“Shh, my sweet,” he crooned. He eased over onto his back, keeping their bodies joined as he did so. She snuggled closer, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head in the crook of his shoulder. His cock still pulsed within her, sending the occasional shiver of pleasure through her. She wanted to climb inside him and stay with him always.
Tiny alarm bells went off deep in her brain, telling her there was something wrong here, but she ignored them. She’d been sensible her entire life and would be again tomorrow, but not now. Now was the time for pleasure, for dark sensual fulfillment unlike anything she’d ever even imagined.
Damek stroked his hand over her rump and up the length of her spine and back down again. She moved sinuously, arching into his touch and rubbing her breasts over his strong, smooth chest. His erection flexed inside her.
He eased her up and down his cock in an unhurried rhythm, moving no more than an inch or two each time. It was slow and effortless and she lost herself in it. Her nipples were puckered and tender and she used his chest to stimulate them even more, rubbing herself against him as the heat grew in her sex.
She nipped at his collarbone and neck, wishing she could bite him. His hips surged upward, driving his cock deeper, drawing another moan from her overstimulated body. He grazed his fangs over her neck and she came again, her entire body shaking and quivering.
His fangs broke her skin and his cock jerked inside her. He swore under his breath as he removed his teeth and closed the small wounds without taking more than a sip.
Sonia let her head fall back to his shoulder and stared up at him. “Why did you stop?” Her words sounded slightly slurred, like she was drunk. And maybe she was, with passion.
“Because I’ve already taken too much.” He brushed his hand over her hair and kissed the top of her head.
She started to doze, content in the protective circle of his arms even when his erection slipped from within her.
“Sonia?”
“Hmm.” She didn’t want to talk, she wanted to snuggle and maybe sleep. It had to be close to dawn.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
She frowned, trying to follow the conversation. All the men she’d ever known wanted to sleep after sex, but not her vampire. He wanted to talk. “Tell you what?” She yawned and cuddled closer.
“That you are part werewolf.”
Luther Kostas followed the vampire from a distance. It was easy considering the bastard was riding around in a fancy limo. When he saw where the driver dropped them off, he circled back around to the hotel to see what, if anything, was left of Barnes.
He took out his phone and dialed a number only he knew. “Aaron, I need you at this location.” Aaron Page was another vampire hunter, one with exceptional electronic skills and a passion for the hunt. Given enough time, there wasn’t a security system anywhere that he couldn’t bypass. He gave Aaron the address as he wound his way through the fairly light traffic. “Watch and information gathering only, for now. I have to check on Barnes and then we’ll make our plans.”
“I’m on it.” The line went dead and Luther was satisfied he had the situation under control.
He was right to have had his man wear a wire. He’d heard the struggle with Dr. Agostino and wished he were there with Barnes, interrogating her. Questioning a woman had an appeal all its own.
But years of hunting vampires had taught him patience, and it had paid off. The vampire had come to them, and from the sound of what had gone on inside that hotel room the bastard was a powerful one. Maybe the most ancient one Luther had ever gone up against.
And he knew Luther’s name. No matter. Luther had had many names in his lifetime, and as soon as this was over his Luther Kostas identity would cease to exist. He had no idea if vampires kept in contact with one another, but he wasn’t taking any chances. He’d clean up this mess, adopt a new identity and move on.
He parked his car and walked quickly down the sidewalk and into the hotel, keeping his head down and making eye contact with no one. The elevator moved swiftly and quietly to the right floor and, within seconds of stepping out into the empty hallway, he was standing outside Dr. Agostino’s hotel room.
Luther tried the door handle and wasn’t surprised to find it locked. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of lock picks. Within seconds, he heard two clicks and turned the handle. He slipped into the room and shut the door behind him.
Barnes was sprawled out on the bed like some drunk after a bender. One area of the wall was damaged. Luther had heard the crash over the wire his man was wearing and knew it had to have hurt.
“Wake up.” He walked over to Barnes and nudged his foot.
Barnes’s eyes fluttered and he groaned. “What…what happened?” He licked his lips and struggled to sit up.
“You had a run in with a vampire.” Luther sat in the chair next to the bed, rested his elbows on the arms and contemplated his next move.
“No.” Barnes sat up and groaned, grabbing his rib cage. “I rented the room to check for clues because Dr. Agostino was already checked out.”
Luther took a small digital recorder out of his pocket and hit the play button. The entire event unfolded as they both sat there.
“Son of a fucking bitch.” Barnes was obviously not happy.
“I was right to have you wear a wire.” Luther watched Barnes through dispassionate eyes. “And you’re lucky he didn’t get that information from you or you’d be dead.”
Barnes rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. “Yeah.” He scrubbed his hands over his face. “So what do we do now?”
Luther smiled. “I know where they are.”
He lowered his hands and a slow smile crossed Barnes’s face. “I’m ready to go when you are.”
“I thought you might be. We’ll hit at noon tomorrow when the bastard is asleep and won’t be able to use his power on us.” Every vampire he’d ever dealt with or read about was at the mercy of the sun’s power, dropping into a coma-like sleep during the height of the day. It certainly made their job much easier.
Barnes laughed and drew his knife. “He’ll pay for what he did to me. They both will.”
“You can kill the vampire, but I want to talk to Dr. Agostino before we put her out of her misery. She may have valuable information.” Luther stood and headed to the door. “Let’s get out of here.
Chapter Twelve
Sonia sat up in bed, all her sleepy satisfaction gone. Damek stared up at her, his black eyes unreadable. She grabbed at the covers and tried to pull some of them over her, but it was a lost cause with Damek lying on the bulk of them. She tried to roll away from him to find something to cover herself, but he wouldn’t let her. He caught her hand and pulled her back down beside him.
Propping himself up on one arm, he studied her. She tried to gauge his mood. He didn’t look angry, so much as curious and perplexed. She swallowed hard and licked her suddenly dry lips. “How? How did you know?”
“Blood does not lie. The taste of werewolf blood is very distinct and, while it is faint in your blood, it is there.”
“You can taste it?” Wow, that is some talent, she thought when he nodded. “Hey, how do you know what werewolf blood tastes like?” The thought of him drinking from some wolf chick’s neck sent a bolt of jealousy streaking through her.
He wrapped his fingers around one of her curls and tugged gently. “I have lived for centuries, my sweet. Over the years, I’ve tasted the blood of many different species.”
And that told her exactly nothing. She nibbled on her bottom lip but stopped when he groaned and rubbed his thumb over it, soothing where she’d worried it. “I think if we are going to talk you had better be covered up. You are too much of a temptation.”
He rose from the bed, his muscled body gleaming in the lamplight, and lifted her with one arm. He yanked down the covers and deposited her back on the mattress, climbed in beside her and pulled the sheet and thick down comforters over them.
She tried not t
o notice Damek was aroused even though they’d just had the most mind-blowing sex of her life. Her body was humming from the last orgasm, but she was more than ready to have sex again. When had she turned into a sex fiend? Damek certainly brought out the sensual side of her nature.
Damek settled back against a mound of pillows covered in crisp linen. He looked totally delectable and decadent lying there with his chest bare and tousled black hair flowing around his shoulders, like some ancient conqueror claiming the spoils of war. Which might not be too far off target. She didn’t know his history, but he didn’t strike her as a man who would have been a follower in his life. He was too sure, too arrogant by nature.
“What are you thinking, I wonder?” He reached for her, but she subtly pulled out of reach, knowing if he touched her talking would be the last thing on either of their minds. He frowned, his lips pressing together in a thin line. He wasn’t happy with her but let it go.
Sonia sat with her arms wrapped around her knees and was grateful to the comforter that was covering her from the chest down. “Could you find out for yourself?” The way he’d controlled the man in her hotel room had left her with more questions than answers.
“Yes, but that wouldn’t be polite.” His tone was clipped, his annoyance obvious. “Now back to my question. Why didn’t you tell me you were part werewolf?”
She shrugged. “It didn’t seem relevant.” She gazed around the room, peering into the shrouded shadows beyond the illumination of the bedside lamp. Anywhere but at Damek.
He caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger and turned her face until she was looking at him. “You didn’t think it was relevant?”
She inwardly winced. He had every right to be skeptical of her motives. “Okay, how about I didn’t think it was any of your business.”
His eyes darkened and then began to glow, but with anger this time, not lust. “I see. It is perfectly fine for you to delve into my life to try to discover my secrets, but not all right for me to know yours.”
Put like that it wasn’t exactly fair. His fingers tightened on her face but stopped short of hurting her. He was always aware of his strength around her, not hesitating to use it in her defense, but never using it against her.
“I’m sorry.” And she really was. “But it wasn’t just my secret to tell.”
He nodded slowly. “Your family.”
“Oh crap. I was supposed to call them. They’re on their way to Chicago.” How had that little detail slipped her mind? Maybe because she’d had mind-blowing sex after being assaulted in her hotel room. It was a wonder she still remembered her own name, considering everything that had happened this evening.
“To rescue you from the big, bad vampire.”
That didn’t sound good. Sonia reached out and touched his hand. “They worry about me.”
He sighed and dropped his hand from her face. “Tell me about them.” It wasn’t a suggestion.
“I need to call them,” she reminded him.
Damek shook his head and waited for her to continue.
She’d find a way to contact her family later. Right now she had a surly vampire to placate. Sonia tucked the covers more securely under her arms as he made himself comfortable against the pillows.
“I’m one-quarter werewolf. Enough for me to have better-than-average senses and allow me to tap into extra strength at times of stress, but other than that, I’m completely human. I can’t shift or anything like that.”
Damek said nothing. He simply continued to watch her, unblinking and intent. It occurred to her that he could easily get what he wanted from her. For a creature as powerful as he seemed to be, he could probably get her to tell him everything, spill all her secrets. It had never occurred to her that he would do such a thing. In spite of the fact he was an ancient, powerful vampire, capable of crushing her with barely more than a thought, she trusted him.
It was time to go all the way.
“My father is also a quarter breed, but so is my mother. She’s an artist and creates the most amazing paintings. He’s an archaeologist, but he’s also a treasure hunter.”
Damek stroked his hand over her hair. “They sound…interesting.”
Sonia laughed as she pictured her flamboyant gypsy mother and her larger-than-life father. “They are that. My mother wears the most colorful clothes and looks more like my sister than my mother. My gorgeous older sister.” She’d always wished she was more like her mother, but she took after her more studious father.
“And your father?”
“Imagine Indiana Jones as a large Greek and you have my papa.” She paused and a thought occurred to her. “You do watch movies, don’t you?” Maybe vampires weren’t interested in such a human pastime.
A faint smile crossed Damek’s face. “I enjoy the movies very much and have an extensive collection. You might like to see it later.”
Sonia imagined the two of them curled up on his sofa watching a movie or two. How weird would it be to watch a vampire movie with him? “I would.”
“Do you have siblings?” he continued.
She nodded and smiled as she thought of her domineering older brothers. “Two brothers, both older and bossy. Stefano is a lawyer and Milo is in finance. They’re constantly telling me what I should be doing, but I love them anyway.”
“Is that all your family?”
She hesitated, but only for a moment. If anyone knew how to keep a secret it was Damek. “My grandfather, Roberto Agostino, is a half-breed werewolf. He’s my father’s father. My grandmother, Nicola Agostino, is a gypsy.”
“You are close.”
It wasn’t a question, but she answered it anyway. “Yes, we are. We all live in the same building in New York and we own a bakery that’s housed on the lower level. We eat good food, we argue and they try to run my life.”
“But you wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“I couldn’t imagine my life any other way.”
Damek did his best not to be jealous of her family, but the unfamiliar emotion ate at his gut until it burned. He heard the echo of love in her voice and could easily envision the picture she created with her words. He envied her the family bonds she had. He’d been alone his entire life, even when he was a human. Over the years, he’d had a few friends, but no one who ever put him first above their own interests.
Even the Haven werewolf pack was friendly because of what he could do for them. He was under no illusions they wouldn’t turn on him in a minute if it came down to a choice between the pack and him. That was simply the way of the world, and especially so when it came to paranormal creatures. It was survival of the fittest at its most basic.
His employees were paid to be loyal, and he paid very well. Even then, he scanned their minds once a week to make sure none of them were a threat to him. It was the way he lived. The way he’d always lived.
“Damek?” Sonia shifted closer to him and placed her hand on his chest. His erection, which had started to subside, sprang to life again. “Is there anything wrong?”
He studied her with a critical eye. What was it about Sonia that made him want more, that made the life he’d meticulously built over long centuries seem somehow dull and lacking?
She was beautiful, in an understated way, with her tousled hair and her misty gray eyes. She was a little above average height but not overly tall. Her body was lean with slight curves and, with the exception of her breasts, was more fit than provocative.
But all she had to do was look at him and he burned with lust.
She rubbed her fingers against his skin and he placed his hand over hers, holding it over his heart. The only part of him that was currently pulsing with need was his cock, so he slid her hand down until it was touching him through the comforter. Her eyes widened and then half-closed, giving her a sultry appearance. It would be easy to take her again, but he needed answers first.
Reluctantly, he pulled her hand back to his chest. His erection jerked in protest, but he ignored it. He, more th
an most, knew he would not die if he didn’t have sex.
He could easily sense her surprise, than her apprehension. “Why did you come here?”
“Here, here?” She patted the bed with her free hand. “Or here to Chicago?”
“Chicago.” He needed to understand, needed to know everything in order to be able to trust her.
She shrugged. “What I told you at Haven was true. I stumbled across that article on you when I was researching what had happened in the city last year. I really don’t know why that article caught my attention when I was looking for something totally different. Fate, maybe. Chance.
“Not that it matters. From the moment I saw that really obscured picture of you I was fascinated and needed to know more. Then when I started researching, I began to think there was more to you than just being a shadowy nightclub owner.”
He shook his head at her convoluted reasoning, but sensed she was telling the truth. “You wanted to meet a vampire?”
She started to nod, but stopped. “Yes and no. I wanted to meet you. I won’t deny that I’ve always been fascinated with vampires, and The Keepers know so little about the species. But it was you who drew me here even when I thought I was being silly, when I had no proof of you being a vampire, only suspicions.”
It bothered him more than he wanted to admit that her attraction to him might be based on the fact he was a vampire and nothing more. His primal instincts urged him to claim her again and again until there was no doubt in her mind that it was him she wanted and not just some vampire.
Which was stupid. When it came down to it, he was a vampire. That was his primary identity. His human one was long since lost in the sands of time.
“Tell me more about The Keepers.”
The covers slipped when she shrugged, briefly exposing the top curve of her rather spectacular breasts. She quickly pulled it back into place. Damek briefly considered dragging the comforter away and exposing the bounty but knew that would mean the end of their conversation.
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