His jaw ticked, and his eyes narrowed. “I am not going to hurt you.”
I blinked, my brows drawing down. “What? Why not? I betrayed your trust.”
He huffed. “You did, somewhat.”
Okay, I was totally confused. My face must have shown it, too. A small smile curled his lips, sending a tight feeling across my chest. “I could have confronted you when I scented you watching me weeks ago. I chose not to.”
My heart thudded against my chest wall at his proximity. I swallowed hard. “Why didn’t you?”
He gave an elegant shrug. “I was curious about what you’d do. I left the door open to see if you’d follow me in.” Nowhe truly smiled, and I couldn’t look away from the stunning sight. He’d never smiled at me before. “You weren’t quite brave enough, were you, little one?” His thumb brushed over my lips, his fingers still under my chin. That light touch was doing funny things to my insides, as was the knowledge that he really wasn’t going to punish me. Was he truly kinder than Nikolai, or was he just playing with me?
I shook my head in answer to his question. I couldn’t speak, his touch affecting my equilibrium as much as his behaviour. My bare feet brushed over the soft rug as I stepped away a little. I couldn't think clearly when he was touching me. He let his hand drop, but instead, took hold of my hand.
“I am a cruel man, Sorcha, you know that. I wanted you to know, to see how I treat those who betray me. That’s why I gave you a job in my club. I don’t hide who I am. But I am never cruel to those who have not broken vampire law, tried to hurt me, or hurt those under my protection. You are safe here. Do you understand?”
I nodded, still not entirely ready to believe this formidable vampire had my best interests at heart. Not when he had such a long history of bloodshed and so openly punished others.
He sighed and rubbed a hand down his face. “Go to bed, Sorcha. You must be tired from sitting on the floor all night. We’ll talk when I have more time to spend with you.”
I was tired. But I was more concerned with the raised marks I could see peeking out from under his shirt sleeve, branding his wrist. All worry of trust went out of the window. My stomach lurched. “Is it Shane? Is that why you look so tired? He’s turning? Is he in bloodlust?” I wasn’t ignorant of vampire needs. I’d seen Nikolai turn other humans, and how they’d reacted was a shock at first. Not anymore. I’d never understood why he hadn’t turned me. The only reason I could come up with was that he liked me more as his human pet. I’d soon realised, afterNikolai had bought me, that my parents had lied to keep me compliant, that they’d sold me to the highest bidder. I’d been a commodity, something to earn them money and attention. Nikolai had crowed to the party that awaited us, on what I’d naively thought was my wedding night, about how much he’d paid for my virgin ass and the taste of my sweet blood. And when he’d eventually had his fill of me, he’d passed me on to the higher members of his coven. Yeah, I knew my place in this cruel world, and questioning Balthazar was not a wise move...Except I was worried about him, even if he was powerful and a vicious killer. Disappointment flooded me when his expression closed down.
“He is. Now, go to bed.”
I squeezed his hand tighter when he went to drop his hold on me. “No. Shane is my friend. And you are my…” I hesitated. I didn’t know what he was to me; not a friend, that was for sure, or was he? What did I know about friends? I’d never had any. He wasn’t my master, yet he sort of was, even though he’d given me the option to leave, and now paid me enough money that I could go at any time. Yet he’d given me a job, and a place to stay, and I knew I’d have been eaten alive at that club if he hadn’t made it clear I was under his protection.
He raised a brow as I fumbled over a way to describe him. “Your what?”
I shook my head. It was confusing as all hell to decide what he was to me, or I to him. I mean, he’d given me so much. I narrowed my eyes. What he wanted in return wasn’t obvious yet, but I guessed he’d tell me, eventually. In the meantime, honesty seemed the best policy.
“To be honest, I’ve no idea. But whatever you are to me, you’re Shane’s saviour. You saved him in those caves, and you’ve done it again...haven’t you? That’s why you’re so tired. You’ve fed him, and seen to his—other needs.”
His jaw ticked, and something flashed in his eyes. “I am no one’s saviour, Sorcha. Not yours, and definitely not his. Shane is just another one of my household. No one special. The attention I’m giving him is to continue my alliance with the Shifter King, nothing else.”
Seeing his eyes shutter, I cocked my head. Since he’d brought Shane back from Canada, he’d watched him like a hawk. He’d not gone to London as much, and he never stayed overnight at his clubs anymore. He made me stay with Shane when he wasn’t here, and he always returned, even if it meant travelling there and back on a nightly basis. He could fool everyone else, but I’d had plenty of time to observe Count Balthazar Rossi while I lived in his home and worked in his club, and he felt something for Shane. I wasn’t blind. I saw the way he watched Shane when no one else but me was around. He often looked like he wanted to both strangle him and screw his brains out. Not that I blamed him, even in his unwell state, Shane was ruggedly sexy, and a powerful supernatural in his own right. I might not be beautiful or oozing sex appeal like the women in Balthazar’s club, but I wasn’t dead. I’d enjoyed watching them both, especially as I was so quiet and under the radar that neither of them noticed. I wasn’t sure why I had such a crush on them, considering my past with Nikolai, but I did.
So, yeah, I smelled bullshit. I almost flinched as the words floated freely around my brain. I couldn’t say them out loud—yet. But I was working on freeing up my ability to express myself. I took a step forward, angry on Shane’s behalf.
“Is that so?” I poked a finger in his broad chest, ignoring the fact that it was like poking granite. “You can lie to yourself, Count, but I’m neither blind nor stupid. You feel something for him. You’ve fed him yourself. I know what that means. You’ve never once fed anyone before; your men do it for you when youorder them to. No, Shane is different.” I peered up into his face. “You care about him.”
He snarled and leaned forward, his teeth lengthening into sharp points. I stiffened but didn’t look away. If he wanted to hurt me, he could. There was nothing I could do about it.
“Don’t fool yourself, little human. I don’t care about anyone, not him, and not you. Stay out of my way while I’m feeding him…” He touched his tongue to his sharp fang, and my insides pulsed. Why that move was so arousing, I had no idea. I should be running as fast as I could, but instead, I stood rooted to the spot, mesmerised. I wanted to stay right there and see what would happen next. His deep scent drifted up my nose, sensual and intoxicating.
“...or I may have to feed, too. I am still a killer, Sorcha, one who is hungry, especially, as you pointed out, as I’m letting Shane take his fill from me.”
He stepped closer. I moved back, heat pulsing between my legs at the predatory way he looked at me.
“Or perhaps you’d like to join us? Hm? Blood and lust? Is that what you like? Or is it Shane that you’d like a taste of?”
Another step forward.
Another step back, my heart slamming against my ribs, my breath catching in my throat, even as heat throbbed between my legs.
“Is that it, little Sorcha? Do you want him to fuck you?” He inhaled deeply. “Mm, that scent is amazing.” His eyes focused on my chest, where my heart was beating up a storm, before they dropped to the juncture between my legs, where my leggings were now damp. “Or, I wonder, is it the thought of joining both of us that turns you on so much?”
“B-both of you?” I whispered, looking up into his deep red eyes. Shocked at the erotic images that hit me, I swallowed, my skin too tight, too hot. My tongue was tied, my breath difficult todrag into my ever-tightening lungs. I’d been taken by two men at once, of course I had; it was one of Nioklai’s favourite power trips. But those times had been something done to my body while I retreated into the safe place in my mind. I’d never been turned on like Balthazar's voice was doing to me now. And that scared me. I didn’t know how to handle the full-on feeling of need coursing through me.
Another step forward.
