She swallowed. “Go ahead.”
“The first is obviously that you allow me to mark you. I promise you the process will be painless.” His eyes swept over her, suddenly hot, and she had a flashback to the feel of being enclosed within his arms. Heat coiled low in her belly as though it had been waiting for something to set it aflame again.
“You might even enjoy it.” A shudder ran through her at the dark promise in his voice.
She stared into his face for long moments then broke the link between them. “And the alternative?”
The smile faded from his face. “That Piers marks you by force, and I can’t promise that won’t hurt.”
Shock flashed through her. “You’d let him do that?”
“I don’t think I would have any say in the matter. I’m strong, but perhaps not that strong. We’re surrounded by over a hundred vampires. Of course, I would fight—you are, after all, my responsibility—but in all likelihood, I would die. So I think the question you need to ask yourself is would you let me mark you now, or would you prefer I’m killed and you’re held down while Piers rapes your mind.”
“You’re trying to scare me.”
“Perhaps. Am I succeeding?”
She took a deep breath. “So maybe you’d better explain this whole marking thing, because I’m not letting you into my mind without knowing what you’re up to.”
Amusement glinted in his eyes. “It will tie you to the vampire who marks you.”
“Tie? In what way tie?”
“There would be some… compulsion involved.”
“You mean I’d have to do what you say? I don’t think so.”
“Tara, we have the ability to make any human do as we say, it just takes less effort with those that are marked.”
“Let me get this straight. You can make me do what you want.” He smiled again and nodded. “Have you?” she asked.
“No.”
“Could you?”
“I believe so. What else is it you wish to know?”
She found it hard to move past the whole compulsion thing. “Tell me more about this tie.”
“Your life would be bound to mine. If I were to be destroyed, in all likelihood you would die.”
Her heart skipped a beat, then sped up as she realized it was the thought of Christian being destroyed that upset her, rather than her dying in response. When had she started to care about him?
“And are you planning on that happening anytime soon?” she asked.
“Not planning, no.”
She could live with that. “So, last question. Is it permanent?”
“I’ve never tried to remove a mark. Perhaps it’s possible. Most humans are happy with the benefits of belonging to a vampire.”
She remembered Graham with his designer suits and his dreamy expression when he thought of Christian feeding. Then her mind focused on one word and her whole body tensed. “Belonging? I don’t want to belong to anybody.”
He sighed. “I think you must trust me on this one, Tara. I promise I’ll not abuse the mark, and afterward, if possible, I’ll remove it.” He took her hands. A sense of calm washed over her, and she wondered if he were doing something to her mind. “And Tara, there are benefits.”
She eyed him warily, not quite convinced that her idea of benefits and Christian’s would coincide.
“You will be stronger,” he said, “and live longer. I would take care of you—you’d be my responsibility.”
“The stronger and living longer bits I’ll take. The responsibility thing you can keep. From now on, I’m nobody’s responsibility but my own.”
“So you’ll allow me to do it.”
“I don’t see that I’ve got a choice.” She sighed. “I can’t believe you didn’t think about this before you brought me here.”
He appeared about to speak, but the door opened, Piers stepped in, and Christian dropped her hands.
Piers focused on Christian. “Has she agreed?”
Christian nodded. Piers studied her for a moment. She shuddered at the expression in his eyes. He wanted her, she could see that, but it was what he wanted her for that worried her most. All he said was, “Pity.”
“So what happens now?” she asked. Christian had promised it wouldn’t hurt, but her whole body clenched at the thought of the unknown.
“It will be done in a moment. Turn and face me.”
Christian moved closer and put his fingertips to her temple. “Relax.”
She stared into his eyes. For a moment, her mind opened to him, as though he were becoming one with her. Then everything locked, and she was back in her own head alone.
Christian frowned. “What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
His fingers tightened on her forehead. He stared at her again but this time her mind remained her own.
“What’s going on?” Piers asked.
Christian dropped his hands. “It’s not working.”
Piers moved to stand over them. “What do you mean ‘not working’?”
“I’m not marked?”
Christian shook his head. He turned to Piers. “I can’t get in. Her mind is shutting me out cold. I’ve never felt this sort of block before.”