He’d been very careful over the last decade to keep a low profile, taking only the minimum necessary women for his experiments and keeping the kidnappings spread out, so as not to draw attention to himself. He’d managed to stay under the radar while still continuing his work. But his patience was at an end, so at the risk of being discovered lately he’d taken more women than usual.
About a decade ago, in a lucky grab, he discovered something he thought was long extinct. A dreamwalker. And he was desperate to find more.
Dreamwalkers possessed invaluable skills. They upped the ante to help him find and destroy his enemies. With them, and the loyal army he’d spent centuries creating, he would be unstoppable.
His strategy in locating potential dreamwalkers was brilliant and had yielded him several new recruits over the last ten years. He was partnering with many psychology professors across the country, whom he’d convinced to start very particular dream studies within their universities, sharing the results with him. Xavier’s team monitored the study participants, inviting those who met certain qualifications to join him. Most hadn’t come willingly. Well…none had. No matter.
Yes, his plan was well in motion. Soon. Very soon his army would be big enough and strong enough to move his plan into its final stages. Then all the world, vampires and humans alike, would bow to him.
Beg for mercy.
Wish for death.
Chapter 7
Kate
Detective Thatcher stepped fully into the room, and she heard footsteps approach behind him. The special investigators must be here. The detective looked a little angry, his jaw was clenched tight and his lips were drawn in a tight, thin line.
Her gaze swung to the man walking through the door behind him. The first thing she noticed was how very tall and muscled he was. The second thing she noticed was how amazingly gorgeous he was. Like, GQ gorgeous. This guy was some sort of detective? What a waste!! He should grace the cover of magazines…preferably Playgirl. Yum.
“Hi, I’m Renaldo Hargrave, but please call me Ren,” he said, extending his hand. She was mesmerized. She couldn’t look away from his eyes long enough to grab his hand, which she noticed in her peripheral vision was waiting for hers.
He ended her embarrassment, taking her hand in his.
“H-Hi. Uh…Kate. I mean, I’m Kate. Kate Martin.” She gave her muddled head a brief shake. Crap. She was a blathering idiot.
He laughed and it was one of the most sensuous sounds she had ever heard.
Until she heard the man behind him speak. He’d shoved Ren out of the way to introduce himself, causing Ren to stumble several steps to the left.
She tore her gaze from Ren to look at the man pushing his way into the room.
Holy. Mother. Of. Pearls.
She felt the blood drain from her face. She was suddenly light-headed and her knees almost buckled, forcing her to take a step back, steadying herself against the table. She knew her mouth hung open, but couldn’t force it closed.
It was him…her dream lover. Or his doppelganger. Desire pooled in her belly, flowing through her veins, engorging her in all the right places. Her panties became most uncomfortable in their dampened state.
“And I’m Devon Fallinsworth. But you can call me Dev.” His nostrils flared slightly as he watched her intensely.
She continued to stare at him…unable to believe her eyes, unable to move, unable to catch her breath. He was absolutely everything she had dreamed, and more. Much, much, much more.
Tall.
Dark.
Handsome.
No…handsome was too bland of an adjective. He was devastatingly sensuous. Mind-blowingly sexy. His black suit, which looked custom made, draped his perfectly formed, muscular body like a glove. A crisp white dress shirt was unbuttoned just enough that she could see a dark thatch of hair adorning his perfectly tanned chest. Yowza. He was edible.
His dark eyes held her gaze and the room narrowed until it was just the two of them.
He moved toward her until he was standing so close she could feel his body heat radiating into her skin. His masculine scent enveloped her and caressed her like a lover. He smelled like spices, mint, and sex god. She never wanted to look away. She could literally drown in his black, liquid eyes and it would be a happy, welcome death.
“Pleased to meet you, Kate.” His voice wrapped around her like a soft, silky blanket. She wanted to cuddle under it next to his warm naked body. She hadn’t realized he held her hand until she felt him rubbing small circles on the webbing of her thumb. He held on longer than she thought appropriate, but shorter than she wanted. His penetrating eyes never broke with hers.
“Uh…yes.” she breathed.
She was in a desire-induced fog. Had she spoken? She couldn’t remember.