Dark Deceiver. Pamela Palmer

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ the silken skin of her neck. He’d meant merely to touch her, but the unintended intimacy of that touch parted her lips and lit surprised sparks in her eyes, beckoning him as female eyes never did. His pulse quickened. His gaze fell to those ripe, parted lips and he nearly forgot what he was about.

      Control. He was attempting to assert some control. He pushed the thought into her head. Invite him inside. But the sparks in her eyes flared into desire.

      “Come inside.” Her words were low and husky, sending a rush of need barreling through him.

      Had he somehow forced her interest with his touch? No. He couldn’t have. His power over humans ended with the reading of their memories and the pushing of thoughts into their heads. He had no ability to affect their emotions.

      Which meant the attraction he saw in her eyes was real. Sweet Esria.

      Autumn slid the door open behind her without breaking his gaze, but as she backed into the open doorway, she stumbled over the door’s track, the sensual light in her eyes disappearing in a gasp of dismay.

      Kaderil grabbed her arm to steady her, careful not to break her fragile bones.

      “Thanks.” She eased out of the doorway to allow him entrance even as she bared her teeth in a grimace. “I’m not always this clumsy.” Color washed her cheeks. “Who am I kidding? Sure I am.”

      Her admission surprised him, prompting another urge to smile. He liked her, he realized. An odd and inconvenient reaction to have to a human.

      “Call Larsen Vale,” he commanded. “Please.”

      The woman peeled off her jacket and tossed it on a stool as she went into the kitchen, revealing a green sweater clinging to soft curves. Jeans covered her slender hips and long, long legs. His body stirred as he watched her charmingly unbalanced walk until she disappeared around the counter. But when she returned, she carried not a phone, but a flashlight.

      He stared at her in consternation. Had his thoughts not taken at all?

      “Autumn, make the phone call.”

      She met his gaze without flinching. “I will. As soon as I’m sure I didn’t give you a concussion. Now, sit down so I can reach you.” Laughter sparkled in her eyes. “I don’t think I’ve ever said that to anyone before. Except my dad. He’s not as tall as you, but he’s close.”

      “Does he also have hair the color of yours?”

      “Oh, yes.” The words came out on a sigh. “I got all my quirky traits from my dad. You’d never believe I was related to the rest of my family. My mom’s a five-foot-four blond ballet teacher. Both my sisters look just like her.”

      “Their loss.” He wasn’t sure where he’d picked up the term, but the quick grin that lit her face made the breath catch in his throat. She had a smile fit for royalty.

      “Thanks.” Her expression turned unaccountably shy. “Now, umm, come sit down so I can check your eyes.”

      “My eyes?”

      “The dilation. I want to make sure I didn’t give you a concussion.” She slid the soft pads of her fingers around the much larger bones of his wrist and tugged him toward the sofa.

      Would Esri eyes react like human eyes? He couldn’t be sure and couldn’t take the chance, not when he’d finally made contact with one who could lead him to his prey.

      He was about to try to push the thought into her head that his eyes were fine when she glanced back at him with an impish sparkle. “I’ve seen this done on TV a million times.”

      The glitter of self-directed humor told him she laughed at herself, but it was the wry quirk of her lips that drew his gaze and aroused his hunger. And when her soft palm pressed against his chest, urging him to sit, he unleashed the desire that had plagued him from the moment her fingers had first eased into his hair. He kissed her, dipping his head and pressing his mouth against the extraordinary softness of her lips.

      The woman stiffened at the contact. Her eyes opened wide with surprise, but she showed no fear, and didn’t pull away.

      His lips moved over hers lightly, sampling the sweetness of that tempting flesh, drinking the spicy fragrance of her skin. She tasted of honey and cinnamon, and alluring, intoxicating female. He’d had females before, though he’d rarely kissed them, for only those who sought the titillation of fear with their mating came near him. This was so very, very different.

      He felt the moment her mouth softened beneath his and began to move, joining the kiss. A sound escaped her throat. Half sigh, half moan. All pleasure.

      He didn’t touch her except where their lips met, yet the force of that touch swept him beyond himself, beyond mattering, tugging at places inside him that had lain cold and dormant for too long.

      Stirring a need…a weakness…

      He pulled away. “I have no concussion.”

      The human…Autumn…blinked, her cheeks flushed and rosy, her expression flustered. “I…umm…right. No concussion.” The flashlight slipped from her fingers and thudded against the wooden coffee table, making her jump. She backed away from him, knocking into the table and nearly dislodging a cup, sending it into a precarious wobble. “You…should go. I’ll tell Larsen you were here.”

      He shouldn’t have kissed her. Touching her…tasting her…did things to him, weakened him in ways he could ill afford. And with this small aggression, he’d apparently frightened her. A serious mistake when his goal was to win her trust.

      His hands fisted and unfisted at his sides as his brain searched for a way to bring her back under his control without frightening her again. Since he couldn’t seem to control her thoughts, perhaps he had no choice but to back away and try to approach her again at a later time. As if he had time.

      What a fool he’d been to kiss her, no matter how pleasant he’d found the experience.

      “I’ll go, then,” he said reluctantly. “Tell…ask…Larsen to call me.”

      “Oh. Right. I need to get your number.” Autumn lifted her palm to her forehead as if trying to gather her wits. As she did, her sweater sleeve dropped, revealing the oddly rustic bracelet twisted around her wrist. It almost looked like…holly. Of course! The plant was scarce in Esria, for it had the disturbing ability to thwart and confound magic. No wonder he’d failed to control her.

      If he could get the holly away from her, he might salvage this day’s work after all.

      He followed Autumn to the kitchen counter, standing at her elbow where he could easily reach her, watching as she picked up a pen and a small pad of paper.

      Not meeting his gaze, she asked, “What’s your number?”

      “Two-oh-two,” he began, then slowly reached out to stroke her bracelet. “I like the look of this.” He allowed his fingers to slide across the soft skin of her wrist while he shoved thoughts into her head.

      The holly itches. I need to take it off.

      “No.” Her voice was a whisper, as if she spoke to herself.

      The СКАЧАТЬ