Page 21 of Seduction in Blood
What in holy hells had just happened?
He knew he'd been dreaming. That was clear from his surroundings. He was no longer in the garden but in his bedroom at his coastal estate. And Cressa was on the other side of the house.
Cressa.
Was that her name?
He focused, trying to push the fog from his mind. The only time he'd heard of living dreams was through strong blood bonds, but he hadn't fed from her. And why such an erotic dream?
He couldn't deny the attraction he'd felt since first seeing her. But his focus was on his mission. His revenge.
Then he recalled the training session. So foolish. He should have sent Lucas in his place. Hours after meeting with Isabella, he'd still been so angry. His long wait over the centuries was close at hand, but only days into the mission, the Council had been warned. Now he played a dangerous game. It was all within his grasp, but it came down to a single human female—one that seemed to arouse more than mere curiosity.
After a punishing training session that only spurred his temper, he'd almost bitten her. When her intoxicating scent wrapped around him, all he wanted was her in his arms. He'd almost kissed her. A human. That made the dream all the more impossible if they'd never shared blood. He wasn't even sure that type of blood link was possible with a human.
What could have made the dream so real that he could smell the roses and honeysuckle, catch the scent of her blood, and taste the sweetness of her lips? From what he understood, not even blood bonds were that realistic.
He ran a hand over his chest and felt the imprint of her hands as they slid to his shoulders, her fingers tugging at his hair in her own desperate need.
Another possibility crept in, but it was too outlandish. Nothing but folklore. The idea had been something he'd considered for years, but he'd never been able to find anyone who could tell him more.
He pushed it all aside. The dream had been nothing more than a wayward attraction heightened by the tempestuous training session. But when he closed his eyes to attempt sleep, he fell under the influence of the way Cressa's legs had wrapped around him and the erotic hunger in her eyes when she claimed his passion.
ChapterTwelve
Breakfast was goingto be awkward. Which was why I hadn't moved from my room. I'd slipped into my jeans and sweater, the only items that could separate me from Devon and this house, even if he'd been the one to purchase the clothes. They were the closest to being me, not what he wanted to make me into. Even if it was only for a job.
And though my dream had been nothing more than an illusion, thorn prick aside, how could I even look at him without turning fifty shades of red? If I stayed in my room for another hour, he should be done with breakfast and be too busy to wait for me. My stomach growled its frustration, and I glanced around the room, wondering if it would be a problem to add a small coffee pot. But if I was only going to be here a week, what was the point? I could hold out for an hour.
Ten minutes later, a knock jarred me. They were constantly checking on me. This was only day two, and I was already tired of the routine.
Another knock.
"Pandora, you need to come down for breakfast." Lucas's tone was eerily reminiscent of my mother's when I was being petulant.
"I'm not hungry." Well, that sounded grown-up.
"Trust me. What Anna has planned for your morning session may not be as taxing as the training room, but I can guarantee it will bore you to tears." When my only response was silence, he sighed loudly enough for me to catch without vampire hearing. "Instead of paying attention as you should—because believe me, Anna will report everything you master, and what you don't, to Devon—you'll be thinking about how hungry you are and how silly it was to skip breakfast."
My stomach gurgled in agreement, and I covered it with my hands as if it would block the sound. It wasn't that loud.
"I can hear your stomach from here. You're going to need as many calories as you can absorb for your afternoon training sessions. Devon won't be available in the mornings."
That lifted my spirits.
"You can at least come down and grab something to bring back to your room, but honestly, while you're down there, why not stay?"
He stopped. I didn't hear him leave, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to. They could be sneaky when they wanted.
I opened the door and, with my head down, shuffled past Lucas. I was grateful he didn't say a word.
Anna waited for us in the dining room, breakfast already on the table.
"I'm sorry if you waited for me. The food is probably cold." I sat with a chagrined expression, truly sorry for ruining their meal.
"Cook heard Lucas go up, so the plates just arrived." Anna dished out scrambled egg whites while Lucas passed the bowl of diced fruit around.
The room quieted as we ate. I hated the silence. It was fine when I was alone, but not when I was with others.
