The Witch Is Back (17 page)

“I am waiting,” he said with a chuckle, his breath tickling the top of my ear.

I glanced up at him. Time for my apology. “I’m sorry I freaked out and stormed out of here,” I said with a guilty smile. “This is all just pretty new for me and I guess I’m having a hard time with it.”

Sinjin nodded. “Apology accepted.”

I laughed and shook my head, pleased and relieved by the fact that Sinjin never seemed to take things too seriously, that he could find it in himself to see beyond my issues. “Thank you.”

“And I would like to apologize as well, poppet.”

I glanced at him curiously. “For what?”

“For leading you to believe that I do not care for you,” he said, his eyes pools of concern. “The truth is very much the opposite.”

I frowned. “I’m not sure you did lead me to believe that. I think it was just a conclusion I reached all on my own.”

“I—hm.” He cleared his throat and then smiled over at me as if he hadn’t been about to just say something.

“You what?”

He swallowed hard and stepped away, turning his back on me as he faced the window. That was when I realized Sinjin may have been an all-powerful master vampire, but he had his own fear—showing emotion. It was as obvious as the tightness in his shoulders, the rigidity of his whole body.

“Finish what you were going to say, Sinjin,” I said, wanting—no, needing—to hear the words from him.

Instead of turning to face me, he stared out at the clouds that were obscuring the moonlight. It made the dark night sky a fuzzy haze. It looked like the backdrop to a horror movie.

“I am not a man who confesses love,” he said and turned around, facing me. His lips were tight. “It is not in my nature.”

“I never asked for that, nor would I,” I said immediately, thinking it ludicrous that he’d even brought the L-word up.

“The truth is that I have wanted to make you my own from the moment I met you,” he said quickly, his eyes penetrating me to my core. He took a step closer. “I have lusted after your body, yes, but my need to possess you did not end there.” He shook his head and continued inspecting me. “There is something about you that fascinates me.” He paused for a few seconds. “You have always fascinated me.”

I shook my head, refusing to allow my heart to rejoice because there was a time-line issue here—something that waved a red flag and prevented me from succumbing to the beauty of his sentiments. “You act as though we’ve known each other for a lot longer than we actually have.”

“Perhaps that is because we have known each other in ways time cannot specify,” he said simply. I felt my stomach drop. The vision of Sinjin at that masquerade party suddenly reared its ugly head again.

“What do you mean?” I demanded.

He shrugged, and whatever he was going to admit died on his tongue. “A day, a week, a month are mere moments of time, love. They mean nothing in terms of the soul’s understanding. How can you qualify or, for that matter, quantify my feelings for you based on that?” He shook his head. “You cannot.”

I couldn’t argue with that, so I chose another tack. “Then what are you saying?”

He took a few steps closer to me until we were face-to-face, er, face-to-chest. “I am doing a rather poor job of explaining my desire to be your mentor, teacher,
and protector. More urgently, my desire is to be your lover, the one man to capture your heart.” He suddenly grabbed both of my arms, pulling me into him. He was going to kiss me; I could see it in his eyes. “I want to be the man who haunts your dreams and thoughts, the man whom you cannot live without.”

I wasn’t sure when it happened, but at some point during Sinjin’s admission, I simply stopped breathing. Suddenly light-headed, I remembered my respiratory system and tried to take a deep breath but, before I could get a word out, Sinjin’s mouth was on mine. His tongue immediately entered my mouth and I was shocked to find my body’s response dominating my brain’s. My tongue met his fervently and I felt myself lapping at him, wrapping my arms around his neck so that I was as close to him as possible. He pulled me even tighter to him with a moan, and I responded with feelings of lust that I’d kept bottled up for too long. Now they were refusing to be quelled until they were satiated.

And instantly everything was crystal clear.

I wanted Sinjin to make love to me.

I wasn’t sure why I’d suddenly decided to seal the proverbial deal with a vampire, with Sinjin, but there was no going back. It was as if my body had suddenly tasted filet mignon after months of Spam.

I pulled away from his embrace and looked into his eyes, wondering how such an incredible man had arrived in my life, how I had been so lucky. But there was also a part of me, in true Jolie Wilkins form, that wanted to prevent myself from moving to Heartbreak Avenue. I couldn’t allow those feelings of doubt to penetrate me now, though. Not now when whatever I was feeling for Sinjin seemed to be natural, right.

“Sinjin, swear to me that everything you said is true,” I whispered, knowing that whatever we did here tonight was going to change everything. Yes, I was attached to
Sinjin now. But I also knew myself well enough to know that if I had sex with him, I would become even more attached, and if our relationship failed, my anguish would be all the worse.

Anguish if it fails …

Who am I kidding? Sinjin is a vampire; of course it will fail!

But there was something in me that wanted to take the leap anyway, to believe in what could be.
And, really, who’s to say that a vampire can’t sustain a healthy emotional relationship?

Um, he’s been around for six hundred years, so chances are he’s going to get bored with you in, oh, I’d say a week—max. I mean, come on, he’s got 572 years on you! What could you possibly offer him? How could you even hope to prolong his interest?

Shut up, you stupid voice!

“Poppet,” Sinjin started, tearing my attention from my mental debate and refocusing it on the beauty of his ice-blue eyes. “Sometimes I marvel at the thoughts going through that brain of yours,” he finished and chuckled, shaking his head in apparent wonder.

I smiled, embarrassed. “Sorry … I, uh, sometimes get into arguments with myself.”

“Why does that not surprise me?” His archangel’s grin combined with a cocked eyebrow told me he was nothing if not amused. But a few seconds later, the look of delight was replaced by a solemn expression. “Everything I have told you is true, love, and it reflects my innermost feelings.” He studied my face and became silent as he secured a stray tendril of hair behind my ear. Then he added, “You have certainly burrowed your way into my heart—something I never imagined could happen.”

I felt warmth penetrating me at his words, and even though something inside me still doubted them, and must have recognized the fact that I was walking out on
an emotional limb, I didn’t care. I had never pursued a man before, and it was time for me to step out of my comfort zone. I knew I would never forgive myself if I didn’t. Sinjin Sinclair was not the type of man who came into your life every day. He was a once-in-a-lifetime prospect, and I wasn’t about to let him get away. “Sinjin, I want to know that this will be lasting … something long-term.”

He stayed silent but continued gazing at me. Something in his expression, however, seemed out of place—a triumphant gleam just beyond the ice-blue veil of his eyes. “It will last as long as you will allow it, love.” He took a deep breath that, once again, was only for show. “I have always been by your side, poppet, and so shall I always remain.”

I could feel the smile spreading across my lips, involuntarily echoing the joy that was blooming within me. “Then you aren’t opposed to a real relationship?”

He smiled. “Nothing would please me more.”

And that was enough for me. Without another word, I tightened my hold around his neck, pulling him closer to me. I closed my eyes and felt his lips on mine, and this time, his kiss was hungry, needy—seemingly insatiable. He pulled me into him, and I could feel his hardness beneath his pants. I felt the flame of excitement radiate through my entire being as a sense of weightlessness flashed through me.

Somehow—and I wasn’t sure what I’d done to warrant the gift; this incredible man, this exquisite (dare I say it?)
vampire
, had fallen for me … Me! It was almost too good to be true. Thankfully, I was beyond the point of self-doubt now. No, I was a new Jolie Wilkins—like a phoenix rising from the ashes of the old wallflower. Someone who now acted without doubt, someone who was going to blaze her own way in the world and stake her claim.

I caught my breath, surprised to discover that I was panting. I had to tell him what I wanted—no, needed. “Sinjin, I want you to make love to me.”

He said nothing, merely stared at me for a few seconds, a smile on his lips. Then he hoisted me into his arms and started for the bed. I couldn’t breathe—couldn’t force myself to inhale or exhale. “You do not know how I have longed to hear those words, love,” he said in a deep, throaty voice.

But I couldn’t take my eyes away from his fangs as a tremor of fear and excitement erupted through me. “Are you going to bite me?”

“Only if you want me to, but as I mentioned, it would be painful as you are a witch.”

Somehow the idea of Sinjin feeding from me was the most enticing, erotic thought possible. I couldn’t even fathom the idea of pain. I didn’t even hesitate. “I want you to.”

He chuckled heartily and, standing above me, eyed me up and down with approval.

“Sinjin?” I started.

“Shh.” He shook his head as his gaze raked me from head to toe. “I want to paint every moment with you into my memory, poppet.”

“I had no idea you were such a poet,” I said with a nervous laugh.

How are you going to go through with this? You aren’t like Christa, Jolie. You haven’t had sex in … how long?

Shut it!

God, you can’t even remember because it’s been so long. What if he thinks you’re a total bore in the sack? What if …

I closed my eyes and shook my head, ordering those damn voices in my brain to take a hike. Then I remembered I wasn’t alone and my eyes shot open as I focused on my incredibly handsome bed partner.

He smiled down at me, seemingly unaware of the debate going on inside me. “You incite the poet within me.”

I didn’t say anything more—I just watched him watching me, not sure what I should say or do. Sinjin didn’t seem concerned, acting as if he had all the time in the world to do nothing but stare at me.

“Please remove your blouse, love,” he said at last in a husky voice. He stood at the foot of the bed, his feet shoulder-width apart and arms crossed against his chest. He looked every inch the dark rogue, his longish hair mussed and falling forward, one lock obstructing his right eye.

Sinjin Sinclair was the absolute epitome of God’s gift to women and I couldn’t stop gloating over the fact that I was the woman lucky enough to have him. Then a realization dawned on me and I had to correct myself—God had nothing to do with the creation of Sinjin Sinclair. But for some reason, that thought didn’t scare me.

I gulped down the sudden embarrassment that overtook me at the thought of undressing in front of him. But with Sinjin in attendance, there was no room for modesty or shame. I glanced down at the white, long-sleeved, button-up shirt I was wearing and my fingers suddenly felt like they had weights attached to them as I fumbled with the buttons. Eventually, I managed to undo one and then two, and before I knew it, I’d reached the final button. I glanced up at Sinjin to find his gaze wholly fixed on me, and somehow the intensity of his stare gave me the strength to let the blouse fall off my arms. I glanced down at my white lace bra and back up at Sinjin again.

“Take it off,” he said.

I flushed at Sinjin’s straightforward and commanding words. Reaching behind me, I unhinged the clasp of my bra and pulled slightly, the straps loosening and tumbling down my shoulders. I felt a blush steal over my cheeks, but I ignored it and allowed the bra to fall on the bed and took a deep breath.

Sinjin’s eyes focused on my bare breasts, a smile spreading across a face that had to be sculpted by the devil himself.

“How stunning you are,” he whispered. “As I always knew you would be.”

I stood up and started approaching him, but he held me back with the palm of his hand. “No,” he said firmly. “I want to watch you.”

I stopped and glanced down at my jeans and wedge sandals. When I kicked them off, my height dropped about three inches and I felt the cold hardwood floor against my bare feet. I returned my eyes to Sinjin almost as if I was looking to him for direction. His gaze was steadily fixed on my face and I could tell that he was recording every second of this, permanently imprinting it into his memory.

I smiled as I unzipped my jeans, then I pulled them down the sides of my hips and allowed them to crumple at my ankles before stepping out of them. When I faced
Sinjin again, he was staring at my black lace panties—thong panties. Thank God I’d at least taken one lesson from Christa in the sexuality department and traded in my granny panties for one of Victoria’s secrets.