Death Calls. Caridad Pineiro

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СКАЧАТЬ at her window needing to see her. All he could think about was her, about being with her again—in spite of the withdrawal and anger he sensed from her. Those emotions screamed for his acknowledgment. She was angry because he was visiting. Uninvited.

      From her bedroom door, she headed straight for the window, as if aware he was there.

      Slipping over the edge of the fire escape, he plummeted a few stories before grabbing the railing to break his fall. It jangled loudly as it bore the brunt of his weight. He quickly eased closer to the building and its shadows so he would be hidden. He soon heard the grate of the lock, the slight groan of recalcitrant metal as she opened the window. Then he smelled her. He breathed in deeply, trapping her essence within him. It was food for his senses, instantly bringing his body to painful life.

      Not for the first time, he conceded that he liked certain abilities given to him by his vampirism. The ones that let him smell her and see her and, lately, reach into her mind to share his thoughts. She had allowed that new gift, although he knew she was uncomfortable with the invasion. She was, after all, a woman used to being in total control.

      Was that why she was running from him?

      He climbed onto the railing and, bunching the muscles of his legs, leaped up three stories to her window. He landed nearly silently and smiled to himself, pleased with how his skills were improving.

      Now, he intended to make his presence known.

      

      Ryder was here.

      Damn him. It was bad enough he haunted her every thought and made her need him in ways she didn’t want to need anyone. It was even worse that he refused to honor her one simple request for a night away from him. A night to try to forget what he made her feel so she could gain some peace of mind, if only for a moment.

      You can never forget me, she heard inside her head.

      Really? And could you forget me? she questioned angrily.

      Never.

      Maybe a little mental and physical anguish of his own would drive the point home: their relationship had taken a wrong turn. The reality she had confronted earlier—that she wanted a normal life—was impossible if she continued on this path. Ryder could never give her that kind of existence.

      She faced the window and yanked off her suit jacket. Beneath the jacket, her holster securely cradled her Glock. She slipped it off, checked to make sure the safety was on and tucked the holster and gun into the drawer of her bedside table.

      A gun would be no protection against Ryder. Especially when she hadn’t loaded it with the special silver bullets she’d had made for when she went out on a vampire-related problem.

      Do you really think you need to protect yourself against me?

      No, but you might need to protect yourself, querido.

      His uneasy chuckle carried through the open window of her bedroom.

      Your amusement will stop soon enough.

      Silence followed her threat.

      Diana began to disrobe, a slow striptease as she slipped free each button of her serviceable white shirt, revealing the lacy white bra beneath. She toed off her ankle-high boots, and kicked aside her pants. Do you like what you see?

      A strangled laugh was his answer, coupled with, I haven’t seen enough to make up my mind.

      She smiled. There was something…exciting about mentally seducing a vampire who was hidden in shadow.

      She had experienced this kind of nasty excitement after her father’s death. The rush of losing all restraint. The surrender to doing whatever you wanted, even though you knew it was wrong. Her reckless nature had embraced the uncivilized, the raw need that had never really surrendered to her control.

      As for her earlier decision not to see Ryder…It fled in the wake of her rising desire.

      Diana shrugged her shoulders and her blouse dropped to the floor. Reaching up, she undid the front clasp of her bra.

      His rough groan caressed her psyche. And then a shadow shifted on the fire escape. Ryder’s shadow.

      Staring straight at him, she parted the bra and let it fall. She stood there, expectant. Her pulse racing.

      Her earlier thoughts about needing something more normal—more controlled—reared up, telling her that she should ask him to leave. She had proved her point, reminding him that she had power, but her determination failed her.

      I want you to touch me, she told him.

      But he stayed on the fire escape, exerting a self-control she couldn’t muster.

      Closing her eyes to block out the sight of his silhouette, she cupped her breasts and ran her thumbs across her nipples. Her body grew damp and tense with rising need. With want of his hands and mouth and…his bite.

      Dios, but she couldn’t forget how the demon made her feel.

      Ryder.

      A thud forced her eyes open. He stood by the window, dressed in black, breathing roughly, fists balled at his sides. His nearly black hair, long and tousled, hung to his shoulders. The goatee surrounding his mouth…

      She imagined how that would feel on her skin and then had little time to wait as he stalked over, dropped to his knees and took one aching nipple into his mouth.

      She moaned and dug her hands into the waves of his thick hair.

      “I’ll take it that you like that.” Despite his chuckle, a hard edge marked his voice.

      As conflicted as she might be about their future, it was impossible to deny that, at least right now, she wanted him, no matter what. No matter that by the wanting, she lost a piece of herself.

      The inky locks of his hair were a shock of darkness against the pale creaminess of his skin and her own olive coloring. The contrast made her ache inside as her excitement escalated. Whenever he was near, her senses were on overload, with everything more clear and alive. More demanding.

      “I want you.” His brown-eyed gaze was so intense it made her insides quiver.

      “As much as I want you—”

      “You’ve been doubting the wisdom of this. I know. I felt it…. You didn’t want me here tonight, did you?”

      “No.” But she raked her hands through his hair, the silk of the longer strands alive in her hands. He had let it grow since she had first met him.

      “I know it scares you—the need. But don’t you think I need you as badly? Or can’t vampires need?” He once again tortured her by running the soft bristle of his beard across her nipples. But that wasn’t her undoing. It was the confusion and pain that laced his words. Confusion much like she was feeling. Pain so deep her heart faltered from it.

      “I care for you, only…Foley says that each bite—”

      “I won’t bite again,” he said. Not unless you ask me to.

      “I СКАЧАТЬ