Desire the Night(28)

His lair consisted of three large rooms—living room, bedroom, and bathroom—and one small alcove adjacent to the bathroom that contained an apartment-sized refrigerator where he kept a supply of bagged blood for emergencies when he was in town. Thankfully, he’d rarely had to resort to using it. He far preferred his nourishment to be hot and fresh.

“What are we doing here?” Kay asked. She couldn’t draw her gaze away from the ebony casket, couldn’t stop imagining Gideon lying inside, his eyes closed, his body as cold and still as death.

“Kiya? Kiya, look at me.”

With a shudder, she dragged her gaze from the coffin.

“It’s just an old box made of wood.”

She nodded. “I know, but …”

“I don’t sleep in it.”

“Then why is it here?”

“Every vampire needs one.”

“If you don’t sleep in it, why do you need it?”

“It contains a little dirt from the town where I was born. If I get seriously injured, I heal faster if I sleep on the earth from my homeland. I’ve never had to use it.”

“Why do you have one here, but not in Phoenix or New York?”

“There’s one in Phoenix, behind the bookcase, and one in New York, behind the fireplace.”

“And they all have dirt in them?”

He nodded.

“So, you have three.” She digested that a moment, then asked, “How did Verah find us?”

“How do you think?”

“Oh, right. Magic.”

“Right the first time. You’re cold.” He could feel her shivering in his arms. Not surprising, since she was stark naked.

“A little.”

Carrying her to the bed, he drew back the covers and tucked her in.

She pulled the blankets up to her chin. “Will we be safe here, do you think?”

“I don’t know.” He raked a hand through his hair, wondering what spell Verah had used to track them down and if there was any way to shield their whereabouts if she tried again.

“How long are we going to stay here?”

“I don’t know.” Cussing under his breath, he paced the floor. He should have put a shield around his apartment in New York, but he had been so enamored of Kay, he just hadn’t thought of it. Had he done so, it might have prevented Verah from entering his lair. As it was, he had barely managed to get himself and Kay out in time. Alone, he might have done battle face-to-face with the old witch, but not with Kay in the house.

This lair, heavily warded against intruders, had been built over a hundred years ago, when vampire hunters roamed the land, ready to take the head and heart of anyone they suspected might belong to the supernatural community. Many innocent people had been killed in those turbulent days. He could only hope his wards were strong enough to repel vindictive witches.

Gideon rubbed a hand across his jaw. Maybe what he needed was a witch of his own. But for now, he had some unfinished business with the sexy werewolf waiting in his bed.





Kay woke smiling, reluctant to abandon the dream she’d been having. Stretching her arms over her head, she glanced at the man sleeping beside her. Gideon had made slow, sweet love to her last night and she knew, without a doubt, that she would never be satisfied with any other man. He had been gentle and tender the first time, infinitely patient as she explored his body from head to foot, and all the interesting places in between. She had been surprised to learn he was ticklish on the bottom of his feet. It seemed incongruous, somehow, for a vampire to be ticklish. And then he had turned the tables on her, his hands and lips touching and tasting every inch of her, arousing her until she thought she would die if he didn’t take her. There were no words to describe the sensations that had engulfed her. Ever considerate of her needs, he had made sure that her pleasure came before his own.

He had held her in his arms while her flesh cooled and her breathing returned to normal, and then he had made love to her again. He had been bolder this time, more inventive. And as their bodies melded together, she had felt his fangs at her throat. Her momentary panic had quickly faded as the pleasure of their joining had intensified a hundredfold. It had been a most incredible experience. She had imagined them as one being the first time he made love to her, but it paled in comparison to the second time. She had experienced everything he felt, everything he thought, unable to tell where her body ended and his began.

With a sigh, she sat up, her hand lightly stroking his cheek. How was she going to marry Victor after this? No matter how wonderful a lover her future husband might be, he would never be able to measure up to Gideon. Of course, Gideon had hundreds of years of experience behind him … and how had he gotten all that experience? The thought gave her pause. No doubt by making love to hundreds of women. She told herself it didn’t matter. What was past was past. She knew she hadn’t been his first, nor would she be his last.