Forbidden Blood: A House of Comarre Novella by Kristen Painter (the unexpected everything TXT) 📗

Hestopped moving when her hand alighted on his arm. Her burnt-sugarscent rolled over him, making his body tighten and his gums ache. Shetipped her head toward him. “You’re putting yourself indanger for me.”

Thesoftness of her voice combined with the warmth of her touch and hisgrowing hunger made it impossible for him to think.

“Si.No. I mean…” He pulled away from her, his face shiftingfrom human to vampire. “You have me at a disadvantage.”

“BecauseI ruined your dinner. Should I get Catarina?”

“No.”He turned abruptly.

Marissamade a derogatory sound. “You need blood. That’s her job.If she’s not doing it, you can return her to her house and pickanother.”

“Ididn’t buy her blood rights. I inherited them.” He wasglad for the distraction. “Her former patron was one of myclients.”

“Onethat you killed?”

“OneI assisted in ending his life. He included her blood rights as partof our contract.” He sighed, remembering the transaction.

He’dthought it such a good idea at the time. “Things were finebetween us at first, but when she realized that I was not going todote on her like her previous patron, showering her with gifts andtaking her on every trip, she soured toward me.”

Marissapursed her mouth. “You don’t venture out much, I takeit?”

“Nomore than I need to. And now that my reputation has grown, I go outvery little. I prefer my clients come to me. Saves me time.”

Shelifted her hands and looked around. “You prefer this space tothe ballrooms of the nobility?”

Heraised his head. “I do. Does that make me boring?”

Shesmirked. “Maybe. But I don’t care for them much myself,either.” She nodded at the array of tools before him. “Doyou want me to leave you alone now?”

“No.I need you here, at least for a little while.” He tapped one ofthe syringes. “I need a sample of your blood.” He clearedthe notebooks off the top of a nearby stool and pulled it closer tothe bench. “Please, sit.”

Shedid, rolling back the sleeve of her white tunic and exposing her arm.The overhead lighting set her signum on fire.

Hestared, transfixed. “Forgive me. I’ve never seen signumthis closely before. They are beautiful, aren’t they?” Hecradled her arm in his hands, turning her slightly to see the marksbetter and savoring the heat spilling off her delicate flesh. Everyinch of her was a revelation. “Is there meaning behind them?”

“Youask questions I cannot answer.” She leaned closer, enough thather warmth radiated over him. “Would you tell me how to makeyour potions?”

Helooked up from the gilding and met her elfin gaze directly.

Wasthere anything he wouldn’t tell her if she asked the rightquestions? Each moment with her drew him deeper under her spell“Which one would you like to learn first?”

Shesmiled slightly. “I still cannot answer you.” She rolledher arm in his hands, exposing her naked wrist.

Nota single signum marked the skin there, leaving the pale expanse as ithad been the day she was born. He stroked his finger over the spotand instantly felt as though he’d touched a part of her he hadno right to. “This is…”

Shefinished what he could not. “Where Arnaud bites me.

Yes.”

Unfoundedjealousy sprang up in Dominic. He had no license to such feelings andyet they swelled within him like wind filing a sail.

“Doesthat bother you?” she asked. “Thinking of Arnaud doingthat to me?”

Morethan he cared to admit. Not that he would. He broke contact andpicked up a syringe. “It doesn’t matter to me one way orthe other. That is his business with you and certainly none of mine.”

“Thenwhy did your eyes go silver?” She fiddled with a nearby pestleand mortar, rolling the pestle back and forth. “A vampire’seyes turn when they feel emotion. I’ve never known one whocould control it.”

Thiswas not a conversation that would do either of them any good. He heldup a length of rubber tubing. “I need your blood.”

Shestretched out her arm, watching him so intently he wanted to ask herto stop. Instead, he tied off her arm and waited for the veins torise. It didn’t take long. He took up the syringe. “You’llfeel a pinch.”

“I’vefelt worse.”

Heslid the needle in. Blood spilled into the syringe’s chamber,unctuous and deep red. The imagined taste of it caused his fangs topunch through his gums. He had to feed soon or he was going to losecontrol around her. He stuck a bit of cotton wool on the site andslid the needle out.

“Ibarely felt that. You’re very gentle.” She bent her arm,keeping the cotton in place. “What now?”

Hisbrain was so muddled by her blood scent he didn’t know if shewas deliberately provoking him or not. He chose not to look at her.“Now I see how your blood reacts with one of my existingpotions. If all goes well, I’ll inject you with it.”

“Andthen?”

“Thenwe see if it works.”

Sheslipped off the stool and stood very close to him. “How willyou know?”

Slightlyfrustrated by all her questions, he growled softly. “If yourblood makes me impervious to sunlight.”

Shestared at him, completely unfazed by his snarling. An easy, wickedsmile bent her mouth. “So tomorrow morning, then?”

“Yes.”What was she playing at? Confound it, he felt like he was missingsomething.

“I’llsee you then. I’ll be in my room if you need me.” Smile“I’ll see you then. I’ll be in my room if you needme.” Smile still firmly in place, she turned and left.

Themoment the door shut behind her, the laboratory stopped closing inaround him, but the air remained redolent with her. He collapsed ontothe stool and let his lids drop. Breathing wasn’t necessary toknow the sweetness of her scent or imagine how she would taste.

Hislids shot open. How she would taste. Is that why she’d been coyand smiling? Tomorrow, when he tested the serum on her, did sheexpect him to bite her?

Mammamia, she must. In fact, she’d acted like she was lookingforward to it.

Chapter Six

Marissasmiled all the way back to her room. Dominic may not have come upwith a plan, but she had. And it didn’t involve becomingArnaud’s personal UV protection. Not since she’d metDominic. He was everything Arnaud was not, including a gentleman, aword she’d never used in conjunction with a vampire before.

Shediscarded the cotton