This was not the charmingly wicked bad boy.
This was an exquisite fallen angel who held himself aloof from the world about him.
Slowly rising to her feet, she discovered herself nervously licking her lips as he strolled nonchalantly forward. His midnight gaze swept over her with unnerving intensity. It was not until he was a mere step from her that he came to a halt.
"Ah, Abby is it not?"
The dark voice flowed like warm honey over her. A voice as lethally fascinating as the rest of him. 'Yikes. He fell under the category of dangerous with a capital D.
Still, Dante wouldn't have left her here if he didn't believe she was in safe hands. She might not know much about her savior vampire, but she did know he wouldn't deliberately hand her over as dinner to one of his pals.
Would he?
"Yes, and you, I presume, are Viper?" she forced herself to murmur in polite tones.
"Very astute." The dark eyes swept over her slender features and tumble of honey curls. "And lovely."
Lovely? A faint frown touched her brow. Was he blind? Or was he indeed up to something nefarious? She had never been more than passably average. And that was when she wasn't covered in muck and reeking of back alleys.
"Thank you… I think."
His lips curled into a smooth smile. "You needn't regard me with such distrust. I never feed upon my guests. It is rather bad for business."
Well, that was a relief. She cleared her dry throat. "And what is your business?"
"I am a procurer of pleasure," he said simply.
She choked, her eyes widening at the unexpected words. 'You're a pimp?"
His soft laugh reminded her forcibly of Dante as he tilted his head to one side. "Nothing so mundane," he purred in low tones. "I offer… ah no, Dante would not thank me for exposing you to such sordid tales. He is astonishingly protective of you." Without warning, he reached up to lightly brush her cheek. "And it is little wonder."
She stiffened in unease. "What?"
"Such purity." His gaze drifted over her tense form before returning to linger upon her pale features. "A golden beacon to the dark."
First lovely and now pure? The poor, incredibly beautiful vampire really must be off his rocker.
Not a very comforting thought.
"I'm afraid you must have me confused with someone else," she said in slow, easy-to-follow tones.
His lips twitched as if realizing that she feared him mental. "I do not speak of chastity." He gave an elegant wave of his hand. "Such a tedious mortal obsession. Or even of the spirit that you now carry within you. I speak of your soul, Abby. You have known tragedy and even despair, but you remain untainted."
She took a careful step back, desperately wishing that Dante would return. There was something very unnerving about this Viper.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Evil, lust, greed—the darker passions that so easily tempt mortals."
"Well, I suppose everyone is tempted."
'Yes, and so few resist." He closed the small distance between them, Ms fingers once again tracing the line of her cheek. "Such innocence is bound to be an irresistible attraction for those who walk in the night. Wickedness always seeks redemption, even as the shadows seek the light"
Abby's brain was beginning to ache in an attempt to follow the obscure revelations. Holy crap, she thought Dante spoke in riddles.
"Ah… right," she muttered, taking yet another step back in their peculiar dance. "Where is Dante?"
Viper offered a shrug. "He did not give me his full itinerary, but I do know he has gone in search of breakfast."
Her stomach gave a sudden growl of relief. She couldn't even remember her last meal. Which meant it was far too long ago.
"Thank God, I'm starving. I hope he brings…" The delicious images of pancakes and eggs and bacon were suddenly tarnished by the thought of what Dante would be having for Ms predawn meal. "Ew."
Viper lifted a golden brow at her unmistakable shudder.
"Do not worry, lovely Abby. He is not on the hunt." Moving with mesmerizing grace, Viper flicked open a hidden panel in the wall to reveal a small refrigerator filled with dark bottles. "This is the home of a vampire. I always possess an ample supply of synthetic blood. The breakfast is for you."
Ridiculously relieved to know that Dante wasn't out sucking the life from hapless pedestrians, she heaved a deep sigh.
"Oh, that's good."
Closing the panel, the vampire smiled in a mysterious manner as he once again returned to stand before her.
'You do not know, do you?"
Her brows snapped together. "Know what?"
"Since Dante was captured by the witches, he has been incapable of taking blood from a human. It is an element of the spell that binds him to the Phoenix."
"Oh, I… see."
"No, I don't believe you see at all," he murmured softly. "The suffering that Dante has endured for the past three hundred years has been immeasurable. He has been leashed and imprisoned by those who have no compassion, no ability to see him as anything more than a monster."
Abby stilled. Dear heavens. She had been so consumed with her own fears that she had never taken even a moment to consider what Dante must have endured all those endless years. He had been a prisoner, chained for eternity to Selena. God, it was a wonder he hadn't dumped her whining butt in the nearest gutter and left her as demon food.
"He's not a monster," she retorted in sharp tones.
'You have no need to convince me, my dear." He peered deep into her eyes. "I can only hope that you will understand his suffering and do what is possible to ease his burdens."
"Me?"
'You now possess the power."
She blinked, giving a faint shake of her head. "And I thought Dante was cryptic. No offense, but vampires are strange creatures. Not as strange as that Halford or hellhounds, but definitely strange."
He gave a soft chuckle as he reached out to touch her curls. "We are ancient beings. We have seen the birth and fall of nations. Witnessed endless wars, famines, and natural disasters. Surely we are allowed a few eccentricities?"
And what did she say to that?
"Or at least a Purple Heart."
The midnight eyes momentarily filled with something that might have been amusement. 'There are also visions of joy, pleasure, and unexpected beauty. Beauty such as yours."
"Exquisite taste as always, Viper," a velvet voice drawled from the doorway.