Strength.

  Yet his kisses had revealed tenderness, a softer side. And if he was anything like what she saw in her head, well, let’s just say he must have a lot of stamina too.

  Focus. Focus. Focus.

  Annie cleared her throat. “The fourth card is the recent past influences card.”

  His hand rose and settled on the table when she displayed the Emperor card and slid it into the three o’clock position.

  “Stability. Strength of belief. You will be surprised by your unexpected path.” But it was Annie who was surprised when he cupped her left hand in his. Warmth radiated up her arm and those damn visions of his perfectly naked body against hers continued to reappear.

  She told herself to pull away, finish the reading and be on her way. Instead she fell into the depth of his eyes, felt white-hot longing flare across her skin like a wildfire. She struggled for control, but her mind went blank.

  “Uhhh…the fifth card—” What the hell did the fifth card mean?

  His sensuality was like a magnet drawing on her strings of desire. She wanted him to take her into his arms. Kiss her once again. But she knew that was not her destiny.

  A tug of her hand only made him tighten his grasp.

  Keep going.

  “R‑Reflects the current state of affairs. What’s brought your question to a head?” With her free hand, she dropped The Hermit card into the six o’clock position.

  “Self-denial,” she murmured.

  Yes. It would definitely do her good to remember her own self-denial, because she wanted this man. The thought came so quickly it startled her. “Ssss‑somebody who is either gone looking for the answer or coming back having found it.”

  His eyes gleamed behind shuttered eyelids, as he caressed the line of her lips.

  She swallowed hard, her tongue flicking across her bottom lip. Was he thinking of their kiss? Did he want to kiss her again? Would he?

  Focus. But it was so difficult when all she wanted to do was fall into his arms.

  What was happening to her? He zapped her ability to concentrate. Not to mention, he made her feel things she had never felt. She didn’t have time for this. She needed to get out of this town.

  Little one, take a chance, Velia’s voice broke into Annie’s concentration.

  She inwardly sighed. Of all times for the little vixen to respond.

  He is your savior.

  Yeah. Right. Annie felt like bitch-slapping Velia. I need your guidance on the underlying emotions I’m feeling, not my love life.

  You need him.

  If you’re not going to help me, then shut up and go away, Annie barked internally.

  Annie pulled her attention back to the cards lying on the table before her. “The sixth card is the future influences.” She quickly placed the Chariot card in the nine o’clock position. “It shows the sphere of influence coming into being. This is what’s roaring down the track.” Annie felt his inner turbulence; it quaked through her with such force it made her tense. “And it’s coming fast—”

  A sudden sense of urgency rose, demanding Annie’s attention.

  Choices will have to be made and made quickly, whispered Velia.

  For him or me? Annie asked.

  A pregnant pause followed.

  Evidently Velia had suddenly contracted a bad case of lockjaw. Not a peep or answer came from her spirit guide.

  Once again Etienne’s reading and the nagging energy that had haunted Annie for days crossed paths. It zinged back and forth inside her head like a pinball gone mad. She tried to gather her thoughts. There were only four cards left in the spread. She had to hurry.

  As she reached for the seventh card, he placed his other hand over hers. “I want you.” His deep voice held a longing that sent her mind into a tailspin.

  Her gaze jerked away from the cards and narrowed in on him. “Excuse me?” was all she could say.

  Never releasing her hands, he stood, then pulled her to her feet, closing in on her so that their bodies were a breath apart.

  Annie couldn’t think. Her body began to burn with a need so consuming that she felt faint. She ached for his touch—his kiss.

  “I know you feel it.” One hand slid up her arm, until he cradled the side of her face in his palm. “It’s a hunger stirring inside us both, demanding to be quenched.”

  Oh yeah. Annie felt it. Even the silent threat echoing inside her wasn’t strong enough to counteract the chemistry going on between them. But somehow she found a thread of sanity amongst the chaos. “It’s the Arizona heat. It does things to your mind. A mirage. Just ignore it.” As if that was possible.

  Etienne pulled her closer. With a feather touch, he smoothed his mouth over hers, sucking first on her top lip and then the bottom. His tongue followed the seam of her lips, before parting them to slip inside. Languidly, he caressed her mouth from side to side, flicking his tongue against hers. Then he tilted his head to deepen the kiss, thrusting firmly against her tongue to entice her to join in the dance.

  Slender fingers curled into the sleeves of his shirt as she clung to him—lost in an avalanche of sensations.

  Annie wanted more, so much more. Her nipples were taut peaks. The valley between her thighs moist and hot as small spasms quaked. She pressed her legs tightly together to ease the need swelling, but it was no use.

  “Beautiful,” Etienne groaned, moving his mouth lightly across hers. “Does this feel like a mirage, bébé?”

  When he called her baby, her chest tightened.

  “No.” Annie’s voice was breathy. She gazed up at Etienne through feathered lashes. “But—”

  He didn’t wait for her objection. Instead Etienne kissed her again.

  She was pliable beneath his assault, following where he led as he deepened the kiss once more. Their tongues dueled, arms holding on tightly, bodies meshed together, as she melted into his touch.

  Blood flowed into his testicles, hardening them painfully against his already tight jeans, squeezing a groan from his throat. The ache took Etienne’s breath away, forcing him to release her lips with a gasp. Her eyes were filled with wonder and perhaps a little apprehension.

  Other than Meryell, Etienne had never wanted a woman like he did the one in his arms. Amazingly, Annie chased his demons away and soothed the savage beast that roared inside him. For a moment, an indescribable sense of peace swept through him like a gentle breeze, abruptly ripped away with the sharp bitter taste of guilt. His eyelids squeezed shut.

  Meryell. The silent cry echoed in his ears. Yet the razor-edge anguish that usually burst within his heart when he thought of his lost love was absent. Instead, Etienne found himself torn between the desires of his body and that of his mind. He could hear the sweet beat of Annie’s heightened pulse racing through her veins. Instinctively he knew the taste of her blood would be more potent than any drug. An ache developed in his gums, the throb threatening to release his canines and mark her now before it was too late.

  But it was already too late.

  Etienne knew he had to release Annie, knew what his destiny was this night, but his arms wouldn’t obey. As if they had a mind of their own, they drew her against him once more. He inwardly sighed, a release he felt clear to his toes.

  Why? The thought was fleeting.

  When their mouths met, thoughts of Meryell vanished in a cloud of smoke. The only thing that mattered was losing himself to the taste—the feel—of Annie.

  A whimper met the thrust of his tongue between her lips. Her breasts pressed against his chest. Their diamond-hard peaks filled with desire were hard to miss. His mouth watered to taste and lave them with attention.

  Need like a maelstrom built, whirling inside Etienne, demanding to be satisfied. Yet for some odd reason Etienne didn’t want to take Annie in a fiery rush. He wanted to slowly unveil her, hear the slight hesitation in her voice vanish until all that was left was raw yearning. He wished to savor every moment. Watch her writhe beneath him as he brought her to climax, and then bound them together through blood.

  What the fuck? This wasn’t right. There wasn’t a future here.

  Still, the irrational thought made his canines burst through bone and gum, a coppery taste filling his mouth. He smoothed his tongue over them, coaxing them to retract, to wait until the time was right.

  Trying to regain control, he focused on the swells of her breasts. His shaky fingers pulled at the laces of her corset, the strands tangling. Anticipation was a heady aphrodisiac as he clumsily worked the threads like an unproven youth. Finally, he tugged on the top ribbon and her swollen globes spilled out from the garment. Rosy nipples pressed invitingly against the sheer, white material of her peasant blouse.

  The knot in his throat thickened as his gaze stroked her perfection. “You’re beautiful.”

  Dammit. Etienne hated the overpowering desire burning inside him. The impelling force raging so violently his pulse jumped and then sped.

  With a single finger, he inched the blouse down, exposing her completely. Unsteadily, he reached out to caress her pale skin, circling one nipple to watch the darker flesh pucker beneath his touch.

  Annie gazed at him with wonder in her eyes. “You’re trembling.”

  “I have to see all of you.” The throb in Etienne’s jeans tightened to a painful palpitation as he searched her face for a hint of acquiescence. A slight nod of her head was all he needed. With a trembling hand, he pushed the corset off her shoulders. Fire sparked in his fingertips as his hands slid beneath her shirt, touching silky skin. Holding his breath, he forced her shirt over her head and arms, before tossing it aside.

  It pleased him that Annie didn’t try to hide from his view, even though he saw an innocence that stirred him in ways he had never felt before. At that moment she appeared so fragile looking up at him, almost as if she needed him as badly as he needed her.

  Needed her? He tried to shake the unwanted introspection, but it clung to him—angered him. He had spent centuries alone. He needed no one. He was a dead man walking to meet his death. Annie was his last meal, he tried to rationalize, but it didn’t work.

  “Your skirts. Take them off,” he growled.

  Her tongue slid quickly between her lips. The muscles in her neck tightened. “First remove your shirt.” The smokiness in her voice thickened.

  Her bold request shocked and pleased him, especially when she followed it with a demure smile. Hands rose to his collar, his fingers fumbling with the top button.

  Too many.

  In the end, he pulled at his shirt and buttons flew everywhere, making soft thuds as they struck the floor and scattered.

  Unexpected laughter caressed his ears like a gentle breeze. But her heated stare across his hard pectorals made his flat, brown nipples tighten. He reached for her, pulling her hard against his chest, flesh touching flesh. The connection was lightning-hot, surging wildly through his veins.

  Her heart raced, blood swishing loudly through its chambers. The sound was music to his ears, awakening his hunger once more. He wanted to taste her—needed to taste her.

  Instead, he seized her mouth in a yearning he couldn’t hide. For years he had deprived himself of taking anything more than sex and blood. But tonight—

  He wanted this woman’s soul.

  She whimpered, low and desperately. Her fingernails bit into his biceps, and then slid up his arms to circle his neck. Her tongue slipped between his lips, darting in and out to mimic his own, until he captured it, sucking gently. Soft mewling sounds made his cock harden even more. Her palms were like velvet as she began to smooth them up his back and then cling to him once more.

  They were both breathless when the caress ended.

  “I need to be inside you,” he growled, tugging at the band of her skirts.

  As she reached for the clasp behind her, with a simple thought he vanished his boots. The disappearing boots she wouldn’t miss, but he knew he couldn’t do the same with his jeans. Quickly, he worked on his pants, pushing them past his hips, while she shimmied out of the rest of her clothing.

  In no time, they stood naked before each other.

  Who took the first step, he didn’t know. What mattered the most was that they were in each other’s arms. Gazes locked, and then they were kissing again. Shuffled footsteps led them to the back of the trailer toward her bedroom.

  In a heap they fell upon the small bed, arms and legs intertwining.

  Her small hands were everywhere, touching and stroking and caressing, as he rocked against her cradle. With his knee, he parted her thighs, spreading her wide before he slipped between them. With a thrust, he slid his cock against her slit.

  “Condom,” she murmured.

  Featherlight, his thumb brushed across her taut nipple, back and forth, again and again. He kneaded and squeezed her breast then took a nipple into his mouth. She threw back her head and cried out. All thoughts of the senseless piece of protection that he didn’t need or want vanished. A smile touched his lips before he sucked the nub deep into his mouth. He licked, nibbled and bit down until she moaned. Then he angled his hips and thrust, parting her slit and burying himself deep inside her.

  “Oh God.” Her ragged scream reflected his sentiments exactly.

  She was hot, wet and perfect.

  They fit together like a glove—two parts meant to become one.

  As her fingernails scored his arms, her channel tightened around him, forcing his fangs to push beyond their confines. The taste of blood upon his tongue sent his fingers spearing through her hair. He turned her head, hovered over the vibrant blue vein.

  “You feel so good.” It took all his control to move slowly, in and out. His restraint wavered when she gasped, her pussy hugging and taking him deeper into the vee of her thighs.

  Suddenly, her back arched off the bed. Her fingernails grazed his back. “Faster. Harder,” she breathed.

  Her body trembled beneath him. He could feel her excitement—feel her forthcoming climax shudder through her. He touched her mind. Imagines of them naked and intertwined materialized, but a dark cloud lingered in the distance, threatening to overshadow them.

  The warning captured his attention for a mere second, before she locked her ankles around his back and forced him farther inside her. When the sensitive head of his cock rubbed against the mouth of her womb, his self-control went up in flames.

  He wanted to taste her now.

  His mouth widened, salivating. The need to mark her, to bring her into his world, was overpowering. His canines scraped down her throat, his tongue swirling across the vessel that held her life essence. An ache beat in his gums to match that of his groin. Positioned, ready to take her, a tremor shook him to the core. An unwanted reminder that she didn’t know who or what he was.

  He barely held on to his sanity, as he nudged her consciousness. She was too wrapped up in her own body’s reactions to fight his compulsion. Quickly, he weaved a spell around her to hide what he did next.

  Her blood called to him—an invitation he couldn’t ignore.

  His mouth closed over her throat, forcing their heartbeats to meld into one. As his teeth pierced her tender skin, he began the first step to bring her into his world. She would have to share his blood to make the transformation complete.

  When she did—she would be his.

  Irrational. Not going to happen.

  His denial was erased as her essence drained down his throat, rich and sweet.

  Her sheath clamped around him, refusing to let him go. Still, she withdrew slightly, slamming her hips against his, holding them firmly to him, then writhing—seeking for the spot inside her that would light her world.

  He sought her mind once more to experience what was happening to her. Annie’s consciousness was wrapped around the coil burning low in her belly. He lived the moment her muscles tightened, her body preparing for the pinnacle. The ache deepened into something nearly unbearable for both of them. Suddenly, her climax exploded, tossing her into a mass of sensations. With the force of a backdraft, a heat wave surged through her. As she held frantically to him, her scream of rapture filled the room.

  Etienne thrust one more time. His body went rigid. Pleasure-pain hardened his balls as white-hot electricity surged down his cock. The explosion of their bodies igniting in unison and her blood flowing through his veins was earth-shattering. He felt it deep in his soul, as they held on to each other and tumbled into ecstasy.

  His breaths shallow and quick, he swiped his tongue over his mark, tasting the saltiness of her skin. A sense of pride bloomed inside his chest. The musky scent of sex lingered in the air. A soft drawn-out sigh told him she was as sated as he. Gently, he rolled from atop her and drew her into his embrace. She snuggled her nose against his throat, adjusting herself for comfort. In mere seconds she fell asleep.

  Throughout the night and early morning hours Etienne held her, his mind struggling to comprehend what had happened. Guilt made an unwelcome threesome in bed. Yet he couldn’t deny that sex with Meryell had never been so encompassing, pulling on every one of his emotions, as it had been with Annie. Meryell had triggered his lust, a carnal desire—one that drove him insane and lead to his immortality.

  But Annie had touched something deeper.

  His heart?

  No. He had no heart.

  Etienne refused to believe it was anything other than loneliness clouding his thoughts. Tonight he would end his worthless life and join Meryell. This lapse in judgment was just a silly attempt to hold on to a world he’d already been dead to for ages.

  He moved carefully so as not to disturb Annie, unfolding her arms from around him. She moaned softly, but didn’t wake. A chill passed through him as an emptiness filled him so rapidly it buckled his knees. He regained his footing, stood, staring down upon her. Thick, beautiful hair haloed her head, fanning across the pillow. Her eyelashes were dark against her checks. A contented smile graced her swollen lips. He hungered to taste her one more time, but the pull of a new dawn weighed heavy on him.

  It was time.

  His legs felt leaden as he backed away from bed, unable to tear his gaze from her. Her naked form called to him, enticed him to join her.