He doesn't say anything for a moment, then shakes his headslowly.
"I honestly don't know yet. I only know I want you to be able to doit."
I look away from his too-intense gaze, those bluest of blue eyes seeming hurt by myresponse.
"I'm sorry." I'm suddenly feeling too tired from it all. "You have to understand how strange this all is." I struggle to find the right words, avoiding his eyes. "Being able to join minds with someone? It's wonderful and scary. I'm afraid that everything between us is leading me down a path I'll come toregret."
"I know," he says and nods. "We have to trust each other completely. This connection between us – it builds trust. You must trust me with your life. I must trust you with mine." He touches my cheek. "We could kill each other soeasily."
We could kill each other. He could catch me unawares and just drink me dry. I could have the stake in his heart in a second. Can I trust him? He's done nothing to raise suspicions in me. He even let me temporarily kill him so that I knew how. The look of concern on his face arouses something in me. Is it fear? Desire? Or is itboth?
He removes his hand and stands there on the next step and our eyes are on the level, his face just a few inches from mine and he's so beautiful but I don't know how I feel any longer. The only thing I know for sure is that I want him so much, I'm afraid that I'll do anything to havehim.
"Shall I come in?" he askssoftly.
"I need to be alone tonight," I say and it's the truth. I need to be away from him for a few hours so I can sort through theseemotions.
"I'm going away tomorrow," hesays.
"I'm sosad."
He takes my hand and I know it's because he wants to know mysadness.
"I can make you feel better," he says, his voice breathless and his blue eyes narrow. That lopsided grin starts and I close my eyes and can't help but smile in response. He makes that throat sound and takes my head in his hands and kisses my cheeks, one after the other, his tongue touching my skin. I know his thoughts and he wants to touch my skin with his tongue everywhere … I'm helpless to denyhim.
"Eve," he says, his voice solemn. "I want you to stay at my house while I'm gone. You'll be saferthere."
I start to protest. "Mycats…"
"My servants will take care ofthem."
I don't want to leave my little apartment, but then I remember my pledge to just obey and I bite back a question, a reason to stay in my ownflat.
"OK," I say. "If youwant."
"I want." He kisses me. "If you don't, I'll worry about you the entire time I'm away and won't be able to concentrate. We'll go there now. I can send someone over tomorrow to get yourthings."
"Can't we stopnow?"
"No," he says and puts a finger on mylips.
I comply and follow him back into thecar.
* * *
Chapter 21
"There isno remedy for love but to lovemore."
Thoreau.
We drive out to Cambridge and enter a garage connected to the house. Michel stops and talks to one of his staff, a dark-haired vampire with sharp black eyes and a Hercule Poirot moustache. The man eyes me from under a disapprovingfrown.
I expect him to take my coat, but Michel seems impatient to take me upstairs to the second floor, where we enter a large bedroom. Against one wall is a huge four-poster bed with a canopy that looks like something out of Buckingham Palace. Michel kicks the door closed and presses me against the wall, pinning my body with his hips, one hand holding mine over my head, his other arm on the wall beside me. I feel his desire for me and it sends a jolt of lust throughme.
"I want you, Eve," he says, his voice breathless. "When you had my wrist in your mouth in the park, I thought I'd lose control right there and ravishyou."
That sends a wave of desire through me that makes medizzy.