Taken By Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #7.25)(16)
Author: Alexandra Ivy

“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?”

Juliet spoke the confusion that had besieged her since the moment she had awoken.

“I did not think a vampire would allow others to enter his private lair.”

He stilled, as if considering how best to answer. Juliet watched in fascination as the firelight danced over his perfect features, adding a hint of mystery. Suddenly she possessed the most desperate urge to shove her fingers into the rich curtain of his raven hair and tug him down so she could drown in his kisses.

“A vampire will share his lair with one other,” he said, at last breaking the silence. “His mate.”

She abruptly tensed. “Mate?”

He moved to take her arm, laying it across his lap. Then, with a deliberate motion, he pushed aside the torn sleeve to reveal the crimson tattoo that shimmered beneath her skin.

“Mate.”

Juliet forgot how to breathe as she stared at the unmistakable marking.

For two years she had struggled to keep Victor at a safe distance. She had sworn to herself that she would never become a mindless toy for the vampire.

But over the past hours she had been forced to admit that she had been far from successful in keeping the beautiful demon out of her heart. Why else would she have preferred to die than to watch Victor harmed?

But to become his mate. Good lord.

“How did…” She lifted her head to meet Victor’s unwavering gaze. “How is this possible? I thought that you must exchange blood to complete the bond.”

He shrugged. “You must have taken some of my blood during our journey through the portal.”

A heat stained her cheeks as Juliet belatedly recalled her frantic kisses over his bloody face.

“And now we are mated?”

“Not…precisely.”

She frowned in confusion. “I do not understand.”

“I am mated to you, but until you are prepared to accept the bond and offer your blood, it remains incomplete.”

“So.” She took a moment to consider the implications, a rather wicked smile slowly curving her lips. “You are bound to me, but I am at liberty to find another?”

“You are mine.” He leaned forward, the silver eyes shimmering with a dangerous purpose as she hastily pressed back against the pillows. He stretched his long length beside her, remaining raised on his elbow to study her pale face. “I was a fool not to have recognized the truth the moment I met you. There has never been another female who has fascinated me as you have. Even when you are at your most infuriating I still crave to be in your presence.”

A shudder of anticipation wracked her body even as she narrowed her eyes.

“I am infuriating?”

“Admit it, little one. You do love to challenge me.”

“Only because you are so insufferably arrogant, my lord—”

“Victor,” he interrupted, his fingers running through her curls and spreading them across the pillows. “I want to hear my name upon your lips.”

A delicious heat curled through the pit of her stomach, sending tiny tremors through her body. For once, however, Juliet made no effort to deny her scorching reaction to Victor’s touch.

She was done fighting a battle she could not win.

“Victor. It suits you.”

His hand moved to cup her cheek, his touch flowing through her until her toes curled in response.

“Just as Juliet suits you,” he husked, his fingers drifting down the length of her throat. “You intrigued me from the moment I first caught sight of you. The candlelight shimmering like fire off your magnificent hair. Your features as pure as those of an angel. The elegance of your every movement. It stirred a hunger in me that haunts me no matter where I go.”

Some deep part of her whispered that she should be frightened as his fingers briefly lingered upon the pulse at the base of her throat before gliding along the opening of her smock.

Not that he would physically harm her. That had never been her fear. And of course now he was bonded to her. A vampire would destroy the world to protect his mate.