Page 56 of Auctioned for Her Blood
Diederik grunts, but Octavia studies me, her gaze so penetrating and intense I can almost imagine that she is seeing inside my soul. “I thought you had not made any progress in that area?”
“Nothing definitive.” I repeat my earlier words so I cannot be called a liar. “I didn’t want to waste your time with my inadequately tested hypothesis, but if I had more time to study this vampire—”
“Diederik,” she says sharply, her attention staying on me. “Leave us. Now. I wish to speak to Zuben alone.”
He grunts again, but backs up a few steps, stiffly as if he’s resisting the movements, and soon the light in the room changes as the door opens and he exits.
“Now.” Octavia’s hand slides lightly up my arm to my shoulder, and then her eyes meet mine. “Please confirm which area of your research we’re talking about.”
I swallow, hard, unsure of how much to share. I’d hoped to keep this about the gold, but Diederik has complicated that.
“My research into the Illuminator.”
Her eyes widen. “Last we spoke of this, you claimed you had concluded that was a myth.”
I shake my head slowly. “It is true that no Illuminator has been identified for over five hundred years, but I believe one is walking amongst us now, and in Philadelphia.”
“And you think Ryker is the Illuminator?”
My breath catches in my chest. If I am strategic, I can use her incorrect assumption to my advantage.
“Ryker’s arrest and detention will greatly aid my investigation.” I smile inwardly. I have managed to keep to the truth, without fully revealing it.
“Well, Zuben.” Her hand grazes my cheek. “This changeseverything.” The way she draws out the wordeverythingmakes it sound like a seduction, and for a moment I think she might kiss me, but she steps back and returns to her place behind the desk, her five mates moving seamlessly to take their places behind her.
“I will order Ryker’s arrest,” she says. “And instruct Diederik to detain any other vampires found in his company in case they are already using his blood to their advantage. Let’s keep this quiet for now.” She leans toward me. “Just between you and me.”
I nod, not wanting to point out that her mates are standing behind her. Clearly she considers them part of her and trusts them completely. I cannot imagine feeling that way about another.
Taking a mate, never mindmultiplemates, is not in my future. I have walked this earth long enough to know that love is a foolish emotion, an illusion even more fraudulent than those of a human magician—all smoke and mirrors and sleight of hand. I am too smart, far too logical to fall for such trickery.
Octavia returns to her chair, and the door behind me opens. My audience is over and was most successful. I back up a few steps, bowing before I turn to exit the room.
Chapter Eighteen
Ember
After hoursof gently stroking Ryker’s hair, exploring his muscled back and arms and everywhere else I can reach as he lies sprawled across me, I finally fall asleep, but I’m the first to wake too, as a thin line of sunlight streams through the crack at the edge of my heavy bedroom curtains.
Speaking of heavy, Ryker’s body is warm and thick, like the most comforting quilt but so much better as he breathes slowly and deeply against me. The hairs on his broad chest softly tease my skin, and my hands delight at the textures of his muscled back, the scars there seeming to me like purposeful decoration, even though I know whatever caused the many raised streaks must have been painful.
I can’t have slept much, but I feel so awake, so energized. I’m still processing everything he told me last night, all that happened, and while I’m full of questions, I’m no longer afraid. Not of him. If he’s a vampire, then mankind is definitely wrong about his species. Ryker is nothing like the monsters we’ve been taught to fear. Although I suppose he is a bit of a monster in bed.
His eyes flicker open and he bolts upright. “Fuck.”
“Good morning to you too.” I pull myself from under him and lean back against the headboard.
“Nowthat’sa welcome sight.” Taking me in his arms, he kisses me.
But I pull back and cross my arms over my naked chest. “You really know how to make a girl feel special.”
“What did I do?”
“Swearing as you wake up next to me?”
He leans against the headboard beside me. “Believe me, that curse wasnotabout you.” Cupping my cheek, he turns me to face him. “It was about that.” He tips his head toward the window.
“Oh!” I nod at the stream of light at the edge of my blackout curtains. “So the sunlight part is true?”
