Marked: A Vampire Blood Courtesans Romance (6 page)

“This way.” He tugged on my hand.

I stumbled after him, convinced someone needed to spike his blood or something…anything to loosen him up. It was easy to see why the other vamps whispered about him. An ‘uncompromising bastard’ they’d called him.

That’s what I’d thought, too—but now I wasn’t so sure.

Chapter 6

Ethen led me up onto the porch of a large brownstone. His estate—an appropriate moniker for the residence looming over me—was entirely encompassed by an elaborate, wrought-iron fence, separating his house from the surrounding public. When he’d said solitude, he hadn’t been kidding. Clearly, this was his castle, and the surveillance camera and fence were his moat.

His hand slipped away from mine right before he reached for the door. Once open, he turned and studied me with a curious air. “Shall we?”

My head bobbed as I studied the interior from the stoop. If I’d thought the ballroom was a vampire den, it was nothing compared to this. The only person I’d ever lived with, other than my family, was Tessa, and she and I had known one another for so long that it had been second nature to us. This? I wasn’t prepared to stay the night with anyone else, let alone a freaking vampire.

“Well?”

Right
. Slipping under his arm, I braved a step inside, breaking the invisible barrier between the indoors and out. My breath soughed past my lips the moment I caught my first real glimpse of the interior.

“Wow,” I whispered, though that didn’t quite cut it.

There was a reason the Gold Coast catered to the wealthy, and Ethen’s home was the epitome of the neighborhood. High arched doorframes, skylights, fireplaces—yes, plural—and a massive, winding staircase were the first things to catch my eye. Lost to the impressive sight, I dared another step within, but paused when Ethen cleared his throat.

“Shoes,” he commented.

My gaze dropped to my feet, and my cheeks flooded with heat. So consumed by the lavish interior, I’d forgotten about the three-inch spikes welded onto my feet. Perish the thought of the damage they might have done to his pristine hardwood floors.

I was about to kick off my heels when Ethen took a knee in front of me. Eyes wide, I watched as his hands slipped beneath the hem of my dress. The stylist had insisted I wear stockings, but I’d never much cared for the feel of them, so I’d gone without—a detail I now appreciated as his firm hands ghosted down the length of my bare leg. He lifted his head, a slight grin teasing the corner of his lips. My heart fluttered. The man might not have been devastatingly handsome, but his confidence and the rare smile made up for it.

He removed my heels, one at a time, his nimble fingers stroking the back of my calves. Once I was barefoot, he rose to his full height and gazed down at me. Before tonight, I’d never noticed the appeal of a tall man. But there was something about staring up at him that awakened within me a desire I’d never explored before.

“Welcome to my abode,” he murmured.

“T—Thank you.” Was that
my
voice? All soft and wispy?

“Good evening, sir,” another voice rose from the hallway.

Ethen didn’t immediately turn. Instead, his hand rose to the hollow of my neck. Unsure of his purpose, I held perfectly still, afraid I might set off some predator instinct if I so much as twitched. He brushed a stray strand of hair aside and tucked it behind my ear. Only then, did he turn away from me.

I sank backward against the wall and smoothed the front of my dress with trembling hands. The man definitely knew how to turn on the charm.

“Ms. Doyle,” Ethen said. “I trust the arrangements have been made for Ms. Winter?”

I leaned around him to find a middle-aged woman with a warm smile standing in front of him. No fear or distrustful gleam in her eyes. If anything, she seemed content to welcome him home. And then her attention slid to me, her smile widening.

Alarmed, I waggled my fingers in a small wave, then vanished back behind Ethen. Befriending his housekeeper wasn’t on my to-do list, which was already jam-packed, consisting of:

1
.
Sleep with a vampire; and

2
.
Pay off the other vampire
.

At this point, the first task seemed far more appealing than the second,
but
Tessa seemed convinced the second would guarantee we grew to the ripe old age of twenty-five. I had to admit, I was winging this whole sordid affair. My plan didn’t consist of steps so much as an overall goal. Fulfill the contract and obtain the money so Tessa could pay off Alexei. And if that failed, slay both Alexei and Calix—the reason I’d brought my dagger along for the ride. Overall, it seemed rather simple. The devil was in the details, though. Like
how
the hell did someone kill two vampires?

But, hey, I was Amelia Winter, the daughter of a slayer. If anyone could pull this together, it was me. Or so I kept telling myself.

“Were you able to retrieve Winter’s bag from the car?”

“Of course, sir,” Ms. Doyle replied. “I’ve already placed it in her room.”

Efficient
, I noted, grateful she hadn’t said unpacked.

“Thank you. Please escort her to her room. I have some work that needs attending to before I am finished for the night.”

And without another word, he vanished. Disappeared in the blink of an eye.

I stared down the hallway. “Handy party trick,” I commented.

“This way, Ms. Winter.”

“Oh, uh, just Winter, please, Ms. Doyle.”

“Of course, dear. This way, please.” With a secretive smile, she turned and led me through the rest of the house, pausing whenever I stopped to look around.

“What work does he have?” I asked as I examined a nearby sculpture.

“I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to discuss that.”

This time, I was the one that smiled. I wondered if even she knew what he did.

“The lower level is occupied by myself and Mr. Bishop, Mr. Rune’s chauffeur. Your room is on the east side of the house. Mr. Rune’s the west. He is not to be disturbed there.”

I lifted a brow, wondering if she knew my purpose here.

“Your room has an attached bath for your use. Mr. Rune has his own so you will have your privacy there.”

Wow. Coming from a house with four older brothers, this felt quite sterile. We’d fought over the two bathrooms tooth and nail. They’d used their strength against me, leaving me to resort to hair pulling and biting—a tactic that had
always
won me first dibs on the shower, and one I was convinced wouldn’t work on Ethen.

“There are toiletries available. Fresh toothbrushes beneath the sink alongside the shampoo and conditioner.”

“Entertain lots, do you?”

“Not at all,” she responded, not unkindly. “But Mr. Rune believes in preparation.”

“Sure. He definitely gives off the boy scout feel,” I teased.

Ms. Doyle turned with an arched brow. “Comments like that are not welcome here, dear.”

Chagrined, I mumbled a soft apology and continued after her.

“Unfortunately, we don’t stock the upstairs kitchen with much food as Mr. Bishop and I use the one downstairs. I can make you something, however. Will you require anything tonight?”

I was starved, but couldn’t muster the courage to admit it. Too afraid to ruin the dress, I hadn’t indulged in anything but the sparkling wine at the gala. “No, thank you.”

“Very well then. And how long will you be staying with us?”

Ah, another question I couldn’t quite answer, not without seeing the contract. I understood most spanned a single night, but this gala had been different. “I’m here at Ethen’s leisure,” I stated. “The details will be sorted out tomorrow.”

“Very well, dear.” She pushed open the next door on the left. “Your room.”

I stepped inside and released another heavy breath. The guest room was three times the size of my own. A king-sized canopy bed sat in the middle of the room, covered in layers of chiffon and silk. An oak bureau lined the far wall, its brass handles gleaming from a recent polish. Above it was an oversized television. The room was an elegant mix of modern and old-fashioned, a style I’d never known appealed to me until now.

“If you require anything, press the zero on the house phone, and it will connect you to me downstairs.”

I glanced over at the landline. No way did I intend to call her for anything. I was a big girl, able to tie my own shoes and everything. Maybe Ethen required assistance to dress, but I sure as hell didn’t.

“If you’ll excuse me…”

I glanced at Ms. Doyle and offered what I hoped was a charming smile. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, dear. Have a good night.”

The moment the door clicked behind her, I strode over to my bag and unzipped it. My head tipped back, and I whispered a word of thanks to whatever deities were listening that it appeared untouched. A quick perusal of the room revealed no hiding place for my secret dagger. Every nook and cranny clearly had been touched by Ms. Doyle.

Under my pillow wasn’t an option. What if she changed the cases or if Ethan opted to use this room for our tryst? A quick slip of the hand beneath the pillow and my secret would be exposed. Finally, I decided the only safe location was beneath the mattress. Unless they flipped them frequently, it seemed the best bet.

Not seconds after stashing the dagger, a sharp knock echoed through the room.

Gasping, I whirled around, my heart in my throat. I
knew
it was Ethen. Something about the confident summons, as though he dared me to ignore him. But surely he didn’t expect us to…tonight? Already? Without the contract signed?

Another knock. “Winter.”

Oh, God, it
was
him.

I eased toward the door. Then, with a steadying breath, pulled it open.

“Ah, good. I wanted to make sure you were settling in all right.”

Considering I’d been in the room for five minutes, not quite. But I didn’t say that. Instead, I offered him a bright smile.
Play the role, complete the contract, pay off the vampire
. “It’s a beautiful room.”

His gaze swept over the inside, apparently unimpressed by what he saw, as though he’d never deigned to look inside before. “I asked Ms. Doyle to order some food in for you.”

“Oh, there was no need…”

He held up a hand. “I can hear your stomach complaining from across the house.”

Well, wasn’t that lovely? What else had he heard in the meantime? My throat closed as I wondered if he’d heard me sliding the dagger under the mattress. Surely his hearing couldn’t be
that
sharp?
Note to self, quiet the bodily functions
.

“Is something wrong?” he questioned.

I blinked. “Not at all, why?”

“You turned a little green.”

Shaking my head, I cleared my face of all emotion. “Just adjusting to rooming with a vampire who can hear everything.”

“Right. Well then… She assures me your meal should arrive in ten minutes or so.”

What the heck had Ms. Doyle ordered?

“I thought perhaps we could dine together in the kitchen.”

Dine? Like…
dine
? As in…on me?

His head cocked, his eyes narrowed as though sensing my sudden panic. “You have fed vampires before, haven’t you?”

I was supposed to say yes. I could see the expected answer forming in his gaze, but clearly, my nerves spoke otherwise. So I swallowed, then shook my head.

“I see.”

Why did I feel like apologizing? I’d been upfront with Madam da Silva about that from the very beginning. Heck, she’d even commented it would increase the price of my blood, being untasted. Not to mention, he knew I wasn’t an experienced courtesan. So why did Ethen have a disgruntled look on his face?

The thought of his fangs that close to my throat sent my heart fluttering.

“Easy,” he murmured, though darkness slipped behind his eyes, proof he could hear my heartbeat. “I knew you were a novice, but I didn’t realize you were a blood virgin. It’s good that I know,” he continued, his words at war with his expression. Clearing his throat, the darkness faded from his eyes and he gestured toward the kitchen. “Perhaps change out of your dress and meet in the kitchen in ten minutes. Yes?”

“Y—Yes.”

He inclined his head, then turned and made his way back toward the kitchen.

Looked like I was popping a different cherry tonight, and it was going to be bloody.

Chapter 7

I stood in the middle of my bedroom, growling under my breath as I considered ripping the damn dress off. It had taken a team of stylists to stuff me into this contraption. One set of hands wasn’t going to be enough to get me out. As it was, the long line of satin buttons running down the length of my back was impossible to reach.

Just my luck.

I reached into my bag and pulled out my cell phone. Three missed texts from Tessa, all worried and wondering how I was managing. The obvious concern in her messages reminded me that I was here for a reason: to charm the pants off Ethen Rune and use the substantial fee to pay off Alexei. That meant convincingly playing the role of the courtesan.

Wants to feed. Tips?
I texted Tessa.

It took a moment before she responded.
He won’t hurt you. Stay calm, confident, and trust him
.

Trust a vampire? I wanted to laugh. A vampire was why we were in this mess. My phone vibrated a second time.
Not all are like Calix
.

This time, I did laugh. Of course, she’d known where my thoughts had wandered to. Trust my best friend to understand my head better than me.

I tapped in a quick
wish me luck
, then slid my phone back into my bag.

My ten minutes were up. I lifted my head high and exited my room. The walk to the kitchen seemed endless, but I took that time to settle my nerves.
He won’t hurt you
, Tessa had said. I had to take her word on that; she had far more experience in these matters than I did. Not that her recent experiences helped convince me.

The warm scent of pizza teased my nose, distracting me from my impending night. I followed it into the kitchen and paused at the door when I caught sight of Ethen. He stood with his back to me, his crisp white sleeves folded up to his elbows, and his suit jacket draped across one of the stools. Somehow, I knew this was a rare sight. From what I’d gathered, Ethen lived in a world of his own making, one he rarely shared with others. So, I took this opportunity to relish in the view. There was something delectable about watching a man preparing a meal in a kitchen. I leaned against the door frame and observed, a smile crossing my lips.

With his senses, he had to have known I was there. But rather than immediately greeting me, he first finished unloading the pizza onto a plate before turning. “Please, sit.”

I contemplated the tall chair with a twisted mouth. Bar stools and evening dresses didn’t generally go hand in hand. Nor was I in the mood to embarrass myself further by struggling to get my ass onto it. On the other hand, my feet
ached
from an entire night of heels, and the last thing I wanted to do was lean over the counter while eating.

I was nibbling my bottom lip and contemplating my plan of attack when two large hands grasped my waist, spun me around, and lifted me up onto the stool without so much as a word. Stunned, I stared up at Ethen, my gaze catching his.

He stood so close, his thighs braced between mine, his fingers lingering beneath my breasts. My breath caught as heat spilled through my body and my stomach clenched with anticipation. What surprised me most was my lack of fear.

“Lesson number one: Never stare a vampire in the eye.” His thumbs brushed along my ribs.

“Why?”

His hand grazed up the length of my side and the swell of my breast before settling against my cheek. Without thought, I leaned into his touch, my lashes fluttering against my cheeks.

“Our glamour is strongest with eye contact,” he explained. “Some might take advantage of that.”

“But not you.”

His throat worked as he struggled to swallow. “No, not me. I’ve never felt a need to force someone to do something.”

A tremor shook the wall I’d erected around my heart. I opened my eyes and met his gaze without flinching. Somehow I knew I could trust
him
. Not vampires. But
him
. Ethen Rune. The one who’d stopped Luke from taking what he wanted. The one who’d outbid all the other vampires to spend the night with me, then given me my own room instead of forcing me to stay in his.

He made me feel. Something that hadn’t happened in a long time.

“Though, I admit…you test me.”

A slight frown wrinkled my brow. “How do I test you?”

He leaned forward until the tip of his nose brushed my throat. “Your scent, your voice, your blood… I find everything about you captivating.”

So I affected him as much as he did me. I moistened my lips and lifted my chin, exposing my throat for his pleasure.

“I thought you were going to change out of your dress? Not that I’m complaining,” he stated, his fingers playing along the edge of my bust.

“I tried. I couldn’t…”

“Take it off?”

I shook my head, gasping when his teeth grazed my flesh.

“I’ve never understood the madam’s fascination with such things. Vampires care little about the clothing you wear.”

“A trait all men share, I’m sure,” I whispered.

“Mm,” he hummed, his tongue brushing against my throat.

I shuddered, surprisingly eager for him to take that final step, even though I’d never been bitten before.

“She preens and primps you up as though you’re…”

“An object?” I finished.

As though my words were a little too close for comfort, he cleared his throat and stepped back, his jaw tight. He tugged on his shirt, recomposing himself right before my eyes.

My stomach chose that moment to give a resounding growl that rumbled through the room.

“And on that note.” Ethen started back toward the plate he’d made up for me, “I suppose I should feed you.”

Gone were the gentle touches and heated glances. Dismayed, I ran a hand through my bangs and nodded.

“Were you forbidden from eating at the gala?”

“Of course not.”

He glanced over his shoulder. “Then…?”

“Do you know how much this dress costs?”

He blinked, then shook his head. “I do not.”

“Me neither. And I wasn’t about to find out.”

“Are you normally a messy eater?”

“Hardly. But it was a nerve-wracking situation to be in. One slip and
everyone
would know me as the courtesan who spilled cocktail sauce down her dress.”

“Ah, a serious offense.”

His dry tone dragged another snicker out of me. “The most serious.”

“Well, I shan’t make you wait any longer.” He turned with a flourish and presented a gold-rimmed platter heaping with four slices of pizza.

My eyes widened at the sight. “I’m supposed to eat
all
that?”

His attention shifted to the plate. “Too much?”

“A couple slices too much.”

He tilted his head and studied the plate. “Apologies. I must have forgotten appropriate portion sizes.”

Compassion lit through me. It wasn’t his fault. Vampires stopped consuming solid food the moment they transitioned from humans. If Ethen was as old as people claimed, he hadn’t tasted human food in over a couple centuries.

“You know what,” I said. “Screw it. Hand it over.”

His brows shot up. “All of it?”

“Sure! A girl needs a challenge, right?”

“And you think this is the appropriate way to challenge yourself?” Ethen handed it over and tucked into the seat across from me.

“You’re…going to watch?”

He gave an elegant shrug. “It isn’t often I get the chance to witness such a scene.”

“Touché,” I murmured before taking my first bite. The moment the food touched my tongue, my eyes fluttered shut, and I let loose an appreciative moan. Chicago deep-dish pizza…there really weren’t many things better than that.

“Good?” Ethen asked.

“Delicious. You honestly can’t eat?”

“My tastes run a little more exotic than pizza.”

I almost choked on my next bite, my hand flying up to cover my mouth in case I spat something out. Worth it, though, to hear his deep, rumbling laughter.

“Was that a joke?” I teased, leaning across the marble-topped counter.

“Partly,” he responded with a wicked grin, one that robbed me of breath. “Wine?”

With pizza? I was about to decline when I remembered this would be my first time cracking a vein for a vampire. Perhaps a little alcohol would help soothe my nerves. “Please.”

“Any preference?”

I glanced up from my slice. “What are my choices?”

“I have a wine cellar should you wish to look?”

That sounded tedious. I shook my head. “Whichever you prefer is fine.” Clearly, he could drink then.

“I had Ms. Doyle bring up a bottle of Riesling before we arrived. Unless you’d prefer champagne?”

“The Riesling, please. Champagne always gives me a headache.”

“Ah. We wouldn’t want that,” he commented as he reached for a bottle I hadn’t noticed earlier.

He popped the cork and filled two glasses. When he returned, he handed me a glass, which I nearly drained in three swallows. Maybe my nerves were more shot than I wanted to admit.

I lowered the glass to the table and met his gaze. “So, Ethen, what do you do?”

“I suppose the easiest explanation is that I own a selection of large businesses, all conglomerated into one massive enterprise,” he commented as he refilled my drink.

“That’s the easiest explanation, huh? What sort of businesses?”

“Architecture, mostly.”

“You like to build things?”

He canted his head and studied me. “In a manner of speaking. I enjoy bringing concepts and ideas to life. To give them substance and form.”

Interesting.
I regarded him with a raised brow. A vampire who enjoyed bringing things to life…surely that wasn’t normal.

“Is that so surprising?” he questioned.

I rolled my bottom lip between my teeth. Truthfully, yes. My family had always spoken of a vampire’s baser instinct to destroy. To mutilate and kill. So far, I’d seen nothing of the like with Ethen. For all intents and purposes, he had the appearance—and so far, charm and temperament—of a human. Better, in fact. Was my family wrong about them? What if he wasn’t the monster they said he was?

I took another bite of pizza before speaking. “Have you always been an architect?”

“Always?” He shook his head. “Always is a long time when you live forever. So, no. I’ve dabbled in a great many things.”

“And how long have you been alive?”

“Some would argue that I’m not alive now.”

I blinked at that, my wine glass hovering near my lips. “Do you believe that?”

“Do
you
?”

I hesitated. I wasn’t sure what to think. With a look of grim determination, Ethen pushed to his feet and rounded the table. Before I could inquire, he grasped my hand and placed it over his heart. “What do you feel?”

I felt…nothing. His chest was still as death. “But your skin…” I whispered.

“Blood warms us. To become this, you first must die. So you tell me. Am I alive or dead?”

This conversation was growing a tad too philosophical for my liking. Personally, the thought of the undead gave me the willies.

Sensing my discomfort, Ethen slowly released my hand and returned to his chair. “What about you?”

“I’m quite alive. No debate there,” I teased, hoping to break the tension.

Mischief twinkled in his eyes. “I was referring to your profession. What is it you do? Other than charming vampires, I mean.”

“Nothing exciting, I’m afraid. University student by day, waitress by night.”

“And that’s why you took this position as a courtesan? To pay your tuition fees?”

I nodded absently. That was the party line I’d given the madam, couldn’t change it now.

“The University of Chicago?” he inquired.

“The one and only.”

“What do you take there?”

I smiled at his question, curious how the architect would respond. “Music.”

He blinked, the hard planes of his face smoothing with surprise. “Music?”

It was a typical reaction. Most people didn’t believe music to be a worthy major.

“You play, then? An instrument, I mean?”

“I do. The cello.” I took another bite of pizza.

Delight brightened his face. “Is that so? As a young lad, I played the lute.”

“Could this be possible?” I leaned across the counter. “Do we actually have something in common?”

Ethen cleared his throat and leaned back in his chair. “I suppose anything is possible.”

And just like that, we were back to being strangers. One brief moment and that was it. I finished the rest of my slice, unsure how to break down the wall he continually erected between us. After my second glass of wine, and an awkward silence, I folded my hands atop the counter and gave him my full attention. “Will you answer something for me?”