Venice Vampyr - The Beginning

Raphael woke in the early afternoon with Isabella still tucked into his chest. She hadn’t moved all night, and it pleased him. He’d felt her apprehension the night before and feared that she regretted what they’d done. That’s why he had made love to her with words alone. He didn’t want her to feel regret. He wanted her to know how much he appreciated what she’d given him.

Despite the things Dante had said, he wasn’t going to let anything get between him and his wife. Not even his hunger, a hunger he’d felt immediately upon waking. He hadn’t fed since the night he’d nearly drowned and could now feel his body craving the blood it needed to sustain itself.

He would have to feed tonight. Not from the lovely neck of his beautiful wife, who still slumbered in his arms, but from a stranger. Because about one thing Dante was right: he couldn’t ever let her find out that he was a vampire. She would run from him. And he didn’t want to lose her.

By the time Isabella woke, Raphael was dressed and had arranged a meal for her. He knew she would be hungry. When he joined her in the dining room, which was kept in relative darkness by keeping the shutters closed but every candle in the room blazing, she had almost finished her plate.

He took a seat opposite her. She appeared nervous when she looked at him, her eyelids slightly lowered as if trying to avoid him. Was she still embarrassed by what had happened the night before?

“Shall I prepare a plate for you?” she asked and made a motion to get up toward the small buffet one of his servants had prepared.

“Thank you, my love, but I ate while you were still asleep.” How long he’d be able to hide from her that he wasn’t eating, he had no idea. He would have to come up with all kinds of excuses.

“Oh. I’ve never slept that long.” She blushed a delightful pink.

“I exhausted you last night.” He paused and noticed how she lowered her gaze even further as her cheeks turned darker. “And I’m planning to do it again tonight.” He ignored her shocked gasp. “Now, eat. So you’ll have your strength.”

He loved rattling her, making her lose her composure. Yes, most of all he loved peeling away those layers of proper lady she piled so high onto herself, because underneath was a woman who harbored raw passion and unbridled lust. Just the way he liked it.

“When will we return home?”

“Do you not like it here?”

“Your house is very luxurious, very grand. But I have a business to run, and all my things are at my home.”

It was a fair reason. He couldn’t argue with it. Besides, in order to find out more about Massimo, who surely would want to intrude on her again soon, it would be better to remain at her house. “Very well, my angel, we’ll return to your home tonight.”

“Why not now?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Why the rush? Do you hate it here so much?”

Isabella hastily shook her head. “No. Of course not.” But her expression said otherwise.

“It’s Dante, isn’t it? You don’t like him.” Not that his brother was the most charming man. He could be downright annoying when he set his mind to it. And clearly, he had his reservations about Isabella, and maybe she’d picked up on those vibes.

“No, no, he’s nice.”

Raphael rose and walked around to her, then took her hand and kissed it. “I want you to be happy. We’ll go home at sunset. I promise.”

***

“I’m having the servants prepare Giovanni’s old room for you.”

Raphael turned at the sound of Isabella’s voice coming from the door to the study. After returning to her house, she’d excused herself to attend to some warehouse business and left him to his own devices.

“That won’t be necessary.”

She graced him with a surprised look.

“I’m perfectly happy staying in your chamber.”

Her chest heaved, and he couldn’t tear himself away from the enticing site of the creamy skin of her breasts. The dress she wore wasn’t quite as low cut as the red gown she’d worn the night before, but it wouldn’t take much to lower that bodice and make those nipples pop out. His trousers tightened at the image.

“But it’s not proper. Married couples have separate chambers.”