Darkness Revealed (Guardians of Eternity #4)(37)

“Not if she arrives on my doorstep, but I thought the purpose was to try to keep Anna hidden,” the silver-haired vampire said, opening one of the doors and allowing them to pass into a vast apartment. “What better place than an establishment that is already filled with fairies?”

Cezar frowned before giving a reluctant shrug. “I suppose it’s the last place she’d look.”

Anna struggled not to gape at the splendor that surrounded her. Styx’s house was grand, but this place was Trump territory. The floors were white marble, the walls built with alcoves to hold the numerous Greek statues, and the ceilings molded and highlighted with gilt. The furniture was covered in a dark red satin that perfectly matched the drapes at the far end of the room.

Wow. Obviously blood and sex were worth a pretty penny.

She forced her attention back to Cezar. Not a particularly difficult task. There was a part of her that would be happy to sit and gawk at that lean bronzed face for an eternity.

“What about that…Adar thing?” she demanded. “Can he find me here?”

Cezar’s beautiful features hardened. “We must trust that Styx managed to rid us of the demon before he caught your scent.”

Anna grimaced. It wasn’t that she doubted Styx’s skill. Even as a non-vampire she had sensed the thunderous power he possessed. Still, it would have been a bit more comforting if she knew that the hunter was out of action.

Easily sensing her unease, Cezar reached out to run a cool finger down her cheek, his dark eyes mesmerizing. A portion of her tension eased, swept away by the sheer force of his presence.

Nothing would harm me so long as he was near, a small voice whispered in the back of her mind.

Chapter 9

Anna lost track of how long they stood there simply staring into one another’s eyes, but at last Viper cleared his throat, his dark eyes shimmering at their unwitting display of intimacy.

“These are my private rooms. You won’t be disturbed here,” he promised. “If you have need of me, you only need to press five on the phone. It’s a direct line to my office.”

Cezar’s gaze never wavered from her face. “Thank you, amigo.”

It was the sound of the door closing with a soft click that finally brought Anna out of her odd trance.

Of course it still took several moments before she could convince her brain to obey the command to turn away from that hypnotizing gaze.

Her body knew what it wanted. It wanted to stay close to Cezar.

Really, really close to Cezar.

Naked, sweaty close.

Her mind, however, was not nearly so clear on what it wanted.

It was enough to make any woman of unknown origin and species a bit crabby. Rubbing her suddenly chilled arms, she glanced around the palatial living room.

“Do all vampires live in such lavish style?” she demanded.

She heard his soft hiss of frustration stir the air, but when he answered his voice was as smooth and dark as chocolate.

“Most, although for centuries Styx preferred the damp caves south of the city. He would probably still be there if…”

She turned back as his words abruptly broke off. “If what?”

“If Viper hadn’t demanded the Anasso needed something a bit more grand,” he continued easily.

Her hands landed on her hips. Damn. Did he think she was stupid?

“Another lie, Cezar?” she rasped. “You’re just chock-full of them, aren’t you?”

With an impatient motion, Cezar reached up to tug the strap of leather from his hair. The dark curtain fell about his lean, beautiful face like a river of ebony. Oh…damn. She’d never seen a more beautiful sight.

Thankfully unaware that her heart had lodged somewhere in her throat and her stomach was a quivering mass of awareness, Cezar shoved his fingers through the silky strands.

“Anna, there are simply things that I can’t tell you,” he at last admitted, an edge in his voice.

“Why? Because then you’d have to kill me?”

“Because someone else would.”

She blinked at his blunt words. Was this a sort of bad joke?

“Right.”

Without warning he was standing directly before her, his hands cradling her face.

“You’re new to the demon world, or you wouldn’t for a moment question my word.”

She had to force herself to remember to breathe as his thumbs stroked her cheeks in a soft caress. Ah yes, this was what her body wanted. Needed. His touch. His scent filling her with sandalwood heat.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she struggled to demand.

“It means that while many of us appear human, we’re not. We don’t live by the same set of morals and rules as humans and we don’t hesitate to kill when we feel it necessary.”

She searched his expression, finding no hint of apology in his dark, finely chiseled features.

“That’s a big comfort.”

“I’m sorry, querida. I don’t mean to frighten you, but you have to understand that there are dangers beyond Morgana le Fay.” His hands tightened on her face. “I will do everything in my power to protect you, even if that includes hiding the truth when necessary.”

She struggled to think of an argument. Some reason to insist that he put all his cards on the table so she didn’t feel as if she were walking blindfolded through a minefield.