Taken by a Vampire (Vampire Queen) - By Joey W. Hill Page 0,38

was ill-mannered, unrefined. It was something hard to define, something that held her attention, like the puzzle of how to best serve him. That challenge, such a change from what she’d known, made her cautiously like the difference.

A strange thought. She hadn’t thought about liking or disliking things in quite a while. That path was best pushed aside. The best way to do that was to perform some task for her new Master, yet at the moment she saw nothing to hand.

Niall had left her side. Finished with his apple, he headed farther down the rocky grade, apparently to toss the core off the ledge for the wildlife. The Scot turned his head at her regard, gave her a wink that reassured her that his offense with her comment was short-lived. She let out a sigh of relief, just as his knee went out from beneath him and he lost his footing.

As he skidded down the precipitous grade, the distance was so short there was no time to cry out. He went right over it, in a shower of dirt and rock. She jumped to her feet with a cry, spinning to look at Evan. The vampire was mixing his paints, not the least bit concerned his full servant had toppled off the edge of a mountain. Her eyes narrowed. Looking back toward the cliff edge, she saw Niall’s fingers appear, digits curving over the stone lip.

“A wee bit of help, lass?”

She told herself he was fine, but it looked so dire, that deep gorge just beyond the rock edge. Imagining his feet dangling free over a yawning drop, the sharp pines and firs ready to catch him in their teeth, she quickened her step. Of course, with her diminished strength, she wouldn’t be able to do much if he truly needed help. Since Evan appeared to have no plans to leave his work in progress, Niall might have to hang there for a while.

She knelt on the ledge carefully by Niall’s hands and leaned out, fully expecting to see him dangling. Instead there was a generous shelf of rock jutting out below that one. He stood on that, his fingers curled on the rock. He was leaning, not hanging from it.

“I like the way ye look when you hurry, lass,” he noted. “You’ve a lovely shape.”

“Why would you do that?” she demanded. As she straightened, she did her best to step on those fingers, but he moved them, anticipating her.

“If you want to push him off for real, Alanna, that’s fine with me,” Evan noted. He had the palette in hand, was dabbing some color on the canvas, considering it critically.

“Without my usual strength, I need the element of surprise,” she responded. When she gave Niall a condemning look, he chuckled.

“She’s serious, Evan.”

“So am I.” The vampire shifted to study the canvas from another angle. Alanna couldn’t help but notice how the pants creased attractively over his groin, displaying what was there. It cooled her irritation with Niall, yet heated other parts of her.

Evan glanced up, giving her an appraising glance that increased that heat. “I now have a new servant who treats me with proper deference and respect. She also has a gorgeous body and miles of lovely hair. Why do I need your ugly face and poor manners?”

“Because ye need a pack mule. Remember?” Hauling himself back up on the ledge, Niall planted his backside there, feet dangling. He gave the bemused Alanna a wink. “You have to be hungry after that marking. How about a light supper while Evan works?”

They ate their picnic at that same spot. Niall was pleased when Alanna sat next to him, slim legs and new hiking shoes dangling over open space. As he cut up another apple and gave her the lion’s share of it, she gave him the bulk of the sandwiches, though he coaxed her to eat two before she insisted she was stuffed.

It was absorbing to watch her, and not only because of the expected things. Her training controlled everything. No wasted gestures, such that she had an exceptional stillness to her, almost like a vampire. No fidgeting or shifting. Even when she blinked, it seemed a deliberate movement, the feather of the dark lashes pressing along her cheek before the rich brown irises were revealed again.

He’d compare her to an automaton, except there was so much vibrating beneath her skin, a chaotic emotional and sexual energy. It spun a fascinating net, drawing the casual observer closer, waiting