Immortal Sins

As though sensing his thoughts, she took a step backward. Her next words confirmed that she did, indeed, know what he was thinking.

"I don’t like that look in your eyes," she said in a shaky voice, and then her own eyes widened. "They’re…are they glowing?"

Swearing softly, he turned his face away.

"Rourke? Are you all right? Rourke?"

When he had his hunger under control again, he met her gaze. "I want you," he said quietly. "I want all of you."

She took another step backward. "What does that mean? All of me?"

"What do you think it means?"

"I don’t want to know." She crossed her arms under her br**sts in a timeless gesture of self-defense. "I think we’d better go back to the apartment."

"Do you think you will be safer there?"

"Rourke, you’re scaring me."

Unable to resist the way she looked in the moonlight, he moved slowly toward her, hating himself for his weakening control, for the fear that he smelled on her skin.

"Rourke." She stared up at him through fathomless blue eyes. "Don’t. Please, don’t."

"One kiss." He backed her against a low stone wall. He could hear the rapid beating of her heart, smell the crimson nectar that flowed through her veins, hot and sweet. "One taste."

"You won’t stop at one," she said breathlessly. "I know you won’t. Please, Rourke…"

His hands folded over her shoulders. Drawing her body against his, he took a deep breath. "I can smell your sweetness."

"Don’t." She placed her palms against his chest to push him away, but it was like trying to move a mountain. "I’m afraid…."

"One taste," he said again, and lowering his head, he nuzzled her neck, just below her ear.

Kari gasped as his tongue swept over her skin. She felt a familiar pressure, but no pain, and then there was only the same pleasurable warmth she had experienced before. Soul-deep, heart-stopping sensual pleasure.

She surrendered with a sigh, her arms sliding down to wrap around his waist. What had she been afraid of? He had taken her blood before; she hadn’t been afraid then. But this time was different. Maybe it had been the eerie red glow in his eyes. Maybe it had been the way he said, "I want all of you." Or maybe it had been the look in his eyes when he said it.

But none of that mattered now.

Rourke groaned low in his throat. Sweet, so sweet. He had tasted the blood of hundreds of mortals, men and women alike, but none had soothed his hunger or satisfied his unearthly craving as did the woman in his arms. The heat of her body warmed his, the fragrance of her hair and skin aroused his desire, making him yearn to lay her down and bury himself deep within her.

With an effort of will, he drew back. He would have her, he thought. One night soon, he would have her. But this was not the time or the place.

Holding her close, he willed them back to the apartment.

Chapter 14

Kari tossed and turned all that night, her mind in turmoil. She was troubled by her growing affection for Rourke, frightened by the fact that his drinking her blood didn’t disgust her more than it did, and even more upset by her growing curiosity about what it would be like to be a vampire. She was also worried about his plans to free Ana Luisa the next night, getting the girl back to the States with no one being the wiser, and what they were going to do with the wizard’s daughter, assuming they were able to smuggle her out of Romania.

Kari wasn’t sure why she was so worried about the girl. Rourke had managed to adapt to the twenty-first century pretty well; maybe she was worrying about the girl’s ability to adjust to her new surroundings for nothing.

And maybe, if she was honest with herself, she would admit that she was just plain jealous of the girl. Ana Luisa was young, she was beautiful, she had been intimate with Rourke, and she was obviously infatuated with him.

With a shake of her head, Kari flopped over on her stomach and commanded herself to go to sleep.

It didn’t work, of course.

Rolling onto her side, she stared into the unfamiliar darkness, wishing that she had never set foot in the Underwood Art Gallery and never seen that blasted painting. It had turned her whole life upside down. And now, like it or not, she was falling in love with a vampire. And how stupid was that? She didn’t know what Rourke’s plans were once they got back home, but somehow she couldn’t picture the two of them settling down together in a cozy little vine-covered cottage.

She punched her fist into her pillow. It just wasn’t fair!

She closed her eyes again and willed herself to sleep. She was drifting when, from out of nowhere, she found herself wondering how many other vampires were wandering around the countryside and since vampires were real, did that mean there were other mythical creatures like werewolves and zombies lurking in the shadows?

It was not a thought conducive to a good night’s sleep.

Rourke wandered aimlessly through the night. He had found the museum where Ana Luisa’s painting was housed without any trouble. In spite of the rigid security that protected the building, he hadn’t had any trouble getting inside. He had stayed only long enough to locate the painting and determine the night watchman’s routine.

And now he roamed the darkness, remembering the years he had spent in this city. Though many of the buildings remained, life as he had known it no longer existed. Filled with bittersweet memories, he found himself wondering how long it would take him to feel at ease in this century.

And what of Ana Luisa? What was he to do with her? It would probably be wiser to leave her where she was. Vilnius would know the moment the spell binding his daughter had been broken. Would he also know who had freed her? Would Vilnius come looking for her? Rourke had no desire to confront the wizard a second time, yet, in spite of that, he couldn’t leave Ana to her fate, not when he could help her, even when it might mean putting Karinna’s life in danger, as well.

Muttering an oath, he stalked the dark streets, inwardly cursing the streak of innate gallantry that refused to let him abandon the wizard’s daughter to her fate. Though he hadn’t prayed in years, he prayed that he would be strong enough to protect Ana Luisa and Karinna from the wizard’s wrath, that he would emerge victorious if he and Vilnius faced each other again.

Kari spent the following day sightseeing. Overwhelmed by the intricate beauty of the ancient buildings, she found herself stopping time and again to admire one edifice after another. She bought a few souvenirs for herself, as well as a delicate teapot and six matching cups for her mother. She also picked up a Dracula shot glass for Mel, a bloodred scarf for Tricia, and numerous postcards of different landmarks, because she’d left her camera in her suitcase.