“It was almost impossible for us to leave Paris safely thelasttime,” Narcise was arguing. “Cezar still has makes and mortal soldiers watching for us everywhere; you know it. You’ll never get out of the city again, with or without Angelica. Let alone into Cezar’s place.”
Chas wondered whether she was more terrified that he was leaving her alone, or that he might not come back.
Or that she might have to see Giordan Cale again.
He reminded her, “But the last timeyouwere with me, and he was searching for you?—”
“But Chas….”
“And aside from that, Cezar would see me. You know that for certain. He’d be delighted to welcome me back into his lair.”
He didn’t understand why she was being so unreasonable…so uncharacteristically weak. Narcise was the strongest woman he’d ever known—how else could she have survived her years of captivity with her brother?
Surely it wasn’t just that she was frightened of being left in London. A little niggle of certainty wormed into the back of his mind and he thrust it away. No. Surely whatever had been between her and Cale was truly over and done with. The hatred between them had rolled off in palpable waves.
He’d asked Dimitri who’d been characteristically brusque and closed-lipped.It’s not my affair,was all he’d said, and gone back to his books.
“Chas, please,” Narcise begged, and a wave of anger rushed through him.
“Don’t insult me by implying your brother is more than a match for me,” he said flatly. “If we knew what his Asthenia was, I’d have brought it to him long ago.”
And if he had the time to go to Scotland, to visit Sonia and beg her to help him one more time, Chas could learn what Cezar’s Asthenia was. While Angelica had visions of people in their moment of death, their youngest sister had a different gift. She was able to see what a person feared the most—and for the Dracule, it was the Asthenia.
Chas had used Sonia more than once in the past to help him learn the specific weakness of a vampire he was hunting—but once she learned why he was asking for her help, she’d refused to be part of it. “Neither of us have the right to make such judgment,” she’d told him piously.
“But you’ve been given a gift…and so have I,” he argued back. “We’re meant to use them.”
“No,” she said…and he recognized fear lurking in her eyes.
But he was certain she’d help him this time—to find Cezar’s weakness, knowing that their sisters’ safety was at stake…yet, there was no time now. He’d have to trust Voss to carry out their plan and free Angelica…and as soon as he could, Chas would relieve his sister from the vampire’s presence.
And then he’d kill Voss.
Chas looked at Narcise, filling his eyes with her. He never tired of her beauty, he never lost the awe he felt when he looked upon her perfection, and although it was blasphemy—terrible, shameful blasphemy—he thought what a boon it was that Lucifer had turned her immortal. That her looks would never fade, that her face and figure would never age.
It would have been a shame to lose such exquisiteness. Such artistry.
“You’ll be safe here, Narcise,” Chas said, gesturing to the stone walls around them. The quarters he’d prepared for her was in the cellar of an old monastery ruin.
Perhaps two years ago, he’d flushed out and chased away a group of madevampirswho’d used the place as a haven. The only access to the cellar was through an old wall in a cemetery that sat on one of the hills on the outskirts of London, and the entrance was well-hidden. Aside from that, there was a barrier of crosses and other religious markings that would keep vampires away—with only one secret passage through which one might manage to gain access. He’d had to help Narcise across that threshold in order to be safely contained, and it had been some time until she regained her full strength.
Thus, he knew she’d be safe here. Not only did Narcise, armed with her saber and vampire strength, know how to take care of herself—but no one would find her or cross over into the place…unless Chas wanted them to.
He drank in the sight of her again and felt something painful twist deeply inside him. Hewouldreturn to her. And he’d find some way to manage loving an immortal with a warped soul.
“Don’t leave and you’ll be safe. You have your paints, and some canvases, along with some books to pass the time. I’ll send someone from Rubey’s who will bring you drink and anything else you need. You’ll be hidden from Cezar.”
“Very well,” she acceded. Her gaze settled on him and he recognized a tinge of fear…and something softening her eyes.
His heart tripped and a wave of desire and uncertainty rushed over him. He would come back. But would she still be here?
Chas dropped his satchel and went to her, striding across the room and pushing her back against the rough wall. He took her mouth, covering her lips with his in a deep, needy kiss.
Sweet and warm and lush, she melted against him, her fingers cupping the back of his head, pulling him down into her. Chas closed his eyes, memorizing her, feeling every curve and rise of her body printed against his.I love you.
“Be safe,” she breathed as he pulled away to catch a breath, staggered by the force of his emotions. “Come back to me.” She reached up to touch his face, her fingers gentle along his jaw, brushing his hair back.
A ripple of fear shimmered in his middle. “I’m in love with you, Narcise. Make no mistake…I’ll return. But,” he said, all at once knowing what he had to do. Knowing he had to take the chance. He had toknow.“While I’m gone, you have other things to attend to.”
