Kerrelyn Sparks - How to Seduce a Vampire (Without Really Trying)

Zoltan paused. Elsa might have a point. “What should I bring?”

Elsa frowned, considering, then her face brightened. “I have a box of chocolates I haven’t opened.”

Howard stiffened. “That was my gift for you.”

“You can get me some more.” Elsa squeezed her husband’s arm. “This is an emergency. Zoltan needs something now.”

Zoltan nodded. “Chocolate might be good. I doubt she gets much of it.”

“Maybe it’ll keep her from beating the crap—” Howard stopped when Zoltan glared at him.

“The box is in our bedroom.” Elsa started out the door. “I’ll be right back.”

“We’ll be in the armory,” Howard called after her.

Zoltan made his way quickly to the armory with Howard right behind him, asking questions along the way.

“What’s her name? Where does she live? Does she look like Xena, the warrior princess? Why did she beat you up?”

Zoltan ignored him and selected a sat phone off a shelf in the armory.

“Let me see that.” Howard grabbed it and started pushing buttons. “Okay. It’s charged up and working well. I’m putting in my number and Angus’s and Mikhail’s. If anything goes wrong, I want you to call. Either Angus or Mikhail should be able to teleport to you right away.”

“I understand.” Zoltan reached for the phone, but Howard kept pushing buttons.

When Howard’s cell phone went off, he smiled. “Okay, now I have your number.” He handed the sat phone to Zoltan. “I recommend you take at least one knife.”

“I’ll be fine.” Zoltan dropped the sat phone into a pants pocket. “If I’m really in trouble, I’ll just teleport back here.”

“Does she know you’re a Vamp?”

Zoltan shook his head. “I don’t think so.” Although her cat knew he wasn’t normal. Fortunately, she wasn’t able to communicate with her pet.

“Does she know about Vamps?”

“Probably. They were fighting Lord Liao and some of Master Han’s army two weeks ago.”

Howard’s eyes narrowed. “What does Lord Liao have against them?”

“I don’t know.” Zoltan shrugged. “There’s a lot I don’t know. That’s one reason I want to go back.”

Howard nodded. “They might turn out to be good allies against Master Han.”

“Hello?” Elsa’s voice carried down the spiral staircase, then she appeared in the entrance to the armory. With a smile, she handed a gold foil box to Zoltan. “Here you go.”

“Thank you.” The box was too large for any of his pockets, so he zipped up his jacket and slid it inside.

“Good luck! Oh—” Elsa raised a hand to stop him. “I wanted to let you know. We’ll be moving the mummy Tuesday morning, so it will be in the chapel for the tour that afternoon.”

“All right.” Zoltan nodded. “Good evening.” His heart started pounding. Would Neona be waiting for him? He didn’t want to materialize in front of her, so he would teleport a short distance away and walk to the clearing.

Neona smoothed the clean sheets on the bed, then took one final look around the cabin. A fire was burning in the hearth. The kettle was full of water and ready to heat up over the flames. The old English tea set had been washed and placed on the table, along with a bowl of fresh berries she’d picked earlier in the day.

She adjusted the sash around her tunic. These were her finest clothes, an embroidered silk tunic and pants. She’d told the other women that she was hunting tonight with Zhan, so she’d left wearing her usual green and brown linen, with her good clothes, a towel, and some soap stashed in the bag she wore on her back.

She’d washed up in her favorite place, where the stream from Beyul-La jetted out into the neighboring valley. Then she’d dressed in Frederic’s cabin and readied it for Zoltan’s visit. The cat kept getting underfoot, as if he didn’t think he was getting enough attention.

She patted Zhan’s head. “I know I cannot continue to see him. But if I could just have a daughter . . .” She tensed as the fear of having a son crept into her thoughts. No, she would have to think positively. She would have a daughter, a beautiful daughter with Zoltan’s hair and eyes. Then she would have someone to love. And she wouldn’t have to spend the rest of her life with a broken heart.

Zhan curled up in front of the hearth to take a nap. She took a deep breath, then started for the clearing. With each step, her heart pounded louder in her ears. Remember to stay in charge, she warned herself. Take his seed if he is willing, then send him on his way. Do not become attached to him.

She stopped, her breath catching when she saw him. He was contemplating the night sky, his head tilted back and the moonlight illuminating his profile. The sharply defined line of his jaw, the shape of his cheekbones and nose, the strong length of his neck. How could he be even more handsome than she’d remembered? His shoulder-length brown hair was brushed back from a wide brow. The wound on his temple was completely healed.

He turned toward her, and she froze under the intensity of his stare. It had been a mistake to ever question this man’s intelligence. His sharp eyes cut through her as if he wanted to peel back her skin to examine her soul. His gaze lowered to her clothes, then returned to her face. “I’m glad you came.”

She drew in a deep breath, steeling her nerves. “Zhan found your note.”

He stepped toward her. “You look beautiful tonight.” He smiled. “But then you would look beautiful every night.”

Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of his smile. Who was this man, that he could affect her so easily? “Where do you come from? Are you staying at the nearby village?”

After a pause, he replied, “I have passed through there.” He removed a box from his jacket. “I have a gift for you.”

She blinked in surprise. First he’d used flattery, and now he had a gift? Hadn’t she made it clear that she wanted to mate with him? There was no need for him to act so gallantly. As if he were . . . courting her.

Her nerves tensed. Why would he court her unless he wanted to win her affections? She couldn’t allow that to happen. After tonight, she’d refuse to see him again.

She glanced at the shiny gold box. “That was not necessary, but thank you.”

“Do you not like chocolate?”

She searched her memory of all the books she’d read from Frederic’s small library. “Hot chocolate?”

“Not the drink.” Zoltan gave her a curious look. “Have you never eaten chocolate?”

She felt heat warming her cheeks. When Frederic had returned to England, they’d lost their only contact with the outside world, and now she felt woefully ignorant. “Come with me, and we shall have some tea.” She turned and headed down the hill.

Zoltan walked beside her. “Are you taking me to your home?”

“No.” She shook her head. “That is not allowed. I am taking you to Frederic’s cabin.”

“Is he a friend of yours?”

“He’s Freddie’s and Freya’s father. He taught us English.”

“He’s the one who went back to England?”

Neona nodded, remembering how distraught Freddie and Freya had been. And their mother, Calliope, had been devastated. Queen Nima had declared that it was just further proof that men could not be trusted. They always betrayed you in the end.

She wouldn’t let that happen. Zoltan couldn’t hurt her if she refused to let him into her heart.

“The cabin is this way.” She pointed to a clearing downstream where the stone house was situated.

He followed her inside and looked around. “Is your home similar to this one? No running water or electricity?”

She wasn’t sure what electricity was. “There is running water in the stream outside.” She hesitated, wondering if she should suggest he lie down on the bed. Perhaps she should give him time to get comfortable. He’d said the other night that he needed to be in the mood.