Page 17
Now that shed touched him, she was even more attracted to him. Flying-into-a-lightbulb attracted.
Maybe he was a tad less intimidating without his fancy tailored clothing and expensive boots? And his chugging out of a pitcher at the fridge was so normal, so masculine, she couldnt help but respond.
Even when a line of blood ran from the corner of his lips.
Vampire. Blood. Still, she couldnt look away. How can this sight be wetting my whistle?
When he finished, he ran his forearm over his mouth, over the stubble on his chin. "Look your fill? Grope your fill? Dont worry, Im accustomed to women of all species lusting after me. "
She felt a flush of embarrassment, but curbed it. Ellie had an expiration date on her life that was closing in fast; she couldnt waste a minute being embarrassed over anything.
And she resolved not to beat herself up because she was attracted to a deadly, vampiric maniac that she yearned to kill.
Ellie tilted her head in a considering manner, saying honestly, "Well, at least youre pretty on the outside. " At his expression, she said, "Oh, come on. In all of your endless life, no ones ever insinuated that youre ugly on the inside?"
Those weaker than Lothaire didnt make a habit of insulting him. Of course, she wanted to die. "You wont provoke me into killing you," he said, adding, "this evening. But court my wrath, and Ill punish you in other ways. "
His wrath was at the ready, his mood foul. Though hed slept for hours, the only memories hed dreamed-or experienced firsthand-were his own, something that hadnt happened in ages.
Which meant hed reaped no new information about the rings whereabouts.
If he couldnt access Declan Chases memories, hed be forced to set off searching for the ring all over again.
When hed first taken his uncles advice and drunk "live" immortal blood from the flesh, Lothaire had accepted the risk: madness.
But hed convinced himself that his mind was too strong to be overly afflicted. Perhaps hed grow more fiendish, his conscience further eroded.
Hed never expected the sleep-tracing and the rages, the times when he couldnt hear an enemy sneaking up on him because of the thundering of his heart.
Hed never expected to lose his strategic abilities. In the past, hed easily contrived multiperson, decades-long plots, foreseeing each players move as if they were chessboard pawns.
Now mere puzzle solutions eluded him. He could rarely sleep. When he did, he couldnt filter through his dreams to get to the information he needed.
Also strange? He hadnt experienced Elizabeths memories at all. She was his latest take, so why hadnt he seen hers?
The only good that had come from his rest was that his injuries had healed completely. At his age, he could go weeks between feedings, but regeneration had left him starved.
He poured more of the cool blood into a glass-glug, glug. He would leisurely drink it in front of the mortal, just to fuck with her.
But she didnt comment on his breakfast, only said, "I didnt find anything in here that Id care to eat. "
"Dont worry, Ill feed my new pet. "
"Pet?" Her eyes glittered. "I never knew I could hate someone as deeply as I do you. "
"I often help others discover the outer limits of their hatred. Its a talent of mine. " Musing on his own perplexing situation, he said, "It must confuse you to desire a male you despise. "
"No, I figured out whats happening. "
"Im unwillingly intrigued. Tell me what your little mortal brain fie-gered out," he said, imitating her drawl.
She narrowed her eyes. "Ive always liked men. Before prison I had boyfriends enough, went parking every weekend. "
Jealousy flared inside him, though hed be damned if he knew why. Elizabeth wasnt his.
As if remembering a former boyfriend, she gazed past Lothaire. Her eyes gone languid, she twirled a lock of hair, running it over her plump bottom lip.
That hair. Those lips-
"Miss me some parking," she absently murmured, a blush spreading along her high cheekbones. "Hot, hectic . . . parking. " Just when he was about to smash something, she met his gaze. "In the last five years, Ive seen a total of nine men. Think about that for a second. Then youll understand how even you can look good. "
"Even I?" His tone was scoffing. "My natural attributes would have nothing to do with that?" He gestured at himself, indicating his faultless physique.
Hed grown to be perfectly wrought.
Exactly as promised.
But, by all the gods, what will it take to keep my own promises?
"Lothaire, just because Im sexually desperate doesnt make you a peach. "
Sexually desperate? His mind flashed to that time hed seen her in the water eagerly kissing that boy, her fingers biting into his shoulders as her mouth had moved on his. The males expression had been one of wonderment before his eyes had slid closed, lust overwhelming him. . . .
Red covered Lothaires vision. Elizabeth had writhed against the boy, as if unable to get close enough to him-
Lothaire hurled his glass across the kitchen, blood and shards exploding against the wall. He traced before her, clutching her upper arms to yank her out of her seat.
Her heartbeat raced, her eyes widening with delightful fear. . . .
Chapter 17
Ellies hands flew to the vampires chest as his mouth descended to her neck. "What is wrong with you?"
"This body belongs to me now! It will never be touched by another. " Against her skin, he grated, "Damn you, allow Saroya to rise!" His lips parted, and his tongue flicked out.
"Oh! I-I cant-shes not even trying. " Is he gonna drink from me again?
His skin was warmer than itd been earlier, growing hotter and hotter beneath her fingers.
Another wicked lick on her neck sent shivers coursing through her. Ellies nipples tightened into sensitive points, her breasts swelling.
"Youre in need of my touch. Fade back and make her come to me," he commanded, his voice gravelly. "Ill pleasure this body, and then youll be relieved of this ache when you wake. "
"I dont know how to fade back," she cried, her accent growing thicker. He was kissing her neck so greedily, not biting, but still with an urgent hunger. "Oh, God, I cant think when youre doin that. " Had she moaned the last?
She must have, because he broke away from her, gazing down to gauge her reaction. She was panting, eyes focused on his sexy mouth, those lips.
He unfastened the button on her slacks. "You hate me . . . "
She gulped with fear. And anticipation.
". . . but youll still let me do whatever I want to you. " He pinched her zipper, rasping words in Russian to her as he slowly began to tug it down.
"I-I hate you more than anything! But that-that mouth of yourn feels so good. You probably got some kind of unnatural vampire control over me. " Something had to explain this animal craving she felt for him.
When he spread her slacks open and fingered the lace on her silk panties with a groan, Ellie bit her bottom lip, struggling to keep her eyes open. Would his fingers continue to dip down, discovering her wetness . . . ?
How much more could he control? Her life, her future, and now her desires? She was suffering from temporary insanity, understandable considering everything shed been through.
Everything he had put her through.
At the thought, she hated him all over again. Ellie gave a hard shake of her head, then met his fiery eyes. "No, I wont let you do whatever you want. " She grabbed his wrist, pulling his ever-descending hand from her panties. "Because I do not want you, will never want you. "
A muscle ticked in his jaw.
She didnt know if he was going to kiss her more-or kill her.
He turned and punched the kitchen wall, sending up a plume of plaster. "As if I want you-I detest you so much it burns! And I cant kill you!"
"Yet. "
He swung his gaze on her. "Not yet. But soon. " He vanished
, reappearing seconds later, completely dressed.
His broad chest was still heaving under a dark gray sweater of some fine material, probably cashmere or something expensive. Whatever it was fitted over his muscles like a second skin. His black slacks were obviously tailored for him. He wore a sword belt and sword.
Staggeringly handsome.
"Were going for a jaunt. "
A chance to escape? "Where?"
"To see a hag. "
Lothaire traced Elizabeth inside a seaside shack at the edge of a solitary beach on the Outer Banks.
He needed an emergency meeting with his oracle, a fey female known as the Hag in the Basement.
"Where are we?" Elizabeth whispered. "You said your enemies would find me outside of the apartment!"
"Not here. Her protections are identical to mine. " Elizabeth would be safe enough. Besides, he had no choice but to consult with Hag-his mind was growing more disordered.
Dangerously so.
Moments ago, hed decided to yank Elizabeths pants to her ankles, then bend her over the table to fuck her right there. Hed briefly thought that a brilliant idea.
Making her moan my name before I allow her to come, plunging into her tight heat, feeling her grow slick around me . . .
No, no! Focus! Aside from the fact that he awaited Saroyas rising this very night, he could kill Elizabeth. If he lost control, pounding into her with all his strength . . .
His nostrils flared and his fists clenched. Bloodlust warred with sexual need. Hed already come close to piercing her this morning.
Hag could help him find focus, could help him sort through his memories-so he could get rid of Elizabeth as soon as possible.
The oracle was the one person he even marginally trusted with his Endgame. Shed foreseen his Bride and had told him how to find her. Shed made sure Elizabeths body was safeguarded during her imprisonment.
For years, Hag had guarded his secrets. . . .
Her homes shutters were closed against the last of the days sun. The oracle had been expecting him.
As Elizabeth surveyed the open living and cooking areas, Lothaire tried to see this place through her eyes.
Bat wings and skeins of herbs hung from the ceiling to dry. Animal carcasses lay on a butcher block in various states of slaughter.
Hags bubbling concoctions brewed on a modern gas stove, while lengthy work benches held an assortment of flasks on burners.
Her collection of demon skulls decorated a top shelf-they looked human except for the protruding horns and fangs. Ghoul heads lined another shelf, their putrid green faces frozen in horror. Preserved centaur phalli filled jars.
"Hag," he called. The oracle was actually a young-looking fey whod been transformed into a powerless crone for a few centuries before recently returning to her true form-that of a comely, pointed-eared brunette.
Balery was her real name, but he liked Hag better. Lothaire wanted to remind the fey of her be-croned past as often as possible.
Because he was the one whod saved her from it. Another name in my book.
Hag emerged from a back room. "Lothaire, I cant say this is a surprise. " She wiped her blood-soaked hands on a stained apron.
Though she wore modern clothes under the apron-a short skirt, boots, a T-shirt-she had a decidedly unmodern black pouch of seer bones affixed to her belt.
Aside from her talents as an oracle-which had weakened from involuntary disuse-Hag was also a concoctioness, specializing in poisons and potions.
Elizabeth gaped at the feys bloody hands, sidling closer to him as if for protection. The vampire who intended to destroy her very soul.
He heard her whispering to herself, "Open mind, open mind," and thought she had her finger curled through one of his belt loops.
"Staying close to the bloodsucker now?" Elizabeths fear was so mortal, so unqueenly. Another example of how inferior she was to courageous Saroya.
Elizabeths attempted blaze of glory five years ago? Her joining him in the shadows earlier? Mere feeblemindedness, Lothaire decided.
"At present, Im figuring youre the lesser of two evils. "
He gave a mirthless laugh. "You couldnt be more mistaken. "
"Shes the hag?" Elizabeth murmured. "She doesnt look like one. Does she turn into one at night or something?"
Hag sighed at her ignorance. In a disdainful tone, she said, "And you brought human company. "
"My enemies already know shes in my keeping. "
"Within mere hours?"
"Nix. " He didnt need to say more.
"We should update our encryption keys every hour. "
He nodded.
The fey circled Elizabeth, her pointed ears twitching. "Shes even prettier than in my visions. "
"Did you expect anything less from my Bride?"
"Visions?" Elizabeths timid stance disappeared, and she pushed away from him to glare at Hag. "Youre the one who told this freak how to find me?"
Hag ignored her as she might a yapping dog. "Her body will breed well, even after you turn her," she remarked to Lothaire.
Hed been so preoccupied with the act of breeding that hed never thought about the result.
What would his offspring be like, when gotten upon this body? Though vampires reproduced sparingly, he pictured numerous towheaded children with determined gray eyes. "Ill require many heirs. "
Comprehension-and horror-dawned in Elizabeths expression.
How bizarre to realize that ones body would go on, Lothaire mused, would produce young for others.
"My children. " Elizabeth balled her fists. "Raised by you and your disgusting bitch. " If she struck him as she so longed to do, shed break the bones in her hand.
When Hag gave an assessing squeeze of Elizabeths hip, the girl whirled around, swinging one of those fists. He traced between them, catching it with his palm. "Never touch this fey. Never. Her skin is poisonous. "
Hag was a Venefican, a poisoned lady. As a girl, shed been fed small amounts of poison until her skin had grown permanently lethal. Shed also been trained as a courtesan-put those traits together, and she was a perfect weapon.
"And before you get any suicidal ideas," Lothaire told Elizabeth, "know that shell heal you before you could die. But youd experience agony as never before. "