Caressed by Night (11 page)

His lips were a breath away from hers. She could not wait for the kiss. Throwing her arms about his neck, she pulled him to her.

Dimitri’s mouth captured hers in a demanding kiss and Kerstyn greeted his challenge, rising up on her toes, pressing her body flat against him. His hand slipped into her hair, holding her, pinning her in place as he took control. A low growl rumbled in his throat as she surrendered completely to his all-consuming, dominating kiss.

Kerstyn clung to him, her fingers dug into his wide shoulders.

Desire shot through her like lightning. She never wanted the kiss to end. She never wanted him to let go.

The sound of clock bells chiming was distant and faint, but it was enough to pull Dimitri from the red haze of lust that clouded his mind. He opened his eyes, glancing out the doorway to the scale-model of London’s Big Ben in the main hall of the museum. With an unhappy groan, he pulled away.

Kerstyn’s eyes fluttered open, their sapphire depths burning with desire. God, how he wanted to claim her lips again, drag her lithe body up against his. The beast within him growled as he imagined
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pinning her against the wall, his hands caressing their way up from her hips to her delicate breasts as he took her from behind.

“What is it?” she asked, her voice soft and shaking with need.

Her eyes were slowly adjusting to their surroundings, a crimson blush colored her cheeks as she realized where they were. How could she have forgotten they were in the museum? Glancing about, she was relieved to find no children. There were a few adults gawking, but she ignored their stares.

“It is three,” he answered

“Your meeting?”

Dimitri nodded.

“You told me this morning, but what is it for again?”

“I am meeting with a few professors and a museum curator to discuss some of the pieces within my art collection. They may want to display a few in an upcoming exhibit.”

She smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand. “And I’m supposed to meet Silvie for coffee.”

Dimitri took another step back, trying to put more distance between himself and temptation.

“Tonight,” he murmured, brushing her swollen lips with the pad of his thumb before turning away.

Kerstyn smiled as she watched him leave the room, her eyes appraising his backside.

“Tonight,” she whispered to herself, repeating his promise.

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Kerstyn shifted in her seat, leaned to the side, and peeked around the line of eager customers to see who had just entered the coffee shop. A tall, thin man with a pierced nose and blue hair smiled at her.

“Definitely not Silvie,” she sighed and took another sip of her latte, ignoring the newcomer. She dropped her eyes and pretended to read her
Cosmo.

After her wonderfully crazy night, she needed girl time. The first person she thought to call was Denise, but there was no way she was going to talk to her. If she told Denise about her amazing first date with the incredibly hot vampire she was living with, Denise would think she was insane. Then a bell went off in her head while she was brushing her teeth. She could talk to Silvie and she was almost certain Silvie wouldn’t demand she go see a psychologist. After all, Silvie was the one who introduced her to Dimitri. She must know his secret.

“Hey.”

Kerstyn jumped and was thankful her cup had a lid or she would be wearing her coffee. “Damn, how is it that you always manage to sneak up on me even when I’m looking for you?”

“Sorry,” Silvie said with a smile. She set her coffee down on the table as she began to peel off layers of warm clothing, starting with her beanie and ending with her jacket. She piled them on top of Kerstyn’s, which were resting on one of the empty barstools at their table. Nevada may be a blaze of heat during the summer, but the winters could be downright frosty.

“I didn’t see you come in.”

“You had your nose stuck in that trashy magazine.”
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“How did you get through the line so fast?”

Silvie shrugged. “Some people let me cut since they didn’t know what they wanted. How long have you been here?”

“Twenty minutes.”

“Why didn’t you call me? I could have been here sooner so you wouldn’t have had to wait.”

“I was anxious and got here early.”

Silvie nodded and removed the top off her cup. Tearing open a few sugar packets, she dumped them in her black coffee. As she began to stir the liquid with a tiny straw, her dark eyes dilated and constricted three times before returning back to normal.

Kerstyn’s mouth hung open. Dimitri’s eyes had done the same when they were in the shower.

Dropping her voice to a whisper, Kerstyn asked, “Are you…like
him
?”

The straw paused for a breath. Then Silvie drew her gaze upward, her eyes locking with Kerstyn’s.

“No.” She placed the lid back on her coffee and took a sip.

“There is no one like him. Other members of his race can’t even compare to him.”

“But your eyes did the same thing as his.”

“We are both seers.”

“Seers?”

“Yes.” Silvie took another sip of her coffee and cringed. “This needs more sugar.” She opened the top again.

Kerstyn was stunned speechless. Life danced around her.

Everything felt, looked, smelled, and tasted normal. Boring. Except her life would never be normal or boring again. She had entered another world.

“Is it right to assume a seer is someone who can see the future?”

Silvie nodded, pouring more sugar into her coffee.

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“So, you knew I was going to call you this morning?”

“Not until you made the decision. I can only see what an individual chooses to do or what Fate decides. I don’t know everything, as in, I am not all-seeing. The future is constantly changing.”

“Do your eyes do that weird thing every time you see something?”

Silvie nodded again.

Kerstyn glanced around, leaned in, and dropped her voice even lower. “If you aren’t someone like him, then what are you?”

“I’m a Shaw,” she answered proudly, turning her chin up and straightening her shoulders.

Kerstyn blinked in confusion. She had never heard that name used to describe any type of mythical being.

“A witch,” Silvie clarified. “However, we are nothing like folklore would have you believe. We do not ride on brooms or wear pointy, black hats. My people, the Shaw, are peaceful, loving, and warm. We cherish life,” she paused and smiled, “you could say we are hippie witches.”

There was no mistaking the change of Silvie’s tone when she spoke that last sentence.

“Are you saying there are witches out there who don’t value life?” Kerstyn pressed.

“The Red Order.”

“Who are they? Are they bad?”

Silvie’s dark eyes captured Kerstyn’s gaze. “Maybe you should be a reporter or an investigator? You ask a lot of questions.”

“I’m a historian, it’s my job to ask questions.”

“I think you should ask Dimitri about those witches.” Kerstyn nodded, making a mental note, adding more questions to her every growing list.

“Besides seeing, what can you do?”

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“My training is not complete, but I am skilled in many arts.”

“Why haven’t you finished your training?”

“I’ve been here, away from home. My people live on Voidukas Clan territory. When we met, I told you I was from Estonia.” Silvie shook her head when Kerstyn opened her mouth, another question ready on her tongue. “Dimitri will be able to answer your questions better than I.”

Kerstyn’s eyes narrowed as dark thoughts began to cloud her mind. “Why are you here?”

“I was sent here.”

“For what?”

Silvie’s jaw clenched. Her pupils flickered again dilating and constricting as a chill shook her. She reached forward, grabbing hold of Kerstyn’s hand as an electric current raced up from where their fingers touched and set off a buzz in Kerstyn’s brain, the sound blocking everything. Their surroundings melted away, the people who crowded into the coffee shop disappeared and their voices vanished. It was just the two of them.

“You. I was sent here for you, Kerstyn. I’m here to protect you.”

Kerstyn shook her head, desperately grasping at her scattered thoughts.

“From what?”

“My purpose was to guard you until
he
came.” Silvie’s grip tightened on Kerstyn’s fingers.

“He? You mean Dimitri? You have been here to protect me until he came? Is that why you became my friend?” Kerstyn asked, her tone hard.

Silvie winced. “No. I had every intention of watching over you from afar, but life had other plans for us.”

Kerstyn tried to pull back, but Silvie’s fingers dug into her wrist, her nails biting into her skin.

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“Please, be careful when you are alone with him. Dimitri is nothing like other vampires. His powers are…limitless.”

“I seriously doubt Dimitri would hurt me. He’s had plenty of chances―”

“Dimitri would never harm you, but I’m not warning you about the man. The vampire, the demon that lives within him, is dangerous and unpredictable. It can’t be trusted. Do you understand?” Kerstyn’s breath caught as another electric wave flowed through her. Images of blood, death, and fire flickered before her eyes.

Villages burned, children screamed, women begged for their lives. Her stomach clenched, a cold sweat breaking out over her brow. She closed her eyes, trying to shut out the pale faces of the dead.

“That is what the demon is capable of if set free.”

“Did he do―” She wouldn’t finish her words. Kerstyn could not envision Dimitri cutting down women or draining the blood of children as they cried for their lives.

“No, I showed you what others just like him had done.” Kerstyn dropped her head, her breath coming in gasps. When she had been getting ready to meet Silvie, she had thought that her life would go back to normal with the exception of a vampire boyfriend, but now she was positive the word "normal" would never again grace her vocabulary.

“I know this is a lot to digest. I’m sorry. I wish there was a different way. An easier way for all this to happen.” Kerstyn lifted her head, her eyes meeting Silvie’s. Tears made the witch’s dark eyes glisten.

“He has waited centuries for you, Kerstyn.”

Silvie’s fingers slipped away and the coffee shop came back to life. The customers’ voices stung Kerstyn’s ears, the lights made her eyes water, and the scent of coffee was so strong she had to resist the urge to gag.

“What just happened? What did you do?”

“We needed privacy for our discussion,” Silvie said, wiping at her eyes. “Don’t worry. You will feel better in a few seconds.”
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“I wouldn’t bet money on it.”

Silvie smiled and raised her coffee to her lips. She watched as Kerstyn’s eyes slowly widened in amazement. Her nausea had vanished, her vision cleared, and her pulse immediately returned to normal.

“Feel better?”

“This is all too much.”

“Try not to overthink it, you’ll only get a headache.”

“That would be the least of my problems. First, there was the whole thing with Denise and the rest of my unbelievable bad luck.

Then, the guy I’m crushing on turns out to be a vampire. Now, my friend is a witch and has just warned me not to trust the man I just slept with.”

Kerstyn blushed. She knew the news would shock her friends.

There were few boyfriends in her past, no one really worth remembering, certainly no one worth giving up her virginity for. They had all been nice, but all lacked the sexual intensity Dimitri possessed.

She had never felt so drawn to a man. When he was around, her temperature spiked, her heart slammed in her chest, and all she could think about was their naked bodies entwined in his silk sheets. He was the first man she had ever physically and emotionally wanted. Needed.

Craved.

Maybe it’s because he’s a vampire. Maybe that’s why I’m so
attracted to him
.

“I knew the instant you made the decision. As did Dimitri.” A jolt of realization struck Kerstyn. Dimitri had tried to leave the second after she decided she wanted to make love to him. Her choice had changed their future.
Well, duh
, she chided herself.

“I’m happy you have finally found a worthy man.”

“You’re not shocked that I slept with a guy I barely know?” Silvie shook her head and took a swig of her now cool coffee.

She was not surprised to hear they had mated. As a pure vampire, Dimitri was sex personified and any woman with a bit of sense would fall into his bed. He tried to mask his allure, not wanting to draw too much attention to himself. But Kerstyn was not like other women. She
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was his intended. Kerstyn was the one woman immune to his blocks.

She felt his pure seductive draw. It sang to her and lured her into his dark, unforgiving world and his bed.

“Are you?” Silvie countered.

Kerstyn leaned back in her seat. “Surprisingly, no. Everything about it seemed…right. I’ve never felt this way about anyone. Though I have never come across a man as drop-dead gorgeous as Dimitri. Are all…you know what, as good looking as him?”

“They are all exceptionally attractive, it’s part of their allure, helps draw their prey into their trap.”

“Is that why I feel this way about him?”

Silvie shook her head. “What you are feeling is true. Dimitri is exceedingly powerful, but he knows how to guard his gifts. He would never use his powers on you.” Silvie bit her tongue, stopping herself from revealing too much. She wanted to tell Kerstyn she was Dimitri’s mate, that even though she did not understand the raw, sexual attraction, she would in time.