When she merely gaped at him, Declan decided to bargain with her. Trading concessions with the vampire had proved simple enough. "You said you wanted two things from me. Tonight, I'm prepared to offer you one, and possibly both. For a tale, I'll let you bathe."
He thought he spied a calculating glimmer in her eyes. But then she smiled, and it vanished so completely he thought he'd imagined it. "I do want a bath. And you do want to watch me take one."
The most beautiful female he'd ever seen wanted to bathe in front of him. And he was just craven enough to stride to the concealed panel of his room and say, "Then fol ow me."
Chapter TWENTY-FOUR
So this is Declan Chase's lair," Regin murmured as she gazed around. I got inside! Somehow she'd conquered the worst of her temper, and now she'd been rewarded.
His quarters were similar to his office-devoid of personality, shadowy, and freakishly neat. The interior had three levels, one with a king-size bed and a massive computer console, a second with a kitchen and what looked like a weapons armory, and a third with a workout area. There were no windows.
Dark and creepy. With a forced smile, she said, "It suits you."
He sat at the console, still thrumming with tension. Something had happened today that had rattled the hel out of him. But she didn't give a damn what. She was here only to deliver one heaping order of downfal . The man before her had proved himself irredeemable.
She sauntered over to join him-and found some of the most technological y advanced surveil ance and computing systems she'd ever imagined.
Budget? Unlimited. Like congressional-spending unlimited.
"Wow, look at this setup. NASA cal ed. They want Houston back."
What a reality check. Mortals actual y had power-they were organized, well -funded, determined-and they were going to use it to destroy Lorekind.
Chase was leaving her no choice but to strike against him.
She scooted over, about to hop up on the desk. Without taking his eyes off her face, he moved a neat stack of papers, absently clearing the space for her.
She took it. "Do you watch me a lot on those high-def feeds?"
"On occasion."
"Uh-huh. So now you can watch me in person. Live nude girls in your bath. Be a good magister and unlock the cuffs, won't you?" She gave him a heated look as she added, "Unless you think I can take you?"
When he hesitated, she said, "You can either remove them or strip and bathe me yourself.
Gentleman's choice."
His Adam's apple bobbed as if he was picturing the latter option. But then he flicked two fingers at her.
"Turn around. And eyes forward."
Eyes forward? She didn't give him a chance to change his mind, quickly twisting to give him her back.
She heard him pul off a glove, so tempted to peek. What didn't he want her to see?
Declan's scarred hand looked monstrous next to her perfect, glowing skin. A timely reminder.
I will never let her see these scars.
Once he'd unlocked the cuffs and hastily dragged his glove back on, she hopped off the desk and began exploring his quarters, just as she had his office. He merely observed as she investigated the refrigerator, opened drawers and closets.
She tried to open the weapons locker and couldn't. "What's in here? Your personal arsenal?"
Precisely. But he said nothing. She grew bored with it soon enough and continued her exploration, heading toward the bathroom.
From inside, she cal ed, "Taking you up on your bath offer! Tale to fol ow. I'll just yoink some shampoo and soap." Then she began running the water.
He strode inside in time to see her traipsing na**d to the bath, that exquisite ass swishing, the ends of her blond hair swaying just above the smallof her back.
He took a stutter step, hardening at once. Running a hand over his mouth, he turned and began to pace outside the door. Go watch her bathe. She's na**d but for her collar. In my keeping. He experienced a sharp masculine thril to have a female like that under his power.
"I don't suppose You'll reconsider washing me?" she cal ed. "Maybe my back? Or my front?"
Though she was a forbidden immortal, he almost wished he could do both. He scowled down at his gloved hands.
Steam began to waft from the bathroom. When sweat beaded his upper lip, he hated anew the layers of clothes he was forced to wear. With a muffled curse, he entered the hazy room to find her reclining in the tub, blanketed by a mound of bubbles. She raised one glowing leg in the air and smoothed her hands down it.
He imagined fol owing her hands with his mouth. ...
Most immortals weren't shy about nudity, but she behaved as if they'd done this a hundred times. A man watching his woman in the bath. Of course, in her mind, they had done this a hundred times.
With as much nonchalance as he could manage-considering he was hard as wood-he sat on a bench by the wal . Enough distance between them.
She smiled at him. "Come join me."
"No' likely." To have her slippery skin rubbing against his? Half of him shuddered with want, the other half recoiling. He could only imagine her reaction to the sight of his scars.
Though Declan might not deserve to be, he was a proud man; he would never risk that humiliation.
"Your loss." As she began leisurely washing her hair, the tips of her ears peeked out. Pointed ears.
Another example of how alien she was.
Yet now he was so far gone that he could admit he found them intensely attractive.
When she briefly ducked under the water to rinse her hair, the bubbles began dissipating, almost revealing her br**sts. Would they match what he'd seen of her in his dreams?
He distrusted this female, had the urge to throttle her at times, might even hate her. And still I've got to see her br**sts-
"Ahem. Should we get to the tale?" She'd caught him peering hard at her chest.
"Go on, then."
"Tonight, I'll tell you the story of when you were Gabriel, a lusty pirate. You found me five hundred years ago during the last Accession."
Wasn't this the reincarnation representing humor and sex? Declan could recognize that Regin was humorous, the things she said outrageous, but he was missing the humor gene. Nor was he a good lover.
And he didn't see those traits changing anytime soon.
If Declan had been jealous of Aidan and even of Treves, this pirate should send him through the roof.
Regin relaxed back in the bath, or at least, she appeared to relax. She was on a mission.
She might not be a golden-tongued Valkyrie, but she was resolved to take down Chase, intended to go ful guns and turn up the heat.
All I need is one kiss.
She would detail Gabriel's relentless seduction, their sensual battle of will s waged nightly in his sultry cabin. She had struggled to deny the Spaniard to save him from the curse; he'd used everything he knew to seduce her. ...