The Raven (The Florentine 1)

She didn’t push him away, but she didn’t kiss him back. She was as still as a statue, motionless in his arms.

Then his lips were gone.

She opened her eyes and saw him staring at the door.

“We’re about to be interrupted.”

“Interrupted?”

No sooner had the word left her mouth than there came a knock at the door.

“Enter,” William called.

There was a click and a scrape of the lock. The door opened.

Ambrogio appeared. “Forgive me, my lord. An urgent message has arrived.”

“Place it on the table.”

If Ambrogio was surprised by the shards of glass and wine droplets he had to step over in order to walk to the side table, he hid it well. He put a white envelope next to Raven’s empty wineglass.

“Will there be anything else, my lord?” He ignored Raven and looked only at William.

“No. That is all.”

Ambrogio bowed and withdrew, closing the door behind him.

William released Raven, walking over to the table. He ripped open the envelope and scanned the written contents.

“Sard,” he cursed, stuffing the letter back into the envelope.

“What does that mean?”

“It means fuck.”

“In what language?”

“English.” He tossed the envelope on the table. “I had hoped to spend the day with you. Unfortunately for us both, business intrudes. We’ll continue this conversation later. In the interim, the villa is at your disposal. Lucia will prepare your meals and see that you have what you need. I’ll seek you out when I return, which may not be until tomorrow.”

He nodded at her and made for the door.

She followed him. “Wait. What’s going to happen to Bruno?”

William frowned. “Why must you keep mentioning him?”

“Because his grandmother is my neighbor. And he may die because of me.”

William’s demeanor cooled. “You won’t have to worry about her much longer. She has cancer and will die soon.”

“What?” Raven croaked.

“When I visited your apartment, I could smell the cancer from the hall. It’s very advanced.”

“How can you smell cancer?”

He pressed his lips together. “It’s one of our talents. We can smell disease. And death.”

Raven placed a hand on the back of the chair for support. “Why didn’t Bruno tell me?”

“It’s possible he doesn’t know. I didn’t scent any drugs in her system. Perhaps she declined treatment.”

“Can you help her?”

“I could, but I won’t.” His tone was matter-of-fact.

“Why not?”

“Using vampyre blood to help you has already exposed me. I’m not about to do it again.”

“But if I asked you to help her?”

A muscle jumped in his jaw.

“I’d still say no. The blood will heal her cancer but I’d have to give it to her in such a large amount, she’d end up much, much younger. It would attract too much attention.”

“Could you give her a little, just to ease her suffering?”

“Death is the only thing that will help her.”

Raven let out an anguished sound. “Please.”

“We don’t interfere in the lives of human beings. You were an exception.” His eyes glinted cold steel.

He turned his back on her and reached for the doorknob.

She swallowed hard as tears pricked her eyes. “William, wait.”

She cleared her throat.

“What if I begged?”

William kept his back toward her.

“My answer won’t change.”

“I tried to protect Cara,” Raven whispered. “I failed.”

Now William turned around. “Who’s Cara?”

“I am not going to watch this happen and do nothing.”

William exhaled loudly.

“It isn’t your responsibility to save the world. Let people save themselves.”

Raven let out an anguished sound. “If what you said about the relic is true, it’s my fault Bruno was hurt. If I’d been wearing it, no one would have bothered us.”

“It’s too late for regrets.” He reached for the doorknob once again.

“No, it isn’t.”

She approached him, standing a few feet away.

“You said I’d come to you and beg for help.” She lifted her chin. “I thought I was too proud to beg. But I’m not. I beg you for Bruno’s life and the life of his grandmother.”

William remained stubbornly fixed on the door.

“No.”

“Please, William. Please.”

He exhaled loudly. “As difficult as it may seem to you, we try not to draw attention to ourselves. You’re asking me to expose myself.”

“I’ll stay with you.”

William’s eyes flew to hers. “What?”

“If you heal Bruno and help his grandmother, I’ll stay with you. I’ll work on your art collection. I may even do . . . other things, eventually. I just ask that you don’t force me.”

William simply stared.

“Please,” she repeated. “Help them.”

William stood still so long, Raven worried he’d gone into a trance.

She wrung her hands, anxiety making her fidget.

His gaze moved to her hands and then to her face. “You’d live with me until I let you go? That could be decades from now.”

She nodded.

“I can’t help your neighbor. The risk is too great. But I could help the boy.”

“It has to be both.”

William gave her a hard look. “I’m not wasting my precious vintage collection on an old woman. I will, however, give something to him to save his life. But I won’t risk healing him completely.”

Raven contemplated her options, which were limited.

William’s expression began to shift. She worried he’d change his mind.

“All right.” Her shoulders slumped.

He walked toward her, his shoes crunching over the broken glass.

“You’d give up your life, your position at t

he gallery, in exchange for helping that ridiculous boy? He barely knows you.”

A single tear trailed down her cheek.

“I don’t want to see him die, knowing I could have done something to stop it.”

William huffed in exasperation. “He isn’t worthy of you. You said yourself he never noticed you until your appearance changed.”

She wiped her face with the back of her hand. “You were never going to let me go. At least now, something good will come of it.”

He took her face in his hands.

“Do you understand what you are offering me?”

She closed her eyes. “Yes.”

For what seemed like a long time, he didn’t move.

“You shame me,” he murmured.

Her eyelids opened.

He brushed his lips across hers. “It’s been a long time since I felt shame.”

Uncertainty flashed across his features and Raven began to worry he’d retract his offer.

Impulsively, she reached up to kiss him.

He was surprised by her action, but welcomed it, his closed mouth moving over hers, unwilling to break their connection.

When he took over the kiss, she felt off balance, her hands gripping his biceps for support.

He propelled her backward, almost waltzing her across the room, until her back was against a bookshelf. And still he kept his lips on hers.

His hand slipped between her head and the shelf, cradling her. Protecting her.

She felt the movement for what it was and opened her mouth.

Instantly, his tongue began to play with her lips. He tasted and licked at an unhurried pace, but did not venture inside.

He trailed her jaw with his thumb, as he kissed and teased, tempting her to reciprocate.

She slipped her tongue into his mouth and he gently stroked it with his own, a deep sigh emanating from his chest.

He tasted different. His mouth was cool against her tongue, his movements leisurely but purposeful.

When she retreated, he kissed her lightly once again and pressed his forehead to hers.

He waited for her to open her eyes before he spoke. “Do you know how rare self-sacrifice is? How magnificent you are?”

Raven bowed her head. She was selling herself into slavery, not saving the world.

He toyed with her hair. “Spend the day enjoying my art collection. I’ll try to rejoin you tonight.”

She kept her eyes on the floor.

He kissed her once more before exiting the room.