“Maximilian is not a man. And nothing happened to him. No doubt he’s resting privately. Vampyres can’t survive in the sun.”
“But you can. You stood in the sun when you came to my room.”
William leaned forward at the waist and dropped his voice.
“That is an exception you’d best forget.”
She turned her head to the side, avoiding his eyes.
“And Bruno? How is he?” she persisted.
“There’s no change in his condition. The doctors don’t know if he’ll recover.”
“I want to see him.”
“I’m afraid I can’t let you leave. It’s for your protection.”
Raven stood, panicking.
“But I have to go home. I have to see Bruno.”
William glared at her.
“I asked you repeatedly to leave the city. You refused. I warned you that you would come to me for help. And here you are.”
“You brought me here!”
“To save your life.” He crossed to her in two long strides. “Again and again, I offered help and you spurned it. You could have left the city, but you didn’t.”
“It would have been irrational for me to leave on the advice of a stranger who broke into my apartment.”
“My warnings were given in good faith. You ignored them. Now you’ve come to the attention of two of my associates. Ergo, you have entered my world whether you realize it or not.”
“What does that mean?”
He straightened proudly. “It means, Jane, that I shall offer you my protection. In return, you’ll give me what I want.”
“What’s that?”
William gave her a sensual look.
“You.”
Chapter Twenty-five
“Excuse me?” Raven wasn’t sure she’d heard what she thought she’d heard.
William’s expression left no ambiguity, as his eyes traveled the length of her body.
“I warned you that I would exact a price. The price is you. You’ll be safe living here. If you wish, I can continue administering blood so your leg will remain sound.
“I have the largest private collection of Renaissance art in the world. Much of it has never been restored. I’ll give you free rein to assess my collection and restore it. I’ll even build a lab for you, out there.” He pointed to the gardens that lay beyond the library windows.
“I’d live here as your personal art restorer?”
His lips twitched. “I’d have other, personal expectations of you.”
“Sex?” Her voice sounded higher than normal.
“Of course.”
“Why?”
He seemed surprised by her question.
He reached out to cup her face and his eyes grew soft. “Because you interest me. It has been many, many years since someone caught my attention.”
Raven couldn’t pretend she didn’t like his gentle voice or the way he touched her, as if he truly found her pleasing.
She didn’t know him well enough to know if he was lying or not. It was possible this was some tortured game and that she was merely a pawn in a greater contest.
His kiss the previous evening had felt sincere. But Raven had been deceived before, and so she didn’t trust her feelings.
She wished she were more used to a man’s attention. Perhaps then she wouldn’t be so affected. So vulnerable.
“Is sex the same for vampyres?” She pulled away from him.
His hand dropped to his side and he frowned. “The same as what?”
“The same as when you were human.”
“I couldn’t tell you,” he said coolly.
His demeanor didn’t invite interrogation and so she elected not to pursue the ambiguity in his statement.
But she made a mental note to ask about it later.
He ran his thumb across his lower lip. “When a vampyre feeds from a human, the urge to engage in intercourse is overwhelming. Sex and feeding go together, almost universally.”
Raven wrinkled her nose in revulsion.
“Do vampyres ever have sex with one another?”
“In some cases.”
“Do they feed from one another, too?”
“Sometimes, but vampyres need human blood in order to maintain their health.”
Raven decided to keep William’s attention fixed on answering questions, in order to give herself time to plan an escape. She tried to look curious.
“Why would a vampyre feed from another vampyre?”
“It bonds the two. There may be political or expedient reasons to forge that bond. The blood of an older vampyre can strengthen a younger one.”
“Are you bonded with anyone?”
“No.” He moved away from her abruptly. “I need to disclose that when a vampyre takes a human lover, the human becomes overwhelmed by the experience and develops an addiction to it. In some cases, the human begs to become a vampyre. In other cases, the vampyre gets carried away and kills the human.”
He paused, noting her reaction.
Her jaw had dropped open and she was gazing at him in horror.
He hastened to explain himself.
“You should know that I am what they call an old one—I’ve been a vampyre for centuries. I have more power than the others and I have much more control. I won’t be carried away when I drink from you. You’re safe with me.”
Raven laughed without amusement. “Safe? Nothing you have said so far makes me feel safe. And thanks for the invitation, but I’m not interested in having sex with you.”
William smiled a slow, sensuous smile. “You say one thing but your body says something else. Your heart rate escalates when I touch you and you hold your breath. Your pupils dilate and your skin warms. One might almost think you are aroused.”
Raven felt her cheeks flush.
“I can’t help biology.”
“Neither can I,” he retorted, coming nearer.
“Are all vampyres misogynists? I had no idea.”
His eyebrows lifted. “I am not a misogynist. In fact, I’m a great admirer of women. I’m simply stating what your body already recognizes—you are attracted to me.”
“Find another art restorer to snack on.”
He moved closer, his eyes fixed on hers. “You don’t know the pleasure I’m capable of giving you. There are those who would beg to become my lover, just for one night.”
Raven’s gaze dropped to his mouth.
He licked his lips.
She shook her head, as if trying to snap out of it.
“Then you should have no trouble finding a willing partner. Now, if you’ll excuse me—”
He stepped in front of her. “In a few days, the two bloods I administered to you will disappear from your system and I’ll be able to enjoy your true vintage. I’ve been looking forward to sampling it for a while.”
“You’d drink my blood?”
He gave her a half smile.
“Vampyres tend to do that.”
“I’d rather die.”
“What?” His tone was harsh, if not incredulous.
“You stole the illustrations from the Uffizi and now you’ve kidnapped me. I don’t care what you are. I have no intention of staying with you as a sex slave or a fountain drink or anything else.”
He scowled. “You wouldn’t be a slave. You’d be royalty.”
“You said I’d be under your control.”
“I said that’s usual. You should know by now that you are far from usual. In fact, I think you’re strong-minded enough to maintain a degree of autonomy despite an intense sexual relationship with me.”
“A degree of autonomy isn’t freedom.”
“Being my lover is.” He reached out and traced her collarbones from shoulder to shoulder. “Freedom to enjoy the pleasure I’ll give you. Freedom to leave your cares behind and focus only on living a life of erotic delight.”
“That isn’t an inducement.” She set her teeth. “I’d rather kill myself than be touched against m
y will.”
William glared. “I am not a rapist.”
“So you say.”
“I saved you from being raped and I killed three men in order to do it,” he hissed.
“Maybe because you wanted to finish the job.”
“Cave,” he warned.
He was perilously close to losing his temper, but, through a visible effort, he restrained himself.
He clenched his jaw.
“You’d end your life, simply to avoid this?”
Raven lifted her chin. “Yes.”
“Do you know what happens to suicides after they die?”
She shrugged. “They go to sleep and never wake up.”
“No, they don’t. Suicide is the worst thing a human being can do. You shouldn’t even consider it.” William looked deeply into her eyes. “You say you don’t want this, but I saw you blush. You want me to touch you. You want to be in my bed.”
“No.” She spoke defiantly.
“Convince me.”
His gray eyes dropped to her lips.
He brought his body to within a hairsbreadth of hers, but didn’t touch her. His mouth hovered close.
Raven waited, expecting him to kiss her.
He didn’t.
She inhaled deeply.
Still, he didn’t move.
“Cassita,” he murmured. The movement of his mouth brought their lips in contact, but only for a second.
Then his lips were on hers and he was kissing her.
His hand sifted through her long hair, cupping the back of her head. He brought their bodies together, erasing the space between them.
Then he slowed the tempo of his lips to an agonizing crawl. He pressed against her, brushing his lips across hers as if the distance were interminable and he had all the time in the world.
She didn’t push him away, but she didn’t kiss him back. She was as still as a statue, motionless in his arms.
Then his lips were gone.
She opened her eyes and saw him staring at the door.
“We’re about to be interrupted.”
“Interrupted?”
No sooner had the word left her mouth than there came a knock at the door.
“Enter,” William called.
There was a click and a scrape of the lock. The door opened.
Ambrogio appeared. “Forgive me, my lord. An urgent message has arrived.”
“Place it on the table.”
If Ambrogio was surprised by the shards of glass and wine droplets he had to step over in order to walk to the side table, he hid it well. He put a white envelope next to Raven’s empty wineglass.
“Will there be anything else, my lord?” He ignored Raven and looked only at William.
“No. That is all.”
Ambrogio bowed and withdrew, closing the door behind him.
William released Raven, walking over to the table. He ripped open the envelope and scanned the written contents.
“Sard,” he cursed, stuffing the letter back into the envelope.
“What does that mean?”
“It means fuck.”
“In what language?”
“English.” He tossed the envelope on the table. “I had hoped to spend the day with you. Unfortunately for us both, business intrudes. We’ll continue this conversation later. In the interim, the villa is at your disposal. Lucia will prepare your meals and see that you have what you need. I’ll seek you out when I return, which may not be until tomorrow.”
He nodded at her and made for the door.
She followed him. “Wait. What’s going to happen to Bruno?”
William frowned. “Why must you keep mentioning him?”
“Because his grandmother is my neighbor. And he may die because of me.”
William’s demeanor cooled. “You won’t have to worry about her much longer. She has cancer and will die soon.”
“What?” Raven croaked.
“When I visited your apartment, I could smell the cancer from the hall. It’s very advanced.”
“How can you smell cancer?”
He pressed his lips together. “It’s one of our talents. We can smell disease. And death.”
Raven placed a hand on the back of the chair for support. “Why didn’t Bruno tell me?”
“It’s possible he doesn’t know. I didn’t scent any drugs in her system. Perhaps she declined treatment.”
“Can you help her?”
“I could, but I won’t.” His tone was matter-of-fact.
“Why not?”
“Using vampyre blood to help you has already exposed me. I’m not about to do it again.”
“But if I asked you to help her?”
A muscle jumped in his jaw.
“I’d still say no. The blood will heal her cancer but I’d have to give it to her in such a large amount, she’d end up much, much younger. It would attract too much attention.”
“Could you give her a little, just to ease her suffering?”
“Death is the only thing that will help her.”
Raven let out an anguished sound. “Please.”
“We don’t interfere in the lives of human beings. You were an exception.” His eyes glinted cold steel.
He turned his back on her and reached for the doorknob.
She swallowed hard as tears pricked her eyes. “William, wait.”
She cleared her throat.
“What if I begged?”
William kept his back toward her.
“My answer won’t change.”
“I tried to protect Cara,” Raven whispered. “I failed.”
Now William turned around. “Who’s Cara?”
“I am not going to watch this happen and do nothing.”
William exhaled loudly.
“It isn’t your responsibility to save the world. Let people save themselves.”
Raven let out an anguished sound. “If what you said about the relic is true, it’s my fault Bruno was hurt. If I’d been wearing it, no one would have bothered us.”
“It’s too late for regrets.” He reached for the doorknob once again.
“No, it isn’t.”
She approached him, standing a few feet away.
“You said I’d come to you and beg for help.” She lifted her chin. “I thought I was too proud to beg. But I’m not. I beg you for Bruno’s life and the life of his grandmother.”
William remained stubbornly fixed on the door.
“No.”
“Please, William. Please.”
He exhaled loudly. “As difficult as it may seem to you, we try not to draw attention to ourselves. You’re asking me to expose myself.”
“I’ll stay with you.”
William’s eyes flew to hers. “What?”
“If you heal Bruno and help his grandmother, I’ll stay with you. I’ll work on your art collection. I may even do . . . other things, eventually. I just ask that you don’t force me.”
William simply stared.
“Please,” she repeated. “Help them.”
William stood still so long, Raven worried he’d gone into a trance.
She wrung her hands, anxiety making her fidget.
His gaze moved to her hands and then to her face. “You’d live with me until I let you go? That could be decades from now.”
She nodded.
“I can’t help your neighbor. The risk is too great. But I could help the boy.”
“It has to be both.”
William gave her a hard look. “I’m not wasting my precious vintage collection on an old woman. I will, however, give something to him to save his life. But I won’t risk healing him completely.”
Raven contemplated her options, which were limited.
William’s expression began to shift. She worried he’d change his mind.
“All right.” Her shoulders slumped.
He walked toward her, his shoes crunching over the broken glass.
“You’d give up your life, your position at t
he gallery, in exchange for helping that ridiculous boy? He barely knows you.”
A single tear trailed down her cheek.
“I don’t want to see him die, knowing I could have done something to stop it.”
William huffed in exasperation. “He isn’t worthy of you. You said yourself he never noticed you until your appearance changed.”
She wiped her face with the back of her hand. “You were never going to let me go. At least now, something good will come of it.”
He took her face in his hands.
“Do you understand what you are offering me?”
She closed her eyes. “Yes.”
For what seemed like a long time, he didn’t move.
“You shame me,” he murmured.
Her eyelids opened.
He brushed his lips across hers. “It’s been a long time since I felt shame.”
Uncertainty flashed across his features and Raven began to worry he’d retract his offer.
Impulsively, she reached up to kiss him.
He was surprised by her action, but welcomed it, his closed mouth moving over hers, unwilling to break their connection.
When he took over the kiss, she felt off balance, her hands gripping his biceps for support.
He propelled her backward, almost waltzing her across the room, until her back was against a bookshelf. And still he kept his lips on hers.
His hand slipped between her head and the shelf, cradling her. Protecting her.
She felt the movement for what it was and opened her mouth.
Instantly, his tongue began to play with her lips. He tasted and licked at an unhurried pace, but did not venture inside.
He trailed her jaw with his thumb, as he kissed and teased, tempting her to reciprocate.
She slipped her tongue into his mouth and he gently stroked it with his own, a deep sigh emanating from his chest.
He tasted different. His mouth was cool against her tongue, his movements leisurely but purposeful.
When she retreated, he kissed her lightly once again and pressed his forehead to hers.
He waited for her to open her eyes before he spoke. “Do you know how rare self-sacrifice is? How magnificent you are?”
Raven bowed her head. She was selling herself into slavery, not saving the world.
He toyed with her hair. “Spend the day enjoying my art collection. I’ll try to rejoin you tonight.”
She kept her eyes on the floor.
He kissed her once more before exiting the room.