She’d barely taken a step when he blocked her path, his expression ruthless in the shadows.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Back to my hotel room.”
“Don’t be a fool. Even assuming that it’s not completely destroyed, Sybil will keep a watch on the hotel the entire night.”
“Fine.” She turned on her heel and began marching in the opposite direction. “Then I’ll go to another hotel.”
Once again she had barely taken a step and he was blocking her path, moving so swiftly she nearly rammed into him.
He crossed his arms over his chest, regarding her with lifted brows.
“And what hotel will take you in with no money, no luggage, and no shoes?”
The fact that he was right only made her want to punch him in the nose. “Look, buster, I’m tired of vampires and fairies and God knows what else that is no doubt lurking in the shadows. I just want to go to sleep and forget I was ever stupid enough to come to Chicago, let alone believe you could give me the answers I want.”
He regarded her pale face for a long, silent moment. “What if I promise to make sure that you get those answers you seek?”
She narrowed her gaze. “You know more than you’re saying, don’t you?”
He laughed softly. “It would take the next millennium to share everything I know, querida.”
“Ugh.”
His smile faded as he slowly held out a slender hand. “Will you trust me?”
“Never.”
Something that might have been disappointment flashed through the dark eyes, but his hand never wavered.
“Will you at least allow me to take you somewhere safe for the night?”
Anna lowered her gaze to study the tips of her bare toes, grinding her teeth as she was forced to accept she had nowhere to go. Not unless she wanted to sleep in the streets.
Talk about a rock and a hard place.
“I don’t seem to have much choice,” she muttered, grudgingly placing her hand in his.
With a small chuckle, Cezar pulled her forward, bending his head to brush a soft kiss on her lips.
“Anna Randal, you haven’t had a choice since the first night I caught sight of you.”
With a soft hiss, Cezar forced himself to lift his head. Dios. The scent of this woman was invading him, setting his soul on fire. He ached with the need to taste her blood on his tongue, feel her warm and supple body writhing in pleasure beneath his own.
In the same moment he was nearly overwhelmed with the compulsion to take her far away from those who hunted her. To hide her in his lair and keep her safe. With his very life if necessary.
Two very dangerous obsessions that could get a vampire killed.
Damn the Oracles. They had known. They had known precisely what his reaction would be when this woman was plunged back into his life.
With an effort, Cezar thrust aside the strange unease that flared through his heart and concentrated on Anna.
Despite her stubborn expression and the wary glitter in her beautiful hazel eyes, he could smell the fear and confusion and weariness that trembled through her body.
He needed to get her into a warm bed with a large tray of food. The sooner the better.
Grasping her hand, Cezar urged his reluctant companion down the street. She hesitated only a moment before heaving a deep sigh and falling into step beside him.