Bittersweet Magic (The Order #2)

“And?” His voice was tinged with impatience. He was probably thinking about his nice, warm bed.

“I saw a news report last night. There’s a girl missing—the police have one of those made-up pictures—”

“An identikit picture?”

“Yes. Of the suspect, and I recognized him. It was the man—Jack.”

“Really?”

She nodded. There was a risk here, that they might check up and find she was lying. But she considered the risk worth it.

Piers drummed his fingers on the table then picked up the phone and punched in a number. “Graham—did I wake you again?” His lips twitched as he listened to the answer. “I have a job for you. Check out a missing person.” He glanced across at Roz. “Do you have a name?”

“Jessica Thomas.”

“Jessica Thomas. Just get the details, and I’ll talk to you later.”

He placed the phone down and leaned back, his hands resting on the desk behind him as he looked her over.

“So that’s business taken care of. What shall we do now, Sister?”

Oh Lord, had she ever heard a speech filled with so much innuendo? She fought down the little voice inside her that was screaming, Take me, take me.

Instead, she smiled demurely. “I must be getting back to the mother house. Sister Maria is very anxious, and she likes me close.”

“I bet she does.”

He pushed himself to his feet, making her jump, and strolled slowly toward her, coming to a halt only inches away. She breathed in sharply, and her nostrils filled with a wild, musky scent that caused the muscles in her stomach to clench. Reaching out, he placed one long finger under her chin. His touch felt cool, and a shiver ran through her, but she didn’t object as he gently raised her head so she had no choice but to stare into his eyes. She had one quick peek and glanced quickly to the floor. The urge to close the space between them was almost overwhelming, and she bit down hard on her lower lip to concentrate her thoughts. The sweet metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, but the pain brought her back to herself.

His sharp indrawn breath sounded loud in her ears, and she glanced up quickly. His gaze was intent on her mouth, and she looked away from the hunger in his face.

Suddenly she knew what he was about to do—the mesmerizing thingy.

“Look into my eyes, Sister.”

It was a good thing she wasn’t looking into his eyes right then or he would have seen hers roll. How corny could you get?

She had to do this. She didn’t have a choice—she never had a choice, and she was starting to get pissed off at that. Carefully, she blanked her expression, raised her lashes, and gazed into his eyes. They were beautiful, so deep a blue they were almost black, and fringed with thick lashes.

For a moment, some dark force caught her, as though the very will was being sucked out of her. Her mind clouded, tendrils of mist wrapping themselves around her consciousness. Instinctively, she fought it, and the fog cleared slightly, enough so she was back in control of her own head.

She forced her mind back to Asmodai’s instructions and blinked a couple of times. Piers’ large hand hooked around the back of her neck and drew her closer. She didn’t fight. Hell, she might not be mesmerized, but she wanted this. Just one little taste, then she’d plant her bug and be out of there.

He was much taller than she was, and he lowered his head to lick the blood from her lower lip. At the touch of his tongue, heat shot along her nerve endings to pool at the base of her belly.

He straightened, and she caught sight of his eyes, glowing with hunger. “You taste so sweet.”

Fear slithered down her spine. She managed to keep it from her face; she’d had a lot of practice at hiding her emotions. What the fuck was he? But even as the question sounded in her mind, the answer flashed up in big neon letters.

Vampire.

She remembered her dream of last night—Jack drinking the blood of the missing girl. And she recognized what tied the two men together. They were both the same.

Holy crap, he was a vampire. Why the fuck hadn’t Asmodai warned her? He wouldn’t have sent her back here just to be killed, would he? Did he think her usefulness was over and this was his way of getting rid of her once and for all? But strangely, she didn’t believe that. She thought the demon, for all his wicked ways, had gained some slight affection for her over the centuries. Besides, from her dream she guessed the vampire, Jack, had drunk from the missing girl numerous times, and she still lived, or at least had as of last night.

She had to let him do this; otherwise, it would be obvious she wasn’t under his power.

Would it hurt?

Would she be able to maintain the pretense if he hurt her? She had to.

“Come here.” He dragged her closer. His hands gripped her shoulders then he lowered his head again and kissed her. His mouth slanted over hers, his tongue pushing inside, filling her, and the heat in her belly burst into roaring flames.