romantic, always with flowers in hand and a serenade for her mother. Apparently, when Summer had been born, the romance gene had been exchanged for the freaky madness-making gene. Her relationships tended to be one-night stands, hookups or friendly with benefits. But no gushing or cooing or making moon eyes at one another. That was uncalled for.
Now, she highly suspected the way she was staring into Nicolo’s moonlight-spattered eyes could be construed as making moon eyes. And against all she believed in, she didn’t care.
After getting off the Ferris wheel—and getting off on the Ferris wheel—they’d walked to the river to check out the beach. A live band featuring accordion, mandolin and a singer performed a classic Parisian love song while couples danced on the shipped-in sand beside the broth-colored Seine. Bonfires lit up the area. Partiers drank wine straight from the bottle and tossed horseshoes nearby.
But she was lost in a man’s eyes. And in his arms as he held her gently but firmly, leading as they slow danced. He had her. And she wanted him to have her. She felt a silly teenager swoon coming on. Could she be his girlfriend? Could they go steady? Exchange rings? Do romantic dating stuff like make out under a blanket and tickle each other until one of them begged for mercy?
It was a startling realization. And when she figured she should pull away from Nicolo’s irresistible warmth and instead go join the game of pétanque nearby, she settled her head onto his shoulder and melted against the powerful strength and delicious scent of him. He smelled like cedar, with a touch of leather. Like a finely preserved artifact. She inhaled deeply, wanting to fill her pores with him. To, just for a moment, be the silly girl with a crush, and not the vampiress with a penchant for making people mad.
Nicolo spread a hand across her back, and her skin prickled with desire. Her nipples tightened. She hugged up against him closer and felt his erection nudge her belly. She pressed tighter, teasing.
“You modern women are quite bold,” he whispered. “Careful, Summer, or I’ll have to throw you down onto the sand and have my way with you.”
“Again? I’d love it.”
“With an audience?”
“No. I’m not much for PDAs.”
“What does that mean?”
“Public displays of affection. Just hold me. This feels great. Kind of romantic.”
“Why do I suspect you are not much for romance?”
“You figured that one out, eh?”
“It may have been the mud smears on your cheek this afternoon or even the engine part in your bath. Maybe even your exquisitely ever-untidy hair. No laces or frills for you. Of course, one doesn’t require frills for romance.”
“Maybe there’s not much in this world to be romantic about anymore.”
“Standing on the beach in the arms of a lover seems romantic to me.” He looked up. “And with the stars overhead—well, the artificial stars from the nearby buildings. And the music? I am befallen with romance.”
“I like that. Befallen with romance,” she singsonged out. “Mmm, nothing can make this night better. Achoo!”
Nicolo held her away and studied her gaze. “Summer? You mentioned your propensity to sneeze earlier. When demons are in proximity. What does that mean?”
“I uh...” She glanced around, seeking demons in the shadows. Anything out of place. “Not sure. Could just be summer allergies.”
“Do you have summer allergies?”
“No.” She was a vampire, for heaven’s sake. The usual human maladies didn’t apply to her species. “Could just be some friendly demons dancing in the mix. Doesn’t always mean something bad is going to happen.”
Yet her heartbeats thudded. She never liked being around a demon, friendly or otherwise. She mustn’t let down her guard.
“Right.” He hugged her close and cast his gaze about the party area. “We’ll keep our eyes out for anything amiss, just to be sure.”
“Yes.” She nodded and hugged him tightly, wanting it to be nothing. But the brief thought that her sneeze could be because of Nicolo disturbed her.
Would he become like his father? How would she know if he did, beyond the telltale sneeze that alerted her to a demon presence nearby? And would she know what to do when that did happen? Because she was falling for this guy. Hard. And she didn’t want to lose the best thing that had happened to her.
* * *
A thin line of sunlight teased the horizon. After the beach had closed, Nicolo and Summer had strolled the rue de Seine paralleling the river. No demons had caused a disturbance at the beach, and Summer hadn’t seen any glowing red eyes in the vicinity so had decided the sneeze had been a fluke. They hadn’t wanted to go home as they walked hand in hand, and hadn’t needed to. But now she did.
“I should get inside,” she said to him as he bowed to kiss her. “Morning sunlight coming right up.”
“Ah, yes, the vampire thing.”
“I’m hungry, as well. Maybe you should head on to the house and I’ll follow close behind?”
“I’m not sure where it is exactly. You haven’t given me training on how to use the witchbox, and there are not many landmarks I can recognize. Can’t I come along with you? Are you going to find someone to bite?” He tugged her hand, bringing her into an embrace. Drawing a finger along the V of her neckline, he asked, “Why not me?”
Summer snorted. “Please.”
A querying brow tilted above his serious gaze. As if to ask what is so wrong with me?
Hmm... Why not him? Because—well, just because.
But really? She did want a taste of this luscious specimen. A long, languorous drink that would further imbue her body with traces of him, just as inhaling his scent had done. And she hadn’t taken blood since right after she’d found him walking alongside the road in Parma. She needed to drink more often than the usual one to two weeks because her sips were so small.
But if she did drink from him she feared taking too much, for it would quickly turn erotic. And with that she risked making him mad. If he was human, that is.
Human or not, this guy had been through a lot already. The last thing he needed was to lose his mind.
On the other hand, he hadn’t been a live, sentient being for a hundred and seventy-five years. And she didn’t sneeze around him. He couldn’t be demon. But Verity had suspected he wasn’t human. Could she be safe with this one?
The Tuileries was bare of anyone that she could see. Majestic lime trees formed aisles as she led him down one paved with crushed stone. She’d have to search the alleyways on the way home for a bite. Or... Answer the call to indulgence with the closest thing to hand.
Again, he asked, “Summer, you could bite me, yes?”
It was dark here, for the rising sun was hidden behind the massive Louvre museum. And in a moment of silence she jumped into the unknown. But not really unknown, because she knew what she wanted.
Luring Nicolo beneath a lime tree trimmed high to expose the trunk so a man could walk beneath, she pushed him against the smooth-barked trunk.
“Why not you?” she said with a tease as she licked her lowering fangs. “Okay. Why not you. I haven’t been able to summon a reason against it beyond the very obvious driving-you-mad part. Like I told you, I’m not like most vampires.”
“Because you are bright and don’t hide in the shadows?”
“The madness thing.”
“Yes, right.” He took her hands in his, reassuringly rubbing the backs of them with his thumbs. “You fear driving me mad. But you said that only occurred with the humans you bite, y
es?”
She nodded.
“And we’re not sure what I am, exactly. I must be more than human. Even the witch suspected as much. I feel quite in control of my mental faculties and don’t believe a little bite should change that.”
She raked fingers through her hair as she glanced aside.
“Summer?”
“I am hungry.” And ever willing to take risks. Unknown mysteries? She was so in. She met his smiling gaze. “I need blood.”
“And I am willing. Let me take a look?” He touched the tip of one of her fangs, and the sensation strafed through Summer as if he’d stroked a fingertip over her bare breast. She shivered. Always sexual to have her teeth touched. “What did that just do to you?”
“Turns me on to have my fangs touched.”
“I see that. You want me to stop?”
“Never,” she said on a sensual gasp. Leaning against his long, muscular shape, she bent a knee and hooked her leg high at his thigh. Pulling his interest down with a bend of her finger, she whispered, “This is going to be good for me and you. But I might have to stop abruptly if I feel this is going wrong, so don’t hold that against me.”
“I won’t. So long as you don’t mind if I feel the need to push you away. This is a new and out-of-the-ordinary experience for me.”
“More out of the ordinary than rising from the dead?”
“You have me there.” Again he stroked her fang. Mercy. “Do it then. Drink from me.”
She traced a fang along his skin until it moved over the pulsing carotid. Nicolo moaned and hugged her close, tilting back his head to give her better access. Clutching his shirt with one hand, and running the fingers of her other up through his hair, she then shoved his head back against the tree trunk and pierced his skin with both fangs. Hot blood oozed onto her tongue. She retracted her fangs and sipped his thick, delicious life.
Again he moaned and stretched his head back farther, clinging to her while his fingers curled into her hair. “Oh, Brightness.”
Yeah, she knew he would get off from this. So would she. This man’s blood was amazing. Bright, thick and vital. It coursed through her system, seeming to enliven every nerve ending. It was as though she were drinking his power, his skill. Could she feel the music within him? Yes. Oh yes. It was grand and full and danced with her soul.
