Sex, Lies, and Vampires

Adrian lay exhausted, his eyes closed, his body still. The only sign I had that he was alive was the chest that heaved with ragged breathing beneath me. He spoke without opening his eyes, as if he were too tired to even manage that. I was strangely pleased by that. 'Hasi, I believe everyone in greater London heard your scream of completion.'

I propped an elbow on his slick chest, frowning down on him. His stubborn jaw and lower cheeks were shadowed with reddish brown whiskers, the black slash of his eyelashes suddenly parting, framing eyes of the purest indigo. I leaned forward until my lips teased him. 'I love you, Adrian. I don't know how we're going to defeat Saer, but I promise you, I will never let you go.'

His fingers tightened on my hips. We may have no choice.

There are always choices, I answered, sucking his lower lip into my mouth. We just need to find them.

A sudden burst of emotion swept over me, originating in Adrian as his arms wrapped like steel bands behind me, crushing me to his chest. His mouth moved on mine, ceasing my teasing touches, his tongue sweeping inside in a move of blatant possession. I will fight to the death for you, Hasi. You are light and love and life. You saw good in me when no one else did. Do not believe I would give you up so easily. I love you with all the passion I possess. I love you with every beat of my heart. I love you with every atom of my being.

My tears mingled with his as I lay clinging to him, seeking reassurance and offering everything I had. We were bound together by a love too strong to be destroyed.

Or so I prayed.

Chapter Nineteen

'We have got to get rid of Saer,' I announced as I preceded Adrian and my cadre of mummies into the long, L-shaped room that a housekeeper had pointed out as Christian's library. It had nothing on the library in his castle, but was interesting enough that I paused to eye an incomplete suit of armor before facing Christian and Allie. 'Adrian and I are madly in love, and I'm not going to stand for Saer trying to destroy him. Something's got to give, and I intend to see that it's Saer.'

Melissande and Belinda looked up from where Allie was pouring tea.

'Oh,' I said, stopping in the doorway. The mummies squawked. Adrian gave me a gentle shove into the room.

'Melissande.' He nodded to his sister as he stood next to me. 'You look well.'

Her hand twitched, sending the tea in her cup splashing over the side. 'Thank you, Adrian.' Her eyes skittered to me before returning reluctantly to him. 'As do you. I… er… congratulate you on your betrothal.'

We're betrothed? I asked him.

It is customary for Dark Ones to marry their Beloveds. A dark suspicion flitted to life within him. Unless there is some reason you do not wish—

'Thank you, we're delighted, as you might expect. We hope to be married just as soon as your other brother is pounded into a pulp,' I told Melissande. 'We'd love to have you at the wedding, although I have no idea when it's going to be, or where it will be held, or even where we're going to live—'

'We will live in my home,' Adrian said, wrapping his arm around me and hauling me against his side. It was a gesture that I'd abhor in anyone else, but it made me go all warm and fuzzy every time he felt the need to be possessive.

You have a home?

I do not live under a rock, if that is what you are asking, Hasi.

I smiled brightly as Allie invited us to sit. 'Do you have some newspapers or something?' I asked.

Allie looked puzzled.

'For the mummies. Oh, they're housebroken—at least I think they are—but little bits and pieces of them tend to break off, and it's less messy if they stay on a newspaper.'

She blinked a couple of times, but pointed to a neat stack of papers.

Hasi, they are not puppies, Adrian said as I spread out several sheets.

Of course they're not puppies. I never said they were puppies. Puppies are cute and adorable and have big eyes. My mummies are only cute and have no eyes. But they are former people, and thus they deserve the respect and reverence due to any deceased individual. We owe them that much, Adrian. 'Sit,' I ordered the mummies, pointing to the paper. They sat.

Belinda looked tired but not at all surprised to see us, but Melissande… she was clearly not comfortable with the change in Adrian's status from the feared and hated Betrayer to a lovable—and much loved—man.

I perched on the edge of a love seat, Adrian sitting next to me. Allie handed me a cup of tea and a plate of goodies, her mismatched eyes twinkling as she said, 'I'm sure you need this after your… uh… nap.'

A blush heated my cheeks at her unspoken amusement. Melissande's lips tightened as she mopped up the spilled tea. Belinda smiled benevolently at us, while Christian sent Adrian a glance filled with some male knowledge that I did not want to examine closely.

'Damian is sleeping,' Melissande said, breaking the silence.

'Yes, I know,' Adrian answered.

'You are still cursed, are you not?' she asked, one eyebrow lifting. 'Does that not prohibit you from merging with anyone but your Beloved?'

'Yes, I am, and yes, it does.'

She frowned, clearly puzzled. 'Then how—'

'We looked in on Damian on the way downstairs,' I answered for Adrian, hating this awkwardness between them but powerless to fix things until we got rid of Saer. I winced at that thought, knowing that Melissande was fond of her brother. 'Melissande… about Saer…'

'He must be defeated,' Christian said, his voice tired. Allie curled up next to him on a long leather couch, her hand resting on his leg. From the corner of my eye, I could see the faint pattern of wards drawn over his chest and head. I wondered if Allie had been worried about his meeting Adrian. That was probably one of the reasons he survived Adrian's attempt to snap his neck. 'I am sorry, Melissande, but Saer's act in raising an army goes too far. Although his intentions are hidden from us, they cannot mean good.'

'His intentions are not hidden from me,' Adrian said quietly, his fingers warm on the back of my neck as he toyed with a strand of hair.

'Really?' Christian gave Adrian a considering look. 'Enlighten us, please.'

'I am not comfortable with us discussing Saer in this manner,' Melissande interrupted, getting up to move restlessly around the room. 'He has always been a devoted brother and loving uncle. I admit that his actions defy explanation, but we have not yet heard his side of recent happenings. It may well be that he is innocent and we are putting an incorrect interpretation to his actions.' She shot a quick, unreadable look toward Adrian.

Adrian ignored her. 'Saer plans to topple Asmodeus from power,' he told Christian.

'There, you see?' Melissande started to say.

'By means of sacrificing Belinda, at which time he will claim Asmodeus's throne for himself,' Adrian finished.

The only sound was that of one of the mummies sucking contentedly on the toe of my shoe.

'Well, I guess that takes care of the issue of Saer's innocence,' I said softly, watching Melissande. Her face was pale, but she had an obstinate mulish set to her jaw that was extremely familiar to me. Heaven knew I'd seen the masculine version often enough.

'You cannot know for certain that he will do as you surmise,' she said.

'I do know,' Adrian answered, the pain that swirled within him so strong it made my heart tighten. I leaned into him, offering him unconditional love and acceptance. His fingers tightened on my neck. 'Who do you think arranged for Damian's capture?'

Melissande stared at him in open-mouthed horror. 'You can't mean… you're not saying that Saer… that he would turn over his own nephew… he is my brother! You cannot expect me to believe that he would do something