her.
Antoinette shook her head and pulled it out of the flight attendant’s reach.
“It has to be secured for takeoff,” Mary explained.
Christian moved forward. Antoinette’s shoulders dropped defensively and her eyes narrowed as she hugged the case against her chest.
Antoinette gripped the case tighter, her eyes darting left and right, seeking escape. She wasn’t about to trust her weapons to an Aeternus or his hired bimbo.
Christian stopped and held up his hands. “It’s okay. Mary, just show her where to stow them herself.”
“Yes, sir.”
The flight attendant took a few steps to the left and with a delicate sweep of her hand she brought Antoinette’s attention to the straps against the wall and the briefcases already secured there. He could probably have used his Aeternus emotion-control mojo on her if he’d wanted, but he hadn’t.
“Sorry.” Her face heated up. “It’s just hard to…” Her words trailed off.
“Trust?” Christian asked.
It was a good word, but still difficult to do. She threw back her shoulders, handed the case to Mary, and gave her a tight smile of apology.
She noticed a large dog for the first time lying on the far side of Viktor. It tilted its head and sat up. She squatted to eye level, patting her knees to entice him closer. “Aren’t you a beautiful boy?”
“Cerberus doesn’t like strangers,” Viktor warned.
The dog placed his head on her thigh, saying hello with his large intelligent eyes as much as his wagging tail.
“Good boy.” She scratched behind his ear and ruffled the both sides of his head, and looked up to catch the flash of surprise across Viktor’s face.
“My niece has special way with animals,” Sergei said, smiling at her. “Since she was a little girl.”
“So I see.” Viktor’s eyes narrowed as if really seeing her for the first time. “He likes you, trusts you. I can sense it so clearly.”
So could she, but not in the same way Viktor meant. The Aeternus had the ability to sense and project emotions, and animals were more susceptible. She’d once seen a dreniac start a large and deadly dog fight just for the fun it. But obviously this Aeternus used his ability with his pet in a more caring way.
She looked at Viktor, really looked. He was as different to Christian as night to day. While Christian wasn’t overly tall, neither was he short.
Viktor on the other hand would be well over six foot, judging from his sitting position. Where Christian was well built, though not overly muscular, Viktor was lean to the point of skinny with high cheekbones, full lips, and waist-length bleached blond hair making him appear rather effeminate.
Even their style of clothing was at odds. Christian wore a casual knit top over faded denim jeans; Viktor wore black rock-and-roll pants with buckles down the leg, snakeskin Cuban heeled boots, a black shirt now open to the waist, and a knee-length white coat. The hair and clothing gave him an almost androgynous appearance—a Japanese manga hero made living flesh.
Christian was all male—powerful and intense. Viktor on the other hand was… beautiful and there was something else about him she couldn’t help but like.
Viktor smiled. “If I put my head in your lap like that…” he teased.
She glared and bent forward to plant a kiss on Cerberus’s muzzle. The dog rolled over onto his back, tale whipping back and forth in delight.
“You’re far too beautiful to be named after the hound of hell,” she said, giving the dog’s stomach a good scratch.
“She has quite an effect on the male sex,” Viktor said with a gleam in his eye. “Even I feel like rolling over for a tummy rub.”
“Beasts have always been a specialty of mine,” she said dryly.
Viktor leaned forward in his seat. “A wit as sharp as herbeauty, I see. I like her, Sergei,” he said, raising his glass with long feminine fingers. “I like her a lot.” He drained the remaining wine and handed the empty glass to
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