[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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short distance to the ball, but he d have to walk at normal human speed or risk someone noticing
him.
Unless he bounded down the dark alleyways and rooftops.
Blane smirked and ran toward the alley.
* * * *
Blane moved through the crowded entrance toward the ballroom. Christiana was in there.
He could smell that perfume she wore all the way out here. She must have put on more tonight.
Probably for that Vincenzo fucker.
Jonas stood just to the left of the door inside the ballroom. Where have you been?
Blane flipped Jonas the bird, and kept moving.
Don t you Jonas said before Elena caught him by the arm and pulled him into a
deep kiss.
Blane owed her one for that.
He went straight to the dance floor and watched the couples moving around in their old-
fashioned dances. They might be centuries old, but it didn t influence their dance styles one bit.
They all stuck to the old and familiar moves from their human years. In truth, it was probably
because they seemed to learn less and less as they aged. Maybe it was a resistance to change.
When a couple spun past, he caught that scent again. It was her, and she looked as good
as she smelled. She d done something different to her hair, pulled it up into a loose cascade of
blond curls. The dress pushed everything into the right places and hung off her shoulders in soft
curves. Her curves were covered in a soft blue fabric with beading that resembled flowers. She
looked like something out of a fairy tale.
He watched her twirl around the floor with a tall dark-haired man in a suit much like the
83
others. With a second look, he could see it was a vampiro, one of the entourage that
Maximilliano had brought with him. Knowing them, he was probably prospecting, trying to get a
feel of Christiana so he could be the first bidder on her once Maximilliano had her in his stables.
Over his fucking dead body.
Blane pushed through the crowd and waited for them to twirl his way before he grabbed
the man s shoulder. They lurched to a stop, and the man glared at him. What do you want? he
said in Italian.
Christiana sighed.
I m cutting in. Blane grabbed her hand. We need to talk.
The asshole actually glanced at her as if she had a choice. She nodded, giving him
permission to leave her. Pity, it would have been nice to work out a little aggression on him.
Blane led her from the dance floor and out into the hallway.
She jerked her arm, but he didn t let go. Blane.
At the first empty alcove, he pulled her into the deep shadow. He let her jerk her arm
from his grip, then pressed his hands on the wall to trap her in his arms. What do you think
you re doing?
Leave me alone. Christiana tried to duck below his arm.
He caught her and pushed her into the corner, trapping her close with his body. Don t
walk away from me.
This close her scent was overwhelming. Her face was beautiful with the dark eyes and
sparkling accents like tiny diamonds on her skin. She must have spent a long time getting ready
before she left. Why the extra effort, though?
It was just the f You were meeting him, weren t you?
84
She huffed and rolled her eyes.
You re not going back in there until I say so.
Her eyes cut back to him in an icy glare, then she watched his face before she answered,
Yes.
Why did you leave me at the hotel?
What do you care? I thought you were mad at me.
I was. I am. But that doesn t mean you can take off without a bodyguard.
I m fine. Everyone s here. No one s stupid enough to try to kill me with Khalil here.
Listen, Princess. He pressed in closer. As long as I am assigned to you, you re not
going anywhere without me. Got it? He hovered close to her mouth. She tilted her head to him,
but he didn t go in for the kiss. No matter how tempting her mouth was. Was that guy
Vincenzo?
Christiana pushed in, too. Maybe.
Their bodies were close. The feel of her hip pressed to his made his body react. Blane
took a small step back to hide his reaction.
Where are you going? I thought you were trying to intimidate me.
He pushed back into the wall, grinding his erection against her. Is that what you
wanted? he whispered.
Her lips parted, and she glanced down. When her eyes came back to his, the anger was
gone and that same pity she d had last night was there. Blane. I
Don t take off like that again. I will do whatever it takes to do my job. Even if it means
keeping you in your room for the rest of the Luna.
She straightened, then her lips went into a hard line. Is that all you wanted?
85
No. He wanted to shake her into understanding.
But he couldn t. She was a stubborn woman who would only learn the hard way. So he d
have to be patient. Yeah. You can go find your Romeo, but don t leave that room without me or
Khalil.
All right.
He took a small step back and waited for her to go back to the ballroom.
Christiana kept glancing at him, but didn t speak again. She also didn t move. Instead,
she just stared that infuriating stare she did when she was trying to figure him out. Within a
moment, the leech came back, asking to finish their dance, and she was gone.
Maybe he was Vincenzo. If he was, their Internet romance just took a much creepier turn.
One that meant that either Maximilliano s boy was going after her behind Max s back, or he and
Max were working as a team. Her bonding to Max was sure to be a disaster when one of his
cosca was trying so hard to seduce her. Either way, she was the one who was bound to get hurt.
* * * *
Christiana stood on the balcony just outside the ballroom. Her feet were aching in the
new heels. Stephan had pulled her through three dances in a row, and the only way to make him
stop was to beg him to get her a drink.
Here you are, bella. Stephan stood next to her holding a martini glass of red liquid
toward her. He smiled down at her and the expression made him even more handsome. Drink
fast. We have another dance presto.
Grazie. She took the glass and tipped it to her lips. The warm blood hit her mouth with
an energizing tingle and slid down her throat like the tea she d enjoyed as a human.
Stephan reached forward and put a large hand on the base of her glass. His gold family
86
crest on his ring sparkled in the moonlight. It was the same as Isabella s ring.
He tipped the glass up again, forcing her to down in one long series of gulps. It was a
little annoying, but if he was her Vincenzo, she could forgive his eagerness to spend time
together.
Once the last of it was down, he pulled the glass away and sat it on the railing. Follow
me, bella. We ll get one more dance in before I have to retire.
Christiana licked the last of the blood from her lips and let him pull her toward the
ballroom. They caught the group in the beginning of another dance. Thank the gods, it was a
basic modern waltz. Her feet couldn t handle much more.
Stephan pulled her close and led them through the steps. He came closer than the dance
required and whispered, I m glad I had the heart to talk to you tonight.
So, he was Vincenzo. At least, that was what he d said in the e-mail.
She looked up at him. I m glad that you did, too.
They finished a sharp turn and moved in a straight line again, but the room turned for a
second too long. Christiana blinked, but kept moving. Will you be here tomorrow night?
Sì.
The room shifted again, but kept moving this time. She gripped Stephan s shoulder to
stabilize herself.
Christiana? His voice sounded like he was in a tunnel.
She closed her eyes and stumbled as she tried to plant her feet.
Porca l oca! His hands grabbed her around the waist.
She could feel him pulling her through the crowd, but her eyes could only see in flashes
of images. Her head was too heavy and left side of her face felt like it was melting off.
87
Chapter Nine [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl ocenkijessi.opx.pl
82
short distance to the ball, but he d have to walk at normal human speed or risk someone noticing
him.
Unless he bounded down the dark alleyways and rooftops.
Blane smirked and ran toward the alley.
* * * *
Blane moved through the crowded entrance toward the ballroom. Christiana was in there.
He could smell that perfume she wore all the way out here. She must have put on more tonight.
Probably for that Vincenzo fucker.
Jonas stood just to the left of the door inside the ballroom. Where have you been?
Blane flipped Jonas the bird, and kept moving.
Don t you Jonas said before Elena caught him by the arm and pulled him into a
deep kiss.
Blane owed her one for that.
He went straight to the dance floor and watched the couples moving around in their old-
fashioned dances. They might be centuries old, but it didn t influence their dance styles one bit.
They all stuck to the old and familiar moves from their human years. In truth, it was probably
because they seemed to learn less and less as they aged. Maybe it was a resistance to change.
When a couple spun past, he caught that scent again. It was her, and she looked as good
as she smelled. She d done something different to her hair, pulled it up into a loose cascade of
blond curls. The dress pushed everything into the right places and hung off her shoulders in soft
curves. Her curves were covered in a soft blue fabric with beading that resembled flowers. She
looked like something out of a fairy tale.
He watched her twirl around the floor with a tall dark-haired man in a suit much like the
83
others. With a second look, he could see it was a vampiro, one of the entourage that
Maximilliano had brought with him. Knowing them, he was probably prospecting, trying to get a
feel of Christiana so he could be the first bidder on her once Maximilliano had her in his stables.
Over his fucking dead body.
Blane pushed through the crowd and waited for them to twirl his way before he grabbed
the man s shoulder. They lurched to a stop, and the man glared at him. What do you want? he
said in Italian.
Christiana sighed.
I m cutting in. Blane grabbed her hand. We need to talk.
The asshole actually glanced at her as if she had a choice. She nodded, giving him
permission to leave her. Pity, it would have been nice to work out a little aggression on him.
Blane led her from the dance floor and out into the hallway.
She jerked her arm, but he didn t let go. Blane.
At the first empty alcove, he pulled her into the deep shadow. He let her jerk her arm
from his grip, then pressed his hands on the wall to trap her in his arms. What do you think
you re doing?
Leave me alone. Christiana tried to duck below his arm.
He caught her and pushed her into the corner, trapping her close with his body. Don t
walk away from me.
This close her scent was overwhelming. Her face was beautiful with the dark eyes and
sparkling accents like tiny diamonds on her skin. She must have spent a long time getting ready
before she left. Why the extra effort, though?
It was just the f You were meeting him, weren t you?
84
She huffed and rolled her eyes.
You re not going back in there until I say so.
Her eyes cut back to him in an icy glare, then she watched his face before she answered,
Yes.
Why did you leave me at the hotel?
What do you care? I thought you were mad at me.
I was. I am. But that doesn t mean you can take off without a bodyguard.
I m fine. Everyone s here. No one s stupid enough to try to kill me with Khalil here.
Listen, Princess. He pressed in closer. As long as I am assigned to you, you re not
going anywhere without me. Got it? He hovered close to her mouth. She tilted her head to him,
but he didn t go in for the kiss. No matter how tempting her mouth was. Was that guy
Vincenzo?
Christiana pushed in, too. Maybe.
Their bodies were close. The feel of her hip pressed to his made his body react. Blane
took a small step back to hide his reaction.
Where are you going? I thought you were trying to intimidate me.
He pushed back into the wall, grinding his erection against her. Is that what you
wanted? he whispered.
Her lips parted, and she glanced down. When her eyes came back to his, the anger was
gone and that same pity she d had last night was there. Blane. I
Don t take off like that again. I will do whatever it takes to do my job. Even if it means
keeping you in your room for the rest of the Luna.
She straightened, then her lips went into a hard line. Is that all you wanted?
85
No. He wanted to shake her into understanding.
But he couldn t. She was a stubborn woman who would only learn the hard way. So he d
have to be patient. Yeah. You can go find your Romeo, but don t leave that room without me or
Khalil.
All right.
He took a small step back and waited for her to go back to the ballroom.
Christiana kept glancing at him, but didn t speak again. She also didn t move. Instead,
she just stared that infuriating stare she did when she was trying to figure him out. Within a
moment, the leech came back, asking to finish their dance, and she was gone.
Maybe he was Vincenzo. If he was, their Internet romance just took a much creepier turn.
One that meant that either Maximilliano s boy was going after her behind Max s back, or he and
Max were working as a team. Her bonding to Max was sure to be a disaster when one of his
cosca was trying so hard to seduce her. Either way, she was the one who was bound to get hurt.
* * * *
Christiana stood on the balcony just outside the ballroom. Her feet were aching in the
new heels. Stephan had pulled her through three dances in a row, and the only way to make him
stop was to beg him to get her a drink.
Here you are, bella. Stephan stood next to her holding a martini glass of red liquid
toward her. He smiled down at her and the expression made him even more handsome. Drink
fast. We have another dance presto.
Grazie. She took the glass and tipped it to her lips. The warm blood hit her mouth with
an energizing tingle and slid down her throat like the tea she d enjoyed as a human.
Stephan reached forward and put a large hand on the base of her glass. His gold family
86
crest on his ring sparkled in the moonlight. It was the same as Isabella s ring.
He tipped the glass up again, forcing her to down in one long series of gulps. It was a
little annoying, but if he was her Vincenzo, she could forgive his eagerness to spend time
together.
Once the last of it was down, he pulled the glass away and sat it on the railing. Follow
me, bella. We ll get one more dance in before I have to retire.
Christiana licked the last of the blood from her lips and let him pull her toward the
ballroom. They caught the group in the beginning of another dance. Thank the gods, it was a
basic modern waltz. Her feet couldn t handle much more.
Stephan pulled her close and led them through the steps. He came closer than the dance
required and whispered, I m glad I had the heart to talk to you tonight.
So, he was Vincenzo. At least, that was what he d said in the e-mail.
She looked up at him. I m glad that you did, too.
They finished a sharp turn and moved in a straight line again, but the room turned for a
second too long. Christiana blinked, but kept moving. Will you be here tomorrow night?
Sì.
The room shifted again, but kept moving this time. She gripped Stephan s shoulder to
stabilize herself.
Christiana? His voice sounded like he was in a tunnel.
She closed her eyes and stumbled as she tried to plant her feet.
Porca l oca! His hands grabbed her around the waist.
She could feel him pulling her through the crowd, but her eyes could only see in flashes
of images. Her head was too heavy and left side of her face felt like it was melting off.
87
Chapter Nine [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]