Taken by Darkness

“Several hours.” His brows drew together in a sudden frown. “You risked far too much by creating a portal. You might have killed yourself by calling on so much power with no training.”


She drank her wine, ruefully accepting she was a fool if she’d expected gratitude for saving this vampire’s life.

“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.”