11
ALANNA woke. For a moment, she felt an incredible ebullience, an elation like nothing she’d ever experienced before. Her body was deliciously sore, well-used, and she smelled like the men who’d possessed her. She recalled the few times she’d surfaced, staying in a half doze, but so aware of their bodies close around her, bare skin and heated muscle pressed to her flesh.
It hurt, such . . . happiness. Everything was so vivid around her. Though he wasn’t speaking in her mind right now, she could feel Evan’s mark there, her connection that said she wasn’t alone. And yet . . . what had she done?
Sitting up slowly, she saw a note on the nightstand. It was from Niall, telling her he’d given her the evening injection while she slept, so she wasn’t overdue for it. But he’d had to do it while she lay here, as lazy as she’d accused him of being.
She dressed carefully. Her hair was untangled and smooth. Niall’s doing as well, she was sure. Vaguely, she remembered the brush stroking her scalp, his hand following it.
It was perhaps an hour until dawn. Evan might already be below, but when she came into the main room, she saw him through the window, sitting at the picnic table. He must be working on the sketches he’d started earlier, when Niall threw her in the creek. As she approached, she saw what appeared to be lightning across a dark sky on the paper, but a corner of the sky was being drawn back, a blinding light coming from behind it. In that blinding light was a face. Merely a sketch, but already intriguing. She’d like to see it become a painting.
But that wasn’t very likely, was it? She rubbed at the sore spot on her arm, suppressing that unsettling place in her mind.
She didn’t see Niall, but she didn’t look for him. Instead, she went to Evan, dropped to her knees, bowed her head and waited to be acknowledged.
Niall was sitting on the log bench, repairing one of the kitchen chairs so it wouldn’t rock. He’d seen the girl come out, looking so intent and serious. Evan had warned him there might be fallout from last night, but he’d hoped . . . He was a fool, of course.
It was a few moments before Evan looked up from his drawing. He’d been deep in his creative process, so he blinked as if coming out of a sleep. Niall sheathed his knife, but she didn’t register the movement.
“I’m sorry, Master. I failed you. I sought pleasure for its own sake, and not yours.”
“Isn’t that what I told you to do?”
Her gaze lifted, confused. “But it didn’t feel that way. It felt . . . different.”
“Aye, it did. It felt bloody marvelous,” Niall said. Now she did glance toward him, though Evan sent him a mildly quelling look.
“You did what I wanted you to do, Alanna, so you’ve done nothing wrong.” He touched her face. “When I rise tonight, I will have a list of things for you to do.”
She brightened considerably, like a false sun, and nodded. But before she could rise, he bade her stay with a firm gesture. “I’ll leave you a list daily, but they come with a condition. There’s one task I expect you to do every day. No matter what other things I give you, it has the highest priority.”
“Yes, Master. Anything.”
“Every day, you’ll spend two hours doing something you choose to do. Entirely for yourself.”
Her brow furrowed, considering it. “What if what I want to do is something that pleases you?”
The lass was a clever thing, and far more stubborn than she realized. Evan’s lips twitched against a smile, but by the time she’d glanced up, he was giving her a stern look.
“You’ll be doing that with the tasks I give you. You’ve learned to be the kind of servant the Council requires. But I’m not a Council vampire. If you truly want to serve me according to my desires, then you’ll need to expand your skill set. Those two hours will help you do that.”
She mulled that over. “I will try, Master.”
Honest as well. It was like when they were hiking and Evan had asked her if she could keep up. Even if she wanted to, she wouldn’t lie.
“Do better than that,” Evan reproved, making her flush. “You are fully capable of this task, Alanna. For now, I want you to go back to bed. You’re exhausted. If Niall sees you out of bed before three in the afternoon, he’ll tie you there. Your body is still recuperating.”
She pressed her lips together, but bowed her head. Evan touched her hair, letting a long strand slide through his fingertips. “It’s not a punishment, yekirati. I want you well-rested. Go.”
With a nod, she rose to her feet, turned and hurried back into the cabin. As Evan watched her, Niall came to his side. “What are you thinking?”
“If a vampire had a heart, that girl would break it.”
She reluctantly realized Evan was correct. Once she laid back down, her eyes didn’t open again until three thirty, startling her. But her momentary dismay was dispelled by Evan’s note on the side table.
If it’s past three o’clock, you have obeyed your Master. I’m pleased with you. As a reward, you may feel free to bedevil Niall about his laziness as much as you wish, without repercussions.
Underneath that had been scrawled an additional note, in Niall’s handwriting. He can only enforce that at night, muirnín. During the day, I wouldn’t push your luck.
They made her smile. Then she remembered Evan was supposed to have left her a list.
He had, a full page on the kitchen table. Niall was gone, but he’d left a message on the counter that he’d be back in time for a nine o’clock dinner. That prompted another smile, the less-than-subtle hint in the message that he’d like for her to have something ready. He was probably scouting for Evan again.
The item at the top of Evan’s list was slide reorganization. He directed her to sort out the ones that appeared extraneous or redundant. Suspecting he wanted to test her understanding of what she’d seen of his work so far, she embraced the challenge. Considering the slides carefully, she put her discard choices in one box, and the others useful for future inspiration in another.
Then there were lenses to clean and file back in their velvet-lined box, something Evan’s to-do list indicated Niall was far too clumsy to handle. To underscore it, he’d sketched a picture of a bear trampling broken glass in the margins. It made her chuckle, but it also made her think about the needs of their “bear.” Amusingly enough, the next item on the to-do list was to make Evan “a sugar cookie.” In parentheses, he’d added, “and three dozen more.” That list item was accompanied by a picture of a bear sitting with all paws curled possessively around a cookie jar.
While she was sleeping, he’d spent time on this. Vampires did not go out of their way for their servants. Any servant that expected them to do so didn’t deserve the honor of being a servant. But this made her feel warm, good. And somehow her reaction seemed to feed his. It pleased Evan and Niall both to see her . . . happy.
The revelation was so far outside her milieu, she couldn’t take it any further than that, so she decided it was time to work on those cookies. While she waited on them to bake, she put together a short grocery list for the next time they went down the mountain, planning a few meals ahead.
It was somewhat pleasant, being in charge of a kitchen. She wondered if Niall would let her take the Rover down and do the shopping herself. She remembered the route and felt sure she could handle the vehicle. Then she recalled the reason she was supposed to remain close to them. It startled her that she’d forgotten. Her fetal-curled subconscious never let her forget what shadow loomed over her fate. Apparently, cocooned by the memories of last night, the two men curled around her, she’d been given a respite.
Was that another reason Evan had given her such an extensive to-do list? As Niall had said, most of the time Evan did for himself. Had he realized having too much idle time could make her feel like a victim on a chopping block, waiting for the fall of the axe?
Once again, vampires didn’t make such effort for servants. Except maybe one of them did. A vampire who not only provided her such a list, but illustrated it with cartoon characters of bears to make her smile.
She looked through his basket of unopened mail, tossed there by Niall when they’d brought it up from the mountain post office, which also happened to be Henry’s store. Finding a case knife to use as a letter opener, she went to work on Evan’s correspondence. Most were notices of automatic check deposits from a New York gallery, probably the art dealer Niall had mentioned. The surprisingly large amounts were signed in a bold hand by Marcus Stanton, a handwriting she matched to the Post-it note stuck on the latest one.
Cell phones were invented a decade ago. Heard of them? Use smoke signals, Morse Code or a damn medium, but send me info about next project. Have buyer on line, but wants to know what he’s buying. Such pesky details will keep you solvent! And—much more important—keep me in f*cking Gucci.
She put that on top of the pile for Evan to see first, though the tone of exasperated affection in the note suggested it was a routine nudge. At the bottom of the basket, she discovered a wedding invitation that had been opened some time ago. Since she wasn’t sure if he’d responded to the RSVP, she added it to the top as well. She couldn’t imagine he planned to attend, but all his correspondence suggested he had far more human interaction than vampires she knew.
Seeing it was seven o’clock, she stopped to put together dinner. While she’d slept, Niall had added a pair of rabbits to the refrigerator. She appreciated that he’d already turned them into meat, not sure if she could handle soft fur and dead staring eyes. Finding a recipe that cooked the flesh in apple cider, she coated the parts in flour and got started. The recipe included a side dressing of apples and potatoes, as well as a cornstarch and spice gravy for the meat.
It was past dark when she finished, so she was listening for Evan’s footsteps, but he reached out to her with his mind first. I’m going to join Niall at the location he’s found. Pack up dinner and I’ll take it to him. It’s a bit remote, so I want you to stay here for now. And I want my cookie.
She was a little disappointed not to be going, but feeling that she was part of the household, rather than something they had to make plans around, helped soothe the feeling. That, and his amusing request for the cookie. She also put a bit of the rabbit dish in a separate container for him to sample. When he came up, he was in a hurry. He hadn’t even buttoned his shirt, had simply raked his fingers through his hair. Hatefully male, he merely looked sexier, reminding her of being in bed with him the previous night. He must have gotten caught up in something downstairs once he woke, and lost track of the time. Respecting his urgency, she gave him the container and managed a smile as he nodded absently, taking it from her and heading for the door.
She suppressed a sigh and turned to face the kitchen and the stack of dirty dishes there. She’d make herself a plate of the stew and eat at the counter, then start cleanup.
“Ah—” She let out a little gasp as Evan turned her toward him. She hadn’t even heard him return. His expression was still distracted, so she expected he’d forgotten something, but then he had her hauled up against his body and was kissing her with heat and need. He pushed her up against the counter so her legs locked around his hips. His fingers dove into her hair, freeing the clip and filling his palms with her tresses as he rubbed himself against her, earning a gasp from her lips against his.
“Behave,” he told her with a feral smile, and then he was gone. She had her feet on the ground but was holding on to the sink, the whole world tilting on its axis.
It took several heart-thumping moments to realize she had a smile on her face, her lips still tingling from the corners to the soft, fleshy center. It took her five whole minutes to pull together her distracted thoughts, during which time she gave serious thought to adding an intense masturbation session to her two-hour “task.”
Keep imagining that, yekirati. I will plague Niall with that vision, so that when we return to you, he will be like a bear tormented by the scent of fresh meat. Leave the actual pleasuring of your body for us. We are in a selfish mood.
She’d never heard happier news.
She returned to the slides. Since there were thousands, it was not a one-day task, but she made steady progress. Around one in the morning, she heard her Master’s voice in her head, a teasing, liquid sensation, much like the aftermath of that kiss.
Don’t forget your highest priority, Alanna. You do not wish to disappoint me.
No, Master. She tried to dispel her automatic reluctance to it. She’d approach it like any other assigned task, considering herself a third party her Master had asked her to entertain. That would work. But how was she going to entertain herself? Sighing, she rose from the table and stretched.
Sir, I’m making a sandwich for myself. Do you or Niall require anything?
Nothing for me. He sounded distracted now. Niall’s always hungry. We’re close now. Northwest, about a quarter mile. Take the trail behind the well.
Elation filled her. Making several sandwiches for Niall, she included chips, cookies and soda in a basket. She decided to bring the romance with her, as well as the plant book. Comparing the pictures to find edible plants was something she’d enjoy, so it would be useful to her two-hour task quota as well as her cooking. Women did multitask, after all.
They also rationalize.
She jumped at Evan’s reproof, but she picked up a warm chuckle. That’s fine, Alanna. As long as you are sincerely trying. I expect you to do a little better each day, though.
Yes, sir.
He’d given her a picture of their location in relation to the cabin. They were in a secluded glade. A small creek, probably the same one that wound alongside the cabin, formed a gurgling furrow in the earth, the glossy stones beneath the water causing spouts and waterfalls. Rock outcroppings thrust through long, silver-white grass, drawing the eye toward the dark shadows of the surrounding forest. Leaves released from the fall foliage were caught in the grasses, and though it was too dark to see the color on the trees, her flashlight moved over the tinges of red and orange, the curled dried edges of fallen leaves.
Once in the glade, she snapped off the flashlight. The second mark and the moonlight filtering through the trees gave her the ability to see the glade adequately without it, and she didn’t want to interfere with Evan’s view.
Evan had his camera set up, but he wasn’t using it now. Putting his fingers to his lips, he warned her to remain quiet, and he did so without taking his eyes off the trees on the other side of the glade. When he extended a hand, she put the basket down, came to him. Niall was stretched out on the grass to their left, his head propped on a rock. It had to be uncomfortable, but from the even rise and fall of his chest, he was asleep.
Closing his hand on hers, Evan moved her in front of him. He had his hips propped on one of those jutting rock clusters, so he could bring her back between his thighs. Sliding an arm around her waist, he brushed her ear with his lips.
Keep your gaze on the trees before you. It will take a while, but when you see something, tell me.
She nodded. The moment he touched her, everything in her became still, tranquil. Earlier, he’d taken her to a near-painful state of arousal with one kiss, but he could do this as well. She was comfortable in his arms, and she’d never applied that word to a vampire. When he was like this, he was relaxed, at all levels. It was a pervasive, unwavering calm, a dense energy like being near a warm fire, both attractive and unexpectedly vibrant, something that made her fingers curl over his on her waist. In response, he stroked her skin between the shirt and her jeans, inhaled her hair, nuzzled it with his lips. Enjoyed her as he watched and waited for her to see the world through his eyes.
She’d found it. A gray fox, sitting in the tree, studying them. She detected the gleam of his gaze, a stray bit of moonlight catching his silver pelt.
They climb trees quite well. But they’re used to hikers up here. We’re not why he’s in a tree.
Studying the animal, she watched to see who else he was monitoring. She found the young mountain lion in another tree, closer to the creek. His tail gave him away, the thick rope of it twitching, hanging down from his branch. At last deciding they weren’t close enough to be a threat, the cat leaped down, padding toward the creek. As he bent to drink from one of those shallow waterfalls, the spray made him lay back his ears and close his eyes.
Anticipating Evan, she adjusted so he could move to his camera. The mountain lion lifted his head, but then, after satisfying himself they weren’t a threat, he returned to drinking.
Alanna leaned against the rock, watching. She was entranced by the animal, but even more, she was entranced by Evan. He was on one knee, the tripod lowered to get the angle he desired. His shirt stretched over his shoulders, his short hair curving over the collar, tempting touch. His mouth was set in concentration, yet his eyes . . . there was magic happening in those eyes. He was seeing some form of ever-changing perfection, something he could capture. No, capture was the wrong word. He was seeking something to honor, as if his work was a praise to the gods.
When she’d sorted through his slides, her wonder at their diversity had slowed her task. Though he seemed focused on wildlife and landscapes in the mountains, he didn’t limit himself to one subject matter. She’d found city scenes, people, animals, experimental uses of light that turned everything into streaks and surreal impressions, like looking at an alternative world, layered over this one.
He combined subject matter in a disturbing way. She’d used a small, battery-operated projector to examine the slides on a larger scale, and found one of Niall, asleep in a field like this. However, the field had been overlaid with another picture, lifeless bodies, broken and bloody, the aftermath of a battle. The overlay had been arranged so the bodies cut a wide, noticeable circle around Niall, underscoring the contrast of his peaceful sleep with their not-so-peaceful death, a permanent sleep.
The mountain lion moved off. Evan straightened. When he began making notes on the tattered pad he propped on his thigh, she returned to her picnic basket. She brought it to Niall, but he didn’t stir, so she retrieved her book and sat on the grass next to him. It was a good position to watch Evan, and she wondered if Niall had chosen it for that reason. No matter their occasional friction, there was an obvious, unbreakable tether between them.
Even in sleep, no one would mistake Niall for anything but what he was, a powerful man, sure of himself, alpha in every respect. It made sense that vampires didn’t pick unappealing or ordinary servants; a human had to be extraordinary to desire three centuries of service to a vampire. But even for all that, the link between these two was unusual.
Covering a yawn, she set the book aside. She shouldn’t be tired, but the blocker she’d taken right before coming up here gave her that irritating burst of fatigue. Today, a nap would have to count toward her two hours.
She had no desire to pillow her head on a rock, though. She considered Niall. He’d worn those serviceable cargos that clung to his thighs, creasing around his groin. His T-shirt marked out the breadth of chest well, and her fingers wanted to touch.
She wanted to lie next to him. Wanted to be close to his heat. She thought of Evan coming to lie with them, as they had done in the bed, her in between them. Vampires didn’t cuddle, not to her experience. It was an unthinkable, nonpermissible thought, on so many levels, but with Niall, it might be acceptable.
Shifting closer, then to one hip, she moved as carefully as she had to avoid startling the mountain lion. A part of her was afraid if Niall woke up she’d be in transgression of something unforgiveable. She’d never reached out to anyone for affection, closeness.
She eased down next to him. His arm was over his head, making it easy to lay her head on his shoulder, inch her body closer. Putting a hand on his chest like a butterfly landing, she pressed her cheek to his shirt and inhaled his scent.
If only our Master were here with us, she thought. It would be perfect.
What makes you think I’m not, yekirati? The response made her jump, but Niall, muttering in his sleep, put his arm around her.
What does that mean . . . yekirati? And what you said the other night . . . einayim sheli . . . My metuka.
You have a good ear for languages. Your pronunciation was almost flawless. Yekirati is “dear one.” The rest . . . einayim sheli is “my eyes,” meaning very precious to me, and metuka is “sweet.”
Very precious to me. It was a simple endearment of course, but it still warmed her to hear it. She glanced down the pleasurable terrain of Niall’s body. Evan wasn’t looking at her, was in fact still working on his notebook, but there was a light curve to his mouth.
Do you still want to know about the first time Niall and I met?
Yes. I would like that. If it wouldn’t upset Niall. She usually only thought in terms of what would offend her Master, but it felt right to qualify it, given Niall’s earlier avoidance of the subject. Can I ask something else first? About your first kiss?
Possibly. Ask, and we shall see.
You were with him awhile before that. Why . . .
Why did I wait so long? It was a monumental test of my restraint, one he has never appreciated.
Glancing up, she saw wry amusement in his gray eyes. I wanted certain things to evolve in our relationship first. Create the proper setting, lighting. I was waiting for the muse to strike.
There’s a muse for that?
There’s a muse for everything. That’s what you learn over time. Every moment is rich with art and possibility, every interaction. But patience is key. And sometimes a tough skin, especially when dealing with an irascible Scot.
Alanna smiled. When Evan lifted his head, met her gaze briefly, her lips tingled under his regard, her smile replaced by more intent, heated things.
It wasn’t until she felt a provocative flush across every inch of the skin his gaze covered that he lowered his attention to his work again. But he didn’t break the connection between them. Instead, he began to paint in her mind as well, creating the picture of his first meeting with Niall and bringing it to vivid life for her.