Dalakis Passion 4 - Eternal Brothers (11 page)

She was supposed to have written articles for several different papers today. That was
money she couldn't afford to lose. Then there was the major piece for a weekly
magazine. Thank heavens she'd almost finished that. Another hour at most and that
would be completed. It wasn't due until tomorrow, so she still had time.
Leaning over the sink, she spit and began to rinse. Cupping water in her palm, she
slurped noisily, wanting to remove every last trace of the metallic taste from her mouth.
Then she had to check with her police sources and the detective in charge of the case
and see if they'd found out anything else. There was a follow-up with Janice Barton's
family as well as the research she needed to do on the
Dalakis
family. She definitely
shouldn't have slept the day away, but apparently that hadn't been her choice.
Satisfied that her teeth were clean and the taste was gone, she wiped her mouth
with the back of her hand. It was time to take stock of the rest of her body. Dropping the
sheet, she stared at herself in the small bathroom mirror. She appeared normal, if a bit
pale and tousled, but that was to be expected after everything she'd been through.
Grabbing her makeup bag, which she kept mostly for the rare business meeting that
called for being dressed up or special occasions, she whipped out her compact and
opened it. Angling the mirror, she turned and used both mirrors to try to see the back of
her neck. She could barely make out the faintest pinpricks of two marks, but there was
certainly no mistaking the hickey at the base of her neck. She remembered him doing
that, remembered the way his teeth had closed over her skin in an erotic bite.
She shivered.
Snapping the compact closed, she tossed it back into the makeup bag. Crossing over
to the shower, she flicked on the taps and tested the water before stepping beneath the
flow. The hot water pummeled her aching body, washing away the sweat and sex of the
night before.
What was done was done. She was doing her best to try to not remember the earlier
part of the evening. The sex between them had been phenomenal. Sophia had never
experienced anything remotely like it in her life. Not that she was overly experienced,
but even she knew that last night with Zane had been special.
Grabbing her bottle of shampoo, she poured a dollop into her hand and began to
scrub her scalp. As she continued to lather her hair, she could practically feel his
presence in her apartment. It was like a low-level electrical current running through her
veins. A level of awareness that she'd never shared with another person.
For a person used to being alone and quite content that way, it was more than a
little disconcerting to say the least. She felt uncomfortable, as if he was already a part of
her and she was a part of him.
She let the water cascade over her head until all the shampoo was rinsed away.
Picking up her scented soap, she began to wash her body, doing her best to ignore the
way her nipples puckered and her pussy throbbed as her thoughts continued to wander
to Zane and what had happened between them.
It was weird, but on a deeper level, she found it almost...comforting, for lack of a
better word. One of her deepest desires, which she hid even from herself most of the
time, was to find someone who she could depend on not to disappoint or abandon her.
She slammed the door on those thoughts. She was an independent woman and quite
happy
that way, thank
you very much. One night of sex, no matter how incredible,
didn't constitute a relationship.
For all she knew, Zane had slept with her to get information, to find out what she
knew. She ignored the pang in her chest. He was a vampire. Surely he could have snuck
into her home when she was out and gone through her notes and things if he wanted to.
And she was truly losing her mind if she thought it was better for Zane to break into
her home than it was to sleep with her for information. Maybe he hadn't done either of
those things. Maybe he'd slept with her because he wanted to. As for information--all
the man had to do was ask. She might not tell him everything, but still... Maybe he
would ask. They hadn't had time to really talk since she'd awakened to find him
hovering over her and a whole day of her life gone.
Stepping under the spray one final time, she washed the soap away, watching the
lather flow down the drain. She wished all her problems could be solved as easily.
Sighing, she turned off the taps and stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel and
wrapping it around her body.
She made quick work of drying her hair, dragging her brush through the short
strands. Tossing the brush aside, she unwound her towel and dried herself. After she
hung the towel over the shower rod to dry, she grabbed her moisturizer. Squeezing a
thick dollop onto her palm, she took her time, spreading the rich cream over her arms,
legs and torso. Usually it was a task she did quickly and without thought. Today, it felt
more sensual. Sophia had an awareness of her body that she'd never had before.
Cursing softly, she grabbed the sheet and held it in front of her as she unlocked the
door. The coolness flowed in, dispelling some of the steamy, humid air of the bathroom.
She peeked out, but thankfully there was no sign of Zane.
Hurrying into her room, she tossed the sheet aside and pulled open her dresser
drawers, gathering underwear, socks and a bra. She didn't always wear one, but she
thought it better to be as covered as possible around Zane. Her bras and underwear
were all white cotton, so they matched. Pausing at her closet, she donned a pair of jeans
and long-sleeved pale green pullover that was a favorite of hers because the color
matched her eyes. It made her feel more confident and Sophia figured that she'd need
all the confidence she could get in order to deal with the man currently cooking in her
kitchen.
Satisfied that she was as ready as she'd ever be, she stuffed her feet into a pair of
white canvas sneakers and headed for the kitchen. It was time to face Zane.

Chapter Eight
Zane knew she was standing behind him, watching as he continued to butter a slice
of toast. Everything was ready. With his preternatural senses, he'd been able to follow
her every move since he'd left her in the bathroom. It had been nothing short of sheer
torture to listen to the shower running while he pictured the hot water cascading down
her naked body.
When she'd left the bathroom, her scent had reached his nostrils. It was a clean,
fresh smell of soap and vanilla, tinged with the lightest hint of feminine musk. It made
his teeth ache.
He groaned and shifted restlessly. He'd had a hard-on since Sophia had opened her
eyes and looked at him. Just one glance from those pale green eyes had him hot and
ready. But her mood was anything but amorous at the moment, even if her body was
slightly aroused. Sighing, he picked up the plate and took it over to the small, round
table. "You might as well come eat while it's hot."
She hesitated for a brief second but then joined him at the table. He'd already
poured coffee for her. There was nothing left for him to do but sit and watch her eat.
Not wanting to crowd her, he returned to the counter to wipe up some crumbs. When
he turned back to the table, she was seated there, mug in her hand, sipping some of the
potent dark brew.
"Did you go through my notes?"
He didn't know whether to be insulted or amused.
"No, I didn't."
"Why not?"
Sophia was obviously feeling testy this evening and he couldn't really blame her.
Sauntering over to the table, he pulled out a chair, turned it around and straddled it. He
folded his arms over the back and leaned forward. "Because I wanted you to show them
to
me
."
"Why did you have sex with me last night?"
Zane was taken aback by the swift change of topic. "What do you mean?" As any
sensible male would, he sensed there was a trap here, waiting to snap around him if he
weren't careful. After two hundred years of living, he still didn't understand women.
She laid her mug carefully back down on the table, her motions rigid and
controlled. "Was it for kicks? Maybe you needed a snack and pizza didn't appeal to
you? You could have snuck in here when I was asleep or gone if all you wanted was to
read my files."
Anger surged through his veins and he gritted his teeth to keep from yelling. "No,
you sure as hell weren't a snack and it certainly wasn't for kicks." Zane gripped the
back of the chair tight between his fingers. It was either that or
wrap
them around her
pretty little neck and shake her until her teeth rattled. And wouldn't
that
help his cause.
Letting out a deep breath, he sought control. "Look, I could have read your notes any
time, but I wanted more than that. I want your impressions, your ideas. You're smart,
Sophia, and I respect your opinion. There's more in your head than there is in your
notes."
She nodded slowly, picked up her fork and toyed with her eggs. "I see. So you
threw me a pity fuck figuring it would make me more likely to share my thoughts with
you."
The back of the chair snapped off in his hands, sending a loud crack echoing
through the small kitchen. Zane tossed the wooden slat aside as he surged to his feet.
The chair got kicked aside, landing on the floor with a thud as he stalked around the
table and plucked her right out of her chair.
Her startled gaze flew to his face as he pulled her up until they were nose to nose.
"I slept with you because I wanted you.
Because you're a fire in my blood burning
out of control.
Because I want you more than I want my next breath.
I fucked you
because I had to, because I needed to feel your skin beneath mine." He was breathing
heavily now, his heart thumping hard. "And I drank from you because you let me and I
would have done just about anything for a taste of you.
Just one precious drop."
Her mouth fell open and he swooped downward, plunging his tongue inside. He
groaned as her fingers curled into his shoulders, pulling him toward her instead of
pushing him away. Her lips were soft beneath his as she parted them to let him in even
further. Her tongue stroked over his and he tasted the mint of her toothpaste combined
with the rich flavor of her coffee.
His hands left her shoulders and smoothed down her back, urging her closer. His
erection was pressed against her stomach. She was so warm, so inviting. For a man
who'd been cold and alone for his entire life, she was too much of a temptation to resist.
He wanted to lose himself completely in her heat, in her softness.
Cupping her ass in his hands, he tugged her tighter to his body, loving the way she
fit him so perfectly. He slid his fingers lower, stroking her cleft through her jeans. She
was hot and wet. He could sense her arousal even through the layers of her clothing.
And he could smell her. God, nothing was as sweet as the scent of Sophia's need.
Zane could hear the frantic fluttering of her heart and the seductive whoosh of the
blood rushing through her veins. He could also hear the rumble of her stomach and feel
her body's weakness. What was he doing? He'd promised himself that he'd take care of
her, not jump her bones the minute she was awake.
Tearing his mouth from hers, he buried his face in the curve of her neck, taking a
moment to steady himself. Unable to help himself, he stroked his tongue over the love
bite he'd given her last night. Possessiveness surged through him even as gentleness
prevailed.
He leaned away from her, holding her steady, his hands now on her waist instead
of her lush behind. "My wanting you is separate from the rest of this mess. Don't ever
forget it."
She nodded, looking tousled and totally bemused. Damn, this woman was
dangerous to him. His need for her, her ability to make him lose total control was a
weakness and one his enemies could exploit if they ever discovered it. He'd have to
make damn sure no one ever found out about their connection.
"We'll talk about the murder after you've eaten." He seated her back in her chair
and went around to the other side of the table and picked the broken chair off the floor.
"Sorry about that." He sat down, taking care not to lean against the shattered back. "I'll
make sure I replace it for you."
Sophia shook her head as she picked up her fork. "Don't worry about it. I got both
chairs for a few bucks at a yard sale." Digging into the eggs, she brought the fork to her
lips and tasted them.
As he watched the tines disappear into her mouth, Zane shivered. Her lips closed
around the food and she shut her eyes and sighed. An erotic vision of Sophia taking his
cock into her mouth and sucking it filled his brain. His skin felt as if it were stretched
too thin over his body. It felt tight and confining. His balls ached and his erection
throbbed unmercifully. He shook his head to dispel the image, but he knew he'd never
be able to forget it.
He cleared his throat, grateful that the table covered the extent of his continued
arousal. "Sorry it's cold."
"No,
it's
good.
Great, actually.
No one's cooked for me..." She paused, seemingly
lost in thought. Then she shrugged.
"In years."
Picking up a piece of bacon, she bit off a
piece and chewed. When she swallowed, she pointed the remaining piece at him. "Tell
me what you know about the
Dalakis
family."
What he really wanted to do was just sit here and watch her eat and, when she'd
had her fill, drag her back to bed. Focusing his attention, he sifted through the mounds
of small details he'd discovered. "Okay. The family originally is from Transylvania.
They can trace their roots back thousands of years."
"Really?" Sophia paused. "I don't even know who my father is."
Zane sensed the underlying hurt and anger but knew that now was not the time to
question her about it. "Yes, they really can. At one point the family was large, but now
it has been reduced to the three remaining brothers."
She munched her toast and swallowed.
"
Cristofor
, Lucian and Stefan."
He inclined his head.
"You have a good memory."
"Comes with the job."
She sipped her coffee thoughtfully. "So, they're rich?"
"Loaded. They own property around the world, stocks in successful companies,
artwork, jewelry, investments. You name it, they've got it. All legit from what I can tell.
But, then again, I'm no accountant."
"Amazing."
He was pleased to see that she'd cleaned everything from her plate. Getting up, he
took her mug over to the counter and refilled it from the pot of coffee he'd made earlier.
She smiled her thanks when he returned it to her. That slight curving of her lips, such a
simple gesture, made him feel warm inside. Ignoring the sensation, he continued. "Any
family that's been around for that long is going to have had money that's come down
through the generations at some point. When that family is made up of vampires you
can be certain that they won't lose money, but just continue to make it grow. They've
got plenty of time to wait for investments to come to fruition. In fact,
Cristofor's
wife,
Johanna, is in charge of the
Dalakis
fortune at the moment."
"That's modern of them."
Zane wanted to reach out and touch Sophia's hand. Instead, he laced his fingers
together and laid them on the table as he leaned forward. "She's only been a vampire a
short time. All the women are newly transformed."
Her eyes widened and he remembered her earlier horror when he'd told her about
the conversion process. He'd hated seeing the pallor of her face and smelling the fear
that had permeated her skin.
"Really?
And all of them survived? I thought you said it
was dangerous."
"They got lucky," he growled. "I've seen the other side of it too.
The madness that
slowly takes over a person, driving them totally insane.
I've heard the maniacal
laughter, the bloodcurdling screams and the pleas for death. I've watched as the male
has slowly been dragged down into madness with his mate until both of them are lost
to sanity."
Sophia's smaller hand covered his and squeezed. "I'm so sorry, Zane. Was it
someone you knew?"
There was no way he'd ever tell her the truth. No way
he'd ever want her to know
the
legacy of his family. No way
he'd
ever tell her it was his parents.
Zane sat back, shaking his head as he pulled his hand from hers. He ignored the
hurt look in her eyes. He didn't deserve her comfort, had forgotten for a brief moment
what a tainted heritage he'd sprung from. He didn't dare love a woman, didn't dare to
even hope to find a mate. He'd seen firsthand all too well what could go wrong.
He could sleep with Sophia and give her pleasure unlike any she'd ever
experienced. He could find comfort in her body and in her company, but he couldn't
love her. That way led to disaster for both of them. For a brief moment last night, he'd
forgotten that. A glimmer of hope and possibility had flickered in his mind that maybe
he could have what each of the
Dalakis
brothers had found. But sanity had reared its
ugly head. Dreams were just that and not meant for one such as him.
He shoved away from the table. Sophia was watching him warily, the relaxed
atmosphere between them lost. "If you're finished eating, we should go into your office
and get started. The night is passing quickly."
She jumped up from the table, grabbed her dishes and carried them to the sink. "No
problem. I can show you my notes and you can fill me in on the rest of the details of the
Dalakis
family. I want to know everything about them."
So did
he
. He didn't have all the information he needed, but he would soon. He
enjoyed the sway of Sophia's bottom as she strode into her office. This time he was
determined to uncover the truth, even if he had to confront the brothers directly.
Sophia could feel Zane's eyes on her. It made her want to squirm. Her panties were
still damp from the breath-stealing kiss he'd given her in the kitchen. She no longer had
any doubts that the man truly wanted her. No one could fake that kind of hard-on.
She sensed that he was conflicted about the attraction between them. Well, he could
get in line on that one. She was more than a little conflicted herself. Zane blew hot and
cold, one second almost devouring her, the next practically pushing her away. She so
did not need this kind of complication in her life right now. The man was a vampire, for
heaven's sake. That was a huge enough obstacle without adding the normal lack of
communication between the sexes.
Determined to take control, she flicked on the light switch, went straight to her
chair and sat behind her large wooden desk, a relic from a thrift store. It gave her at
least the illusion of being more in control of herself and the situation. She motioned to
him to take a seat across from her. He ignored her and perched on the edge of her desk
instead,
staring at her bulletin board and the information she'd managed to pull
together so far.
When he'd finished studying it, he turned to her and launched into a monologue on
the
Dalakis
family. He told her everything he knew about the men and their history and
about how they'd met their wives. Sophia didn't know if the women were brave or
crazy to change their lives like they had and take the chance of becoming a vampire.
She shivered when she remembered the stark pain on Zane's face as he'd talked about
the possible alternative. Whoever had been driven insane by the intense conversion,
they'd obviously been close to Zane. It still hurt him even if he'd never admit it.
He told her about Lucian and Delight and their problem with
Jethro
Prince and
about the trouble that Stefan and Laurel Rose had encountered in North Carolina.
Sophia was enthralled. It was like something out of a book and well beyond the scope
of her reality. Zane finished by filling in the gaps about Sam Cassidy.
"Cassidy is the wildcard in all this. He'd never met the