line at the door. Full house. For a moment she wondered if she’d be turned away. Then the doorman nodded and motioned for her to bypass the line.
As soon as she stepped inside, the magic touched her. The five piece band was good, but Andreas’s voice dominated the candlelit room, holding the rapt attention of nearly 300 silent diners. Ari had barely noticed the audience before an irresistible urge drew her gaze toward the stage. A single spotlight framed Andreas’s commanding figure. Solid black, from the silk scarf knotted at his neck, to the full length Armani suit jacket that fell to his knees, to the black shirt, vest, and pants. Temptation incarnate. His feet were planted apart, confidence and mastery in every line of his body. The haunting melody was in Italian. Even without translation, it captured the mind.
His coal-black eyes found her and silken threads of magic wrapped her in a soft web. The room faded away. She floated as in a dream, warm and safe. A place to linger forever. Her witch magic began to sing in concert with his, and Ari called it back to her. The effort brought her out of his web with a jolt.
Damn, how strong was he? She wrapped her magical aura around her. As long as she kept it in place, his magic was held at bay. Then, mercifully, the song was over. Andreas bowed to a wildly applauding audience and left the stage.
“Good evening.”
Startled, she stared at him. “Uh, hello.” How did he move so fast?
He produced a polite smile. “If you will come this way.” He waved a hand toward a hallway on the left.
Ari hesitated. A meeting in private? She hadn’t anticipated that.
His brows rose. “We have twenty minutes.”
Swallowing her doubts, Ari preceded him down the hall. It was better this way, she told herself. Fewer interruptions. At least she knew her time parameters. He ushered her past four closed doors, not stopping until they reached an exit door at the end. He touched a security panel, the door opened, and they stepped into a paved lane leading to the rear parking lot. Dense trees lined the opposite side of the lane. Total privacy.
The night was pleasantly cool. The crisp cleanness of fall filled the air. Ari hung back and watched her companion as he stopped in the middle of the lane. Andreas arched his shoulders and threw back his head, breathing deeply. For a moment all Ari could think about was how sexy he looked.
“I hope you don’t mind talking out here. It has been a long evening, and I needed the fresh air.”
“Not at all. It’s nice.” She looked up at the stars, pinpoints in an uncluttered sky, to keep from looking at him. “What was that last song you sang?”
“An Italian love song. Did you enjoy it?”
“Amazing.”
He turned to look at her. “It was, or I was?” His voice invited a broader interpretation.
She smiled. “Both,” she said, not bothering to hedge. “But who’s fishing for compliments now?”
“Touché.” His familiar laugh came then, rich and intimate, strangely companionable.
He was so approachable tonight that Ari began to relax. A dangerous frame of mind around a vampire, she thought, but then she hadn’t planned to play it safe tonight. Mindful of the passing time, she began by coming straight to the point. “You haven’t found Marcus.”
“No. And I’ve run out of places to look.” He arched a brow in query. “Unless you have a suggestion.”
“I’ve heard the wolves have him.”
He was suddenly standing before her, one hand on her arm. “This is true? How did you come by the information?”
Her witch blood sang at his nearness, sending shivers along her spine. “Andreas, you’ve got to quit doing this. Invading my magical defenses.” Ari shook off his hand, and he stepped back. “You’re giving me the heebie-jeebies, making my arms tingle.” She wasn’t frightened, and she’d lied about her magic’s reaction. The singing wasn’t a defense warning, but she didn’t want him to remain so close to her. The greatest danger from him wasn’t physical.
“Sorry, I did not mean to do that,” he said, gliding away to stop next to the building. “Your magic speaks to me.”
She shot him a brief frown, uncertain how to take that. She’d assumed the pull between them was something Andreas was consciously doing. She rubbed her arms. “Just don’t startle me like that.”
He nodded, his eyes unreadable in the darkness next to the building. “Please, tell me about Marcus.”