CHAPTER FOUR

BARIQ

Those eyes, so close to his Alessandra’s, closed in sleep. It was easier now that he couldn’t see the blue-purple color. It filled him with memories and longings, and —

She isn’t Allesandra.

The patch job holding his shattered heart together developed fractures. Shaking his head, he tried to banish the temptress with Allesandra’s eyes.

Bariq started the car and headed toward the hotel.

Mischale had all the markers of a human, but that didn’t answer the questions he had about her fire. The flames burned through him, melting the icy demeanor he’d developed. He was feeling things he shouldn’t.

As he breathed in, his senses were swamped by Mischale’s scent. It was intoxicating. Flowery and hot.

 He hadn’t allowed himself to tangle with anyone in centuries, and Mischale wasn’t going to entice him to relive that pain.

Bariq parked his car near the elevator in the underground parking structure at the hotel. She didn’t stir. He’d said they’d talk in the lobby, but he couldn’t carry her in there while she was unconscious.

It wouldn’t be the strangest thing the hotel staff had ever seen, but no point in calling attention to himself to that degree.

He rounded the car and scooped Mischale into his arms. Her weight was insignificant. How had she been so heavy before?

He didn’t have far to walk. Within moments, he was in the elevator, holding his key card against the panel. The doors closed, and when they opened, he strode into the foyer of his suite.

He carried her to a sofa. Better she woke there instead of his bed. She already had some serious trust issues.

Easing her down, he gazed at her face. With the pad of his thumb, he stroked her cheek and trailed the caress to her lips. Such lovely, luscious lips.

Too bad she uses them to say all the wrong things. 

He chuckled as he slid his thumb inside her mouth.

What was that about him not being a creep? Leaving her face, he skimmed his palms down her arms before raising them above her head.

He continued his exploration, trying to be as clinical as possible. His cock had other ideas.

So did his fingers.

With each touch of skin, and scrape of fabric, he got more aroused.

What did that say about him? She was unconscious, and he was getting a hard on.

Bariq touched and kneaded, moving across her hips and thighs until he arrived at her feet. Lifting them, he removed one boot, then the other. Such delicate feet and ankles should not be hidden by tough leather boots.

He eyed her corset. That couldn’t be comfortable to sleep in. Or was he looking for more excuses to touch her?

Well. Perhaps she was right about him being a creep, and some might call him a pervert, but he wasn’t so debased as to strip a woman without her permission. She was breathing, her breasts rising and falling. The corset might not be comfortable, but it wasn’t causing her harm.

He studied the collar around her neck. A simple leather band. No jewelry, rings, pendants, or brandings to say who had put it on her. Had she put it on herself, or did she have a Dom?

Mischale didn’t seem to be submissive, and no self-respecting Dom would allow her to put herself in danger like she had tonight. But maybe things changed in the bedroom. There were many kinds of dominant-submissive relationships. She wouldn’t necessarily have to be submissive all day every day.

So many questions he wanted answered.

He smoothed his fingers down her legs and over her feet. He dug his thumb into her arch, and she sighed, her whole body relaxing.

She didn’t mind his touch now. And feet were innocent, right? It was less creepy than fondling her breasts, and allowed him to touch her. Something he didn’t seem to be able to stop himself doing.

His cell phone trilled. Reality slammed into him. He knew nothing about this woman, and here he was taking liberties with her.

He was a creep. Bariq dropped her feet and shot one hand to silence the phone’s ring tone, striding away to answer the call.

“Augustus.”

“Did you really kidnap a girl?” Augustus chuckled. “Because, you know, we’ve got plenty of women at Oubliette if you’ve finally decided to indulge. No need to take helpless females against their will.”

“A less helpless woman I’ve never met.” Shaking his head, he glanced at the couch where Mischale slept.

His heart constricted.

“We got the vampire,” Augustus reported. “Not one we know, either, but others have been having issues with them. We’ve got him locked up so we can question him. There was some jewelry in a box. Women’s, so probably trophies. And after we dealt with the ghouls, we found some, uh… parts. Fingers. Some hair. Six women, we think.”

“How did no one realize what he was doing?”

“Someone did. Your girl knew. Why don’t you ask her?”

His girl. Bariq liked the sound of that. How had she figured it out?

“She’s sleeping right now. I’ll find out she wakes.”

“Okay. Well, stay alert and keep her safe. We don’t know if he was working alone. I’m not sure what these vampires are after, but we don’t need humans as collateral damage.”

“Don’t worry,” Bariq replied. “No one will touch her.”

Bariq hung up on another chuckle. Augustus was as bad as Lucius.

No one would touch her… Well. except for him. He didn’t dare look at her as images of using her body for his pleasure rolled through his mind.

She was so wild when she defended herself. He could well imagine what her reaction would be if she woke up bound to his bed.

He dispelled that notion as soon as it entered his mind. He’d never forced himself onto anyone before, and he wasn’t going to start with Mischale.

Besides, after he’d fed her, made sure she was okay, and got some answers, he’d send her right back where she belonged.

His chest ached at the thought.

She’s not Alessandra. As much as Mischale looked like her, and shared the same spirit, keeping this woman would result in the same end for her.

Death.

But maybe… Maybe he could have one night with her. Oubliette was having a themed ball tonight. As a member, he had a standing invitation, although normally he eschewed such gatherings.

He sat on the edge of the couch and replaced Mischale’s feet in his lap. A soft moan pulled him from his musings.

Mischale’s eyes snapped open, but she wasn’t aware. She lashed out with the feet he held in his grasp.

His reflexes were fast enough to stop them from striking his body full force, but the impact rattled a grunt from him. She was stronger than she looked.

Bariq grabbed an ankle in each hand, surprised at their weight. He dodged her hands as she attacked. Normally, a woman scratching and clawing at him would be thrilling, but, this wild cat was bent on killing him.

“Cease, woman! I promised not to hurt you, and I haven’t. I won’t.”