Page 15 of Death and Desire

She shifted her gaze from him for a few brief moments, hoping to spot her brother or David in the crowd. Alas, from this vantage, she could not even see her father. Damn and blast!

“My brother.”

“Brother?” He chuckled, relief echoing through the sound. “Would you care to dance as you await his arrival?”

“I’m sure he’s already here.” Desperation clawed at her. “I really must find him.”

Violet shifted a few steps to the right, looking around at a potted plant. She needed to put distance between this charming devil and herself. Her intuition never failed her, and right now, it told her to run.

“Such a lovely gem.” He caught her wrist with his hand and lifted it to the light. “I have never seen one quite like it. Egyptian?”

“Yes, a gift from my mother.” Her tight response was polite but dismissive, brooking no further invitation to discuss it. She glimpsed a familiar broad-shouldered shadow standing beneath a shaded palm.David. “If you will excuse me, I see my brother.”

James released her hand with a flourish, his fingertips brushing the jeweled bracelet. “It was lovely to meet you, Violet. I hope to have the pleasure of your company again soon.”

With an unsteady smile, she tore herself from his side and cut a direct path for the familiar beacon of safety. The man beneath the palm moved, his profile comforting. But the closer she came, the more uncertainty filled her. She realized this was not her brother...or David...certainly not her father.

Her steps slowed, but she did not stop, certain James would take it as an invitation. As she approached, she searched through her mind for this familiar profile. In the background, the music shifted, the familiar strains of a waltz transitioning to a deep, rhythmic tempo. Exotic and unfamiliar to her ears. The Egyptian song thrummed through her as she drew close to the dark stranger. In her soul, she knew this man was no stranger, yet she could not find his name.

He turned when she reached him, as if aware of her presence. She tipped her head to look up at him. His dark eyes narrowed. No, she’d been mistaken.Jameswasn’t devilish;thisman was. He was sin incarnate. Raven hair lay in waves around his angular face, resting against the collar of his shirt and casting his features in highlight and shadow. Tall for certain. Most definitely strong, she wagered, judging by the fit of his tailored coat.

She shook her head, unable to comprehend the truth.

“Is something wrong?” His deep voice rumbled through her, firm and soothing in tandem.

Violet knew him, but she’d never met him before...at least not in the waking world. She swallowed the lump in her throat. How was this possible? She’d never seen the face of the man in her dreams, and yet, it washis voice. His voice had lured her to Egypt...to this moment.

“Dance with me,” she blurted out.

To his credit, the shadowed stranger did not protest. He glanced at their clasped hands as she pulled him to the dance floor. When his hand came to rest on her hip, a delightful shiver raced through her. The press of his fingers ignited a flurry of chaos inside her. Meeting his dark gaze, she fell into step with the music.

He hesitated for a moment, as though uncertain, but he moved to align himself to both her and the tempo of the music. His face was devoid of any emotion.

Her hand rested on his shoulder. The muscles beneath the fabric moved with fluid precision as he guided her to the pounding rhythm of the music. She’d been right. He was strong.

When he spun her, she caught sight of James on the periphery of the crowd. Their eyes locked, and a knowing smirk tugged at his mouth before he turned, disappearing into the room beyond.

A sigh of relief stole from her lips. Turning her attention back to her silent partner, she studied his face in the light. Handsome, stoic, mysterious. He was certainly not what she’d expected to find in Cairo.

“Why do you look at me as though you’re attempting to read a difficult passage in a rare tome?” he asked.

“I wasn’t aware I was looking at you in such a specific way. It’s not as if any harm ever came from reading a book.” Violet cocked her head. “Have we met before?”

“No.” His lips pressed into a thin line.

“We must have.” She drew closer, and he stiffened slightly as she brushed against him. “I recognize your voice.”

“Impossible.”

“How so?” she asked, curiosity driving her forward.

“You’ve never before been to Egypt,” he said, his tone measured, certain. “And I have never left.”

Her brow rose. “How do you know I’ve never been to Egypt?”

“Your complexion is too fair.” His lip lifted at the corner. Not a smile, almost a sneer...and yet, it made her chuckle.

“That was either a terrific insult or a terrible compliment.”

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