Page 10 of The Serpent's Bride
She was taking in her surroundings with wide, green eyes filled with awe. Her dark brown hair ran along tanned skin in delicate waves and curls.
“Welcome to my home.” He held his arms out at either side and bowed dramatically. “Soon to beourhome.”
“Thanks,” she replied shyly. “What a beautiful place.” Her slight drawl betrayed exactly how out of her element she was. Deliciously so.
He held his hand out to her. “Come. Let me give you a tour. YouareMonica?” He smiled his best.
“Last I checked.” She chuckled and placed her hand delicately in his.
“Good.”
Beautiful.
That was the first thought that came to him as he studied her. The second?
I’m going to have so much fun breaking this one…
Yes. They were about to have agreatdeal of fun together.
THREE
Nadi’s heart was lodged in her throat.
She hadn’t ever been so close to Raziel in her life since that final night so long ago.
And she’d barely been more than a child, then.
Inches—onlyinches—separated her and the monster she’d sworn to kill over eighty years ago. He was holding her hand in his. He was slightly cool to the touch—vampires fed on the blood of others, after all, and often had lower body temperatures if they hadn’t fed recently.
But when he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the backs of her knuckles, his blood-red eyes meeting hers, her skin felt hot. She locked up.
Why?Why?
There was no doubt that he was a sight to behold. Sharp cheekbones, long, straight black hair, and a piercing stare that played no small part in his ability to control those around him. He was tall and built—though perhaps not by his brother’s standards on either front—and dressed in a deep crimson suit that was meticulously tailored to suit his frame.
He made an imposing sight, and it was all by design.
And for the second time in her life, she was the focus of his attention.
And he hadno idea who she was.
That was what shook her out of her frozen state. She was wearing a mask. A shield.Shewas in control of the situation, nothim.Playing the game, she meekly tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, and took a step closer as if drawn closer by his alluring demeanor.
Raziel let out a quiet hum of approval. “Did you have a pleasant trip?”
“I did, thank you. Never taken the train before. Didn’t see any of those hideousmonsters on the way. I think I might be disappointed.” She chuckled. “I’ve never seen a real live fae before.”
“Hope you never do, my dear. They would sooner eat your eyes from your skull than show you a moment of compassion. Come. Let me show you around.” He released her hand to give her a brief tour of his home. He walked her from room to room, explaining what each one was along the first floor.
Nadi couldn’t help but gape. She knew where the vampire lived—she knew everything she could about him, including the fact that this was one of three homes he owned—but to see it up close and personal was something else.
The center of the metropolis was densely packed with stone buildings and steel structures. But here, on the outskirts, the structures were spread out far enough to allow for some small semblance of privacy. His mansion was tucked back away from the street behind a large stone wall and iron gate, withfaketrees andfakeshrubberies along the edges of the property providing even more privacy.
Couldn’t let anything Wild nearby, of course. What plants there were, decoratively kept in pots or the few small areas ofgrass, were ringed with wrought iron—to keep any magic at bay—and likely groomed back daily to keep them under control.
The building looked a hundred years old on the outside, but the interior was newly gutted and renovated. The walls were a shining, heavily lacquered wood inlaid with sharp-edged geometric patterns. Everything was made of clean lines and the detail was minimal. But the materials were where the opulence and the expense came in. Marble, gold, brass plaques depicting vampires fightingsavage faeset into the floors.
Electric bulbs glowed from fixtures that had clearly just been wired to replace the gas ones, handmade stained glass casting contrasting light across the surfaces in various shades of red, amber, and yellow.
