Page 4 of Last Note
There is something about her. Something ethereal, separating her from everyone here. A subtle seraphic glow around her body, like she’s here and somewhere else at thesame time. It calls to something in me on a primal level. The need to take, to conquer, to protect…it takes my breath away. Before I know it, I’m standing in front of her.
Her face lifts slowly, her gaze like a caress while she takes me in. When her dark eyes connect with mine, I hold my breath, waiting for that moment when they’ll glaze over, and I can lead her away. My hand is already lifting, reaching for her to usher her out of this damn place.
She frowns at me, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.
“Can I help you?” Her fingers tighten on the violin box.
The shock I feel because she doesn’t seem affected by me is reflected in my brothers as well. Tilting my head, I look at her thoughtfully. Who is this woman?
“Quel est ton nom?” Clenching my hand so I don’t reach for her again, I’m entirely focused on her.
Nothing.
She reacts to me like one of my kind. Not even they stay so unaffected by my nearness. This woman gives no indication that she even knows something dangerous, and otherworldly, is standing before her.
“Huh?” Cocking her head, her eyes widen for a moment. “Do you speak English?”
Pronouncing her words slowly, I’m mesmerized by the movement of her lips. Until I realize what she said. Rocking back on my heels, I’m stunned more when I hear her mumble under her breath, thinking I can’t hear it.
“I should’ve known no god-like man would come up to someone like me if they knew what they were doing or where they were.” She gives me an expectant smile like she hasn’t spoken.
“You spoke French.” Moël murmurs helpfully from behind me.
“I understood that much,” I tell him dryly. I don’t need the obvious pointed out.
“What is your name?” I repeat my question in her language, and I’m pleased to see that she shivers when she leans closer so she can hear me.
“Why?” That is not what I expected her to say.
“What other reason would there be but to introduce myself?” Unwilling to keep my hands to myself any longer, I take the fingers from her free hand, lifting them to my lips. “I’m Étienne.”
As soon as her skin is under my nose, I have to bite my tongue so I don’t growl like a wild animal and scare her off. There is some floral smell from her body lotion that hits me first, but not strong enough to hide the natural scent of her. Subtle yet tempting, the note of blooming roses washes over me, speeding up the beat of my heart. The short hairs on my neck stand on end, sending a trickling current passing through my spine. She snatches her hand away as if bitten.
“Keep your hands to yourself, buddy.” The violin case rattles in a warning. “Here we don’t touch people willy-nilly. You can get knocked on your ass for that.”
Lucien snorts.
Stiffening my shoulders, I open my mouth to do…what? I have no idea what I can say or how to act around this human woman. I have never, in my long life, come across someone like her. Two other females come out of nowhere, one of them grabbing the woman by the hand and pulling her away from me.
“Let’s go, Melody. I’m done here.” The one holding the woman’s hand shouts loudly over the music.
“Melody.” Repeating her name, I see her turn to look over her shoulder, her eyes connecting with mine before she disappears in the crowd.
“What the fuck was that?” Lucien steps up shoulder to shoulder with me.
“She had absolutely no reaction, even when I touched her.” I find it necessary to say it, just in case I missed something while watching her like I’ve never seen a female before.
“Yes, I saw.” When I need him to speak, Lucien is a male of little words.
“How is that possible?” I keep staring at the last place I saw her face.
“It’s not possible.”
“You stood next to me, asshole. Obviously, it’s possible. I don’t need you to repeat my words. I need fucking answers.” Finally, I turn to look at Lucien.
“Don’t fucking snap at me. Go ask her.” His jaw clenches, and he glares at me.
“Ask her!” Spinning around, I start pushing through the bodies.
