It was not entirely unheard of for a vampire to link with a human. It was rare, however. Not only because a human’s life span passed within the blink of an eye, but the sheer intimacy of the links had the possibility of overwhelming a mere mortal.
Possible or not, he had no intention of sharing the Immortal Kiss with Simone.
His heart and his soul were his own.
He intended to keep it that way.
Deliberately battling the need that threatened to rage out of control, Gideon forced himself to consider the intruder with cool reason.
Something must have prompted this midnight visit. Something more than mere curiosity. She was far too aware of the heavy price she would pay if it were known she were visiting a gentleman’s house at this hour to take such a risk without a pressing reason.
In patient silence he waited in the shadows as she slowly climbed the stairs. A faint frown marred her brow, as if she could sense him, but common sense was assuring her that she must be mistaken. He smiled wryly as he realized that she must find the tugs of awareness even more disturbing than he. He suspected that the Medallion had heightened her senses on more than one level.
He waited until she was fully upon the landing before he slid from the shadows as silent as a ghost.
Not surprisingly she nearly tumbled back down the staircase before she caught the railing and glared at him with open indignation.
“Gideon, you nearly frightened me to death,” she accused in sharp tones.
His lips twitched with amusement at her blustering. Even in the darkness he could detect the warm color that stained her cheeks.
“Forgive me, my dear.”
She nervously adjusted the folds of her black gown. “Really, it is too bad of you to sneak up on people in such a fashion.”
He arched his brows at her audacity. “I hardly believe you are in the position at the moment to give me lessons in manners, do you, Simone?”
“Well.” She licked her lips, obviously searching her mind for some means of explaining her bold behavior. “There is no need to skulk about in the shadows.”
“I thought my home was being invaded by a thief. Would you have me offer myself to a desperate thug?”
Again she twitched her skirts, covertly glancing toward the stairs before reluctantly accepting that she could not possibly flee before she would be caught.
With a smothered sigh she turned to meet his glittering gaze.
“I thought that you were attending the Claredon ball.”
He shrugged, shifting so that he was towering over her slender form. “Without you in attendance it was swiftly too tedious to endure. I considered calling upon you, but I decided it was far too advanced in the evening.”
She rubbed her hands over her arms, as if able to sense the prickles of tension that filled the air.
“You are correct, it is very late. I should be returning home.”
“Oh no, my love.” Moving far too swiftly to allow her to evade him, Gideon grasped her shoulders in a firm grip. “You are going nowhere until I discover why you are sneaking through my home like a thief.”
There was a brief, futile struggle until she stilled and regarded him with narrowed eyes.
“I do not have to explain anything to you.”
He heaved a sigh. He did not recall mortal women being so contrary. Or perhaps it was simply this particular one.
“Simone, I am quite as stubborn as you. We can remain here all evening for all I care, although I do not believe you will wish to be seen by the servants. Think of the gossip.”
Her brows furrowed in frustration at his calm refusal to obey her commands.
“Release me.”
“No.”