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  Thankfully for him, vampires were able to ingest food as well as blood. In fact, Marcus found most human foods delectable. He especially enjoyed indulging in sugary sweets and many alcoholic drinks. It was one of the few human customs he still regularly partook of even after two hundred and fifty years of existence as a vampire. It helped him assimilate with his human friends.

  While Marcus poured the dark red wine into two glasses, discreetly adding blood to his, Christina settled onto the couch. The Alpha sauntered across the room to join her, a wineglass in each hand.

  After handing one of the glasses to Christina, he lifted his in her direction. “Here’s to…” he hesitated, his mind going blank as he watched her tongue dart out to lick her red lips. The sight hardened his most masculine part, and his heart race with desire.

  Christina saved him by raising her glass in a toast. “Here’s to thanking the man who saved my life.”

  They clinked goblets. His gaze tracked her lips as they closed around the rim of the delicate crystal, then lowered to follow the fluid movement of her throat when she swallowed. His hand tightened around the stem of his glass.

  “Here’s to what I hope will be a beautiful evening with an even more beautiful woman.” He loved the way her cheeks blushed at his compliment. He smiled into his glass.

  By the third bottle of wine, Marcus knew much about Christina. The more she consumed, the freer the information about her flowed. He now knew she was, for all intents and purposes, an orphan. She was off from work for the next seven weeks, thanks to her current employer letting her go when she’d given them notice about taking a new job. She lived alone and planned on moving to Atlanta to start her new job at St. Joseph’s Hospital. And, oh yeah, she was a virgin. That last bit of information had been especially revealing. Apparently, she was saving herself for marriage.

  “You know, I think I’ve been talking about myself all evening.” Christina’s Southern accent slurred. “Tell me more about you.”

  Looking down into the glass of red he’d been nursing, Marcus replied, “There’s not much to tell, really. I’m just your typical male who goes around rescuing damsels in distress.” Marcus flashed his best smile, careful not to expose the tips of his fangs. The longer she remained in his presence, the more his baser instincts pushed their way to the surface. He struggled to rein in the biological need to claim his heartmate.

  He wanted to taste more of her blood. No, he more than wanted it, he craved it, needed it desperately. His hunger rose, even though his appetite should have been sated by the blood he’d consumed with his wine. Marcus realized the hunger wasn’t for sustenance but a hunger for his mate. His body recognized Christina as his, and it wanted her body and blood.

  “I know you speak French and English. Do you speak any other languages?”

  “I actually speak Italian, too. Italian is my first language.”

  “You were born in Italy?”

  “Yes, I grew up there.” Marcus grabbed the nearly empty wine bottle. “May I top off your glass?”

  Christina leaned slightly across his lap while holding the stemware under the bottle. As he poured the last drop of wine into her glass, she swayed. Marcus quickly set down the bottle and pulled her back against him with his free arm to steady her, tucking her against his side. Where Christina leaned into him, her warmth seeped into his skin.

  The sigh escaping through her parted lips made him push into her mind to glean her thoughts. The combination of the wine and his warmth had a tranquil effect on her. Her eyes closed, and she yawned, placing her hand over her mouth. Her head felt heavy, too much for her neck to support.

  She lowered her head onto Marcus’ chest over his heart, sending a tingling sensation throughout his body. Marcus sensed her exhaustion, and the Alpha’s protective instincts flared to life. He wanted to provide for her, take care of her. She struggled to keep her eyes open, and he could do no other than provide what she needed.

  He lowered his head and whispered against the top of her head, “You’re so tired, Christina. Sleep now, my dear. Sleep and don’t awake until I command it.”

  He punctuated his directive with a gentle mental push, assuring she would stay asleep until he awakened her. After he slipped from the couch and located her purse, he pulled her driver's license from her wallet to obtain her address.

  A smile tugged at his cheeks when he turned back and looked down on Christina’s pretty face while he tucked the wallet back in the pocketbook. He plucked his car keys from his pants.

  “Let’s get you home and into bed, Red,” the Alpha whispered. A wicked smile took his face.

  Chapter 7

  After opening the car door, Marcus kissed the top of Christina’s head and scooped her into his arms. Her head lolled back against his shoulder. Looking down at her peaceful expression, Marcus felt his heart clench. Never had he seen anything more beautiful than the sight of her lying in his arms. The most beautiful woman in the world and she would be his.

  He climbed the stairs two at a time to the second floor. He easily found the door number that matched her license and opened the door with his mind. Marcus carried Christina into her home. Another mental command shut the door, sealing them into darkness. With his preternatural vision, Marcus had no trouble seeing.

  He stood in Christina’s tiny one-bedroom apartment. The place looked spotless, white-glove-inspection ready. He expected no less from Christina; even injured, she had seemed organized, her car neat inside.

  His long gait quickly ate away at the length of the hallway until he came to a bedroom at the end. Toeing the door open, he carried Christina into the room. A soft glow from the streetlight below illuminated the room. Using his mind to turn down the pink, ruffled bedspread, Marcus laid his heartmate gently onto the soft cotton sheets. He gazed down at her as he ran the back of his hand over her cheek. She nestled instinctually into the touch, turning her face slightly toward him.

  “You are so beautiful,” he whispered.

  Marcus removed her shoes then lifted her legs and tucked them under the sheets. He brought the comforter up under her chin, swaddling her before he bent down to brush a soft kiss on her forehead and whispered, “Sleep well, my heartmate, until morning.”

  Marcus pushed into her mind to reaffirm the compulsion would wear off by dawn, which was just enough time for him to examine the apartment and get to know his heartmate a little better.

  His eyes traveled to the nightstand. On it sat an alarm clock and a small lamp that partially hid a book from his view. He reached for the paperback, noting the title with a raised eyebrow before flipping it over. It was about vampires. “A stunning story about a woman and the dark lover who will go through the fires of hell to save her,” said the quote on the back of the book.

  His eyes continued their journey about the room, absorbing every nuance. A flower print hung on the wall across from her bed, but he noticed no other pictures in the room, save for the framed photo of Christina and an older man with their arms around each other. Marcus presumed the man in the picture must be the father she’d spoken of.

  His survey of the room garnered him more information about Christina, but his appetite for knowledge about his heartmate wasn’t sated. He made his way to her closet to see if his hunger might be appeased. Opening the door, he found it much bigger than he expected, given the size of the apartment. The large walk-in closet, lined with wooden slats, held an aromatic scent of pine. Against one wall stood a wooden bookcase with five shelves. Marcus ran his eyes over the pictures on the spines of the books. Christina has a collection of romance novels. That little minx.

  A quirky smile pulled at one corner of his mouth upon the discovery. He carefully examined the books, reading each title. Every last one of them happened to be about vampire lovers. Unbelievable! He pulled one of the stories from its resting place and turned it over to see the cover. No freakin way! He replaced the book. What is the chance I’d find a kinky, vampire-loving human?

  He stifled a de
ep belly laugh and made his way back to the living room. This time he allowed himself the luxury of taking in the surroundings.

  Upon the walls hung more framed prints of flowers. In the living room sat all the basic necessities—a couch, a wooden coffee table, a television.

  And her upright piano. Well, hello there. Another piece of the Christina puzzle. She must play piano. Or maybe someone simply gave her the thing. Marcus made a mental note to discover all her hidden talents as he ran a finger up the keys.

  What have we here? Fingering her collection of DVDs, he noticed a pattern. Every third or fourth title was about vampires.

  We are meant to be, he thought, flicking through the cases.

  He walked through the living room and reached for the door. The thought he needed to lock the door behind him stilled his hand on the knob and made him stop. A simple thing really—locking the door—hardly worth thinking about. But when he realized the deadbolt was her only protection, he found himself wishing she had an alarm system for added security. Luckily, soon enough she’d be living with him at the plantation, if all went according to plan.

  And didn’t that just bring a whole new round of wishing to his brain. The plantation wasn’t overly secure, either. It had special shutters on timers and every day, minutes before dawn, they automatically closed, sealing off the rooms from the sun’s rays. When closed, the shutters encased every window on the home, but they would not be enough protection, not once Christina came to live with him.

  For the first time, something in his home would be irreplaceable to him.

  His heartmate.

  Marcus stepped out of the apartment, then closed and locked the door with a thought. At the top of the stairs, he paused, sparing a moment to glance over his shoulder. He nodded in satisfaction, knowing the apartment was locked up tight. On his trek to the car, he made a mental note to ask Payton to arrange for an alarm system to be installed at the plantation immediately. The Alpha just hoped, given the evil that surrounded him, it would be enough to keep her safe, for he already loved her and knew he’d never live without her.

  Upon arriving back at the estate, Marcus leaned against the front door and scrubbed a hand down his face. His willpower teetered.

  He longed to taste her sweet blood again. His body craved it like a smoker yearned for a cigarette. Marcus wasn’t sure he would be able to stop once he started to drink. Maybe if he drank other blood first, maybe if he could sate his physical hunger, he might be able to control himself when he took her vein. Until then, he wouldn’t risk it. The draw of her blood might be too strong.

  Calling on all the willpower he had carefully honed over the years, the vampire pushed away from the door. He needed a distraction, and the sound of Payton milling around the kitchen gave him just that.

  Marcus made his way into the kitchen. The room had been remodeled to accommodate modern appliances, most of which were disguised as cabinets. The ovens, dishwasher, and refrigerator all had faux doors which blended seamlessly with the white wooden cabinets hanging on three walls of the room. The only appliance easily identifiable was the stove top.

  “Where is the blood? I’m starving.” Marcus opened the refrigerator for a look.

  “I’m sorry, sir, it would seem you finished it last night, and we are out. I will get you some from your supplier tomorrow.” Payton placed some fruit on the table.

  “Dammit, I really needed some.” Marcus slammed the door shut with more force than he intended, causing the items in the fridge to shake. Vampires were able to go days without blood, if needed, and he could wait, but he wasn’t sure he should be around Christina while the hunger took him. The way her blood called to him, it would be difficult to resist her.

  In the middle of the kitchen stood a granite island, on one side a second sink and cutting station beckoned to the chef, while on the other side a bar called to eaters to come and sit a spell. Above the island, copper pots hung, ready for use, which Marcus tapped, sending the pans clanging into one another before he sat at the island.

  “Payton, what are your plans for today?”

  “Nothing in particular, sir.”

  “I need you to add something to your list.”

  “Certainly.” Payton began to clean the counter, as if they needed it.

  “I need you to hire a contractor to install an alarm system. I want a security system installed ASAP—like today. I want it to have all the bells and whistles, motion detectors, emergency locks—the works.”

  “Of course, sir. I’ll make it my priority. May I ask why the sudden need for such a system? Is there a threat I need to be aware of?”

  “No, there’s no threat, but there is something I wish to protect.”

  “Should I have a safe built too?”

  Marcus considered the question. The only thing in this house he wanted protected was his mate. Quite frankly, he believed a pedestal to be more appropriate of a place for her than a safe. “No safe, but a panic room might be a good idea. You can’t be too careful, you know.”

  The older man raised a questioning gray brow. “Now I’m really curious. If I may ask, what exactly are you protecting?”

  “Payton, my friend, I have found her. I found my heartmate. “

  Payton smiled amicably, looking genuinely happy. “Congratulations! When will I get to meet her?”

  “Hmmmmmm.” Marcus pondered the question. “Well, considering I left a note at her place about her car being parked in front of the house, I’m guessing she will come by later today to pick it up.”

  “Will she be staying for a meal?”

  “We’ll invite her for dinner and dessert.” Marcus wagged his brows. “And if I’m very lucky, maybe breakfast tomorrow.”

  Marcus watched a curious look cross Payton’s wrinkled face. Unable to stop himself, he pushed into the butler’s mind to discover what troubled the man. Marcus struggled to keep the smile from his face when he found the man worried about whether or not Marcus had honorable intentions toward the woman. Payton's old-fashioned notions were one of the things the Alpha enjoyed about the man.

  “I’m heading down to my quarters to get some shuteye. Please work on that security system for me, will you? I’d like it in place as soon as possible.”

  “Of course, sir.”

  After a congratulatory handshake, Marcus left his companion and walked downstairs to his suite. The master bedroom occupied what used to be the basement. He had it specially renovated when he’d bought the house. The door to the suite opened into a spacious sitting room. Two fireplaces in the room stood proudly, located on opposite walls. In front of one fireplace, a pair of leather chairs flanked a small round table which held a chess set. Across the room a dark blue couch, with a table nestling its back, welcomed a sit. As he made his way through the sitting room, he paused to admire the original Peter Paul Rubens painting on the wall, appreciating the art with new eyes. He wondered if Christina would like it. Hoping she would, he opened the oversized cherry door to his sleeping chamber, feeling light of heart with happiness.

  In his room, his four-poster, California king bed, adorned with black silk sheets and a matching comforter, was the focal point of the room. The cherry wood bedroom set included a wardrobe, long dresser with ten drawers, and two end tables that sandwiched the bed. At the end of the bed sat a couch with a marble coffee table, perfect for resting one’s legs on. Two columns stretched from floor to ceiling supporting an ornamental arch. A seventy-inch flat-screen TV in a cherry media armoire completed the set.

  Marcus crawled into bed exhausted from a lack of sleep the past two nights. As the lethargy of the day crept upon him, he thought of his heartmate. Excitement to see her again welled in his chest, and he welcomed the sleep that would take him to Christina in his dreams.

  Chapter 8

  Reality came to Christina slowly as she fought her way through the induced sleepy haze. She remembered the wine, remembered feeling tipsy, but she didn’t remember anything else. Panic made her skin tingle.
Christina clutched the sheets to her neck while her eyes swept the room, and she was much relieved to discover she lay in her own bed.

  “How did I get here?” she wondered aloud.

  She didn’t have to wait long for an answer. She reached for the folded paper with the words read me on the top. Christina rubbed the last of the sleep from her eyes and read.

  Dear Red,

  You passed out on me tonight. Hope you didn’t find me that boring. *wink* I brought you home and tucked you into bed.

  Christina’s cheeks flushed with heat. She lifted the sheets and peered beneath. Relief flooded her when she realized her clothes from the previous night were still on her body. Her eyes darted back to the note.

  Don’t worry, I was a perfect gentleman…this time. But no promises for next time.

  Marcus’ face formed in her mind’s eye, and her heart beat in rapid succession. The grin on his sensual lips stretched to his eyes—eyes that sparkled with an unnamed emotion. Possession. Lust. Hunger? Another blush heated her cheeks.

  Speaking of the next time, I’d like to see you again.

  Your car remains parked in front of my estate. Should you be so inclined, I wish you’d drop in to say hello when you come to pick it up. Or you could simply call me, and I’ll come to get you tonight. Either way, I hope we are together again soon.

  Did she want to see him again? Yes! Christina felt oddly unsettled, as if her body craved something she couldn’t quite explain. She normally enjoyed the peace of a moment alone; tonight she wanted nothing more than to be with someone.

  “Not someone. Marcus,” she murmured aloud as she glanced down at the phone number and address written at the bottom of the paper.

  She clutched the paper to her chest and glanced out the window, shocked to discover it was almost sunset. She’d slept the day away!

  “Must have had more to drink than I thought.” She smacked her lips in a desperate attempt to rid herself of the bad taste in her mouth.