Lover Eternal (Black Dagger Brotherhood 2)

The brother was total GQ material. And Bella and he would look really good together, she thought.

"Tell me, Phury, have you met Bella yet?"

The guy fiddled with the handkerchief in his breast pocket, even though the thing wasn't out of place. "Yeah, I met her. The night you and the boy came to the center."

"She's coming this evening."

"I, ah, I know."

"And she's not seeing anyone right now."

Boy, that blush really did it, she thought. Phury was adorable.

"He's not interested," Rhage said while cupping a handgun to the small of his back.

Mary shot her man a dirty look, which he missed as he pulled on his jacket.

"But you're single, too," she said to Phury. "Aren't you?"

"Oh, he's single, all right."

"Rhage, how about you let him answer? So Phury, if both of you are free, why don't you ask her to have dinner sometime?"

Phury smoothed his lapels, blushing even more. "Yeah, I don't know about that."

"She's really fabulous - "

Rhage shook his head and ushered her out into the hall. "Leave it alone, Mary. Come on."

Halfway down the stairs, she pulled Rhage to a stop. As Phury got ahead of them, she whispered, "Give it a break, will you? Bella and he might enjoy each other."

"The only thing Bella would get out of Phury is conversation."

"What the - "

"He doesn't do females."

"He's g*y?"

"No, but don't push Bella on him, okay? It isn't fair to either one of them."

Mary's eyes shot to Phury, who'd just stepped onto the foyer's mosaic floor. Even with his slight limp, he had the swagger of a man who had all of his parts in working order. But maybe that was just an illusion. Maybe he'd been injured while fighting.

"Is he, you know, impotent?"

"Not as far as I know. He's celibate."

God, what a waste, she thought, eyeing the way the man moved.

"So he's in some kind of religious order?"

"No."

"Then why?"

"With Phury, all roads lead back to his twin, Zsadist. And yes, I know they don't look alike." Rhage gave her a little nudge and she started down the stairs again.

"Why does Phury limp?"

"He has a prosthesis. He lost half his left leg."

"Good lord, how?"

"He shot it off."

Mary stopped. "What? Did it happen by mistake?"

"Nope, on purpose. Mary, come on, we can finish this later." He took her hand and pulled her forward.

Bella stepped through the mansion's vestibule with the doggen who'd driven her to the compound. As she looked around, she was stunned. Her family owned a grand house, but it was nothing like this. This was... royal living. Which she supposed made sense, because the Blind King and his queen made their residence here.

"Welcome, Bella," a deep male voice said.

She turned and saw the brother with the multicolored hair, the one who had interrupted her and Zsadist that night at the training center.

"I'm Phury. We met before. At the gym."

"Warrior," she said, bowing fully. It was hard not to be in awe of the brothers, especially one like this. So big. So... Was that hair for real?

"We're glad you could come." He smiled at her, his yellow eyes warm. "Here, let me help you with your coat."

When it was off, she looped the thing over her arm. "I can't believe I'm here, to tell you the truth. Mary! Hi!"

The two of them embraced and then they talked with Phury. Before long Bella was completely comfortable around the warrior. There was just something so calm and trustworthy about him, and those eyes were a knockout. They were honest-to-God yellow.

Attractive as he was, though, she was looking for the scarred brother. While keeping up with the conversation, she discreetly scanned the vast, colorful foyer. Zsadist was nowhere around. Maybe he was skipping the party. He didn't seem like the social type; that was for sure.

As Mary left to be with Rhage, Bella was determined not to feel let down. For God's sake, she had no business chasing after the likes of Zsadist, anyway.

"So, Phury," she said. "May I... I know this is rude, but I just have to touch your hair." She reached up before he could say no and captured some of the blond and red waves, rubbing the thick lengths in her hand. "How gorgeous. The colors are amazing. And... oh, it smells so good. What kind of shampoo do you use?"

She looked into his eyes, expecting him to make some kind of light comment. Instead he was frozen stiff. Wasn't even blinking as he stared down at her.

And she suddenly realized that Rhage was staring at her from a doorway with an expression of shock on his face. And so was another warrior with a goatee. And a large human male. And...

Well, the party had kind of ground to a halt, hadn't it?

She dropped her hand and whispered, "I'm so sorry. I just did something horribly improper, didn't I?"

Phury snapped out of whatever trance he'd been in. "No. It's all right."

"Then why is everyone looking at me?"

"They're not used to seeing me with... that is, no females... ah..." Phury took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Bella, you didn't do anything wrong. Seriously. And don't worry about my brothers, okay? They're just jealous because they want you touching their hair."

But something was still seriously off with him, and she wasn't surprised when he excused himself a moment later.

A doggen stepped in front of her. "Forgive me, madam, I should have taken your coat earlier."

"Oh, thank you."

After she dropped it into the male's hands, she realized the party had migrated into what looked like a billiard room. She was about to head over when she felt a cold draft coming from somewhere behind her. Had the front doors blown open?

She turned around.

Zsadist was in a dim corner by the vestibule, staring at her from the shadows. He was dressed in the same kind of black turtleneck and loose black pants he'd worn the last time she'd seen him, and just as before, his night eyes were feral. Sexual.

Oh, yes, she thought as she flushed. This was why she had come. She'd had to see this male again.

Taking a deep breath, she went up to him.

"Hello." When he said nothing, she forced a little smile. "Lovely evening, isn't it?"

"Did you like the feel of my twin?'

That was his twin? How could the two of them... Well, there was a resemblance. If she imagined Zsadist's scar gone and his hair grown out

"I asked you a question, female. Did his hair feel good to you?" Black eyes traveled down her body, tracing the lines of the silk blouse and the tight skirt she wore. When they returned to her face, they lingered on her mouth. "You gonna answer me, female?"

"Bella," she murmured automatically. "Please call me Bella."

Zsadist's stare grew hooded. "Do you think my brother's beautiful?"

"Ah... he's handsome, yes."

"Handsome. Yeah, that's the word. Tell me something, do you want him badly enough to lie with me?"

Heat bloomed in her, a fire lit by the words he spoke and the way he stared at her with sex in his eyes. But then she realized what he'd said.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand - "

"My twin's celibate from his tongue to his toes. So I'm afraid I'm the closest you'll ever get to Phury." He made a clucking sound. "But I'm a poor substitute, aren't I?"

Bella put her hand up to her neck, drowning in images of being under Zsadist's body while he moved inside of her.

What would that be like? To be taken by him? The reckless part of her was desperate to know.

Oh, God. Just thinking about it made her shake.

Zsadist laughed coolly.

"Have I shocked you? Sorry. Just trying to help you out of your rock and hard place. Wanting something you can't have must be a bitch." His eyes latched on to her throat. "Myself, I've never had that problem."

As she swallowed, he tracked the movement. "Problem?" she whispered.

"What I want, I take."

Yes, she thought. You certainly do, don't you.

In a burning rush, she imagined him looking down at her while their bodies were merged, his face inches from her own. The fantasy had her lifting her arm. She wanted to run her fingertip down that scar until it got to his mouth. Just to know the feel of him.

With a quick jerk to the side, Zsadist dodged the contact, eyes flaring as if she'd shocked him. The expression was buried fast.