Page 25 of Unholy Gambit: Checkmate in Blood
“If you move here, will you still raise spiders and snakes?”
His skittering, slithering, venom-laced lovelies defined him. They added to his legend and made enemies flinch at the mere whisper of his name.
But he needed to reassure her. And it was the truth, anyway, because he didn’t want her within leagues of his arachnid and reptile menagerie.
“Not in our home. Not within miles of you, darling Aurélie.”
* * * *
Our home.
Ours.
He was expecting that they’d eventually live together. Share a life together.
Her life, though. Not his. Would he still look like this when she was sixty?
She focused on his face, and his gaze was striking, almost powerful. She forgot what she was about to say, and asked, “Can you make people do what you want just by looking in their eyes?”
“It isn’t necessary with most humans, but it can help with shapeshifters, who have stronger mental shields.”
“But you got into Ruby’s mind without it?” Logically, he had to go into her mind before she saw him, to keep her from recognizing him, but then remembered he could’vesuggestedshe forget.
“Too easily, for an eagle, but she’s young and hasn’t worked on building her shields. I can see that the vampire who feeds from her has tried to help her, but she’s rebuffed him. She had them in place this evening, and I’m betting she begins doing the exercises she’s been taught more often. Soon, it will be difficult to affect her mind.”
“But not impossible?”
“Probably not. Tricky, but likely doable.”
“I had this idea vampires are invincible? Can spiders really kill them?”
“One kind, from Australia. The venom attacks the sodium gates in nerve cells, and since vampires drink blood, those are apparently important in our biology — except for me. What time do you want me to pick you up tomorrow night?”
“What time can you be here? Is it when it’s completely dark, or at twilight? Is there a certain time?”
“When the sun goes below the horizon. You can ask your phone when sunset is. It isn’t exact, but it’s close. Tomorrow night I can go outside around 6:45, and I’m renting a house approximately a five-to-ten-minute drive from here, depending on traffic, which will likely be bad at that time.”
“Okay then. I’ll be ready at 6:45. Text me when you leave, and I’ll go downstairs so you can pick me up outside the front door.”
He shook his head. “I’ll come to the door to get you like a proper caller.”
And then he was right in front of her, his body pinning hers with that impossible coolness, the weight of granite thrumming with danger. His lips found hers with focused hunger, parting her mouth like he owned it, and heat shot straight through her from the point of contact to the pulse between her thighs.
Her fingers dug into his shirt, head tilted, mouth open. She was his. She’d always belonged to him, even before she knew his name.
He kissed her like a man starved, and she opened and gave him hereverything, heart hammering, body pliant. His tongue swept hers, slow and sure, and she gasped into his mouth.
He didn’t rush. He wasn’t proving anything. She already belonged to him.
When he finally pulled back, his gaze didn’t waver. He lookedintoher, as if he could see everything she’d ever been, and still wanted more.
Then, a kiss to the tip of her nose.
“My Aurélie. Yes. You’ve always been mine.”
His voice dropped to a low command. “Rest well. Sleep, my darling. Be sure to engage the locks when I’m gone.”
She had to stand in place and catch her breath a moment after locking the door. She stopped off in her bedroom to put a bathing suit on, and met Ruby on her large balcony overlooking the Tennessee River, with a view of the bridges and the Aquarium across the water.
