He shuddered with longing as she stroked her fingers through his hair.
“How long is a while?” he rasped, his eyes darkening with something other than pain.
“Oh…a century or so.”
He hissed in sharp surprise. “What?”
“Well, I’m very young, you know.”
“Anna, you’re making me crazy,” he growled. “Will you just tell me what happened?”
Not about to torment a dangerous vampire when he was so obviously suffering, Anna swiftly related her encounter with the Oracles, skimming over the attempts to browbeat her and emphasizing their grudging agreement that they wouldn’t interfere in her mating with Cezar.
Not that she needed to bother.
Cezar had spent two centuries bound to the ruthless Commission. Which explained his horrified expression by the time she was done.
“Dios.” She was once again hauled against his chest, his arms so tight she had to struggle to breathe. “Only you would dare to barter with the Commission. Do you know what they could have done to you?”
Anna smiled as she snuggled her face against his shoulder. This was it. What she’d waited her entire life to feel.
“Nothing that would be any worse than being forced to give you up,” she said, so softly only a vampire could hear her words. “They could threaten and bluster all they wanted, but there was no way in hell that I was giving in. We’re in this together or they can find a new Oracle.”
“Querida.” Turning his head, Cezar pressed his lips to the sensitive hollow behind her ear.
Anna allowed a low moan of pleasure to escape her parted lips. Her fingers tightened in the lush black hair in silent encouragement.
“Of course, I haven’t asked you yet how you feel about being stuck with an Oracle,” she said, struggling to concentrate on their unfinished conversation. A task that would be considerably easier if he wasn’t kissing a delicious path down the line of her jaw. “You could walk away and never have to deal with the Commission again. That’s got to be tempting after the way they treated you over the past few centuries.”
Pressing a rough, hungry kiss to her lips, Cezar pulled back to regard her with a burning gaze.
“I would live in the pits of hell if that was the only way I could be with you, Anna Randal. You are mine.”
She gave a tug on his hair. “Not exactly. At least not yet. You still have to make an honest woman of me.”
“Anna…”
She slapped her hand over his mouth. She knew that tone. It meant he was going to say something she didn’t like.
“No. If you tell me there’s still some mysterious destiny I’ve yet to fulfill I’ll pick up that sword you dropped and stick it through your heart.”
She felt his lips curve into a smile as he spoke against her palm. “That won’t kill me, you know.”
Dropping her hand she gave him the evil eye. “Maybe not, but it’ll hurt like a bitch.”
“There’s that.” His amusement faded as he ran a tender hand up the curve of her back. “I just want you to be certain, querida. There’s no going back once the ceremony is completed.”
Anna lifted herself to her toes, pressing her lips to his with all the love that flowed through her heart.
“Conde Cezar, there was no going back from the moment I followed you through that London townhouse and was hauled into the bedroom by a wickedly beautiful vampire,” she whispered against his lips.
A groan was wrenched from his throat. “Wickedly beautiful?”
“Absolutely.”
With one smooth motion Cezar had swept her off her feet and cradled her against his chest as he headed for the door. A sinful smile touched his lips as he held her gaze with a dark intensity.
“I like the wicked part.”
Anna looped her arms around his neck, her heart racing with the excitement this man would always inspire.
“I’m kind of fond of it myself.”
Epilogue
Two months later
The exclusive nightclub near Lake Michigan was filled to the rafters with a combination of vampires, demons, and at least one goddess enjoying a performance by the rare dew fairies, who fluttered on delicate wings in a complicated dance.
Viper’s newest establishment was a beautiful testament to refined elegance that catered to a more sophisticated clientele than many of his others. There were no open orgies, no blood battles, no public feedings. Instead there were elegantly attired guests who were seated at small tables and bathed in light from the massive chandeliers.
All very chichi.
Or at least it was all very chichi until Jagr stormed through the doors.
The mere sight of the vampire’s massive body covered in a leather duster that went down to his ankles, his pale blond hair tightly braided to reveal his stark, frigid expression, was enough to make several lesser demons hide beneath their tables. There were even a few vampires who swiftly moved to the darker shadows.
Jagr ignored them all.
He didn’t give a damn about the crowd who had forgotten about the dew fairies and instead watched his long-legged stride toward the back of the room. In truth, he didn’t give a damn about anything.
All he wanted was to be done with this obligation and return to the silence of his lair.
Damn Styx.
The ancient vampire had known that only a royal command could force him to enter a crowded nightclub. Jagr made no secret of his disdain for the companionship of others.
Which begged the question of why the Anasso would choose such a setting to meet.
In a mood foul enough to fill the vast club with an icy chill, Jagr ignored the two Ravens who stood on sentry duty near the back office, and lifting his hand allowed his power to blow the heavy oak door off its hinges.
The looming Ravens growled in warning, dropping their heavy capes, which hid the numerous swords, daggers, and guns attached to various parts of their bodies.
Jagr’s step never faltered. Styx wouldn’t let his pet vampires hurt an invited guest. At least not until he had what he needed from Jagr.
And even if Styx didn’t call off the dogs…well hell, he’d been waiting centuries to be taken out in battle. It was a warrior’s destiny.
There was a low murmur from inside the room and the two Ravens grudgingly allowed him to pass with nothing more painful than a heated glare.
Stepping over the shattered door, Jagr paused to cast a wary glance about the ice-blue and ivory room. As expected, Styx was consuming more than his fair share of space behind a heavy walnut desk, his bronzed features unreadable, with Viper standing at his shoulder.