Firestorm: Heart of a Vampire #5 Read Online Free

woman into her parlor.

 
    Chapter Three
     
    C at sat in one of the wide, overstuffed chairs near the roaring fireplace, watching the doorway from the corner of her eye for Eric to appear.
    She didn’t think she’d ever seen a man so big, at least not up close. Nearly a foot taller than her own five-seven, face and body looking as if he’d been chiseled from stone—all hard planes and angles—he was nothing like the soft, nearly effeminate French dandies she’d grown up around.
    This man exuded power.
    It relieved her. She needed someone strong, or they’d be useless. Unfortunately, he was also a chauvinistic jerk.
    Her shoulders tightened. Calling her “Woman”, as if they were living hundreds of years ago. Honestly, some people couldn’t step out of the past. She considered calling Niki, asking her to take this guy back. But in the few days since she’d asked for help, another vampire had been found murdered, and at least two more were missing.
    The wolves had been on the prowl. Skulking around her barrier, nearly catching her alone a few times in the city. Just waiting for her to make a mistake.
    She’d sensed something else, some dark thing she couldn’t put a name to, stalking her as well.
    She leaned back, slipping off her tennis shoes as the fire warmed her. She didn’t want this man here, but she wasn’t stupid enough to send him away. She’d accept his help. It didn’t mean she’d put up with barbaric attitudes.
    The hulking man finally entered the drawing room, ducking beneath the doorway, though her house had been built old-world style—tall everything. The arch was far above his head.
    He still seemed on edge, his eyes glazed as if something greatly bothered him.
    Forcing herself to be hospitable, she asked, “How was your trip?”
    He hovered near the doorway, staring around the room. “Fine.” His tone was clipped. She caught his underlying accent. Norse, perhaps.
    Exactly how old was he?
    Taking in a deep breath, she tasted the air. The power radiating from him said many centuries older than herself. He might even be older, and therefore more powerful, than her sire, Jacques. That would be impressive.
    When he didn’t come further into the room, she stood. “Would you care for something to eat or drink?”
    “No.” He finally took another step closer. “Let’s get to the issues you’re having.” His dark eyes were hard as flint.
    Two things occurred to her as she studied him.
    His presence was unsettling. Tall, blond and sexy, just like Niki had teased. And by the way her body warmed the more she looked at his muscled physique, she realized she might be interested in him... if he stopped being a jerk.
    Which led to the second thing. He was an old-school grump who seemed to like ordering women around.
    Well, she might have put up with that sort of thing a century ago, but no longer. She refused to wallow in past inequities between the sexes. It was the twenty-first century, for crying out loud, and they were in the sanctity of her home.
    Lifting her chin, she stared him down. “I was just about to have dinner. I’ll be back in a minute.” As she left the room through the door across from him, she turned back and smiled. “Make yourself comfortable.”
    His scowl deepened.
    She nearly whistled from amusement as she headed for the kitchen.
    Twenty minutes later, she returned to the drawing room. Her upbringing had taken over, pushing her to at least act like a gracious hostess. She balanced an overflowing tray with both hands. It held two mugs of warm, spiced blood, and plates of hastily prepared BLTs. She wasn’t sure how much he’d eaten on the drive, but vampires needed food as much as blood, otherwise their very soul could be in jeopardy of darkening beyond redemption. Besides, food couldn’t make him any grumpier.
    Eric sat in front of the fire, in the chair opposite the one she’d been in earlier. His eyes were still dark, brooding, but not as tormented as when she’d