Hannah stared, dumfounded. She'd hurt him? She doubted she'd have truly harmed a mortal with that action, yet he displayed signs of discomfort.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. "Don't shake your head. I do have eyes, maybe not like one of your kind, but I'm not completely blind or stupid. Something is wrong with you, that's why you're drinking all that blood. It's like a healing potion to you, right?"

"I had a slight accident. Nothing to worry about."

"Accident? I thought you healed fast-like a werewolf in a horror movie."

"I'm not a werewolf." He kicked off his shoes and stretched out on the bed. "And I a.s.sure you life is worse than any horror movie."

She approached the bed and sat on the edge of it, playing with the b.u.t.tons of his shirt. "That's true. Is there anything I can do for you? Until you're better, I mean?"

He tugged her closer until their lips touched. "You can tell me how Sir Edward got you to come here."

Hannah's pulse raced and her mouth felt dry. She couldn't really confide in him, could she?

"I know you don't belong here, Hannah. Any fool could see that. So why?" "I have to do what he says."

He stared at her, waiting. She could have killed him for that calm yet forceful look that said you'd better reply.

"What are you doing here?" she tried turning the question around. "You're not like the others. You're the first of your kind I can almost like."

"Almost? Thank you very much."

"I didn't meant that like it sounded. I-"

He pulled her close and kissed her. Hannah's body turned to liquid as she melted against his chest. d.a.m.n the man was as tempting as the devil!

"Tell me, Hannah." His whisper was more commanding than a general's bellow.

She stared at him and drew a deep breath. His body felt so warm and strong against hers, and his eyes seemed to pry into her soul.

Tell me.

She started, hands shaking. Again, he was in her head.

She should tell him to respect her privacy. She should tell him she was really no concern of his. She should - "You're right. I don't want to be here," she said. "But if I want my family safe, I have to do what he says. After my last show in New Mexico, Sir Edward approached and made me an offer to come here. When I didn't accept, he showed me the demon he is and said if I didn't join his 'staff,' my mother and sisters would be drained to death and he'd force me to go with him, anyway. If it was just me, I wouldn't care, but I'm worried about my family. I haven't been in contact with them for so long. When Sir Edward wants something, he gets it. I still don't know why he picked me when there were dozens of other dancers at the compet.i.tion."

"Because you've captured the soul of the past, as if you were there."

"I don't want to be the soul of the past, Seraphim. I just want my life back."

"You will." He touched her cheek and murmured, "I won't fail you again."

She felt flattered but unsure. He was taking this very personally. "It wasn't your fault about Ridge."

"Ridge?" His brow furrowed.

"It's not as if I've never been bitten before-or manhandled."

"Oh. That."

"Yes. That. Are you sure you're all right?"

He nodded, closing his eyes and rolling his shoulder.

"Would you like me to try rubbing it?" she asked. "It's helpful to mortals sometimes."

"It couldn't hurt."

She nearly laughed. His expression wasn't all that different from a regular guy willing to try anything for the touch of a woman who interested him.

"Take this off." She began unb.u.t.toning his shirt. His eyes fixed on her fingers, and desire stabbed her belly.

Hannah felt the warmth of his skin through the silky material and she nearly trembled with antic.i.p.ation of lying naked with him again. She'd been around his kind for several h.e.l.lish months, but this was the first time she'd desired a vampire.

Seraphim sat up enough to shrug off his shirt and toss it aside. The sight of his lean chest, dusted with dark hair, made her mouth go dry and her pulse quicken. She placed her palm flat on it, then narrowed her eyes, noticing for the first time several faint scars marring his flesh. One long, slender slash appeared pinkish, newer than the others.

"I never realized you could scar. Of course, I've always been in dark or dim rooms when I'm with one of you naked. Speaking of that, do you mind the light?"

He shook his head and touched a hand to her cheek, guiding her closer for a kiss.

Hannah's eyes slipped shut. His touch was so soft, so perfect, a combination of comfort and s.e.xuality. For the first time, she began to understand the legendary appeal of the vampire. Of course those stories were myths. She knew the truth about them. They weren't mysterious, romantic figures. They possessed the same evil traits as human beings. They had the same desires but were armed with weapons far more deadly than mortals. They had animal strength and they had eternity.

She drew back slightly and whispered against his lips, "Lie on your stomach."

Before doing as she asked, his eyes roamed over her face in a manner that made her feel as if he could see through to her soul. She wondered what he saw, because she no longer knew herself. At times she thought she'd become as debauched as the creatures who'd stolen her.

She touched her hands to Seraphim's broad back, kneading the taut muscles. He uttered a contented sound and his eyes slipped shut. As she ma.s.saged, she noted other scars and traced her fingertips over them.

"Depending on the injury, we do scar," he said, as if guessing her desire to repeat her question. "Some take centuries to fade."

"Centuries?" She drew a deep breath and shook her head. "I still can't comprehend living so long-or that you've managed to hide yourselves from humans."

"Some humans know about us. You, for example." "If I could expose you, I would."

He turned suddenly, a wicked smile on his lips. "Isn't that a dangerous thing to say to me?"

Hannah's temper rose, burying any fear she felt. "Is there anything more your kind can do to me, short of killing me? Even that would be a blessing."

"Would it?" He grasped her upper arms and dragged her on top of him so quickly she scarcely noticed the motion. One moment she was sitting up, furious, then next she was pressed breast to chest, thigh to thigh with the most exciting creature she'd ever dreamed to know. Seraphim's pale eyes bore into hers. "You're still able to enjoy certain pleasures. A woman with that ability isn't yet ready to die."

Hannah's heart raced and she felt bewildered by his eyes. They reflected a past so deep she could almost feel storm winds blowing across the emptiness of an unsettled world. She'd looked into vampire eyes before and seen knowledge of the ages, but she'd never seen such timelessness as stretched beneath the depths of Seraphim's pale green gaze.

"My G.o.d," she whispered, "how old are you?"

A strange smile touched his lips as he cupped the back of her head and kissed her. Their tongues met, stroking and caressing. His hands splayed against her back, warming and thrilling her.

Rolling her onto her back, he nuzzled her throat and tugged up her dress, his hands slipping beneath and stroking her thighs. He slid her panties down her legs, and as he tugged them off her ankles, Hannah jerked the dress and slip over her head. She unhooked her bra and tossed it on top of the dress. Her eyes closed as Seraphim stroked her legs from hip to ankle.

Don't fall for him , she told herself, threading her fingers through his hair while his tongue stroked her c.l.i.t and his hands slipped beneath her b.u.t.tocks, gently ma.s.saging. The sensations of his mouth, tongue, and hands were so arousing, that within moments she lay panting beneath him, her heart throbbing wildly. She moaned in protest as his kisses moved to her belly, then sighed again with delight when he took one of her nipples in his teeth and flicked his tongue over it. His fingertips traced the pearls around her neck, gently rolling them against her skin.

The blood he had drunk earlier must have invigorated him, since he made no sign of discomfort when she grasped his shoulders hard. Still, in the midst of pa.s.sion, she remembered his injury and loosened her grip.

"No, hold me," he whispered close to her ear, his voice husky, "as hard as you like."

She stared into his face, her pulse racing, her nipples brushing his chest. The dusting of hair tickled the sensitive nubs. The sensation was so arousing she clutched his neck and arched closer.

Seraphim rolled onto his back, his arms wrapped around her. Hannah kissed his neck. Her lips roamed over the smooth flesh and her tongue traced veins and tendons.

Prior to Seraphim, she'd never been allowed to explore a vampire's body so freely. She'd lain with them, felt the brunt of their pa.s.sion, felt the hardness of their teeth and c.o.c.ks in her body, but that was all. Being with Seraphim was so different that she could scarcely believe he and they were the same species.

Of course, she was no better than a wh.o.r.e to them, an expensive form of entertainment supplied by Sir Edward. Why could Seraphim see she wasn't what she appeared to be?

She continued her learning experience, moving her lips to his collarbone and chest. Her fingertips drifted over his nipples and traced his ribs. Resting her cheek against his chest, she closed her eyes and listened to his heartbeat, feeling it pulse through his flesh and against her own. It was unbelievably slow and steady. She felt its power. In truth, his entire body exuded power. She'd seen much bigger men, had been bedded by hybrids so muscled they appeared to have spent centuries in a gym, but Seraphim was the first Immaculate she'd actually lain naked with. In spite of his lean build, his muscles were rock hard but supple. When she entwined her fingers with his and lifted his forearm, it felt as if his bones-his very skeleton-weighed more than any man or vampire's she'd ever known. So this is what she'd overheard Sir Edward's hybrid wh.o.r.es giggling about. This is why their eyes brightened with l.u.s.t when the Immaculates chose them to share their beds by day.

"Are there many like you?" she asked, enjoying the sensation of his fingers stroking her hair.

"What do you mean?" "Immaculates?"

"No. Not many. It's very difficult for hybrids to conceive. When most decide to procreate, they attempt to change a mortal. Creating a child by bite, however, is not much easier."

"I suppose that's a good thing. The world would be overrun with your kind otherwise."

He nodded. "The vampire and the mortal must be compatible for the change to occur, and even then not all vampires have the ability to create others."

"How do you know who can and who can't?"

"There's a test we can take now that will tell us. There's also a test to decide if the vampire and the mortal are compatible. Unfortunately, it's not 100 percent and the mortal still risks death by attempting the change. Studies regarding fertility among our kind are still relatively new. Most of the research has been conducted by an acquaintance of mine, Dr. Matthew Winter."

"This is so weird." She sighed, lifting her head to meet his eyes.

"At one time I never could have fathomed such a thing. But you should have seen me when I saw the first telephone."

A quirky smile played around his lips, and she grinned. Though they hadn't been together long, she was starting to know his moods.

Again they fell silent, and she continued her study of him. She unzipped his pants and moved slightly aside as he pulled them off along with the black briefs beneath. The muscles of his long, hair roughened legs fascinated her, but not nearly as much as his thick, uncirc.u.mcised c.o.c.k. Though she remembered its enticing feel, the dimness of the room the previous night hadn't offered her such a detailed view of it. Even partially erect, it was the biggest c.o.c.k she'd ever seen. The smooth head poked through the thick foreskin. She'd never seen a p.e.n.i.s intact before, and the sight of it aroused her more than she'd imagined. Hannah grasped it, stroking and squeezing. He placed his own hand over hers. When she tilted her face upward to see his reaction to her touch, her belly tightened with desire flavored by fear. His eyes glowed with pa.s.sion, red blending with pale green.

She continued fondling him while her other hand grasped his b.a.l.l.s, squeezing the warm globes. She released him only to crawl, catlike, to the end of the bed where she grasped one of his heels and slid her other hand beneath the hard, rounded calf muscle. Using her lips and tongue, she caressed every inch of his leg, moving slowly upward over his knee and thigh until she reached his hip. Then she began the same ministrations on his other leg. G.o.d, she could touch him all night! He smelled so clean and fresh, like soap, shampoo, and the vague aroma of cologne combined with his own natural scent. Before spending time in the company of vampires, she'd never paid much attention to aromas. They talked so much about their sense of smell she'd begun to strain her own mortal powers, trying to catch a glimpse of the sensations they enjoyed. It took a bit more concentration, but it was worth it. There was so much people missed in every day hurrying, and she had no desire to hasten her enjoyment of Seraphim's magnificent, alien body.

By the time her lips reached his other hip, she noticed his breathing had increased. His eyes were half closed but glowing with desire. The tips of his incisors shone through his parted lips and she shivered as she recalled how they felt when they pierced her flesh. It had been a pleasure like none she'd ever experienced before.

Already her p.u.s.s.y was hot and wet for him. She wanted to feel his c.o.c.k deep inside her along with his glistening teeth.

"Seraphim," she murmured, straddling his waist, guiding him inside her, and rocking atop him. "I need you so much right now."

His eyes fixed on hers and he reached for her hands. Their fingers entwined, and she squeezed hard as pa.s.sion grew. Her eyes slipped shut.

"Look at me," he commanded.

She stared into his fully open eyes and felt like she was being pulled into quicksand that would bring the ultimate pleasure in death.

She mewled, leaning forward as he lifted his neck and took one of her nipples in his mouth. Her fingers slipped from his, and she clutched the back of his head, her entire body trembling with pa.s.sion.

Suddenly he thrust her onto her back and pinned her wrists on each side of her head. He kissed her, his tongue exploring every bit of her mouth. He licked her throat and kissed between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Then he began kissing and caressing her upper body as she had done to his legs. His kisses left no part of her untouched. While he licked her belly, his hands kneaded her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, his thumbs stimulating her nipples. She trembled, her c.l.i.t aching, her p.u.s.s.y throbbing.

"I can't wait anymore!" she panted. Within seconds, she knew her own body would betray her and she'd come without so much as him touching her below the waist. She'd never been so ready in her life.

He growled deep in his throat and slipped down her body. His warm breath fanned her c.l.i.t and she pressed her head into the pillows, panting, her entire body tense. She couldn't stand another second, not another - She cried out in pleasure when simultaneously his mouth fixed on her c.l.i.t and his fingers explored her p.u.s.s.y. Her vision blackened as her entire body seemed to explode.

"Oh! Seraphim! Oh!" she sobbed.

His talented mouth drove her to another peak. As she approached a third, he covered her body with his. Her palms slid down his back, feeling the muscles move as he thrust. She grasped his b.u.t.tocks, her fingers gripping hard muscle.

"Take me!" she panted, tilting her head backward even more, baring her throat to him.

Through half open eyes, she gazed at him. His eyes looked almost savage in their intensity, his fangs now fully exposed. They were thick and white, the tips needle-like. He was panting, too, the cords of his neck taut. Black curls tumbled onto his forehead and she smoothed them back.

"Take me, Seraphim!" she repeated, aching for his bite.

In the midst of another o.r.g.a.s.m, his teeth pierced her throat. Waves of pleasure crashed over her, and the last thing she remembered was the building of another incredible climax.

Hannah stirred, her body aching pleasantly from lovemaking. She heard the shower running in the bathroom and smiled, her stomach fluttering with excitement and a touch of apprehension. Should she see how Seraphim would react to company while he washed?

She walked to the bathroom and opened the door. The room was pleasantly steamy, and she caught the outline of Seraphim showering. Before joining him, she brushed her teeth and hair, then stretched. A glance at his watch lying on the countertop told her dinner was less than forty minutes away. She was starved. Hanging around a vampire like Seraphim was a sure way to increase a woman's appet.i.te-in every direction.

"Are you coming in or not?" His voice sounded above the running water, and her pulse leapt.

She pressed a hand to her breast as she stepped inside the enormous shower. Sir Edward certainly spared no expense when building his bordello for the rich and sleazy.

Seraphim's arm slipped around her. His body felt warm, hard, and slick. His moist lips covered hers and he caressed her lower back and b.u.t.tocks.

"Isn't this like Rome?" he murmured. She giggled. "I've never been to Rome."

Seraphim blinked at her through the water, another quirky smile on his lips. "Maybe we can go one day."

This time she laughed, her hands braced against his chest. "Exactly how long did Sir Edward rent me to you?"

"To h.e.l.l with Sir Edward," Seraphim snarled, and she felt another inkling of fear. As much as she was beginning to like Seraphim, he was still so strange, so frightening. Too much went on behind those beautiful green eyes that had seen more years than she could fathom. His voice softened, and he lifted one hand to stroke her face. "I'll take care of Sir Edward."

"Don't do anything! My family is -"

"I won't endanger your family. I'll help, Hannah. I promise, but I need some time. There are things I must be sure of first."

"You still never said why you're helping me."

"Because I detest slavery, and that's what this is. A form of slavery in a place where it's been abolished."