The Taste of Magic (26 page)

Adrian smiled. "I'm glad to see your brain has once again begun to function. That was precisely what I thought. Find out if it's true." Despite those suspicions, Adrian was sure Kat would never harm him. If she wanted him dead, she would not have come to tell him about Machiavelli. Proof she still cared, despite her anger.

"Yes, Master. Will there be anything else?"

"I think that's more than enough to keep you busy for a while. You may want to advise your wife that Katerina will be returning to the castle in a few hours. We agreed it was not safe for her to remain alone in her flat."

Dimitri nodded before evaporating from the room. Adrian called for a servant to prepare some rooms for Kat's return, then began to plan the coming evening.

Chapter Nineteen

Katerina folded the last of her sweaters and placed them in the drawer. She glanced around the large chamber which served as her bedroom. The round tower room had several windows, and she could see the full moon clearly. On one side, a door led to a private bathroom, on the other, another door opened to a small sitting room. She was pleased with the surroundings, even though Adrian's chamber was only down the hall. She should have known he'd want her near.

A knock sounded on the door and she rolled her eyes. So much for not bothering her. She opened the door. Damn him, how dare he look so enticing, dressed in casual slacks and a silk shirt? Black, of course, to contrast his fair hair. Her heart pounded, but she said nothing.

"If you like, dinner will be ready shortly. Will you be coming down?" He leaned against the doorjamb and folded his arms.

She turned away, giving her attention to her briefcase, busying herself as she set up her laptop. "I'm not very hungry right now. Maybe later."

She heaved a sigh, thankful her voice had been strong and clear. Just having him less than ten feet away wreaked havoc on her. Her hands were suddenly unsteady, and it took three tries to get the cord into the computer. Her heart still pounded, she was sure he could hear the rapid beats. She crouched on the floor, searching for an outlet. He was suddenly beside her, his hand covering hers and guiding it to her goal. The touch left her already trembling knees threatening to spill her to the floor. She pulled free and forced herself to stand, wobbly legs stumbling slightly backwards.

When he reached out to steady her, she held up her hands. If he touched her again, she'd never be able to resist him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing. I…I'm not ready to see you yet."

"Why not?" He stepped closer, so she had her back pressed against the armoire. He placed his hands upon it, on either side of her head.

"You're doing it again, trying to force me to do what you want."

He shook his head. "No, never force. But the bond is there. You want me, Kat, and what I can give you."

He stroked the back of his index finger down her cheek. Despite her best efforts, she leaned into the touch. Then he kissed her, pulling her close, and she responded with an eagerness she'd tried to bury. She failed.

He drew away, his steely gaze softened by passion. She leaned her head against his shoulder, just so she wouldn't be swayed by his pleading eyes. His arms around her were a welcome strength, but she had to resist. He cared for nothing but himself, she reminded herself. With renewed determination, she pushed him away, stepping past him to put some distance between them.

"You will not try to manipulate me." She met his gaze squarely.

"I am doing no such thing. I am merely trying to show you what is between us, how powerful it is. You can feel it, can't you?"

She hesitated. "Yes. I can feel it. But you're using it to get what you want. What about what I want, Adrian? Just once, can't you try not to control everything? Me, in particular."

"You're still angry I knew of your power."

She nodded. "That's part of it. Damn it, I didn't even know, and all along, you planned to use my magic, didn't you?"

He didn't answer for what seemed forever, then slowly nodded. She closed her eyes and turned away. She had to get away from him, but his hands were on her shoulders, staying her flight.

"You're in my head again," she said aloud. The bitter cast to her tone revealed more than she wanted.

"No. But I can sense your emotions without effort. And you must know there is so much more I want."

"Like what?"

He turned her, and drew her near. "Your company over dinner."

"Adrian…"

His finger on her lips silenced her. "Not just tonight, every night. To share the simple pleasures of life, and of course, to have you by my side at the company. I want your heart, yes, Kat, I do, but I want your intelligence, your wit, your very presence."

His words left her leaning heavily against him, unable to resist as he tilted her face up and brushed a gentle kiss across her mouth. Her fingers curled in his shirt, and she whimpered. He drew away, and smiled. "You see, you cannot deny it. What exists between us is too powerful for either of us to fight."

She wanted to give in, no, she needed to give in, but she forced herself to gather her scrambled emotions and stepped free of his embrace.

"Not yet. I can't trust you Adrian, and that's a big problem for me." "Of course you can. I told you…"

"You say it, but every time I turn around, there's something else you've conveniently forgotten to let me know."

There was regret in his eyes, before they hardened again. "Yes, maybe so, but you were also remiss in sharing the knowledge with me, once you knew."

She bit her lip, and nodded. "Can you blame me? I didn't know who to trust, what to believe. You use people to your advantage. You hurt them to get what you want. Knowing what you're capable of, Adrian, frightens me."

He stiffened, his eyes wide with sudden pain. "You fear me?"

"I'm sorry." She didn't know what more to say. Her vision blurred with unshed tears.

He nodded, his jaw tight. He reached out and cupped her face. "I do not want you to be afraid of me. Never that."

"I can't help it." Holding back her emotions left her voice a hoarse whisper.

He slowly drew her closer, and pressed his lips briefly against hers. "I will do what it takes, Kat, to prove you have nothing to fear from me."

A shimmer of golden light surrounded him as he faded from view. The echo of his silky voice still vibrated within her. She remained motionless for several moments, before forcing her rubbery legs to guide her to the nearest chair. She fell into it, choking back a sob, her chest heaving with its force. How was she supposed to resist him? Despite his words, she could not erase her doubts, her mistrust, her fear. All she wanted was to give in to these longings, despite the risks they, and Adrian, presented.

* * *

Katerina rubbed her eyes and glanced at her watch. Three a.m. She lifted her head, and stretched her neck to ease the aches from being in one position too long. She looked at the computer screen once more, but all the letters had blurred together.

"Did you find anything?" Joshua asked, as he rifled through some notes.

"No." She snapped the lid down. "I can't do this anymore, I'm exhausted."

She dared a glance in Adrian's direction. All evening, he sat quietly, hidden by the shadows in the corner. He made few comments, but every now and then he would come over to Joshua and peruse some papers, before resuming his seat in the darkness.

A sliver of moonlight cast a bright sheen to his golden hair, and she could feel those crystal clear eyes focused on her. Her heart raced in response, and she licked her suddenly dry lips. Damn him, what game was he playing now?

A deep swallow cleared the lump lodged in her throat. "Adrian, there's nothing more here. Until your technicians can break into the server, there isn't anything else to learn tonight. They've disappeared."

"For now."

His lack of concern worried Katerina. How could he be so casual about it? Machiavelli was a very real threat. She shook her head. "We have to find him, before he…"

In a flash, he was beside her, his speed once again amazing her. This was the first time he'd come near her, and it was too much, too soon. Yet, she made no move to escape.

"He won't ever get near you again. I won't let him." His hands rested lightly on her shoulders, and he leaned over her, his mouth near her ear.

"Don't worry."

She shivered, and drew away, turning to catch his stare. His hands continued to hold her in place, though, and the sensation of his long fingers against her neck was not unpleasant. She forced herself to focus on her words.

"Why aren't you concerned? He could show up here any minute."

Adrian shook his head. "He can't get past my wards."

"Besides," said Joshua, "when a vampire goes underground, it's sometimes impossible to find them, for years."

"Years? You mean this psycho could be out there for years, ready to strike at any time?" Katerina was appalled. "Don't you plan to do something more than just sit there and take it?"

Joshua tossed his notes onto the desk. "You can't just rush in with stakes and holy water. The vampire community is hidden well. Especially now. With the Internet, vampires can accumulate vast amounts of wealth. That allows for a high level of security and secrecy, considering how many people you can buy off to keep your secret." The hunter fixed an intense stare at Adrian.

"Yes, and stripping someone of their wealth is a good way to drive them from wherever they may be hiding." Adrian returned the gaze, and for several moments, Katerina wondered if the two might suddenly break into a brawl. She could tell they both wanted it, there was hunger and excitement in Adrian's eyes, the pressure of his fingers on her shoulders tightening imperceptibly.

Joshua leaned forward, his hands before him, fingers curling and uncurling. The room suddenly seemed several degrees warmer. Katerina cleared her throat.

"So how to you plan to force him out?"

Finally, Adrian turned to her. "I have your father working on it right now. When it's finished, I'd like you to review it."

"My father? I thought he didn't work for you anymore." Adrian shrugged. "He still has many valuable contacts, and it would be foolish to waste them. Besides, Dimitri has all the financials on Machiavelli's holdings. What he found in his initial search is Niccolo is targeting any companies showing the slightest bit of weakness, but it's spreading him too thin. And an art gallery trafficking in stolen masterpieces can draw a lot of unwanted attention."

Katerina hadn't found any evidence of that in her findings. She would have to discuss this with her father. "If he's trafficking stolen art, won't getting the authorities involved reveal what he is?"

Joshua shook his head. "Not necessarily. While the authorities take apart his legal holdings, we can lure him to us, and finish him off before anyone learns what he really is. And he'll just look like another criminal who managed to elude capture."

"I don't know. It sounds like it could risk all vampires," Katerina argued. Adrian's hands tightened once more, this time gently, as if to reassure her.

"It's the only way."

Katerina tried once more to break his hold. His grip eased slightly, but not much. She craned her neck as she turned to face him. "I still think you need to take a more active approach."

He started to gently massage her shoulders, and her train of thought went totally off track.

"I am taking an active approach." His voice was low, silky, and seemed to weave a magical cocoon of warmth around her. Combined with the motion of his hands, she felt her tension slipping away. Despite herself, her eyes closed, and she leaned back into his touch.

"I think we're finished for the night."

Katerina barely heard him, or the click of a door shutting as she relaxed further. His gentle ministrations took all the stress of the last week away. His lips lingered against her neck as he lifted her hair, his warm breath tickling her nape. Still his hands worked her muscles.

She didn't know how it happened, but she was cradled on his lap, his fingers still moving gently over her. She opened her eyes, surprised to find him so close. Before she could form the words to protest, his lips were on hers, gently, softly, and she couldn't fight the longing he stirred.

He did nothing but hold her and kiss her gently for some time, his fingers continuing their soothing motions. When he finally drew away, she followed him. His low chuckle broke through the sensuous haze that surrounded her.

"I think we should retire."

She stared at him, her mind still too unfocused to think. She suddenly recalled Joshua and glanced around the room.

"I sent him away. We're alone."

A frisson of panic stabbed her, and she stiffened. His fingers resumed their sensual stroking across her neck, and she willed herself to resist the tempting sensations.