Silken Rapture (Princes of the Underground 2)

The woman beneath him ceased to struggle. She lay still, her eyes staring at the top of the tunnel, unseeing. His head spun, drunk as he was with vitessence and power. He felt hands on his shoulders, urging him to stand. He stumbled like a drunkard, and then stood eye to eye with Morshiel. Morshiel kissed him on the mouth, wetting his lips with the blood of his prey.

“Now you are my brother,” Morshiel whispered.

He licked his lips before he kissed Aubrey again.

Chapter Ten

Blaise headed toward his quarters after visiting the crystal room and absorbing its vitessence, calming himself. Aubrey had volunteered last night to pick up Isi at the airport, and Blaise wanted to be ready to greet the Iniskium warrior when he arrived. He was eager to learn whatever it was Saint wanted him to hear.

He paused in the torch-lit corridor before he reached the doors to his quarters, sensing there was only a single occupant in his study—and that occupant was agitated.

“Where’ve you been?” Aubrey asked, springing up from the sofa when Blaise barged into the room.

“Why? What’s wrong?” he demanded, taking in Aubrey’s disheveled clothing and anxious expression.

“Morshiel and six of his revenants ambushed Isi and me as we were leaving the airport terminal. They took Isi.”

“Do you mean they took him on purpose? How could they know about him arriving in London?”

“I don’t know,” Aubrey said, looking bewildered. “We both fought—Isi is a fine warrior—but there were too many of them, and Morshiel besides.” A look of profound frustration entered Aubrey’s face and he struck his fist on the mahogany table. “Unless it had nothing to do with Isi, and they were just attacking me…us. Perhaps they merely took Isi to try and blackmail us.”

“No,” Blaise said, his thoughts racing. “Morshiel has never behaved this way before. He rarely ventures above ground. Both his and the revenants’ powers are decreased considerably the farther they are from the underground regions and the earth’s soul. This wasn’t a random attack. They went specifically to kidnap Isi before he reached Sanctuary’s protected boundaries. But how could Morshiel have known Saint sent Isi to me? Never mind,” Blaise said distractedly when he noticed Aubrey’s bemused expression. “We’ll put together a patrol and go into the tunnels. Perhaps we’ll get lucky and pick up Morshiel’s scent.”

He strode toward the door, Aubrey following behind him. He dreaded having to contact Saint about this, but he did so, nonetheless, reaching out telepathically to his Sevliss brother in order to break the alarming news.

Isabel lay on the couch and watched Blaise as he studied the maps lining the wall. He’d been restless when she entered his study that afternoon. He would try to converse with her, but then his gaze would wander back to the maps on the wall. Isabel had finally given up trying to speak to him and curled up on the couch before the fire.

“I’m sorry,” he told her gruffly, glancing back at her after several minutes of silence.

“It’s all right. I know you’re thinking about that man Morshiel kidnapped—Isi. Nothing has been discovered since the attack three days ago? Nothing at all?”

Blaise shook his head, his back to her as he faced the maps again. She sensed the level of tension in his body. Ever since she’d asked him if he did not feel the urge to take her blood, he’d seemed more uncomfortable around her. Or maybe it was just his worry about Isi’s disappearance that had him so tense? They’d reached a comfort level, spending time together here in his study during these cozy afternoons. She regretted losing that closeness in their friendship.

She wished it to be more than friendship. Wished it with all her being. Everything about him fascinated her—his gruff exterior that contrasted so poignantly with his quiet patience with her, her sure knowledge of his grief, and her admiration of his courage for persevering despite his suffering.

She regretted that he would not act on the strong sexual charge that connected them like a live wire. She had the most overwhelming urge to touch him, to make love to him. The fact that he wasn’t entirely human didn’t seem to be dampening her desire in the least. She experienced none of the awkwardness she might with any other man from her past before the ice had been broken following sex. She felt closer to Blaise at times than any of her previous lovers, even though they’d never been intimate. Of course, it was ridiculous to consider Blaise in the same manner she would mortal men.

Still…he wanted her. She could see the desire in his eyes as clearly as she saw the nose on his face.

She stood from the couch and approached him from behind. He turned with preternatural speed when she reached out to touch him on the shoulder. He faded back, avoiding her hand.

“Do you think I have the plague or something?” she asked, insulted.

“Of course not.”

“I know you are worried about Isi,” she said feelingly. “But are you also withdrawing from me because of what I said the other day? About whether or not you ever wanted to take my blood?”

“I am not withdrawing from you. You are here with me, aren’t you?”

“Yes, but—”

“Do you have any idea how guilty I feel about Isi? Saint is like a brother to me. Isi became my responsibility once he entered the territory of the United Kingdom. I have failed both of them,” he muttered under his breath, staring at the complex depiction of underground tunnels.

Isabel had already understood from their discussions that the maps contained not only the generally known tunnels, but secret ones as well. She glanced at Blaise’s rigid profile, sensing his frustration, feeling the weight of his worry. If only there was something she could do to help him…

“Lester Dee mentioned something to me once about a psychic who could locate objects just by using a map,” she said.

Blaise turned to her slowly, his gaze turning sharp as a razor. “Are you saying you could possibly locate Isi on these maps by using your power?”