Taken By Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #7.25)(19)

Now he couldn’t deny the shocking truth.

He could actually feel Juliet.

Not just as a vampire conscious of another creature in his lair. Or with the awareness of a man near a beautiful woman.

But deep inside him.

Barely aware he was moving, Victor leaned down and with a jerk he had ripped open the sleeve of her loose linen smock.

“Bloody hell.”

Victor allowed his gaze to study the intricate crimson tattoo that was forming beneath the inner skin of Juliet’s forearm. A tattoo that was unmistakably the mark of his bonding.

He was mated.

To Juliet.

Irrevocably and eternally.

Chapter Five

Juliet opened her eyes. It was odd. One moment she had been deeply asleep, and the next she was wide awake, her heart pounding with fear.

With a small gasp she abruptly sat upright, anxiously glancing about the unfamiliar surroundings. She was not reassured by the stone walls that were covered by ancient tapestries or the heavy wooden furnishings that spoke of a splendid but barbaric past. Only the vast fireplace that was blazing with cheerful flames offered a hint of welcome.

“Victor?” she breathed.

There was a cool rush of air, then Victor was at her side, his raven hair left loose to frame his pale, perfect face and his muscular body covered by a brocade robe.

Juliet shivered, a strange yearning stirring in the pit of her stomach. Stripped of his elegant attire that added a layer of civilization, the vampire was savagely, irresistibly beautiful.

“I am here.” Settling next to her on the wide bed, Victor held out a crystal glass. “Mulled wine, little one?”

“Thank you.” She was relieved to discover her hand did not shake as she reached to take the goblet and sipped the warm wine. It was perfect. Spiced just as she liked it, with only the faintest hint of cinnamon. She cleared her throat. “Where are we?”

“My private lair.” A smile curved his lips, but his eyes were watchful, predatory. “Dinner will be served whenever you wish.”

Juliet blinked in surprise. Not only at the notion that Victor would consider she would be hungry when she awoke, but that he would bring her to his lair.

It was…inconceivable.

And strangely exciting.

She licked her dry lips, her heart leaping as his gaze dropped to watch the nervous gesture.

“How long have I been asleep?”

“Several hours.” His brows drew together in a sudden frown. “You risked far too much by creating a portal. You might have killed yourself by calling on so much power with no training.”

She drank her wine, ruefully accepting she was a fool if she’d expected gratitude for saving this vampire’s life.

“It was not as if there was a lot of choice,” she muttered.

He looked as if he intended to continue his lecture on her foolishness, only to give a faint shake of his head. No doubt accepting that she was beyond his ability to train.

“We will discuss this newfound desire to play with fire later.” He reached to gently tuck a stray curl behind her ear, his slender fingers lingering to brush her cheek, his cool touch sending sparks of heated awareness through her blood. “There are more important matters we must address.”

Feeling as if her mouth were suddenly as dry as the Sahara, Juliet took a large gulp of the wine, indifferent to the dangers of drinking on an empty stomach. Perhaps if her head was a bit fuzzy then she would not be so acutely aware that she was completely alone with Victor…in his lair…on his bed….

“Of course,” she managed to mutter. “We must consider what is to be done with the Jinn.”

Easily sensing the rapid beat of her heart and the rush of her blood, Victor settled closer on the bed, his hand reaching to tug aside the heavy fur cover.

“Later.”

“But Levet…”

“It is still daylight. The gargoyle will be in statue form for at least another three hours. There is no means to rescue him until he awakens.”

Victor reached to pluck the empty glass from her fingers, leaning across her to set it on a low mahogany chest.

“Are you not going to have any wine?” she inanely demanded, shivering as he deliberately brushed against her body.

“Not tonight, I think. I prefer that my senses not be dulled when I am in your company. Your mere presence is quite intoxicating enough.” His voice was husky with a thickening accent; the scent of sandalwood filled the air. “Have you fully recovered?”

“Yes, of course,” she said, even as she wondered if she were speaking the entire truth. It would be convenient to blame her giddy excitement on the events of the day, but she was not completely naive. “In fact, I should be returning home.”

He laughed softly. Just a breath of sound but it flowed through her body, as potent as the mulled wine.

“You are home, little one.”

Home.

With Victor.

Her heart clenched with a dangerous longing.

“Ridiculous,” she whispered.

The smoldering silver gaze lowered to her unsteady lips. “It is perhaps lacking a feminine touch, but I assure you that it will be refurbished to suit your pleasure. Whatever you desire shall be yours.”

It was a flamboyant promise but oddly she did not doubt him. “My lord…”

“What is it?”