Microsoft Word - Blood and Sex from CE.rtf (2 page)

6

So she sidestepped. “Why are you so suspicious?”

He ignored the question. She felt the shift in his mood, the change from suspicion to accusation just before he said, “Your gift’s knowing what we’re thinking?”

She sighed. If she wanted to keep him from being an obstacle, she needed him to back down. The problem was that Blane was too smart for his own good. She had to be careful and give him enough information to keep him from suspecting her of lying, but not enough to have him alert Michael. “I can only sense feelings, and only when they’re strong.”

Blane smiled, then relaxed a little at that. “So, it’s more like reading auras.”

“Sort of.”

“If you found a succubus, what would you do?”

Ah. So he hadn’t given up the suspicion. “I would be forced to tell Khalil.”

“Even if she didn’t use abilities?”

“I suppose. Better safe than sorry, as they say.”

His anger was like a hot flash through the room. “What makes you think you have the right to do something like that? Do you know what they do to vampires who have that particular
gift
?”

Christiana grabbed a bag from the floor and put it on the bed. She had to calm him. They weren’t going to have this conversation. Whatever Blane’s issue was with
The Alleanza
and how its laws were enforced, she didn’t have to defend it to him. She had a job to do, to help the new
vampiro
through her first weeks, then move on to the next one. It wasn’t her personal crusade to rid the world of those sexual predators, the incubus and succubus. She only had to let her
creatore
know if she did find one because they were illegal—dangerous.

“So, you do know what they do to the ones they round up.” He stepped closer.

7

“I know they’re contained.”

“And exploited.”

“I don’t know anything about that.” It wasn’t a lie. She didn’t
know
, only suspected. Still, guilt twisted Christiana’s gut as she pulled a blue sweater from the suitcase.

Blane was close, crowding her. “You always do what you’re told, don’t you?”

Anger bubbled up. She tossed the shirt onto the bed, then whirled toward him. “Why are you doing this to me? Did I look at you wrong when I came in or do you do this to all of your guests?”

His eyes widened a little. “No.” He got control of his face again and managed to look angry again, but the anger waned. “I don’t trust Council spies who come into our home under the guise of helping.”

“I
am
here to help.” Christiana closed in, invading his space. He didn’t move, but she could feel his aversion to being so close to her, a stranger. “I can leave if you want, but do you think Michael will like that? And I think Jonas might be a little upset if his new
compagna
goes on a killing spree and has to be put down.”

He leaned forward, so close she could see how green his eyes were, and it forced her to take a step back. “Just don’t start anything,
Princess
. I’m not intimidated by your
daddy
, and I
will
be watching you.”

Christiana leaned in, too. She wasn’t going to be intimidated either, even if the larger male triggered every flight response she had. “Good. I’d hate for you to miss anything. Maybe you can even learn something.”

He glared at her for a long, silent moment.

Then his lips cracked into a smile.

8

“What?” She leaned away a little.

A wave of pleasure rolled through the room, and his eyes swept down and back up her body. “You’re kind of hot when you’re mad.”

Her body responded to the dark, predatory look on his face by hardening at the nipples.

The small space between them seemed to heat up. She gaped at him for a second, staring into those green eyes.

Then Christiana turned on her heels and went back to the bed. She busied herself by refolding the sweater she’d tossed in anger and refused to look at him. “Don’t get any ideas,
vampiro
. I don’t mix business and pleasure.”

“Never?”

“Never.”

Blane walked to the door. “Wow. That must be painful.”

Christiana glanced over her shoulder to him. “What?”

“Walking around with that stick up your ass.”

She snarled and tossed the sweater at him, but he slammed the door shut. After the soft thud, she heard his chuckle from the hallway.

That
vampiro
was going to be a real problem.

* * * *

And it didn’t take a genius to see she’d spent far too long kissing the asses of too many old vampires. She was one of them, one of the inner circle who thrived on power and using

9

others to their own advantage. Plus, she was there on official business. As long as she was around, they’d all be tiptoeing around the rules.

Michael would have to be warned. He had guarded his secret for too long to let them find out about it now. And Jonas would see Christiana as a threat to his
compagna’s
life, which would probably set off Luciano.

Blane shivered at the thought. No one wanted Luciano involved. He could rack up a body count faster than anyone else. To keep him out of the situation, it would have to be handled delicately. Maybe if Blane just kept a close eye on Khalil’s progeny, he wouldn’t have to warn them.

Nah.

It was too big of a risk. They needed to be more careful with that spy than with the other vampires in the
cosca
. As new as Elena was, that was going to be next to impossible to hide what she really was. Then if they found out she was a succubus, Michael would be outed, too.

He hit the ground floor and went straight to Michael’s office at the end of the hall. He knocked on the big wooden door.

After a few seconds, Michael answered, “Come in.”

Blane opened the door to see his
padrone
sitting behind a massive desk in a gray button-down shirt. Michael managed to look casual, but his
compagna
, Tori, was blushing a little as she sat on the edge of the desk adjusting a button on her red blouse. What was so embarrassing? It wasn’t like he’d never interrupted them before. Besides, they could all hear them going at it on a regular basis. With Jonas and Elena added to the mix, it was like living in the Playboy mansion from hell. Everyone was having sex under this roof except him.

“What is it, Blane?”

10

“Oh. Uh. Sorry to interrupt, but we need to talk.” He walked toward the desk.

“Well, then, go ahead,” Michael said.

Blane motioned his head toward Tori. “It needs to be private, boss.”

She sighed and stood, but Michael caught her hand. Tori smiled down at him. “It’s okay.

You deal with business, and I’ll get a bite to eat. Just call me when you’re done.”

Michael kissed her hand like the romantic sap that he was. “I will.”

Tori left the room quickly. Blane began to pace.

Michael said through gritted teeth, “It better be damned important,”

“She’s a spy.”

“Who?”

“That woman.” Blane pointed at the ceiling. “She’s looking for succubi.”

“So?” Michael’s voice was calm, almost mocking. “No one will let our secret escape.”

He turned toward the
padrone
. The soundproofed room would keep anyone else in the house from hearing what he was about to say, so he let it fly. “Look. I know about the little power boost Elena gave you.”

The other vampire’s eyebrow rose slowly.

Blane held up his hands. “I’m not going to say anything about it, but you need to know because Elena might not be able to hold it together.”

“How do you know?”

“I’m the genius, remember? It didn’t take long, especially after that little display at The Dungeon the night she came into the
cosca
.”

Michael smirked. “I assumed as much. I meant, how do you know that Christiana’s a spy?”

11

“Why does everyone always question how I know? I just know.”

“I forget your instincts at times.” Michael sounded tired. “Did you confront her?”