Quinn’s dark magic was rising also, but with a slow, dark beauty in the night, as if the vastness of the sea could be caught in a single midnight wave. As they danced, a strangely decadent, dark music began to lift all around them from their powers entwining, different than how Ariana’s power sounded around Lucca. A cascade of wickedly heady things suddenly poured through Ariana’s mind and she felt herself heat, blushing furiously. She didn’t know if the thoughts were hers or Quinn’s as he pulled back, watching her. But passion was a game Quinn knew, as he unwound their fingers and reached up.
Caressing a lock of her hair back and capturing her with his eyes.
Though he had once been the Florence Hotel’s Head Courtier, Ariana felt his heart pound with his true nature. Quinn’s dark deviance was drowning, and Ariana loved that side of him. But there was so much more to him as he slowly let her go, controlling himself from doing her accidental harm in his current heightened emotional state.
As he slowly took up her hand and brushed it with a fire-dark kiss, Quinn gave Ariana a knowing look. Stepping back he offered his arm, and she felt like a small bird with a beautiful snake as she took it. Cupping her face, he pulled her lower lip down with his thumb, caressing it. Everything inside Ariana gripped as she shuddered to the tips of her stilettos.
Though Quinn hadn’t even used his magics to provoke it.
“Come.” He said solemnly. “Let us get you back to your rooms. The night is late and we can speak more at a further time.”
“But we will.” Ariana spoke stubbornly now as a rush of her energy heaved, throwing off Quinn’s mesmerization. “We will talk about all of this, Quinn. Because if you and I are going to be together, I can’t do it without you being real with me. And I sure as hell can’t do it without sex.”
“You are a very direct woman, Ariana Summers.” Smoothing his hand over hers, Quinn’s gaze held wry humor now, tender and lovely in the night. “Believe me when I say I understand your position. But just this evening, I have begun to understand mine. I believe I have…damage, as they say in the human world, from my previous Mistress. I used to not hear people when they confronted me with it. But hearing it from you has opened my ears now, and my heart. I am listening… even if I still need some time.”
It was probably the best communication Ariana had ever gotten from a lover; as she heard him, she nodded. Giving a slow nod back, Quinn bowed to her as if she were royalty.
And then turned in a wave of dark grace, walking them through his suite to the tall ebony doors.
CHAPTER 7 – SLEEP
As Quinn escorted Ariana through the Gothic-Baroque halls of the Red Letter Hotel Florence back to her rooms, he was silent, deep in thought. Chandeliers were turned low in the midnight hour, and she noted how quiet the halls were tonight, as if the entire palace held its breath for the Meeting of the Havens later this week. Vampire staff passed, nodding at Quinn; though the Hotel was under stress preparing for the event, everyone seemed in a pleasant mood. Arriving at Ariana’s suite on the third floor, Quinn lifted her hand, leaving her with a kiss. But even as a thrill raced through her, he merely opened her ebony door and beckoned her in to her blue and gold apartment.
As she felt a hot whip of frustration, that they had left things so unresolved tonight.
But Quinn merely pinned her with his dark gaze then moved off down the hall, as she closed her door and went to the gilded breakfast table by her vaulted windows. Kicking off her black lace stilettos, she massaged one foot as she ate a chocolate cherry cordial left in a gilded box on her table by Catering. Heaving a sigh at all the emotions still tumbling through her, Ariana fished another chocolate out, taking it with her to her balcony.
Throwing the wrought-iron doors open to the evening breeze, she sat upon a silk chaise, taking in the stars and sickle moon. Gazing out over the elegant rooftops of Florence with its lush city parks, Ariana let her power flow in the darkness.
She both felt and saw her silver-gold magic breathe softly around her now as she relaxed. Her Vampire magics devoured the night as her Fae power reveled in it. Closing her eyes, Ariana ate her chocolate quietly, taking in the sounds of wineshops burgeoning with laughter and music. Two tiny Pixies talked in squeaky tones on the cobbled street below and she smiled at the city that had a history of welcoming all Lineages.
As she listened, she found herself suddenly wanting to explore the city and everything it had to offer. But Quinn was right – it had been a long day and she needed to rest if they were going to meet with King Archivolio Bellari in the morning. Moving inside to her bed, Ariana cast her lace corset shirt and twill pants to the floor with her lacy balconette bra, leaving her undies on. As she settled under the blue silk sheets, setting her palm to a panel beside the bed to darken the chandeliers, she thought about her conundrum with Quinn and Lucca.
Frowning, she rolled over, then rolled over again. The starlight was the only glow in her room, but it seemed too bright in her restlessness, pouring in through the windows like full day. Heaving a sigh, she rolled over again, feeling the night steadily pass even though she was still far from sleep. Staring up at the embroidered canopy, she closed her eyes, lacing her fingers at her chest and settling in determinedly. The clock on the mantle was maddening. Every tick hammered Ariana’s head and she set her jaw. Laughter came from out in the city and it was like people laughing right beside her bed.
Her Vampire senses obsessing out of control.
Suddenly, Ariana could hear sounds in the Hotel that she normally didn’t hear with its excellent soundproofing; sounds of couples fucking and sighing and pleasuring each other in the night. With an exhausted keen, she trapped her pillow over her ears. But it was no use as the Vampire side of her power raged, listening to everything in the night – and smelling it too. Scents of lavender and lust, cinnamon and sex curled in through her open balcony doors and up under the main doors to her room. Exasperated, Ariana set the heels of her hands to her eye sockets.
Crying out softly in despair.
It was a moment before she realized she was rubbing her brow. Her fingertips were just suddenly massaging her eyebrows and the tense spot between her eyes; blinking, Ariana knew she had lost time to that gentle touch. But it was soothing and as she sank into it, she realized a dark aura flowed through her fingertips. As she heaved a sigh, Quinn’s eyes filled her vision. As her fingertips continued massaging, moving to her tight temples and jaw, his presence eased close to her in the room.
As if he sat on her bed now, Ariana could feel his long fingers and cool hands massaging her jaw, though it was her own fingers he was controlling through their bond. Moving his fingers to her neck, Quinn’s hands were sure and kind as he massaged the tension from the base of her skull. Changing his position, Ariana felt as if he lay behind her now, embracing her with his tall, lean body as his hands continued to work. As if laying back upon Quinn in bed unwound something deep inside her, Ariana heaved a sigh.
Sinking into him in the darkness.
Wrapping his aura gently around her through their connection, Quinn blotted out all sounds and scents now. A sweet darkness of midnight oleander and waterfalls embraced Ariana as he began stroking her chest. Her hands had gone quiet as his ephemeral touch took over; as his hands moved over her skin, she felt his dark sensuality.
As Quinn breathed behind her in bed, stroking her skin with his luscious touch, she felt his breath merge with hers. As if she melted down into him in bed, Ariana felt his heartbeat ease into hers, slow. It was utterly soothing, yet deliciously erotic as their bodies and auras merged deeply now. She felt Quinn’s touch move into her hands, stroking her own fingertips gently over her chest again as if they were his hands. He was inside her, through her, and all around her as he buffered her from her Vampiric nature.
And Ariana sighed with pleasure – allowing him to take her body over in the night.
I can feel you obsessing, Ariana.Quinn breathed through her, the sensation of him warm in the night. Though he wasn’t there, it was as if he was, coming to her from afar as their energies and bodies blended.
Ariana saw a vision of him now, laying upon his bed of black silk and ebony as he stared up at the stars above his cathedral-like atrium. The black silk sheets turned down just above his lean hips, his beautiful body and cut torso were bared to the night, shining like alabaster beneath the starlight. Hands folded on his chest, his long fingers were interlaced, his eyes closed as if near sleep. But as she saw him, his full lips smiled and his dark eyelashes flickered. As his lips fell open, she heard his voice breathe through her again.
I was almost asleep when I felt your unrest through our connection.It awakened me.
