Page 6 of The Virgin and the Vampire

I’m back to mourning the old days when there wasn’t any paperwork. Gianna’s eyes widen as I drive onto Etienne’s estate and approach The Sanctuary. She starts bouncing in her seat. “Oh. My. God. We’re going to The Sanctuary!”

“What do you know about The Sanctuary?” I growl in disbelief.

“Well, not as much as l’d like to,” she pouts. “A few friends and I tried to get in to see if we could spot some vampires. Okay, that was my reason. They wanted to see a sex club. But we were all turned away for being underage. So not fair. We weren’t going todoanything.”

She pauses briefly before continuing with obvious excitement. “So, are you really taking me to a sex club? At ten in the morning? I thought for sure they only operated at night.”

I grind my teeth. “I am not taking you to a sex club. Not now or ever. What I’m doing is bringing you to a meeting with Etienne. The fact that his office happens to be located inside a sex club is purely coincidental.”

Gianna laughs.

I had been planning to blindfold her between the parking lot and Etienne’s office to preserve her innocence, but it’s obvious now she’s not going to let that happen. So inside I drag her by the elbow in and up the stairs as fast as I can manage. Her feet are practically flying out behind her as I knock briefly on the door and then enter.

Etienne sits behind his massive desk, looking like he has the world completely under control. He eyes Gianna, who is gasping for breath, with curiosity, but nothing more.

“What exactly is so earth-shattering about her that you had to break the rules, Kade? I don’t see a line of competing vamps behind you,” he says dryly. I can feel Gianna stiffen next to me and place a hand on her shoulder before she does something dangerously stupid.

“All the more reason to act quickly,” I respond genially. “This way, they never know what they’re missing.”

Etienne’s lips twitch ever so slightly. “The sheer amount of jewelry might be a hint. You couldn’t keep it to just the collar?”

Glancing down at Gianna with pride, I shake my head. “She is a jewel beyond measure.”

Both Gianna and Etienne roll their eyes at that, lightening my mood as perhaps they can get along after all.

Etienne sighs. “Well, her sister had some valid concerns, and I dislike having my evening interrupted by having to chase you down.”

Gianna startles and then blurts, “How do you know Carina?”

The head vampire eyes her with bemusement. “Are you going to tell her, Kade, or shall I?”

I eye the door with a sudden yearning, then sigh. “The Sanctuary exists so that vampires can feed, baby.”

Gianna glares. “I know that. What does that have to do with my sister?”

I open my mouth, but I can’t find the words. Etienne finally ends the agony. “Your sister is a member of the club, little one. She frequently requests Kade.”

I’m so busy glaring at Etienne for making that sound worse than it is that I almost miss Gianna turning white.

“You fucked my sister and now you want to fuck me?” she whispers in horror.

“No! Goddammit, Etienne! Gianna, baby, I never fucked Carina. Hell, I haven’t fucked anyone in over a hundred years. Vamps only drink at the club, sweetness. Nothing more.”

She looks to Etienne for reassurance, which only annoys me further. He shrugs. “Those are the rules.” The implication being that if I broke others, I probably broke those too.

Finally Gianna turns to me. “Are you being completely truthful with me? Because if you are, then why didn’t she tell me?”

4

Kade holds out his hands in placation. “I don’t know, baby. She seemed very protective of you. The longest conversation I ever had with her was this week when she asked me to be your birthday surprise. I don’t think she kept it from you to be mean.”

I stare into his blue eyes, trying to assess if I can read him well enough to trust his word or not.

“Perhaps, Ms. Coletti, this is a prudent wake up call for you. May I suggest slowing things down before you make such a big decision? Despite what Kade may have told you in his, er, enthusiasm to claim you, there’s no reason you can’t take a month or two — or six— to think things over, get to know him a little better before you decide.”

I swivel my attention to the man Kade refers to as Etienne. It seems entirely too simple a name for someone who radiates with power and confidence.

“Mr…?” I wait for him to fill in the blank.

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