turn off her brain now that she knew Tammi was in danger. “I’m not sure that I can sleep.”
“It’s about time you did something useful for once, and you need strength for that. Bathe. Eat. And sleep. In that order.”
She leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. “You’re quite bossy in Lilinor.”
He took a step closer, his pale eyes rooting her in place. He moved with that strange, preternatural grace that always caught her off guard—the same way she was caught off guard when he seemed to stare at her without blinking, or when he sometimes fell completely still, forgetting to wear his mask of humanity. “It’s in my nature to order people around, and it’s in my history. I’ve been leading an army here for centuries.” He shifted closer, and she could feel the heat coming off his body, warming her through her clothes. “You’re alive now because you serve a purpose to that army.”
“Is that the only reason I’m alive?”
He closed the distance between them, resting his hands on the wall, boxing her in. He smelled amazing, and Rosalind’s eyes lingered over his perfect skin. “Are you asking if I could find another use for you?” He let his gaze roam over her body, leaving her with the distinct impression that he could see right through the pink lacy bra she was wearing under her T-shirt. “Because I can think of at least one.” His words were cold, but his tone was pure velvet.
Suddenly, her clothes felt much too restrictive, and she wanted to pull them off. Is he distracting me with his seductive spell? She stared into his glacial eyes, reflexively running her tongue over her raspberry lip gloss.
He watched her lick her lips, his chest rising slowly in a deep breath, and his aura whispered over her skin like a breeze. He inched closer, his lips hovering just inches from hers. His leg slid between her thighs, and his eyes blazed with intensity.
She wanted to run her hands all over his perfect body, but she swallowed hard, forcing herself to focus. “I want to know the answer. Why do you and Ambrose want me here? How are Miranda and I supposed to protect the city?”
He pulled away from her slightly, staring at her for so long she thought he wasn’t going to answer. At last, he said, “Daywalkers. You, Miranda, and I are going to turn Ambrose’s army into vampires who can walk in the light.”
“And that’s how you plan to fight the Brotherhood.” She shook her head. There it is. The purpose I serve to him. “Is that even possible?”
“It’s been done once before, or so Ambrose tells me. King Cranaus of Athens, with three powerful mages. Just like us.”
His aura slid over her skin, distracting her. She was still fighting the urge to pull him close, to feel his body against hers. “If you didn’t need me for this daywalker spell, would you have come for me after the ker massacre?” Would you have pulled me from the house before it was bombed?
The air around them cooled. “I’m not going to engage in pointless hypothetical questions.”
Her fingers tightened. Who exactly are you, Caine Mountfort? “How about a factual question? What did Erish mean when she said you were the son of the shadow prince?”
He backed away, taking his delicious aura with him. “Unless you need help bathing, I’m going to be on my way.”
She exhaled slowly, watching him walk away. “I’ll manage fine, I think.”
Standing in the doorframe, he turned. “I’m sure I don’t need to explain to you what could happen if you leave this corridor.”
“Death by vampires.” She nodded. “I know.”
He closed the door behind him, and she pulled off her boots, then walked over to the fireplace. Thick, thorny hawthorn boughs hung over the hearth, blossoming with red berries and white flowers. She ran her fingers along the petals. Hawthorn blossoms. He must have told the servants I love them.
Her muscles burned, and she wanted out of these frigid clothes. Shivering, she tried not to
“It’s about time you did something useful for once, and you need strength for that. Bathe. Eat. And sleep. In that order.”
She leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. “You’re quite bossy in Lilinor.”
He took a step closer, his pale eyes rooting her in place. He moved with that strange, preternatural grace that always caught her off guard—the same way she was caught off guard when he seemed to stare at her without blinking, or when he sometimes fell completely still, forgetting to wear his mask of humanity. “It’s in my nature to order people around, and it’s in my history. I’ve been leading an army here for centuries.” He shifted closer, and she could feel the heat coming off his body, warming her through her clothes. “You’re alive now because you serve a purpose to that army.”
“Is that the only reason I’m alive?”
He closed the distance between them, resting his hands on the wall, boxing her in. He smelled amazing, and Rosalind’s eyes lingered over his perfect skin. “Are you asking if I could find another use for you?” He let his gaze roam over her body, leaving her with the distinct impression that he could see right through the pink lacy bra she was wearing under her T-shirt. “Because I can think of at least one.” His words were cold, but his tone was pure velvet.
Suddenly, her clothes felt much too restrictive, and she wanted to pull them off. Is he distracting me with his seductive spell? She stared into his glacial eyes, reflexively running her tongue over her raspberry lip gloss.
He watched her lick her lips, his chest rising slowly in a deep breath, and his aura whispered over her skin like a breeze. He inched closer, his lips hovering just inches from hers. His leg slid between her thighs, and his eyes blazed with intensity.
She wanted to run her hands all over his perfect body, but she swallowed hard, forcing herself to focus. “I want to know the answer. Why do you and Ambrose want me here? How are Miranda and I supposed to protect the city?”
He pulled away from her slightly, staring at her for so long she thought he wasn’t going to answer. At last, he said, “Daywalkers. You, Miranda, and I are going to turn Ambrose’s army into vampires who can walk in the light.”
“And that’s how you plan to fight the Brotherhood.” She shook her head. There it is. The purpose I serve to him. “Is that even possible?”
“It’s been done once before, or so Ambrose tells me. King Cranaus of Athens, with three powerful mages. Just like us.”
His aura slid over her skin, distracting her. She was still fighting the urge to pull him close, to feel his body against hers. “If you didn’t need me for this daywalker spell, would you have come for me after the ker massacre?” Would you have pulled me from the house before it was bombed?
The air around them cooled. “I’m not going to engage in pointless hypothetical questions.”
Her fingers tightened. Who exactly are you, Caine Mountfort? “How about a factual question? What did Erish mean when she said you were the son of the shadow prince?”
He backed away, taking his delicious aura with him. “Unless you need help bathing, I’m going to be on my way.”
She exhaled slowly, watching him walk away. “I’ll manage fine, I think.”
Standing in the doorframe, he turned. “I’m sure I don’t need to explain to you what could happen if you leave this corridor.”
“Death by vampires.” She nodded. “I know.”
He closed the door behind him, and she pulled off her boots, then walked over to the fireplace. Thick, thorny hawthorn boughs hung over the hearth, blossoming with red berries and white flowers. She ran her fingers along the petals. Hawthorn blossoms. He must have told the servants I love them.
Her muscles burned, and she wanted out of these frigid clothes. Shivering, she tried not to
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