Barely aware of what she did, Abby silently lifted the duvet to reveal the lean, muscular form. Although the jeans rather disappointingly remained, he had removed his silk shirt to reveal a chest that was just as lethally beautiful as she had imagined in her heated dreams. It was broad and smooth with enough chiseled muscles to satisfy the most demanding woman. Lordy, it virtually begged to be stroked.
And thankfully there were no odd bumps or scales that plagued other demons. Not even a tattoo marred the alabaster skin.
"Good morning, lover," a husky voice abruptly intruded into the silence.
Jerking her head up, Abby took in the slit of silver glittering beneath the heavy black lashes.
Well, this was embarrassing.
It was one thing to walk about with toilet paper stuck to her shoe. Or have lipstick on her teeth. Or even to destroy a priceless Ming vase.
But to be caught openly leering at a half-naked man while he slept…
It was downright lewd.
She abruptly dropped the duvet as if it might scorch her fingers.
"I… didn't realize that you were awake," she managed to croak.
"I may be dead, but not even I can sleep while a beautiful woman ogles me." His lips curved in a sardonic smile. "Tell me, sweet, what were you searching for? A horn and tail?"
The very fact that she had possessed a furtive need to assure herself he didn't have any peculiar oddities made her instantly defensive.
"No, of course not."
"Ah, then you were planning to take advantage of me while I slept, eh? Twisted, but I like it."
"No… I…" She wrinkled her nose, accepting that she had been well and truly caught. "What was left but to admit the truth? "I suppose I was curious. You seem so… normal."
He stiffened at her reluctant confession. "You mean human?"
'Yes."
"Are you disappointed or relieved?"
She gave a faint shrug. "After Halford and the hellhounds, I'll have to admit to some relief."
Without warning, she discovered herself rolled onto her back with Dante looming above her, his hands planted on either side of her head.
"Perhaps I don't possess three eyes or have acid dripping from my fangs," he said, his beautiful features unexpectedly somber, "but you should never make the mistake of pretending that I'm human. I am a vampire, Abby, not a man."
Her heart stuttered as she stared at the dangerous warrior poised above her. Suddenly he did appear far from human. He was coiled, elegant death that held her life in his hands.
"What are you saying?" she whispered. "That I can't trust you?"
The raven brows snapped together. "Of course you can trust me. I will die before I ever allow anything to harm you."
"Then what?"
"I just don't want you to try and pretend that I'm something that I'm not." His metallic gaze pierced deep into her eyes. "It will only prove painful to both of us."
Pretend that he was not a vampire? Holy hell, what was he babbling about? She might pretend that eating a hot fudge sundae was a balanced meal as long as it had peanuts and whipped cream on top. Or that Johnny Depp was her true soul mate if only he would take the time to get to know her.
But the fact that this man was not a vampire?
Ha.
Oddly, however, as she opened her mouth to inform him that he was off his rocker, she abruptly hesitated.
Rats. Could she honestly say that she hadn't at times during the past few hours attempted to forget the truth of Dante? Times such as during his tender seduction in the bathtub? And when she had clung to him in the dark as if he were her guardian angel?
It was certainly her stock and trade to ignore what she didn't want to see.
Lowering her lashes, she battled a ridiculous urge to blush. "We should be getting up."
"Abby, please don't shut me out," he said, his voice softening to a dark, pleasant rasp that feathered down her spine. "I didn't mean to frighten you. It's just…"
Against her will, her eyes lifted to clash with his silver gaze. "Just what?"
"I want you to know me for who and what I am, not as some sugar-and-spice image of what you wish I could be."
"I saw you fight that demon, Dante. I know what you are."
Surprisingly he grimaced in the dusky shadows. "No, you don't, but you will before all this is said and done. And that's what I fear."
Suddenly Abby understood. This was about more than just her uncertain opinion of vampires. It was about faith. Trust. In him.
"We both know I would already be dead if you were a human. I'd be a hypocrite to wish you to be anything but what you are," she admitted, a reluctant smile touching her lips. "Besides, my record with men of the human species doesn't precisely make me anxious to be saddled with one for an eternity."
His features thankfully softened at her rueful confession. "No knights in shining armor?"
"Knights? More like mooks."
"Mooks?"
"Well, my last boyfriend dumped me for our mailman, and I do mean mailman, and the one before him stuck around just long enough to steal my ATM code so he could clear out my savings account."
"Worthless vermin." He narrowed Ms gaze.
"Unbelievably they were an improvement to my first boyfriend, who thought the best way to end an argument was with his fists."
There was a stark silence as he studied her face. "He hit you?"
"Only once. I at least learn from my stupidity."
"Do you want me to kill him?"
Abby blinked, not at all certain he was teasing. "Ah… well… a tempting offer, of course, but I suppose I should pass."
He shrugged. "It's an open-ended offer if you change your mind."
"Actually, I prefer to simply forget they ever existed," she assured him.
"A solution of sorts." His gaze swept down to the fullness of her lips before lifting. "But do you think it wise?"
Abby frowned. Surely to God she was not about to receive dating advice from a half-naked vampire who just happened to be perched on top of her?
A deliriously sexy half-naked vampire.
"I would say it's at least wiser than having them eaten," she forced herself to mutter.
"I only wonder if you truly have learned from your mistakes," he said.
"I've learned that I have rotten judgment when it comes to men."
"Or you seek out those who are destined to disappoint you so that you needn't worry about an emotional attachment."
"Oh God, please don't turn Dr. Phil on me," she grumped, not at all in the mood to consider he might be right. "The last thing I need is to be psychoanalyzed by a vampire."