Wisely Abby backed away from the heavy steel door. “What sort of surprises?”
“Enough electricity to halt your heart, a poisoned dart that will turn your insides to mush, a curse that will shrivel a man’s private jewels to—”
“Okay, that falls under the category of way too much information,” she interrupted before her eyes abruptly widened. “Good God. What if I had accidentally stumbled across this door? I would have been fried or mushed or shriveled.”
Taking a deep drink of the blood, Dante was relieved to find his strength swiftly returning. Whatever had happened to him at least was not permanent.
“Maybe mushed or fried.” He cast a pointed glance below her waist. “You don’t have the proper equipment to be shriveled.”
“I’m serious.” She planted her hands on her hips. “I could have been killed.”
His lips twitched. He wasn’t about to confess that he had been vividly aware of her presence in the house even during his deepest sleep. That there was not a step that she had taken that he hadn’t followed. She could not possibly have come near his lair without his awareness.
It smacked too closely of obsession.
“You were living with a powerful Chalice and a vampire, lover. My private door was the least of your concerns.”
Her lips twitched with grudging humor. “Are you feeling better?”
“Yes. Whatever happened seems to be fading.”
“Thank God.”
“Yes.”
There was a moment of silence before curiosity at last overcame good manners, and Abby was covertly casting glances about his secret lair.
Dante drained the last of the blood as he watched her expressive features.
The room had little in common with the pretentious mansion. Unlike Selena, he preferred the elegant to the gaudy. The bed was wide but built of plain mahogany with a gold and black comforter to match the carpeting. The furnishings were sturdy and the walls nearly hidden by the heavy shelves that were filled from floor to ceiling with his collection of rare books.
Giving a faint shake of her head, Abby moved to his desk to touch his state-of-the-art laptop and printer.
Dante polished off another bottle of blood, his lips twitching. “Is something the matter?”
“It’s not quite what I was expecting.”
“You were hoping for dusty skeletons and bats?”
She turned to face him with a faint smile. “It seems more fitting for a college professor than a dangerous vampire.”
Setting aside the bottle, Dante prowled toward the slender woman. “Are you implying that I’m dull?”
Sensing the sudden heat in the air, she eyed him warily. “Dante, we should be deciding what we are to do next.”
She was right, of course.
Once again his brilliant notion had led to nothing more than nearly getting them killed. And the witches remained as elusive as ever.
Even worse, he was now completely out of ideas as to how to trace the coven.
But his thoughts refused to remain focused on the problems at hand.
How many nights had he lain sleepless in that bed tormented with fantasies of Abby? How often had he battled against the ache to lure her to his side?
She may never have stepped foot in this lair, but her presence haunted every inch of it.
He continued forward, not halting until he had her firmly wrapped in his arms.
“You didn’t answer my question, lover. Do you find me dull?”
He felt her breath catch as the mystical blue eyes darkened with awareness.
“We shouldn’t become distracted,” she protested, although her hands were already smoothing up his chest to wrap about his neck.
“Too late.”
With one smooth motion, he scooped her off her feet and laid her in the center of the bed. The breath rushed from her lungs as he busily set about ridding her of the annoying clothes.
“Dante.”
Tossing aside her shoes and socks, his hands reached to remove the sheathed dagger and then returned to tug at the zipper of her pants.
“You don’t know how many nights you tormented me, lover.” The pants were swiftly jerked off her legs, and his attention turned to her shirt. “Watching you, smelling your scent, feeling your heat. It was truly enough to drive a vampire mad.”
A flush touched her cheeks as he removed her shirt and regarded her with a slumberous gaze. Bloody hell but she was a delectable morsel.
Spread upon the gold and black cover wearing nothing more than her lacy bra and thong, she would have made the most discerning vampire pant with need.
His lingering weakness was washed aside by a tidal wave of sheer blinding need.
Holding his gaze, Abby slowly smiled. “Good.”
Dante lifted his brows as he planted his hands on each side of her head and pressed his lower body against her.
“Good?”
Her hands skimmed up his arms and over his chest where she began tugging at the buttons of his shirt.
“You tormented me enough,” she explained.
His head lowered to nuzzle at the sensitive spot just below her ear. “Why didn’t you come to my bed?”
His shirt was roughly tugged off his body. “Do you think that I jump into bed with every vampire I meet?” she demanded.
The demon flared within him. “I think that any jumping of vampires you do from now on had better be with me.”
He leaned down to nip at her ear and was rewarded by a sharp shudder of longing that raced through Abby’s body.
His own body was already hard and aching as he kissed a path down her neck and struggled to rid himself of his remaining clothes. Then, using his fully extended fangs, he tugged aside the bra.
Abby caught her breath as his teeth grazed her delicate skin, and Dante choked back a groan.
“Bloody hell but I wish I could taste you,” he muttered as he sought her hardened nipple with his tongue.
Her fingers tunneled into his hair as she arched upward. “Taste? You mean suck my blood?”
“There is nothing more intimate than the mingling of blood,” he whispered. “And nothing more erotic.”
“This seems plenty erotic,” she moaned. “I’m not sure I could bear any more.”
Dante licked the underside of her breast as his hands slid over her smooth skin. Her heat seeped into his body, into his dead heart.
“You’d be surprised, lover,” he assured her as he settled more firmly between her legs. “We haven’t even begun to explore the possibilities.”
Her legs encircled his hips with blatant invitation. “You mean like whipping cream?”
“Whipping cream, strawberries . . . chains.”
“Chains? In your dreams, bud. I—” With a soft laugh, Dante surged into her damp heat. Pure sensation rippled through him as her fingernails sank into his shoulders and she gasped with pleasure. “Oh yes.”
“Oh yes,” he breathed as he lowered his head to kiss her with tender need.
Buried deep inside her, Dante paused to savor the feel of being so intimately bound together. It wouldn’t matter if they had an eternity to explore each other, he would never tire of this woman. Never have enough of her sweet heat.
He would never be close enough.
Opening her eyes at his hesitation, Abby regarded him with a searching gaze.
“Dante? Is something wrong?”
His lips touched her forehead. “Everything is perfect, my love,” he whispered, his hips thrusting deeper before slowly pulling out to thrust again. “You are perfect.”
Her legs tightened about his waist, her beautiful face flushed. “Hardly perfect.”
“Never argue with a vampire. We are always right.” A growl was wrenched from his throat as she lifted her hips and his cock sank to the heart of her. Bloody hell. He needed more. He needed to have her connected to him in a manner that would bind her forever. “Abby.”
She was panting as he steadily pumped himself into he
r. “Dante . . . can’t this conversation wait? It’s a little difficult to think right now.”
He traced her lips with his tongue. “I want to give you something.”
Her fingernails bit deeper, sending a thrill of pleasure through him. “What?”
“A gift.”
She moaned. “Now?”
“Now.”
“But—”
It was obvious she was swiftly climbing to a climax, and Dante slowed his pace.
“I want to give you my blood.”
Her eyes widened, the hint of distaste revealing that she had no idea just what an honor he had just offered her.
“I . . . um . . . That’s very nice, but I have to be honest and tell you that drinking blood rates pretty high on my ick meter.”
He smiled gently. “Abby, a vampire does not easily offer his blood to another. It is a rare symbol of trust since it gives power to the one who ingests it.”
“Power? Do you really think I need any more? I don’t seem to be able to control what I have.”
“Power over me.”
She stilled beneath him. “How?”
He brushed his lips over her cheeks and gently nipped at her swollen lips.
“You will be a part of me. You will feel my emotions, know my heart, and sense me wherever I may be.” He pulled back to peer deeply into her eyes. “Even if I am hidden deep within the ground to heal.”
It took her a long moment to realize the extent of his faith in her.
To be able to sense his every emotion, to know if he was lying, to be able to discover him even when he was at his most vulnerable . . .
Few vampires would ever offer such trust.
Not to anyone.
Seeming to at last sense the depth of his offer, Abby gave a small frown.
“Why? Why would you do this?”
“Because it is how a vampire chooses his mate,” he said without hesitation. “The woman he will love for all eternity.”
Her blue eyes softened with a tenderness that shimmered through his entire body.
“Oh, Dante.” Her hands moved to frame his face. “I would be honored to be your mate.”
Holding her gaze, Dante lifted his hand to his neck. Before she could protest, he used his nail to make a small incision. Only after he felt the precious blood begin to trickle down his skin did he cup the back of Abby’s head and press her mouth to the wound.
“Drink,” he commanded softly.
There was a moment of hesitation before he felt her lips part and gently suck at his life force.
Dante nearly jolted off the bed as his body clenched in raw, primitive bliss. Holy hell.
He had known what Abby would experience. With his blood in her veins, her senses would be sharper, clearer, brighter. The world itself would seem to come into crisp focus. And, of course, she would become aware of him in a way that mortals could not imagine.
But he had not realized the sheer erotic nature of allowing her to feed from him.
Passion and hunger flooded through him. An overwhelming need to brand her as his own.
His fingers tangled in her hair as he pressed her even closer. He felt as if he was being consumed and nothing had ever been so glorious.
With every tug of her lips, his hips began to thrust forward, his need growing to an unbearable ache. She moaned. He growled. They clutched at each other. They surged together.
And then the powers of the Phoenix within Abby began to smolder and flare, engulfing them in a sizzling cloak of heat.
Dante choked out a groan of shocked pleasure as he thrust himself to the very heart of her. Mist-red desire clouded about them, driving them ever upward, until with an explosive climax they combusted in flames together.
Chapter 17
Still panting and drenched in sweat, Abby slowly floated back to earth.
“Yowza,” she breathed.
Sex with Dante was like running a marathon. Only a lot more fun.
Rolling to his side, Dante gathered her in his arms. “Yowza, indeed.”
She pressed her lips to his chest, absently noting his skin was cool and dry. She was afraid to glance higher. No doubt his hair was perfect as well.
Damn vampires.
A smile abruptly curved her lips.
Her vampire.
She briefly closed her eyes, absorbing the unfamiliar sensations that had settled deep within her. Like a whisper in the back of her mind, she could feel Dante. His small glow of sated pleasure. The fierce love that flowed through every part of him. And, overall, his gnawing concern that he wouldn’t be capable of protecting her.
She wrenched open her eyes to discover Dante regarding her with a searching gaze.
“I had no idea.” She gave a faint shake of her head. “It’s so intense.”
“How do you feel?”
“Amazing.” She watched Dante smile his sexy pirate smile. Made even more sexy by the fangs that were still fully extended. How weird was that? Suddenly her eyes widened in horror. “Oh.”
His arms tightened about her. “What is it?”
“I’m not going to turn into a vampire, am I?”
“No.” He dropped a kiss on the top of her curls, thankfully not insulted. “Turning someone is a bit more complicated. And it would not even be possible as long as you are the Chalice. The Phoenix would do whatever necessary to protect itself.”
Reassured that she wasn’t about to morph into anything else inhuman for the moment, she snuggled closer to his hard body.
“I wish we could just stay here.”
“Hide from the world?”
“At least an extended vacation.” She pulled back her head to meet his silver gaze. “I think we deserve a few days off, don’t you?”
He regarded her with a hint of regret. “I can’t think of anything that would please me more.”
“But?”
He blinked. “How did you know there was a but?”
Abby heaved a sigh. “In my world, there’s always a but.”
“You’re a very odd woman at times, lover.”
“I thought I was beautiful and courageous and sexy as hell?”
“All of the above,” he swiftly agreed, a faint smile playing about his lips, “and occasionally odd.”
“Rather ironic coming from a vampire.”
He bent down to press a swift kiss to her lips. Too brief.
“As much as I hate to admit it, we must not linger any longer.”
That wasn’t what she wanted to hear. Not when she felt warm and fuzzy and, best of all, safe.
“We have to leave now?”
“It’s too risky to stay here for long. If the house is being watched, then we could find ourselves surrounded by the sort of nasties that no one wants to meet on a dark night.”
“They couldn’t get in here, could they?”
He gave a lift of his shoulder. “Probably not, but we’ll eventually have to leave.”
Dante rolled off the bed, and before she could even appreciate the sight of his hard, alabaster body, he was impeccably attired and looking Gucci yummy.
Damn. That was starting to be a real sore spot with her.
“If we’re safe, why do we have to leave?” she demanded.
He gave a lift of his raven brow. “You don’t want to be locked in a room with a hungry vampire, lover. Even if I can’t drink human blood, I don’t doubt I might get a bit testy. Besides, I doubt that the witches will be considerate enough to make an appearance upon our doorstep.”
Heaving a sigh, Abby sat up and pushed her tangled curls out of her face. “Fine, go ahead and make sense. At least you can hand me the clothes you ripped off me.”
“Your wish is my command.” With a flourishing bow, he bent to retrieve the clothing that had been scattered across the floor.
“Isn’t that what a genie is supposed to—” Her teasing words trailed away as she watched Dante scoop the clothes in his hands and then slowly stiffen. With a strange expression, he pressed her shir
t to his nose. “Dante? Are you sniffing my shirt?”
His silver eyes shimmered with a dangerous glow. “It smells of demon.”
Abby stiffened. Did he just say she smelled like a demon?
She had probably suffered worse insults, but she couldn’t think of one at the moment.
“Excuse me?”
He took another deep sniff. “I don’t recognize the breed, but you have definitely been close to a demon.”
Oh. Well, that was better.
Marginally.
“Yeah, I’ve been close to a demon.” She gave him a pointed glance. “About as close as I could get. You don’t remember? I know you’re old, but holy crap.”
His expression remained closed. Hard. “A demon, not a vampire.”
His blood stirred within her. She could easily sense his lethal focus. A predator on the scent.
“That’s impossible,” she groused. She would have known if some demon had been rubbing on her shirt. That wasn’t something a normal woman . . . “Oh.”
“What?”
Abby slapped her forehead with her open hand. Christ. She must be losing her mind.
“There was this strange woman who interrupted my spell,” she confessed.
“Upstairs?”
“Yes.”
Abby shivered as Dante’s blood heated with fury. “What did she look like?”
She struggled to recall. She had been just a little preoccupied at the time.
“Human, for the most part, although she was far more graceful than any mere mortal. And incredibly strong.”
“She had the shape of a human?”
“Yes. A beautiful woman. She had dark hair and the most amazing gold eyes. Oh, and her skin had the strangest bronze glow to it.”
His eyes widened as he lifted the shirt to his nose once again. “A Shalott demon? I thought they had all fled this world. She attacked you?”
“Yes . . . no.”
He stabbed her with a piercing gaze. “Abby?”
She gave a helpless shrug. “I think she was just trying to stop the spell. She could have killed me while you were out, but she ran off. She said someone was calling her.”
“Damn.”
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