“Nothing.” Her response caught him off guard. A smile crept across her face as she realized that there wasn’t anything she wanted more than to spend the evening in his arms. “I want to lay here all night with you.” Her stomach rumbled.

  He kissed her forehead, hugged her closer. “Hungry?”

  “A little,” she said, realizing just how famished she was. She glanced at the alarm clock on the night stand glowing seven o’clock. “That clock has to be wrong. What time is it?”

  “Seven o’clock.” A guilty expression fell across his face. He buried his face in her hair, his palm smoothing down her hip.

  “Last night—” She paused. Nah… It wasn’t possible. No way could he hypnotize her into sleep. She was just tired. Too many things had happened. Yet she recalled fighting a compulsion that had his tenderness wrapped around it. But how? For some odd reason her senses sparked, spread out as if looking for the answer. It was difficult to keep her thoughts and emotions in line. Intuitively, she knew he was hiding something, but what?

  He rested his chin atop her head. “Annie, I need to leave before the sun rises.”

  “Etienne?” Her eyes met his. “Please stay.”

  “Business. I can’t,” he offered dryly.

  “Will you return?” She hated the anxiety that made her voice quake. Now that she had found someone who understood her, she was desperate not to lose him. Was it foolish to expect more to life than what destiny had given her to date?

  He cupped her face. “Yes, bébé.”

  “When?” she asked far too quickly. She didn’t want to be alone.

  Out of nowhere a shiver slithered up her back. Ice-cold pricks of warning dotted her skin. Damn, if he hadn’t made her forget her situation.

  Clyde.

  Where was her stepfather? If Etienne had found her, could Clyde?

  Every muscle in her body clenched. Was she ever going to be free?

  “What’s wrong?” Etienne asked, tightening his hold around her. “It’s obvious that you are afraid. Trust me. I can help.”

  Darkness shadowed his eyes. For a second she felt a sense of danger like the first time she had met Etienne. Then as quickly as it rose it disappeared. In its place was an encouraging smile.

  “Tell me why you’re running.”

  Annie released a pent-up breath. “I’m in trouble.”

  Chapter Six

  Etienne listened to Annie tell the story of her mother’s sudden accident—her death—and the deep loneliness she had experienced over these past years. Anguish filled her eyes as tears fell one after the other.

  “I miss her so much,” she sniffled, trying to fight back the emotion and failing. “We were so close until she married Clyde. He was good to her—to me for a while. I always knew something was off with him, but my mother was so happy.” Annie paused. Her brows dipped, as if she remembered something sad. “She was lonely after my real father died. He worked on gas lines, there was a cave-in.”

  Etienne could almost hear her heart break—feel the desperation in each of her words. He reached for her, tried to pull her into his embrace to comfort her, but she shook him off, pushing from the bed to get to her feet.

  “I can’t let my stepfather find me.” She began to pace, short quick steps, before she stopped dead in her tracks. “God, when he touches me—”

  The thought made her visibly shake. She wrapped her arms around her naked body as if a sudden chill raced through the room. He watched her struggle with her demons. Her expression was a twisted mass of fear and pain.

  Red-hot anger surfaced inside Etienne as she described her stepfather, his deviant plan to use her gifts—her body.

  “I stole money from his wallet. I struck him—” She glanced at Etienne, searching his face for reproach. Instead, he hoped she saw nothing but support.

  He got to his feet, but kept his distance. It was clear she wasn’t ready for him to go to her.

  “He threatened to tell the police I stole my mother’s jewelry. I didn’t do it. Oh God. I can’t let him find me.” Misty-eyed, she met his gaze. “I don’t want to go to jail.”

  Etienne opened his arms. “Come here, bébé.”

  She hesitated only a second before she fell into his arms. He held her close. As she sobbed, he promised, “Everything will be okay. It’s your word against his.”

  “But—”

  “Shhh…trust me. This man will never hurt you.” His voice dropped to a dangerous low. By God, Etienne meant every word. Cylde Drexel would die before he laid another hand on her.

  The beast woke defiantly inside Etienne. He tried to calm it, coax it into submission. But he wasn’t quick enough. The pinched expression on her face revealed that she had sensed his inner demon. She was too intuitive—too talented for her own good.

  “Etienne?”

  “You are only feeling my anger. I am sorry if I distressed you.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “But— Sometimes I feel like there’s something about you you’re not telling me.”

  “We all have our secrets,” he admitted. Some secrets larger than others.

  Her stomach rumbled, a reminder that she needed to eat.

  “Let’s get dressed. Find you something to eat. Maybe a walk on the beach.” He tried to refocus her attention. But her penetrating stare burned straight through him, as if she looked deeply for the secret he hid. He swatted her playfully on the ass. “Get dressed.”

  She giggled. The sound was somewhere between a sob and laughter. “Okay. Okay.” She ducked out of his arms and headed for the bathroom.

  He watched her lithe body move across the floor and disappear behind the door. The clothing he had shed when he came to her this night lay in a pile next to the television set. As he pulled the shorts up his hips, he knew the time would come that he would have to reveal the truth of his immortality.

  What would she say? Do? Would he lose her?

  He didn’t have too much time to ponder the thought when she entered the room in a bright yellow, short, strappy sundress.

  “Panties?” he asked, breathing in her beauty.

  She flipped the hem of the dress up and graced him with bare skin and a patch of curly chestnut hair at the apex of her thighs. “I thought— Well, maybe—” She walked into his arms.

  It seemed so natural when she raised her head to receive his kiss. He lingered in the moment, slipping his tongue between her lips to deepen the caress and taste her. Innocent and sweet.

  When they parted, she asked, “What do you want to eat?”

  “I’ve already eaten. It’s your choice.” Food didn’t sit well in a vampire’s system. But the vein throbbing in her neck looked extremely delicious. Maybe a midnight snack. His mouth watered. And maybe tonight she would become his. They could wake in each other’s—

  “Chinese.” She weaved her fingers between his and pulled him toward the door.

  Roused from his wonderings, he stared at her. “Excuse me?”

  “I want Chinese.” She opened the door and the starry night called to him. This was his world—a world he wanted to share with her.

  “Then Chinese it will be. I think I saw a little restaurant right off the beach.”

  The drive to the beach was a short distance from the motel. Annie’s car sounded as if it was on its last legs, choking and sputtering as she clicked the engine off. Moonlight fell across her face as she reached for the door handle and got out. He followed, watching the sway of her hips as she approached him. She was beautiful.

  Hand in hand, they walked to the restaurant. From the small patio where they chose a seat, they could see the waves rolling in, smell the scents of salt and ocean mingling with those of the food being prepared.

  A timid Asian woman walked up to their table and gave a slight bow. “Welcome to Ming Wan’s. Are you ready to order?”

  Annie didn’t even look at the menu. “Orange chicken and chow mein. And a Coke.”

  The woman next drew her attention toward Etienne. “And for you, sir?”

  “Nothing. Thank you.” What he wanted sat across the table from him. Just the thought of her sitting there with no panties on heated his blood. He couldn’t wait to take her again, feast between those beautiful legs.

  The waitress walked away.

  Etienne reached across the table and settled his hand over Annie’s. He needed to touch her and basked beneath her smile.

  She cocked her head. “I don’t know anything about you.”

  He tensed.

  What should he say? I am several hundred years old? I have seen many world wars come and go. I walk the night and drink innocents’ blood to survive.

  He chose to say, “I’m French.”

  “Duh? Obvious. Tell me something I don’t know.” She cocked a brow, waiting.

  He had never understood the term Duh. The language throughout the years had definitely changed and not necessarily for the better.

  “Born and raised in France. No family. I followed a woman to the United States.” Why had he admitted that?

  Meryell had dreamed of traveling. She had wanted more than he could provide. The cost of the ship had left him nearly penniless. When she had turned away from him for another—

  “You loved her?” Annie’s voice softened.

  “Yes.” With all his heart, he had loved her. But it hadn’t been enough.

  The conversation was interrupted when the waitress laid a steaming bowl of chow mein, a small plate of orange chicken and a Coke before Annie. She inhaled the spicy scent, but didn’t pick up her chopsticks. Instead, she waited until the waitress was out of hearing distance.

  “I felt your sorrow the first time we met. It was for her. Do you want to talk about it?”

  No. But even as he thought the word, he began to speak. “She loved the affluent. Dreamt of living in a castle—uh, mansion. I couldn’t give her what she wanted. She met the wrong man.”

  Or more accurately, vampire.

  The demon had promised Meryell the world but had given her the darkness. A curse which she had happily bestowed upon Etienne. He would never forget that rainy night the vampire had found Meryell and him in each other’s arms.

  Her maker had felt betrayed.

  Meryell’s life had been the result.

  Etienne was only saved from his anger because the vampire knew that living forever without Meryell would be payment enough. Much later, Etienne had found the vampire and put an end to his miserable existence. But the demon’s assumption had been right. Etienne had lived a life of hell.

  “So she left you?” Annie summarized.

  “Yes. She left me.” And now he walked the night. What more was there for him to say? “Eat. Your food is getting cold.”

  Annie pulled one of her hands from beneath Etienne’s. Then she picked up the chopsticks, weaved them through her fingers, pushing a piece of orange chicken around the plate. “You still love her? Miss her?”

  Etienne shook his head. “No, bébé. She was my past. You are my future.” Immediately, he knew he spoke the truth. Gone were the feelings of loss, of loneliness. Annie had given him that release.

  “The World card,” she murmured, scooping up a piece of chicken and placing it in her mouth.

  “What?”

  As she chewed, she explained. “The cards—my reading. You had a Fool’s journey to make before finding your path. I wonder what lay beneath the remaining cards?”

  He met her comment with ironic laughter. She had no idea. “A fool I was. Now eat up. The night is still young and I’m dying to make love to you.”

  A blush spread across her face. But it was the right thing to say. She ate quickly. In no time they were barefoot, holding their sandals in their hands as they walked along the beach.

  The sand was cool, squishing between their toes, the water cooler, lapping at their ankles. In the distance, he heard a seagull squawk. The ocean rolling in was music to his ears. It had been a long time since he enjoyed the subtleties of the night. The woman beside him had made that possible.

  When he glanced down at her she was frowning. He didn’t need to intrude upon her thoughts to know what she was thinking about.

  Her stepfather.

  Etienne drew her into an embrace. Touched his lips lightly with hers, he whispered, “It will be okay. I promise.”

  Weariness filled her eyes. “I’m so tired of running. I left my Tarot cards and my mother’s crystal ball in the trailer. I didn’t tell anyone I was leaving, and it will be the weekend soon. The fair will be expecting me.”

  “We will make it all right. When I return tomorrow we will leave for Arizona.” He dropped his shoes, placing his hand on her thigh, smoothing up the silkiness of her leg. “But for now let’s partake of something a little more enjoyable.”

  Annie’s sandals slipped from her hands. She gripped his biceps, holding on to him as he parted her feet with his own. His warm hand moved to caress the inside of her thigh, making her heart beat faster.

  She wanted this—wanted to forget the ugliness her life had become. If only Etienne could make her stepfather disappear.

  “Forget about him. Think of me,” Etienne murmured against her ear, driving thoughts of Clyde from her mind. “Are you wet for me?” Etienne asked, as his fingertips stroked the flesh of her sex. “Mmmm…not wet enough.” He slipped a finger inside her pussy.

  Her body answered his touch with a flood of moisture. Her breasts immediately grew heavy, her nipples hard peaks raspy against the cotton of her sundress.

  “That’s it, bébé.” His sinful finger found the pulse between her thighs and stroked lightly over her clit.

  She whimpered softly, loving the way he caressed her, stoking the fire that burned inside.

  “I need to taste you.” He didn’t wait for a response, just dropped to his knees and disappeared beneath the hem of her dress.

  She couldn’t see what he was doing, but she felt it.

  Warm and wet, his tongue laved the seam of her slit. She had to admit there was something exciting about not being able to see him, watching his head bob beneath the material as he licked, sucked and nibbled her flesh. When he flicked his tongue across her clit, her knees buckled. She grabbed his shoulders to steady herself just before he latched onto the sensitive organ, pulling it into his mouth.

  “Mmmm…” he hummed, sending a vibration through her womb. “Leg. Shoulder.” The demand was a growl as he stabbed his tongue between her folds.

  He helped to support her by placing a strong hand on her hip, the other on the leg she draped over one of his shoulders. The position exposed her more thoroughly, allowing him deeper penetration.

  Her pussy clenched with the first signs of her arousal. He must have felt it, because he growled again, burying his face and increasing the pressure of his mouth. The hungry, muffled sounds he made sent her soaring.

  Like a streak of lightning from the sky, her climax struck. Her entire body tightened, then released. Over and over again, as one spasm after another burst inside her womb. Hot. Electrifying.

  Her skin felt like it was on fire. Her body was unable to distinguish between pain and pleasure, as he continued to suck and wring out every ounce of sensation.

  She writhed against him. Needing for him to stop—hoping he never would.

  Suddenly, everything was a blur. One minute she was engulfed in an earth-shattering climax, the next he hoisted her into his arms, her ankles locked around his waist, his hard cock buried deep inside her. He was so thick, filling her completely. His tight grip on her waist controlled the rhythm, fast and hard. He raised her, and then propelled her down upon his shaft.

  She felt the fury of his lovemaking. The intensity of his feelings, as his testicles filled and his erection grew firmer. It was the most amazing thing she had ever experienced. She didn’t ask how it was possible, only accepted that it was right.

  Etienne sucked in a harsh breath, continuing the demanding thrust of his flesh into hers. He fucked her without mercy. Took from her body what he needed.

  When he nuzzled her neck, she felt a sharp sting, and then a drawing sensation. Then the world spun out of control as she was once again was thrown into an orgasm that swept through her like wildfire. Unrestrained and uncontrollable.

  She couldn’t think, only feel their united climax. Their souls both soaring toward the sky like fireworks bursting into flames, flashing lights that sparkled then died in the dark sky on their descent. No sooner would one fade than another would ignite. It took a while for them to float back into consciousness, locked in each other’s embrace.

  When Etienne released her, let her body slide down his, she had never felt so sated. For a moment, she rested her head against his chest, listened to the steady beat of his heart. Gently he took them both to the ground. The sand was cool beneath them. He held her close as the waves crashed against the shore and the stars glistened above. Annie was at peace listening to the steady rhythm of the ocean.

  * * * * *

  Annie woke with the pressure of Etienne’s lips against hers. “Mmmm…” She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. When they broke apart she pondered how she had ever fallen asleep on the beach next to this man. The moon was setting. The last thing she remembered was closing her eyes, listening to the rocking of the sea and knowing that she had found the one man who completed her.

  He broke her reverie. “It’s time to head back.”

  “Do we have to?” she asked, not wanting their time together to end.

  Etienne raised her hand to his lips. “Yes,” he said with an apologetic air. Before he looked away she thought she saw something else in his eyes—a sadness. Even Velia, who had been oddly absent, moved restlessly inside Annie.

  “Is everything all right?” she asked. The question was meant for Etienne, but Annie wouldn’t have minded a little reassurance from her medium.

  But like always, Velia chose when she would appear and when she wouldn’t.

  He bent to retrieve their sandals, helping her with hers before he slipped his feet into his shoes. “Of course. I just hate to leave you.” He gathered her hand in his and headed in the direction of the parking lot.