interested in taking my second father up on his offer. I told myself this was all about paying the vampire back for saving my life, but I knew I was lying to myself.
He intrigued me in a way no other male had in years. Perhaps ever. It wasn’t that I didn’t like sex. I liked it quite a bit. I’d grown up in a Fae society, and we consider sex to be a part of what connects us to the divine. I’d had my fair share of hot encounters and I’d kept them light and fun for the most part. It had only been the last few years that I’d buried myself in work and guilt and sorrow. Even then I’d managed to find pockets of respite, and they usually involved sex. Again, I consider myself Fae and it’s pretty much how we handle things. Nervous? Have some sex and calm down. Angry? If you find your opponent even vaguely attractive, throw down with him and see if you can resolve your argument through multiple orgasms.
Marcus was different. Vampires are different. My Fae lovers hadn’t needed me for anything beyond sex and companionship. Making love with a vampire was something altogether different. Royal vampires needed consorts to be the best they could be, and they always wanted to excel. I had to wonder now if royal vampires were simply vampires whose DNA hadn’t strayed so far from their earthbound counterparts. If I thought a royal was trouble, I wasn’t sure what Marcus was. According to Bris, he wouldn’t simply crave me. He would be addicted to me.
Why did that thought not scare me the way it should have?
I made my way through the thicket of trees, following the path the fertility god had set out for me. We’d had a Green Man in our tribe, but his powers were nothing compared to the god who resided in Devinshea’s body. He could coax crops to grow, but nothing like this.
I followed the path until I reached a small clearing and I spied him. He was standing there, the late afternoon sun on his skin since he’d taken off his shirt and was wearing only a pair of dark slacks now. I could see where he’d hung up the white dress shirt he’d been wearing when I’d met him. He was still, his head down as though he was in prayer.
I studied the man for a moment, not wanting to interrupt him. I didn’t know if he was praying for a way off this plane or for strength for what was to come. Or perhaps he was simply trying to get through the next few hours or minutes. I knew I’d done that from time to time.
He was stunning, a study in contrasts. His hair was so dark I would swear it had a bit of midnight blue in it. Like a raven’s wing. His features were sharp and should have made the man seem hard, but somehow I found incredible beauty in them. Like a predator who could also find a way to be soft when he needed to be.
Of course, wouldn’t that be the most effective of all predators? The one who got his prey to come to him?
“What do you want, bella? I think there’s a stag nearby,” he murmured quietly. “I don’t want to frighten him off.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I kept my voice down not because I was worried about the stag, but because it seemed wrong to pierce the serene quiet of this place. We were far enough away that even preternatural ears shouldn’t be able to hear our conversation, but I liked pretending that we were the only two beings in the forest. “You can never tell in a forest like this. Maybe it’s an ordinary stag, or you’ll find yourself trying to feed off an aspect of some Fae god and you’ll be in trouble. Or perhaps you’ve already tried the water creatures and you’re looking to sample what the land has to offer.”
His head came up and a hint of a smile lifted his lips. “The seafood portion of today’s menu did not agree with me.”
“Then maybe you should try the sure thing.” I stepped into the clearing with him, the grass soft and green at my feet. I noticed the deeper green stopped under his loafers. “Marcus, you helped me. Let me help you.”
He frowned. “How did you find me? I made sure I didn’t leave a trail.”