Dark Gold (12 page)

"A rather odious friend of yours tracked you down here and demanded to see you. Aside from upsetting my staff, he did not get very far, he did return some property of yours. You are aware, of course, that both your friend Henry and little Joshua instinctively disapproved of this childish game maker. In fact, Josh has secret plans to make money so you do not have to sell your art to such a man." Aidan reached behind his head to secure the thick mane of hair at the nape of his neck. "He has a smile reminiscent of a shark, do you not agree?"

Alexandria was held spellbound by Aidan's simple act of securing his hair, finding the way he moved incredibly sexy. She shook her head, angry that such a ridiculous thought should even occur to her. "Are you talking about Thomas Ivan? Because if you are, show some respect. The man is brilliant at what he does. He actually came by here looking for me?"

She grabbed on to that notion. It was human and normal in a world gone mad. Thomas Ivan was someone she could relate to. Someone who had things in common with her. She ignored the fact that Thomas Ivan's smile
was
exactly like a shark's toothy grin. She ignored the fact that this creature in front of her was the most purely masculine man she had ever seen and that
his
smile alone held a fascination for her.

"The man's story lines are idiotic drivel. He does not know the first thing about vampires." There was contempt in Aidan's voice, yet it still held such a purity of tone, she found herself leaning toward him and had to pull herself up sharply.

"No one knows anything about vampires," she corrected firmly, "because they don't exist. They can't. And his work isn't drivel. His games are brilliant."

"I had not heard that about vampires not existing," Aidan responded with a mocking grin. "I wish I had known earlier. It might have saved me a great deal of trouble over the centuries. As for Ivan, I fear I must agree with Joshua. The man is a pompous ass. In any case, he returned your briefcase, and I told him you would get in touch with him when your doctor says it is all right to do so."

"I don't have a doctor."

Aidan's white teeth flashed, and his golden eyes gleamed with wicked amusement. "I am your doctor. I am your healer."

She could not meet that heated gaze. His amusement was as sexy as his sculpted mouth. "I think I'm getting the picture. So, what else has my little brother been told?" She glanced about the room. "Aren't there any shirts of mine around here?" She lifted the tails of his elegant silk evening shirt. "Some that don't reach my knees?"

He cleared his throat. He liked her wrapped in his shirt, surrounded by him. "Well, actually, as Joshua knows, that is one of your annoying habits. You like to run around in my shirts. You think they are much more comfortable than your own clothes."

Alexandria regarded him with wide blue eyes. "Oh, I do, do I? I take it you grumble about it."

"Often, to Josh. We laugh together about the idiosyncrasies of women. He thinks you look cute in my shirts."

"And what would give a little boy an idea like that?"

He looked unrepentant. "I might have mentioned it a time or two."

His golden eyes slid over her body, making her aware of her bare skin beneath his shirt, of every curve of her body, of the fact that they were completely alone in some secret chamber of his home.

"It is true, after all. You do look cute in my shirt."

"Why do Joshua and I have to stay here?" She was going to keep this conversation on track and away from these frighteningly new sensual sensations.

"Joshua is a beacon to guide our enemies to us, as Marie and Stefan are. As long we have human ties, we are anchored to them, and those who wish to destroy us can easily find us. Where most of our kind can remain hidden at will, our enemies know that we will never be far from our human connections, especially Josh, a small child. You are far safer from our enemies, here in my home."

"What enemies? I don't have enemies." Aidan spoke matter-of-factly, yet Alexandria could feel her heart begin to pound all over again. She sensed he was speaking the truth, and whoever the enemy was, it was no ordinary assailant.

"Paul Yohenstria was not the only vampire in this city. There are others, and they know I am hunting them. They will know of your existence quickly, and they will turn their powers to acquiring you."

Alexandria felt her stomach muscles clench. "Why would they want me? I don't understand any of this. Why is all this happening to me?"

"You are a true psychic, a human woman capable of becoming one of us. And even vampires are Carpathians before they turn. There are few women among our people, and they are greatly treasured."

Her chin rose belligerently. "I have news for you, Mr. Savage. 'Your people' hardly seem to treat women like treasures. No wonder there are so few." She touched the ragged wounds still visible at her throat. "I can't imagine too many women wanting the honor. I can truthfully say
I'm
not happy about it."

"I have asked you to call me Aidan. It is necessary, even when we are alone, that we continue to behave in the human manner and keep up the pretense that we are close friends until it becomes so." His golden eyes glinted for a moment, nearly stopping her heart.

Her fingers twisted in the tails of his shirt, her agitation increasing at the quiet, soothing tone of his voice. "Who else lives here? I know there is a woman. I remember she wouldn't call an ambulance even when I begged her to." Despite her attempts at normalcy, Alexandria could not keep the fear and bitterness from her voice.

Aidan advanced a step, suddenly close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. "My housekeeper, Marie, was extremely distressed over your condition, Alexandria. It was not her fault, and I hoped that you would not place the blame with her. She knew no human doctor could help you. I was the only one who could ease your suffering. Just so you are aware, she was very angry with me over your condition. She has been my housekeeper and a member of my family for many years. She is the one who will look after Joshua for us while we are unable to do so in mid-afternoon. For that reason alone you should find it in your heart to become her friend."

"Do you control her? Drink her blood? Make her do whatever you want, like a puppet?" Alexandria burst out.

"I have never taken blood from Marie, nor have I ever controlled her thoughts. She has chosen to stay with me, as did her family before her, of her own free will. She stayed by your side while you were so ill because she felt compassion. I will repeat myself one last time so that you might understand. She did not call an ambulance because no human physician could have eased your suffering." He felt it unnecessary to inform her that, in addition, the human doctors would have discovered the new abnormalities in her blood, and his species could never allow such a discovery. They were often hunted by more than only the undead. Human "vampire-slayers" sought them out as well.

Again his voice was cool and even, yet her mouth went dry with fear. He could convey menace quietly far better than most people could with roaring anger. She nodded, trying to look agreeable when in truth she was crumbling inside, her mind fragmenting and her body trembling almost beyond her capability to control it.

"Take another breath. You keep forgetting to breathe, Alexandria. Your mind is trying to deal with the trauma of what has happened to you a bit at a time. Every time a new piece of information is processed, your body reacts to it. You are a very intelligent woman; you have to know this will not be an easy transition, but you will get through it."

A small, humorless smile curved her trembling mouth. "I will? You're so certain of that. Is that because you've decreed it?" Her chin lifted, and for a moment her eyes flashed in defiance. "You're so sure of yourself."

He simply watched her in that calm, infuriating manner she was becoming familiar with. Alexandria finally sighed. "Don't worry. I don't blame the woman."

"Marie." He whispered it softly between his white teeth, a whisper of velvet over iron. His golden eyes were growing hot, molten gold that could so easily engulf her.

She swallowed hard. "Marie, then. I'll be nice to her."

He held out a hand. Alexandria stared at it a moment, then, carefully avoiding contact, slipped past him to the door. Aidan moved with her, a silent shadow, yet she was aware of his every rippling muscle, body heat, his very breath. He was so close to her, she felt their hearts were beating the same rhythm.

The tunnel they entered was narrow and wound its way upward toward the first floor. She was forced to stop no more than halfway to their destination, a wave of dizziness overcoming her. She gripped the stone wall and fought for breath. At once Aidan curved an arm around her waist.

Her fingers curled into his shirt. "I can't do this. I'm sorry, but I can't." There was an involuntary plea in her voice, her fear overcoming her sense of self-preservation against Aidan's power. He was enormously strong and as solid as a rock. He was all she had to cling to when her mind rebelled against the trauma it had been subjected to.

He held her like a child, his body giving comfort when, inside him, the beast raged for fulfillment. "For now, think only of the boy. He is lonely for you and afraid. I have done my best to reassure him, but he has lost so much in his young life, and the memories he has of this place and of me and my family are merely implanted, no substitute for the reality of his love for you. The rest of the future can wait, can it not?" His voice was pure sorcerery, impossible to resist. It whispered sensuously in her mind, assuring her that if she simply did as he suggested, all would be well with her world.

His chin brushed the top of her head, lingering for a moment while he drank in her scent, made certain their scents mingled. His golden gaze held possession and hunger; his arms were gentle and tender.

"Come with me now, Alexandria. Come into the warmth of my home of your own free will. Share some time with me and mine. Forget everything for now but this respite from your nightmare. You need the relief, and there is no harm in it."

"In the illusion of normalcy?"

"If you care to put it that way, I suppose it can be said." His fingers, on the nape of her neck, were working a kind of magic.

In her life there had been too much adversity, no warmth other than what Joshua had provided. Aidan was so gentle, and even if that was the biggest illusion of all, Alexandria took comfort in his arms. On some level she was aware of clinging to him, of leaning on his strength, but she refused to dwell on it; for her sanity, she didn't dare. She needed to immerse herself in a small measure of normal life, if only for a short while.

She took a deep breath. "I'm all right now. Really. And I'm going to pretend you're a nice man, not some snarling beast about to eat me if I don't do everything you say."

Against the satin skin of her neck his mouth curved into a smile, his breath warm against her pulse, his teeth scraping gently. The sensation was far more sensual than frightening. "I do not know where you get these ideas,
cara
. Perhaps from Thomas Ivan's games? You should cease playing them. They seem to influence you unduly."

"But he is so good at what he does. You have played his games, haven't you?" she asked, guessing as much and trying to goad him a bit. She remained very still, almost holding her breath, enjoying the feel of his mouth on her neck, yet terrified of this strange reaction in herself.

"I will admit reluctantly to wasting my time investigating his foolish propaganda… but you are not to tell anyone. I might lose my status as a
true
vampire-hunter." His arm slipped back around her waist, and his body urged hers upward along the narrow tunnel.

"Aidan! Are you a snob?" she teased, trying to ignore the unfamiliar feelings his hard muscles brushing against her body were creating. He was so close to her, his arms made her feel protected, a sensation she had never experienced before.

"Probably."

His voice whispered over her skin, making her insides tremble.

"You forgot your shoes," he pointed out. "This floor is cold. You should have put on the slippers I left for you." There was a trace of censure in his voice.

Alexandria glanced up at him over her shoulder, a quick flash of blue eyes. "Actually, that's another one of my habits that will no doubt annoy you—I have many, you know. I always like to go barefoot in the house."

Aidan was silent a moment. She couldn't even hear his footfalls. He seemed to glide rather than walk. "So, just how many annoying habits do you have?" he asked.

His voice created a funny melting sensation inside her.

"So many I can't count them. And they're bad, really bad."

There was a teasing note in her voice, a warmth that hadn't been there before. Aidan searched her mind and found that she was trying to do as he said, put aside all that had happened and live only in this moment. Her natural warmth and humor were beginning to surface in spite of all the odds against it. He found himself feeling pride in her. She was constantly amazing him. This woman, so unexpected in his life, was certainly worth the effort and patience it would take to win her completely. No one had ever teased him before. Marie and Stefan had been in his life a long time. He saw their affection for him, but it was always tinged with respect for what and who he was.

"You do not know the meaning of the word
bad
. You have no vices. You don't even smoke, and you very seldom drink alcohol. And before you accuse me of reading your mind, let me explain that Joshua has spilled all your secrets. He wanted me to know of your virtues."

"Oh, did he?" There was a wall facing her, and Alexandria stopped abruptly. It seemed made of solid, immovable stones.

Aidan reached past her and casually placed his fingertips on one of the oddly-shaped stones. A panel swung outward, allowing them access to stairs leading up from the basement to the kitchen.

Alexandria rolled her eyes. "How very melodramatic. Secret passageways and everything. You should write a book, Aidan. Or perhaps a video game."