Darkness Revealed (Guardians of Eternity #4)(12)

“I think we should have a talk with Sybil Taylor,” he murmured. “But not tonight.”

It was her turn for impatience. She had always suspected there was something downright slimy about the beautiful brunette. Even before she learned Sybil was a fairy. (A fairy, for God’s sake, what was up with that?) This was her opportunity to discover just what the bitch was up to.

“Why wait?” she demanded.

“For one thing I would like our conversation to be a little more private than standing on Michigan Avenue,” he said, his lips brushing her ear as he spoke. “And for another, she’s on her guard at the moment. If we wait and corner her, she’ll be much more willing to confess her secrets.”

“She won’t be confessing any secrets if she manages to disappear,” she pointed out as Sybil crossed the wide street and vanished from view.

“Impossible.”

She tilted her head away from those disturbing lips that brushed against her ear. God, her hormones were nearly screaming with the need to turn in his arms and do something about the fierce ache that had clutched her body.

It was dangerous. Stupid. And undeniable.

She hadn’t felt this potent need for one hundred and ninety-five years. Now her body wanted what it wanted. And it wanted it this minute.

Anna sucked in a deep breath, willing her heart to slow its frantic pace. “How can you be so certain you will be able to find her again?”

“No one, not even a demon, can hide from a vampire on the hunt,” he arrogantly assured her, his hand stroking the line of her throat. “No one.”

She turned her head to meet the dark, glittering gaze. “Is that a threat?”

“Consider it a friendly warning.”

“Perhaps you should have your memory checked.”

His lips twitched. “And why is that?”

“Because after one hundred and ninety-five years I’m the one who found you, not the other way around.”

His smile widened. Of course. Even if Anna was too stubborn to admit it out loud, they both knew that he had deliberately lured her to Chicago.

“If it makes you feel better to think so.”

She pulled away and began marching down the street. She’d had enough for one night. Enough of vampires and fairies and near-death experiences.

“Goodbye, Conde Cezar.”

She’d barely taken a step when he blocked her path, his expression ruthless in the shadows.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Back to my hotel room.”

“Don’t be a fool. Even assuming that it’s not completely destroyed, Sybil will keep a watch on the hotel the entire night.”

“Fine.” She turned on her heel and began marching in the opposite direction. “Then I’ll go to another hotel.”

Once again she had barely taken a step and he was blocking her path, moving so swiftly she nearly rammed into him.

He crossed his arms over his chest, regarding her with lifted brows.

“And what hotel will take you in with no money, no luggage, and no shoes?”

The fact that he was right only made her want to punch him in the nose. “Look, buster, I’m tired of vampires and fairies and God knows what else that is no doubt lurking in the shadows. I just want to go to sleep and forget I was ever stupid enough to come to Chicago, let alone believe you could give me the answers I want.”

He regarded her pale face for a long, silent moment. “What if I promise to make sure that you get those answers you seek?”

She narrowed her gaze. “You know more than you’re saying, don’t you?”

He laughed softly. “It would take the next millennium to share everything I know, querida.”

“Ugh.”

His smile faded as he slowly held out a slender hand. “Will you trust me?”

“Never.”

Something that might have been disappointment flashed through the dark eyes, but his hand never wavered.

“Will you at least allow me to take you somewhere safe for the night?”

Anna lowered her gaze to study the tips of her bare toes, grinding her teeth as she was forced to accept she had nowhere to go. Not unless she wanted to sleep in the streets.

Talk about a rock and a hard place.

“I don’t seem to have much choice,” she muttered, grudgingly placing her hand in his.

With a small chuckle, Cezar pulled her forward, bending his head to brush a soft kiss on her lips.

“Anna Randal, you haven’t had a choice since the first night I caught sight of you.”

With a soft hiss, Cezar forced himself to lift his head. Dios. The scent of this woman was invading him, setting his soul on fire. He ached with the need to taste her blood on his tongue, feel her warm and supple body writhing in pleasure beneath his own.

In the same moment he was nearly overwhelmed with the compulsion to take her far away from those who hunted her. To hide her in his lair and keep her safe. With his very life if necessary.

Two very dangerous obsessions that could get a vampire killed.

Damn the Oracles. They had known. They had known precisely what his reaction would be when this woman was plunged back into his life.

With an effort, Cezar thrust aside the strange unease that flared through his heart and concentrated on Anna.

Despite her stubborn expression and the wary glitter in her beautiful hazel eyes, he could smell the fear and confusion and weariness that trembled through her body.