The Red Lily (Vampire Blood #2)(5)

She swallowed visibly, a tell of her rising anxiety. "I see."

"Besides, the Barrow brothers did come, but they have a shorter assignment to fetch a cache of gold from Arabelle's mine and whatever recruits they can gather in Hiddleston, then return to the training camp. Marius's kin Friedrich sent supplies as well, what he could. The Barrow brothers will use some of the gold to barter for other goods to restock the training camp." He leaned back and rested one arm along the sofa back, the other hand casually on his thigh. Her gaze flickered to his lap as he continued. "They'll help with the first recruitment meeting tomorrow night in the basement of the tavern at the Bull's Head. You and I will also be there. But before that, I have a mission of my own. And I need your help there as well."



       
         
       
        

"What is it?"

"I must speak with my cousin working in the Glass Tower. But I need someone to bring him to me."

"And that someone would be me."

"Yes. If you will."

"Well, of course I will." She stood and walked toward the door, lifting her red cloak from its hook and pulling it over her shoulders.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" She clasped the hook beneath her chin. "I'm readying to go to the Glass Tower."

Nikolai stood and walked to her. "We are not going tonight." He slowly lowered her hands to her sides, then unclasped her mantle, keeping her close. "The Tower is dangerous during the day, but for a delectable woman like you, it is surely fatal at night."

Her green eyes darkened, pupils dilating, her gaze dropping to his mouth. His fangs elongated, aching for succor. But he would take none from her. Not yet.

He whipped off her cloak and stepped away to hang it back in place.

"So we go in the morning?" she asked, hesitantly, her voice softer, weaker than before.

"Yes."

"Do you have a place to sleep?" she asked, moving away to clear his tea and saucer to the sink.

"No," he declared clearly. "I was hoping you would allow me to sleep here with you."

The tea cup rattled where she dropped it in the washbasin. She turned, one hand clenching the sideboard till her knuckles were white. "Stay here?"

"Yes."

"With me?"

His lip twitched. "Unless you were planning on sleeping outside, then yes."

"But I"-she swallowed visibly, drawing Nikolai's attention to her beautiful throat again, that creamy alabaster skin-"I'm not sure if that's a good idea."

"And why is that?"

"Well, I-I know what you're thinking."

He eased back to stand near the hearth. "Do you?"

"I know what you want of me," she said boldly. "What all vampires want. But I cannot give you that."

"Sweetheart, you do not know what I am thinking." He couldn't help but let his gaze rake her from top to bottom. She was indeed the most tempting woman he had ever seen. "If you knew, you wouldn't have allowed me through your door."

Her eyes widened. The emotion flitting across her face was a mixture of panic and excitement.

"Rest assured, my lady. You are in no danger from me. I was sent to be your guide and protector on this journey north. And I will do so. I will protect you with my life."

She let go of the sideboard and moved closer. 

"Why would you do that?"

She shifted the subject away from the two of them alone in the cottage. Smart girl. But too late. She'd revealed something she shouldn't have. For underneath her rising alarm was the heady scent of desire, and it had hooked him deep. Encouraged his hunt.

She continued. "Why would you help the Black Lily, the resistance who despises all vampires?"

He smiled at that. "The way Arabelle explains it, the Black Lily wants to free the peasantry from the yoke of the aristocracy, both the human and the vampire aristocracy."

"You're right. But many members of the Black Lily have suffered greatly at the hands of vampires. Many despise your kind, and yet you help them. Why?"

Nikolai considered answering her, then stepped closer. "You are safe with me, Sienna. That is all you need to know."

She studied him for a split second, then walked away to her bed behind a dressing screen and returned with a quilt and a pillow. "You may sleep on the sofa. We will leave at first light."

With a bow of his head, he took them from her. "Thank you." Turning for the sofa, he added. "For a moment, I thought I would be sleeping in the barn with your goat."