“How will you get enough to heal you? Do you just randomly kill anyone you come across?”
His blue eyes flashed in anger when he opened them. He grabbed her arms and shook her, causing her to drop the staff in surprise. “What kind of monster do you think I am? I have been in this state of undeath for over six centuries and I have never taken a human life, not even when my thirst was the strongest.”
“Then how did you survive?”
Luc released her and turned away. “By enthralling my victims and taking only what I needed. When my thirst was the strongest, I even fled into the wilderness to feed on animals. Anything to keep me from committing the unthinkable. From becoming one of them. Now I keep expired pints of blood from a local hospital at my maison in Paris. It tastes stale, but it sustains me. I was content until I met you.”
“And then?”
“And I craved your blood to the point of madness.”
Daniela took a step back, letting his confession slowly sink into her mind. An icy chill crawled through her, robbing her of all emotion except heartache. “So I was nothing more than a snack to you?”
He had her back in his arms faster than she could blink. “No, ma chérie. I want all of you—your mind, your body, your heart and your blood. I want you so much that I’m thinking things that should never enter my mind. I want you with me for eternity, but I refuse to give in to the temptation. I cannot turn you.”
“Why not?” The words slipped out before she realized she’d said them. This is madness. He must be enthralling me again. And yet, the longer she thought about it, the more tempting it seemed. She’d no longer have to worry about tormenting him with the scent of her blood, of making him feel guilty when he indulged in his cravings. She’d be able to fight with him and sleep in his arms for more than just one fragile human lifetime. She’d be his, now and forever.
“I know what you’re thinking, and it’s not that simple.” He kissed her forehead with his blistered lips. “I suggest you have a frank discussion with Morwen about this before you decide anything.”
“I will, but in the meantime, I know what I can do now.” She tilted her head to the side, exposing her throat to him. “Take what you need from me so you can start healing.”
He sucked in a breath through his teeth. “You shouldn’t say such things, Daniela. What if I take it too far? I’ve already held you in my arms and listened to the dying beats of your heart once. If I take you to that point again, I’ll…”
“I trust you, Luc.” She lowered his mouth to where he’d bitten her before. She’d let him turn her if things got out of hand. In fact, she welcomed it. “Bite me or I’ll slit my throat open for you.”
He chuckled but pressed his lips to her neck. The flat of his tongue bathed the area around the almost healed wounds as if he was prepping her skin. When he bit her, she felt only a slight sting, so much more pleasant than when Colette bit her. She melted into his embrace and allowed herself to float away in the bliss that followed.
Her mind wandered back over the last few days. She forgot about the pain and betrayal, about the heartbreak she’d known. Instead, all she could see was the joy she felt when she was with Luc. She remembered how he’d comforted her when she was about to give up hope, how he’d given her strength when she faltered, how he made her body seize in pleasure when he made love to her.
“You need to be careful with such thoughts, stregnini,” Luc whispered in her ear. “I’m getting so aroused, I could fuck you right here.”
Her sex grew damp just thinking about it, but how would that be possible with him still burnt? She opened her eyes to ask him that, but the words froze on her tongue. Instead of the blackened flesh that had marred his face moments before, pale white skin now replaced it. She traced the lines of his face, marveling at how quickly he’d healed. The wicked gleam in his eye reminded her of his threat. “Are you sure you’re up to it?” she teased.
“Are you challenging me?” He pressed his erection against her mound, and the ferocity of her desire almost made her knees buckle. Surely, he had to be enthralling her to make her want to rip her clothes off and let him have his way with her right there in the courtyard. “I’m already practically naked, but you seem to have too many barriers in place.”
She looked down and saw his clothes hung in singed tatters off his body, ready to scatter in a strong breeze. She was still wearing the rappelling harness from earlier. “Quick! Help me get this off.”
“Gladly.” The reinforced nylon straps ripped like a spider’s web under his grasp. Her flimsy underwear under the borrowed dress soon followed. “I want to be inside you so badly, I don’t know if I’ll be able to think clearly until I come.”
“What are you waiting for?” She jumped up into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. He pushed her against the courtyard wall and entered her in one swift thrust. For a few seconds, neither one of them moved. They stared at each other, enjoying the simple pleasure of being joined in such an intimate matter. But the novelty quickly faded for Daniela as the tension deep inside her womb coiled tighter, demanding release. She dug her heels into his ass. “Luc, we don’t have much time. The others will come looking for us.”
He laughed and pulled back. “And what if I want to draw things out a bit longer?” He slid into her slowly this time, inch by agonizing inch. His breath came out in a shudder. “You feel so wonderful, I’d come too quickly if I fucked you like I want to. Then where’s the pleasure for you?”
“Every second with you is so much pleasure, I never want to let you go.” The words shocked her as soon as she said them, and she almost felt embarrassed at revealing how much she’d truly fallen for him. It went against the cautious reserve she’d practiced for so many years, never letting anyone get close enough to hurt her once again.
Yet, when she said those words to him, his grin made his eyes crinkle. “I feel the same way, ma chérie.”
He began moving inside her in earnest, as if he took her at her word and ignored any shreds of restraint that he might have had left. Every powerful stroke sent tingles of pleasure racing to her limbs, building on each other until her breath hitched. The orgasm welled up inside like steam in a kettle. When it erupted, Luc had to muffle her scream of ecstasy with a lip-lock that only a vampire could perform. His fangs grazed her bruised lips, the slight sting only heightening the sensations rolling through her. His body stiffened and then melted with a guttural moan that rose from his throat.
And then there was silence. She leaned her forehead against his so the tips of their noses touched. Sweat trickled down Luc’s face, coating his lips with the taste of salt when she kissed him. Feeling his strong arms around her and listening to how his heart thumped in time with hers filled her with a content hum.
“Daniela, we’re getting ready to— Well, hello, Mister Nice Ass.” Espe stood on the edge of the courtyard and gave them a saucy wink.
Daniela tumbled from Luc’s embrace, and she could have sworn she saw a hint of color rise into his pale cheeks. He hid behind her to cover his nudity. A smile touched her lips. She’d have to tease him about his sudden modesty later. “This is Luc.”
Espe took a step toward them and frowned. Recognition flashed across her face when she realized what he was. Her hand grazed the stake-shaped bulge in the pocket of her cargo pants, but she didn’t retrieve it. “He can’t come with us.”
“I know, which is why I ask that you go on without me.” When Espe moved toward the Staff of Octavius, Daniela added, “And without the staff. Tell Morwen I’ll give her part of it once Luc and I break it again.”
A snarl formed on the young hunter’s face. “You know what he is and you choose to be with him?”
Daniela looked over her shoulder at her lover. “He’s not what you think. Come feel his heart if you don’t believe me.”
Espe skirted along the edge of the courtyard, her hand never straying more than a few inches from her stake as she approached them. She held out her hand.
Daniela moved aside so Luc could close the gap between him and his potential hunter.
Epse’s eyes widened a few seconds after she touched his chest. “This shouldn’t be happening,” she gasped. “He’s undead.”
“He’s as alive as any man.”
“No kidding.” Espe took a step back and cast a quick glance below Luc’s waist. “It looks like he’s ready for the next round.”
A possessive hunger ate away at Daniela’s gut, and she shielded Luc from Espe’s prying eyes. Funny, I’ve never been the jealous type, she thought. But then, I’ve never had a relationship like this before.
“Very nice,” Espe added with a grin. “It almost has me wanting to forget my training if I could find someone like him.”
Luc pulled her against him, pressing his growing erection into her ass. He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. “Unfortunately, I’m already taken.”
Santa Maria, whatever did I do to deserve him? Her heart fluttered and she sank further into his embrace, savoring the heat of his skin through the thin material of her dress.
“Suit yourselves. I’m out of here.” Espe turned on her heel and disappeared back into the castle.
Once they were alone, Luc nuzzled her ear. “Do you have any idea what a pain it was to break the staff in the first place?”
“No, but it needs to be done, Luc. If any witch gets her hands on it…” Her words trailed off as a shiver coursed down her spine. Even now, she dreaded touching it again. What if the voices began to whisper their sweet song of conquest in her mind again? Would she be able to resist it?
“I understand. But first, we need to find a place to hide before the sun comes up. I’d hate to be burned again.”
“What about finding you some new clothes?”
He chuckled. “For the next few days, I don’t think either of us will need clothes.”
The growl of desire in his voice made her sex quiver in anticipation. For the next few days, she’d gladly stay in bed with him, enjoying his touch as they made love until they both collapsed from exhaustion.
Chapter Eleven
Luc caught Morwen’s scent a split second before he heard her steps echoing through the catacomb tunnels. At least she wasn’t trying to sneak up on them. Stealth had been her friend for so long, he found it hard to imagine her without it.
Daniela lifted her head a few minutes later and looked in the direction of the sound. “She’s coming.”
“I know,” he replied and dropped a kiss on the top of her curly head. His lover’s hands trembled ever so slightly, betraying her anxiety over meeting with her former teacher for the first time since she went searching for the Staff of Octavius. “Do you wish for me to handle this?”
“No, I can do it.” She stiffened her spine and erased all emotion from her face.
When Morwen came into the light, it seemed like time had stopped centuries ago. She still appeared as she had the last time he’d seen her, in a Baroque Venetian salon. The same flowing red hair, the same porcelain skin, the same bright blue eyes that seemed to rip straight to his soul. The only things that had changed were her clothes. He almost laughed when he took them in. Only Morwen would climb down into the Roman catacombs wearing a tight skirt and high heels.
She stood a safe distance away from them and placed her hand on her hip. “I was beginning to wonder if you’d ever give me the staff.”
“It’s only been a month since we found it, Morwen.” Daniela mirrored the Head Witch’s posture. “It took us that long to break it again and dispose of the rod.”
Morwen’s mouth fell open. “You broke it? But—but—”
“But nothing.” Luc stepped between the two witches. He’d seen Morwen lose her temper before, and he wanted to make sure he shielded Daniela from her wrath if she chose to display it. “The Staff of Octavius is too powerful to belong to anyone. Why do you think I broke it and hid the pieces all those years ago?”
Morwen took a few seconds to regain her composure. “But I understand you have at least part of it to give to me, correct?”
Daniela pulled a cloth-wrapped object from her satchel. “Just the headpiece.”
Morwen pulled away the material and stared into the bird’s glittering blue eyes. She traced the lines of the feathered wings carved into the gold and appeared as mesmerized by the headpiece as everyone else who had held it. “And where’s the rest of it?”
“In a place where no one will dare look for it.” Daniela glanced over to him and smiled. They’d spent almost a week debating where to hide the rod before deciding to toss it into the Mariana Trench.
Morwen wrapped the headpiece back up in the cloth and turned her attention to them. “So, he hasn’t turned you yet?”
It’s not like he didn’t want to. Every night he spent in her arms only strengthened his desire to make sure she’d spend centuries at his side, but he had to admire Daniela’s reserve. Although she hadn’t told him no, she had said she wanted to learn all she could about living as a vampire before she committed to that lifestyle. At least he never questioned her love for him, and that was enough to keep him calm. “It is her choice.”
“And did he tell you that you would lose your powers as a witch?” Morwen closed the gap between them, her face softening. “It may take a few decades or a few centuries before you regain them, but you’ll physically mourn the loss of your magic. It can destroy your hope.”
At the last word, she turned her attention to him, and his mind was taken back to their conversation years ago at the church. Just being able to revive the rose bush had been enough to restore Morwen’s hope. It was a sign her powers had finally returned. But would Daniela suffer the same despair if she lost her magic?
His lover lifted her chin, and his concerns vanished. Because it was her choice, she’d never be forced to suffer the same experiences he and Morwen had. “I will consider that piece of information before I make the decision.”
“Good, and remember, you are always welcome at the Foundation as long as you’re still human.”
Hypocrite, Luc mentally snorted. He’d taken care not to reveal Morwen’s secrets, but times like this made him want to tell every member of the Foundation what kind of monster was truly running things. On the other hand, she’d gained the power to do things he never thought possible before he met Daniela. If he could find his reflection again and have a beating heart, perhaps one day he’d learn her secret of walking in the sun without getting burned.
Morwen watched him as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. She nodded. “Remember what I told you, Luc. If you resist the temptation, the unthinkable is possible.”
She’d uttered the same words to him that night in Venice. He’d spent his first two hundred years as a vampire avoiding society, living in wilderness and feeding off wild animals. The shame over what he’d become—a bloodthirsty monster—had haunted him from the moment he’d first fed off of Simon. But the need to be around people finally broke him, and he ventured into Venice during Carnival wearing a mask to hide his face and conceal his fangs.
The smell of hundreds of humans clogging the streets sent him into a violent bloodlust, and he’d grabbed the first drunken reveler he saw. The sweet taste of human blood awakened the beast within him, and he would’ve lost control if a redheaded woman wearing a moretta hadn’t pulled him away from his victim. For such a tiny woman, her strength had shocked him, and he’d allowed her to drag him to a rich salon.
When she removed her mask, he recognized the sorrowful angel he’d once shown pity. Only now, the situation was reversed. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. “Oh, Père Luc, what did he do to you?”
“Do not call me that!” he snapped and turned to leave.
She blocked his exit with a speed no mere mortal could possess.
“It’s because of you that I’m forced to live like this.”
“And for that, I am truly sorry. I never dreamed he would turn you for helping me.” A single drop streaked down her
cheek as she touched his face. A wave of calm washed through him, but he ground his teeth together. He refused to fall under her spell again.
“But what’s done is done.” He grabbed her wrist and yanked her hand away from him. “If I had more courage, I’d walk into the sun myself.”
“You don’t have to live this way, Luc. If you can resist temptation, the unthinkable is possible.”
He’d stayed with her for several months, learning how to blend in without revealing what he was. She’d introduced him to the glittering society of seventeenth century Venice, to poets and artists that brought the light back into his soul. She’d restored his hope, and by the time she retreated into the countryside for summer, he felt confident enough to no longer need her instruction.
The unthinkable was already happening. He threaded his fingers through Daniela’s and listened to the steady rhythm of his pulse. “So I will continue to change, Morwen, to become more human?”
“Possibly.”
Her cryptic answer rankled him. It was another game, one where she held all the cards, and she would use them to manipulate them. “What do you mean?”
She toyed with something hanging around her neck, and when she removed her hand, he recognized the same tarnished ring that she’d given to him years ago. Hanging next to it was a band of smooth, polish gold. “I mean your heart will continue to beat as long as your soul mate lives. But if you lose her…” Morwen’s voice cracked, and she once again ran her fingers over the smooth golden ring.
He turned to Daniela. What would he do if he lost her? She’d filled his life so completely, he doubted he’d find anything but emptiness if she was suddenly taken from him.
Daniela gave him a small smile and squeezed his hand. “Do not worry so much, Luc. I will not leave you.”
He tried to return her smile, but the ugly truth still haunted him. Unless he turned her, she would grow old and die. Would he able to stand back and watch her do that if she refused to be turned?
The sound of Morwen clearing her throat broke his morose thoughts. “Again, I encourage you not to make any rash decisions, Daniela. As much as I hate to lose a witch with your skills, I will respect your decision. And if that is all, I need to get this back to the Foundation.” She tucked the headpiece under her arm and disappeared down one of the tunnels, the clack of her heels lingering long after she faded from the view of their flashlights.
Kiss of Temptation: The Kavanaugh Foundation, Book 3 Page 13