Kiss of Temptation: The Kavanaugh Foundation, Book 3

by Crista McHugh

  He ran his fingers through his hair and fished his key to the pensione from his pocket. Hopefully, Sophia hadn’t touched the bottle of blood he’d hidden in her cellar. He’d need the whole thing to clear the fog from his head and strengthen his resistance if he wanted to work with Daniela.

  Chapter Three

  The sunset bathed the domed roof of St. Peter’s in pure gold, but Daniela barely took in its beauty. She stared at her cell phone and contemplated throwing it into the street. Her conversation with Morwen had left her with more questions than answers. Morwen had remained tight-lipped about Luc and reminded her that the mission came first. The mission always came first, as far as the Foundation was concerned. All the Head Witch had told her was that she could trust Luc.

  Trust was something to be earned, not given. And so far, Luc hadn’t gained it.

  She headed back to the pensione, wondering if the elusive ex-priest would come for her tonight. Should she tell him about the vampire that had tripped off her ward just before dawn? Her cheeks flamed at the memory. She was just coming down from her climax when she saw the spark. She wondered how long the vampire had been standing on her balcony and how much he or she had seen before hitting the ward.

  It embarrassed her that she almost got caught masturbating, but what bothered her more was the fact that she couldn’t unwind until she’d made herself come, all the while thinking of Luc. Men usually didn’t have this effect on her. She’d appreciate them when they were near but forget about them once they were gone. And they always left, especially once they found out about her abilities. Not that she broadcasted them or anything. Just a few slips of a spell here and there, and BAM! Boyfriend running out the door so fast, he’d leave his treasured belongings behind.

  Daniela sighed as she opened the door to the pensione. Maybe one day she’d meet a man who wouldn’t mind being involved with a witch, like Darren from Bewitched.

  She glanced down the hallway, hoping to question Sophia before Luc returned, but the owner was conspicuously absent.

  When she reached the top of the stairs, Luc was leaning against the wall next to her door. “I thought I told you to stay here.”

  “What made you think I’d obey?” She brushed past him and every inch of her skin began to tingle. Merda! She shouldn’t want him this much.

  “I’d hoped you’d have enough sense not to become a target for the vampires again.”

  “It’s still daylight,” she replied, pointing to the fading light outside her window. “They’d fry if they came after me now. Besides, I have my own little vampire alarm installed.”

  He waited in the hallway. “Here, yes, but out there?”

  “I appreciate your concern, but I can take care of myself.” She showed him the stake she’d kept under her pillow to prove her point. Granted, she wasn’t a trained hunter, but she’d killed a few vampires over the years. She wouldn’t hesitate to do it again, if needed.

  He crossed his arms and raised one brow. Damn, he looked too sexy for his own good when he did that. How many women in his parish had impure thoughts when they stared at him? Maybe that’s why he’d left the priesthood. Maybe a woman tempted him enough to give up his vow of celibacy. If so, wonderful. It meant she could enjoy him without a guilty conscience.

  Her panties grew damp as she thought about the body hidden under his modest clothes. She already knew from last night there wasn’t an inch of fat on his lean frame. And from what she remembered of the erection that had pressed against her, he was very well-endowed.

  “Grab your bag.”

  His order jerked her from her fantasies. “Excuse me?”

  “I said, grab your bag. We need to leave.”

  “And where exactly are we going?”

  He hovered inches from the doorframe. “Do you want to find the Staff of Octavius or not?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then perhaps you should follow me and stop asking so many questions.” He turned on his heel and pounded down the stairs.

  Luc paced the small entryway and watched the last rays of the sun fade into night. What kind of trouble was he getting into now? Last night, he’d almost made up his mind to leave her behind and keep the location of the staff a secret. Then he made the mistake of downing a whole bottle of human blood. Half-drunk from it, he changed his mind and asked Sophia to reserve a private berth for him and Daniela on the overnight train to Paris. They’d arrive after dawn, but he could easily stick to the shadows until they reached the Metro. Then he could decide where to go from there.

  The last thing he expected was resistance from Daniela. He knew Morwen well enough to know that nothing would stop her from finding what she sought, and that carried over to her employees. If the Head Witch wanted something, Daniela would be forced to find it.

  The sound of footsteps warned him of her approach, but his gut still clenched at the new wave of her scent. A human shouldn’t smell that good to him, not after years of careful training to ignore the bloodlust. Yet, when he turned to his head to the side, the first thing he focused on was the faint pulsation in her neck. He clamped his lips together and hoped she wouldn’t catch a glimpse of his growing canines.

  “Fine. I’ll play along with you for now, but you’d better be taking me to the staff.”

  The corners of his mouth twitched—a dangerous act considering his fangs were on high profile, but he couldn’t help himself. She was trying to make it sound like she was compromising with him when in truth, he held all the cards. “Glad you decided to come along. Our train will be leaving within an hour.”

  “Train?”

  Talking business seemed to help him control the bloodlust. By the time she stood in front of him, his fangs had retreated. “Do you have an objection to trains?”

  She shook her head, making her golden brown hair dance in the light. “It seems to be a rather slow way to travel, though.”

  “True, but the vampires will be watching the airport for your departure. After all, how do you think they tracked you down in the catacombs?” He opened the door and stepped out into the street.

  “How did you know they were after me?” She slung her backpack over her shoulder and followed him.

  “One tends to overhear things in certain circles.”

  “You’re annoyingly vague, Padre Luc.”

  He stiffened when she called him that. “It’s just Luc.”

  “Sophia mentioned you were once a priest.”

  “Sophia talks too much.” He forced himself to take slow, long strides down the street so he’d appear human, but Daniela still had to jog to keep up with him.

  “And Morwen doesn’t talk enough,” she muttered under her breath. She waited a block before she said, “I don’t completely trust you, Luc.”

  He almost breathed a sigh of relief. Her mistrust would keep a wide gulf between them and prevent him from getting close enough to her to act on his desires. If he didn’t touch her, didn’t kiss her, didn’t inhale her intoxicating scent, he wouldn’t give in to the darkness that threatened to consume him. “Wise girl.”

  They walked in silence to the Metro. Luc thought he had things under control until they were smashed together on the train. Her lips parted in surprise at their close contact, and he immediately remembered hearing her call his name last night. His cock twitched in response. His fingers ached to caress her breasts and tease her nipples. Her breathing quickened as if she was having similar thoughts, and her pupils dilated. Another thump lurched in his chest.

  He closed his eyes and looked away before he lost control of himself again. Would every second around her be this agonizing?

  He turned his attention to the flow of people coming and going from the car as they pulled into each station. Dozens of hearts pounded in his ears, but one rose above them all. Hers. It sounded so calm and steady, so oblivious to the monster that was standing next to her. Surely she would have guessed what he was by now. Or had his attempts to be as human as possible fooled even one of the Foundation’s m
embers?

  He cast a sideways glance at her. She twirled a lock of hair around her finger and stared past him. He would have given anything to know what was going through her mind at this moment. Despite all his years of life, women still puzzled him, and this one confused him more than any other woman he’d ever met. Perhaps that’s why he’d chosen to pursue this private hell—to solve the riddle of Daniela before he gave in to his madness.

  When they reached the Stazione Termini, another scent made the hairs on his arms stand on end. Blood and death. The other vampires had to be nearby. He locked his fingers around her pack and guided her to a corner away from traffic, praying they hadn’t been spotted yet.

  As he lowered his head to whisper his instructions in her ear, an overprotective urge almost as powerful as his desire rocked his core. He needed to draw a steadying breath before he could speak. “If we get separated, you need to go to platform five, car seven, berth nine. Can you remember that?”

  “Five, seven, nine,” she repeated in a shaky voice. She licked her lips, and he fought back a groan. At this rate, he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands—or his fangs—off her before they reached Paris. “Do you suspect trouble?”

  “I’d say there are about half a dozen vampires crawling around here.”

  She placed one hand on her hip and cocked a brow. “And this is supposed to be safer than the airport?”

  “Of course. There were over a dozen there.” He tugged on her pack and pulled her after him. She was their prey. The sooner he concealed her on the train, the better. If they could escape Rome without Colette following them, it would be a miracle.

  Miracles were rare these days.

  The second they reached the main atrium, he spotted them. Or, to be more precise, they spotted Daniela. A knot lodged in his throat as two vampires began to converge on them at inhuman speeds. “Run,” he managed to utter before shoving her toward the train.

  “What the—” The words died in Daniela’s mouth when she saw Luc ram into another man like a rugby player on meth. The man jumped to his feet with the ease of an acrobat and zeroed in on her. The strange glow in his eyes appeared all too familiar. Apparently, Luc was right about the vampires patrolling the train station.

  “Didn’t you hear me?” Luc shouted at her while he wrestled with another vampire. “Run.”

  She hesitated, wondering if she should risk using her magic in public to help Luc. After all, he was the one who knew where the staff was. She should be protecting him, not the other way around. But the second’s hesitation gave her enemy the opportunity he needed.

  The room spun in circles as he rammed into her and knocked the air from her lungs. He wrapped her hair around his hand and yanked. Pain flared along her scalp, bringing tears to her eyes. The scent of decaying meat rose from his hot breath. “Colette’s been looking for you.”

  Fear combined with humiliation, and magic churned inside her like a tornado. “You’ll have to give her my regrets.”

  She unleashed a spell at him. Flames licked at her field of vision, and a scream echoed off the walls of the terminal, stopping all the bystanders in their tracks. The vampire jumped off her and frantically tried to stamp out the mini-fires engulfing his clothing.

  “Stop showing off.” Luc pulled her to her feet and dragged her behind him as he raced for platform five. “Our train is getting ready to pull out.”

  Daniela now knew how a kite felt on a blustery day. No matter how fast she moved her feet, she couldn’t keep up with him. At one point, she swore both feet had come off the ground. The world blurred around her and her stomach heaved.

  “Ready?”

  It sounded more like a grunt than a question, and the next thing she knew, she was airborne. She landed inside the train and crashed into a pile of luggage like a bowling ball. The piercing beeps of an alarm sounded on either side of her. The doors started sliding shut. She jutted her hand out to try to catch them.

  Luc dived for the doors and managed to slip in a split second before they sealed closed. When the train jerked forward, she released the breath she’d been holding. They made it.

  “Are you hurt?” The concern on his face rattled her more than the mad dash through the train station.

  “I’ll survive.” His frown deepened, so she waved him off. “It’s just a few bruises.”

  That answer seemed to satisfy him. He stood and helped her to her feet. His eyes raked over every inch of her, and a flush spread from her cheeks to her pelvis. Damn, even disheveled, he looked irresistible. She reached up and brushed a lock of hair from his eyes.

  He sucked in a deep breath and caught her hand as she pulled it back. The intensity of his stare spoke of one emotion—hunger. Her mouth began to water. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. Her heart skipped a few beats. He was dangerous, mysterious and frustrating, but she wanted to fuck him right there in the doorway of a train car. Thankfully, he looked like he’d be more than willing to accommodate her.

  She leaned into him and waited with her lips millimeters from his. His heart beat so hard, she could feel it through his chest. His eyelids lowered and he closed the space between them. But unlike last time, this kiss was hesitant, light, fearful. He was holding back on her.

  Daniela wrapped her arm around his neck and deepened the kiss. When his mouth parted, she slipped her tongue in to explore every corner of it. A moan rose from his throat and he released her hand as he surrendered to her and began kissing her in return. A bolt of electricity zapped through her body, stronger than any magic she’d drawn upon. At the moment, she didn’t care who or what Luc was. All she needed was to continue kissing him.

  “Excuse me,” a woman said as she shoved past them.

  Luc broke away with his lips still parted. His chest rose and fell at the same frantic pace as hers. “Daniela, perhaps we should find our berth.”

  Yes, find our berth, get naked and finish this. She followed him down the narrow aisle. Her body both tingled and ached for him. She’d never been this excited about the prospect of sex. Maybe her inner bad girl felt a little thrill knowing he used to be a priest and she was slowly corrupting him.

  By the time they reached the berth, she realized he’d already been corrupted. The ease with which he tossed her bag to the corner and simultaneously began unbuttoning her blouse while his lips sought hers spoke of years of practice. She followed suit, removing his shirt by the time he managed to bare her shoulders. They broke their kiss long enough to let the articles of clothing fall to the floor. The loss of contact gave her a split second to catch her breath. Mio Dio, she wanted him.

  He stared at her, his eyes focusing on her breasts. When they snapped up to her face, a flicker of doubt clouded his expression. “Perhaps we should take things slowly.”

  Daniela took a step back. “Why? Scared?”

  When he didn’t answer, she shrugged her shirt back on and began buttoning it. If he wasn’t going to put out, then the peep show ended here. She shoved past him and reached for the door.

  Luc grabbed her before she could open it and pressed her back against his chest. His breath bathed her ear in lust-driven steam. “Are you mocking me?”

  “Well, if the shoe fits…” She licked her lips and wiggled her ass against the increasing bulge in his pants. How much longer could the material restrain it?

  “I don’t think you can handle me.” He leaned closer and pressed his lips against her neck. His hands reached under her blouse and cupped her breasts.

  The sheer lace of her bra only added to the exquisite roughness of his fingers as they played with her taut nipples. She bit back a moan and dug her nails into his thighs. Just keep him aroused, her body urged. He’ll cave and you’ll both find the satisfaction you seek. “Wanna bet?”

  The clang of the plastic buttons hitting the walls of the berth gave her his answer. Her blouse fell to the floor in a puddle, followed by her pants. Then he whirled her around and assaulted her mouth with his. Yet despite his rough handling, he was
still showing restraint in the careful nibbling of her lips, the gentle kneading of flesh, the grinding of his pelvis against hers. If he wanted to hurt her, he could, but the fact he didn’t intensified the warm ache deep in the pit of her stomach. She eased into his embrace, feeding off his aggression the way a fire fed off fresh kindling.

  She gasped for air like a swimmer before diving into the depths of his kiss again. The spicy scent of his skin aroused almost as much as the taste of fine wine that lingered on his tongue. What had he been drinking before he met her? The combination of earth and jammy fruits accented by a hint of pepper that flavored the recess of his mouth nearly made her drunk, but she still craved more.

  She wrapped one of her legs around his, letting his hands support her ass and pull her as close as they could get with their clothes still on. If he didn’t get naked soon, she’d have to cast a spell to incinerate his clothes. The few burns would be worth it if she could just get him inside her.

  “Daniela, are you certain?”

  The raw edge in his voice nearly made her cry out in frustration. He wanted her as much as she wanted him, and he was trying to talk her out of it? “No, I’m just dry humping you for shits and giggles. Now get your pants off and stop teasing me.”

  Both of his inky brows rose in surprise before his mouth curled into a grin. “Fine. There will be no teasing, no foreplay. Just me inside you.”

  “Yes, Luc, that’s what I want. You inside me, making me come.”

  He opened the bed and laid her on it. Only a thin rim of blue remained in his eyes. What was visible glowed with a lust that sent a shiver down her spine. He wasn’t joking about the lack of foreplay, but it didn’t matter. She was so wet, she didn’t need anything else to warm her up. She just needed release.