Forbidden Blood: A House of Comarré Novella Read Online Free Page A

as they headed down the hall.
    “So…accommodating.”
    “I never have guests, but if I did and they were as beautiful and charming as you, I guess I would be.”
    “There you go again.” She tried not to focus on the way his hip subtly brushed hers, how the breadth of his body accentuated the slenderness of hers. How being this close amplified how very male he was. “Being accommodating.”
    He stopped and the first thought was that he would try to kiss her again and how this time she might not refuse him. “Your room.”
    “What?” She blinked, trying to parse out what he’d said.
    He released her arm and opened the door before them. “Your room. If anything isn’t to your liking, please let me know.”
    She didn’t take her gaze from his face. “I’m sure it’s fine.”
    “Until this evening, then.” And with that, he was gone.

Chapter Five
    “ S ciocco ,” Dominic muttered to himself as he entered his suite. He’d been a fool in more ways than one this morning. He’d let Marissa’s beauty and intelligence sway him into revealing far more than was prudent. He’d let his desires get the best of him. He’d been without willing companionship for so long that the smallest encouragement from her and he’d become a blathering loon with the libido of a schoolboy.
    He’d even been so distracted he’d ignored an entire goblet of blood. Now he would face the coming night hungry. And that meant he’d be even more vulnerable to Marissa’s charms.
    He threw his suit jacket onto a chair. His valet rushed forward to retrieve it. Dominic waved the man off. “Leave it until this evening. I wish to be alone.”
    “Yes, my lord.” The man ducked out.
    Impatient with the buttons of his shirt, Dominic tore it off and added it to the pile. The rest of his clothes followed. He tugged on a pair of silk pajama pants, then headed for his bed. He stopped as he passed a floor-length mirror. The gold backing meant he’d see whatever face he wished, human or vampire. Tonight, both sides had betrayed him.
    He stared at his reflection, scowling. “You chose this life. And now one woman makes you question it? A woman who belongs to another? A woman who could be your undoing? She would laugh if she knew your thoughts.” Or would she? Marissa made it plain her life with Arnaud was less than ideal. He growled at his image. “Travel and lack of blood has muddled your brain.”
    He stalked to the bed, got under the linens, and stared into the silk canopy draped from its four posters. How was he going to appease Arnaud without hurting Marissa? Nothing he’d done in the past gave him any answers. Even alchemy had its limitations.
    His choices in this were narrow. Do as Arnaud commanded, or spare Marissa. Both had consequences. If Dominic succeeded in this task for Arnaud, the man would never leave him alone. Nor would any other vampire who heard of it. Spending his life turning vampires into daywalkers held no appeal. He knew his kind could be monsters. He still had familia in the world, generations removed, but blood was blood. He felt duty bound to protect them from what he’d become as much as he felt duty bound to protect Marissa from harm.
    But sparing her meant his days as nobility would end. Arnaud did not make empty threats. He’d expose Dominic without compunction. Once that happened, Dominic would have little time to flee, leaving behind everything he’d worked so hard for. Or worse, if they captured him, they’d turn him to ash.
    No matter how much life was behind him, he wasn’t ready to give up his future so quickly. Not when he’d just remembered how enjoyable the company of the right female could be.
    Daysleep closed in as the potion he’d taken wore off. Perhaps the twilight would bring him an answer. But even as his eyes closed, he knew what lay ahead would change his life forever.
     
    * * *
    Evening brought him no solutions, so as he did most nights, he secluded himself in his laboratory and went to