Knight Edition (5 page)

Her cheeks burning from his insults, Sidney flung open the door and stormed into the hallway, heedless of her nudity.

She jammed hard against the servant’s shoulder as he stood, straightening his tie. The man had been eavesdropping!

He cleared his raspy throat. “Miss, may I show you to your room?” His gaze remained fixed on her forehead.

Sidney knew he’d already gotten an eyeful and flushed hotly. “Well hell!” Soft laughter sounded behind her, and she rounded on the master vampire. “What the hell am I supposed to do with myself for the next couple of days?”

He gave her a rapacious smile—showing his lovely white fangs for the first time. “You’re a resourceful girl. I’m sure you can find endless ways to entertain yourself.”

“What makes you think I’ll just sit here twiddling my thumbs all weekend long?”

“If thumbs give you pleasure…” he drawled.

Sidney felt warmth wash her chest and cheeks.

“Your curiosity will keep your active little mind occupied. I know you’re dying to know what secrets my desk will give up. And can you really pass up the opportunity to learn more about a vampire’s…special kiss?”

Christ!
Did he have to remind her hormones just how attractive his mouth was?

His eyes glittered, and his lips drew apart.

Her breath hitched, and she leaned toward him, feeling inexplicably drawn into his dark gaze.

His mouth curved mirthlessly.

Son of a bitch!
Sidney straightened, realizing he was toying with her once again. She glared at him. “You have to sleep sometime.”

He closed the door in her face.

Sidney wondered how difficult outrunning the old man waiting at her side would be.

“Beware the sentry dogs in the yard,” Master Navarro’s voice sounded from the other side of the door. “Inigo let them out shortly after you entered my library.”

*

“Who the fuck
does he think he is? Keep me prisoner, will he?”

Navarro raised a brow at the loud mutterings of his houseguest as she paced the length of her room. Inigo had given her the guest bedroom with the hidden cameras and listening devices.

Although the sun would soon rise, Navarro felt no fatigue. The woman had invigorated his blood as no one else had in quite a long while—perhaps in the last century.

“
I don’t take another man’s leavings,
” she mimicked, her mouth curling in disgust. “Well, I don’t take cold leftovers—that’s what you are, Navarro!” she shouted through the locked door of her bedroom.

Still naked, she flounced onto the bed, beating her heels and hands against the mattress.

Navarro studied her attributes. Alone, each was unremarkable. Her bottom was rounded, firm. Her breasts a scant mouthful, tipped with small cherry nipples. Her body was trim, athletic, but not overly so.

No, her curves and pretty face weren’t what held his interest. It was her courage, the surprising twists her mind took, and the sensuality that plumped her lips and kept her nipples tight and hard, even now when only anger fired her passion.

No one had stirred his cock into any semblance of an erection in too many years to count. But here he was, his flesh pressing against the placket of his trousers while she threw endless insults at his head.
Delightful!

Why this woman after so long? He’d had offers and opportunities too plentiful to count over the centuries. He’d never been a hedonist—never reveled in the sensual side of his vampire nature. It couldn’t be that this slim girl reminded him of another slender waif with more guts than gray matter—the only woman to ever own his heart. His soul had learned a painful lesson when he’d lost his only love. One he’d never repeat.

But taking this woman would only be a delicious conquest. A long drink to savor. He would torture her with her own flagrant desire, withholding deeper pleasure to tease her curiosity about the nature of his true kiss. He’d draw out the pleasure-pain, so long she’d scream—
no, beg
. He wanted her to beg for release, her body trembling with need, her eyes moist, her mouth swollen with his kisses.

That image gave him great satisfaction, even as he watched her strip the sheets from the bed and twist them into long ropes, tying them end to end. He’d denied himself passion for so long his body was as rigid as a steel pole at the thought of sinking teeth and cock into her tender flesh. He would control their dance, set the pace. He was older, centuries-skilled. He could control his passion while he raised hers and subdued her reckless spirit with unfulfilled lust.

He would have her, but keep his heart distant. He’d not let her open that part of him that needed to stay hidden, secret. Never would he let the madness of emotions command him again. He was the master of the beast.

“Master, have you eaten?” Inigo asked quietly.

Navarro reduced the volume, but left the monitor open. “She’s lovely, no?” He turned to Inigo, catching him as he quickly glanced away from the screen.

“A pretty little thing. Doesn’t she know the windows are barred?”

“Naturally she hasn’t thought that far ahead.” He gave his servant a hard-eyed glare. “You disobeyed me tonight.”

Inigo drew in a sharp breath and straightened his shoulders. “Yes sir, I did.”

“May I ask why? You’ve worked for me for over fifty years. I can’t recall your ever violating my command.”

Inigo flushed and cleared his throat. “I did it for you actually, sir.”

Navarro raised a brow. “For me?”

“You’ve been long without a companion. She seemed…durable.”

Navarro glanced back at the slender girl who’d just demolished the delicate vanity bench. He must have missed her trying to raise the window. Ah well, that was what the rewind function was for—savoring the moment in privacy. “Durable,” he murmured. “That’s an interesting observation given that she appears no bigger than a child.”

“I meant her soul, sir. She’ll have no expectations.”

“No expectations,” he murmured. “Couldn’t I get that from a paid companion?”

“But where would be the challenge?”

He acknowledged the point with a nod. “Indeed. Inigo?”

“Yes sir.”

“In the future, leave off the matchmaking,” he said, never taking his eyes from the screen as the door closed quietly behind him.

Navarro picked up the phone on the console and hit the automatic dial.

“Master Navarro, what can I do for you?” came the deep, amused voice.

“Ah, Lieutenant Brown, now why aren’t you surprised to hear from me?”

“Sid giving you fits yet?”

“Did you send her my way?”

“Not directly, sir, but I know how her mind works. She couldn’t keep her pretty nose out of our business.”

“I’m afraid she’ll be staying for the duration.”

“What’d she do now? I warned her you’d be a hard nut to crack.”

“Seems she took that as a challenge,” Navarro murmured absently.

“Sorry ’bout that.” Moses Brown didn’t sound the least bit apologetic. “Just as well you keep her out of trouble.”

Preferring not to dwell on how well the lieutenant knew his prisoner, Navarro changed the subject. “So do you have the morgue under surveillance?”

“Yeah. We’ll see whether any of those techno-geeks rise from the dead tomorrow.”

“Be careful. Their first hunger may rule their actions.”

“Just make sure your people are in place to see who else might be interested in them.”

Navarro tapped his bottom lip. “Lieutenant Brown, about the girl…”

The man at the end of the line chuckled—a sound that didn’t really spell amusement. “You wanna know if there’s anything between us? Ask Sid—she’ll tell you straight up. That lady doesn’t mince words. Just make sure you spit her out all in one piece when you’re done.”

“You make her sound like an indigestible meal.”

“Hard on the stomach? Nah? She’s sweet all the way down.” He chuckled again.

Navarro bristled. “Let me know about the morgue.”

“If you decide to set foot outside that mansion…”

“We’ll see. Let’s solve this mystery first.” Navarro replaced the receiver and turned up the volume on the monitor.

Sidney Coffey sat on the edge of the bed, her feet dangling toward the floor. Then she flopped back on the mattress. “What the hell am I supposed to do now?” She yawned and stretched her arms above her head. “Twiddle my thumbs, my ass.
Damn him!
”

One hand moved absently over her stomach and upward to her breast, gliding over a soft mound. The movement seemed to soothe her, and her eyelids drooped to halfway closed. Her hand smoothed down and upward again, and she snuggled her shoulders into the tangled bedding, sighing. “Master Navarro,” she murmured.

He stilled. Was she imagining his hands caressing her? Wishing the monitor had better resolution and was closer to the bed, he leaned forward. He wouldn’t stretch his other sense to learn her true thoughts. Somehow that would feel like cheating. Besides, her thoughts would likely be very noisy.

His breath caught when her fingers pinched a nipple, and her eyes squeezed shut. She twisted the tip, and then touched it with one digit. It stood erect in the center of her small breast.

He imagined how his tongue would drag across it.

Her hand slid to the other breast, and she tugged the flowering nipple to full arousal.

His tongue touched his upper lip, and he envisioned closing his lips around a turgid peak and suckling while she writhed beneath him.

Her knees spread apart. The angle of the lens denied him a view of the tender flesh between her legs, but her expression enraptured him. Her eyelids fluttered, and her teeth worried her lower lip.

Then a slender hand glided downward, rubbing over the pale fur covering her sex.

Navarro spread his legs beneath the console, trying to ease the ache building in his loins.

Her hand dipped between her legs, and her shoulders lifted off the bed before she settled deeper into the covers. Then she raised her knees until her heels dug into the edge of the mattress.

He could only imagine how open and accessible her sweet cunt would be if he were standing in front of her. Would she reach to guide his cock inside her?

Her hips pulsed upward, and her back arched as the pace of her hand’s rhythmic movements increased. “Thumbs, toes, cocks…” she moaned as her breaths grew faster, harsher.

Suddenly, she pulled her hand away and closed her legs. “Seriously, could a girl go to bed with a man who might take it literally if a girl said, ‘Eat me’?” Her closed fist pounded the mattress beside her. “Navarro!” she howled.

Turning off the monitor, he was stunned to find his mouth stretched wide in a grin. His cock was fully erect and aching. His body and mind hummed with heat and…anticipation.

He, Navarro, who hadn’t been excited by anything in more years than the woman could probably count!

Despite his body’s readiness, he remained seated. It was too soon to approach her. Too soon to see to her release. She needed to learn who was master.

Let her stew for now—alone on her bed with only her…
thumbs
to appease her appetite. Let her desire grow until she’d drench at the mere sound of his voice. Then he might give her a taste of his kiss.

For now, he’d wait and use the time to plan his seduction. Not that he didn’t know the outcome—Sidney Coffey was a ripe plum ready to pick. Practically begging for his cock and bite. But she’d want to call the shots—be the seducer. So while the investigation continued without her interference, he’d amuse himself and teach her to follow his lead.

“Sir? What shall I do with the girl during the day?” Inigo asked.

Navarro started. He hadn’t heard the old man return. That had never happened. “Give her food and drink, and make sure she sleeps most of the day. She’ll need her rest.”

Inigo nodded, pressing
his lips together to suppress a smile until he’d let himself out the door. As he headed toward the kitchen, his step was light. The master had a look in his eyes he’d never seen. When he’d watched the woman on the screen his face and body had been motionless, enraptured. Who was the true captive here?

Inigo turned his thoughts to the late night snack. Would Miss Coffey like a little wine with her sleeping draft?

‡