“Perhaps.”He gathered her hand into his completely and led her down the hall.The heat of her skin recalled summers on the Amalfi coast, but thosewere memories from another life. He Amalfi coast, but those werememories from another life. He glanced at her. How innocent she was.No more than a possession to Arnaud. And now Dominic must tell her ofArnaud’s plans. He must explain how he’d beencommissioned to experiment on her these next few weeks, to gentlymake clear the dangers of his work, but not now. There would be timeenough for that in the evening. Now, as he felt the sun break thehorizon, he wanted nothing to do with any of that. He would not giveher a reason to fear him, not in this moment.
Asthey approached the dining room, a servant opened the door. Dominicdropped her hand to let her go ahead of him.
“ServeLady Marissa here.”
“Yes,your lordship.” The servant nodded and left.
Inthe quiet of the room, she shook her head. “It is wrong to callme Lady Marissa.”
“Inmy house, I do as I please.” And right now, what he wanted todo was something he knew she would not abide, but lack of sleep madehim reckless. He picked up her hand and pressed it to his mouth,inhaling her scent as he kissed her smooth, gilded skin.
Shejumped, but not enough to wrench her hand from his grasp. “Mylord,” she whispered.
“DoI frighten you?” Her heartbeat had increased the moment he’dtouched her. If he had a pulse, it would have done the same. “Thatis not my desire.”
“Thenwhat”—she swallowed, the delicate lines of her neckflexing—“what is your desire, my lord?”
Flexing—“whatis your desire, my lord?”
Notwhat, but who. But wanting her was dangerous at best.
Hereleased her hand and took a step back, his control teetering.
“Onlycompany.” He pulled a chair out for her, then sat on the otherside of the table. That would give her room to breathe.
Shesat very straight. “Catarina does not provide that for you?”
“Catarinais first and foremost a comarré.”
“Asam I.”
Heshook his head. “You are a comarré second.”
Shetensed. “Why would you say—”
“Youare a woman first, cara mia.”
Unbelievably,she blushed. The signum on her cheeks blazed against the risingcolor. “You are a most unusual man.”
Henodded. “You are getting to know me very quickly.”
Servantsentered with her dinner and a goblet of blood for him. He took itfrom the extended tray. It was warm. “This isn’t from thereserves?”
Theservant tucked the tray under his arm. “Catarina thought youmight want something fresher, my lord.”
Witha nod, Dominic dismissed his staff with a wave.
Marissaspoke when they’d left. “She wishes to make amends.”
Helifted the glass. “Perhaps, but I rarely drink from her vein.
Sheis only doing what is required of her.”
Sheopened her mouth, then closed it abruptly, only to take a She openedher mouth, then closed it abruptly, only to take a bite of the mealbefore her instead.
“Youwant to know why that is?” He shrugged. “I am often busyand do not wish to be disturbed or pulled from my work, and she…doesnot complain that we have so little interaction. It is odd, perhaps,but it suits.”
Shenodded and set her fork down. “It suits you not to have as muchpower as you could?” She lifted her hands and stroked theinside of one wrist. “I’ve never known a vampire whodidn’t care whether or not he sank his teeth into the softflesh of the comarré he owned. You are a rare creature, LordFalconetti, to give up both power and pleasure.”
Hestared at her, the embers of his desire rekindled by her words andfanned by what was clearly a challenge she was not the innocent he’dthought. No, indeed. She must know what her words were doing to him.But for what purpose? Did she think she could take Catarina’splace? That Arnaud would give her up? Was this the kind of troubleshe’d caused to make her house declare her unreturnable? If so,he was not opposed to it. He smiled, lids lowered, while a thousandquestions filed his head.
“Areyou playing a game with me, Marissa?”
Shelooked genuinely shocked. “Game? No, I swear I am not.”She pushed her chair back and dropped her napkin beside her plate. “Iam tired and I have once again let my mouth get the best of me. Ifyou’ll excuse me, I should retire.”
Asmall burst of speed and he was at her side, blocking her way.“You’re right. There is little to be gained from givingup way. “You’re right. There is little to be gained fromgiving up power and pleasure, as you so eloquently put it. I shallturn over a new leaf this very moment.”
Sheheld very still “I should leave you to it, then.” Shepointed lamely past him. “If you would be so kind as to let meby.”
Nowit was his turn to see what she was made of. To call her bluff inthis delicate, delicious dance they engaged in. “Your freedomfor a kiss.”
“Freedom?For a…a kiss?” For a brief moment, she looked shaken.Then, with the lift of her chin, her confidence returned and shelaughed. “You’re teasing me again, aren’t you?”She lifted her hand toward his shoulder as if to push him aside butstopped before touching him.
Hemoved forward, forcing the contact. “No, cara mia, I do nottease.” When she didn’t take her hand away, he leaned in,lowered his voice, and repeated his words. “Your freedom for akiss.”
Chapter Four
Marissainhaled, trying to buy time. Instead she succeeded only in breathingin Dominic’s dark spicy scent and further discombobulatingherself. He’d said the word freedom. Was that the sign she’dasked for? Nothing about him meshed with anything she’d come toexpect from a vampire. “I belong to another. And what you askis against comarré rules. You know that.”
“AndI don’t care. As I told you, my house, my rules.”
Suddenly,he backed out of her path and held his hands up. “I do not wishto make you uncomfortable and I see that I have.
Goto bed, Marissa. We have much ahead of us tomorrow evening.” Heturned to go.
“Wait.”Why she’d said that, she didn’t know, but she wasn’tready for him to leave her. Not yet. Not with her emotions a jumbledmess
