He thought of orange blossoms and honey as he kissed her, reveling in her sweetness. Surely this was why his father could not keep his hands from Jema, knowing that at any moment he could drink from such a delicious fount. The heat of her body poured over him, even as his scent spilled around them, and she sighed his name, the touch and sound of it sending a shudder through him.
Chris was the one to draw back, her face rosy. “So I take it you’re not going to throw me off the boat.”
“I think not.” No, after her admission and that kiss, he had other plans for her. But he should first determine what her desires were. “What will you do if we find the emeralds?”
“I don’t know.” She gave him an uncertain look. “Type up my résumé. Look into job retraining. Move to Nepal. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I was imagining you in Paradise,” he said honestly.
* * *
Sam carried her largest empty suitcase over to the bed, and ignored a knock on the door as she opened it.
“My lady,” Burke called. “May I join you for a moment?”
“Not a good time, Herbert.” Sam strode into the closet where she kept her work clothes, jeans, and T-shirts.
Lucan’s tresora appeared in the doorway. “Forgive me, my lady, but I need some assistance.”
“Don’t we all?” She grabbed as many hangers off her work clothes rack as she could hold and carried them out to the bed. “If Alex Keller calls, give her the number to my mobile.”
Burke came to watch her removing hangers. “I do beg your pardon, my lady, but are you packing to go somewhere?”
“Yes.” She stopped what she was doing. “Away from here. Now. You’ll just have to deal with this on your own.”
Burke began helping her. “You should know that I have sent Triple-A to Palm Beach to tow the master’s Ferrari, and he has arranged his own transportation back to the stronghold.” When she said nothing, Burke sighed. “My lady, I know at times the master can be difficult, but if you would find it in your heart to forgive whatever he has—”
“He banished Jamys, he manhandled Chris, and he tried to kill not one but two mortals.” She eyed him. “Right before he called me a whore. To my face.”
Burke paled. “Was Christian hurt?”
“Not physically. She’s taking Jamie to the airport, and then I imagine she’ll be coming back to pack up her things.” Sam retrieved some toiletries from the bathroom. “I don’t know what brought this on, but it wasn’t the usual song and dance. He crossed some serious lines tonight.”
The tresora grimaced. “Under certain circumstance I know he can be most unkind, but he always regrets it later.”
“It wasn’t just what he said or did. I shot him with two tranq darts, and they didn’t even slow him down.” For a moment Sam wondered if she was doing the right thing by walking away, but then remembered how close she’d come to shooting him in the head. “I’m going to talk to Alex, see if she knows what could have caused this. Until we know, you should send the humans home, and tell the men to stay clear of him.”
“As you wish, my lady.” Burke’s locator chimed, and he checked it. “The suzerain has just arrived.”
“Elvis has entered the building, has he?” She closed the suitcase. “For now I’ll bunk with Chris over at her place.” She didn’t want to think about long-term arrangements. “Call me if things get ugly, okay?”
Burke nodded, and hurried off to the elevator.
Halfway down to the emergency exit, Sam’s mobile rang, and she set down her case to answer it. “Hello.”
“Got your message,” Alex Keller said over a terrible connection. “We’re in Ireland.”
“Great.” Sam sat down on the steps. “I’d send him to you, but the tranq darts aren’t working. Any suggestions?”
“Check your . . . bagged blood,” the doctor said. “Someone could . . . tampered with it.”
“Tampered how?”
“Added . . . animal blood.” Alex launched into an explanation of which Samantha heard only every third or fourth word. Then the connection crackled and her voice came through in a clear burst. “. . .bleed him first, then transfuse him. You’ll need six to eight pints, but no more than that or he’ll go into thrall.”
“I’m sorry, you want me to what? Bleed him?” Sam swore as the line began to break up again. “Alex, can you hear me?”
“There’s . . . Kyn . . . mind control . . . could . . . messing with . . .” The line dissolved into a buzz of static, and then disconnected.