wave of heat surged through him, and the muscles of his jaw tightened as he attempted to tame the carnal urge that was rising within.
Alexandra sat up quickly and adjusted her dress. “I hope I didn’t disturb you,” she said, tucking a lock of ebony hair behind an ear. “I just returned from the grocery store and didn’t watch where I was going.”
“No, you did not,” he replied before moving forward to assist her.
With a few deft movements, her grocery bags were repacked. He stood and extended a hand to her, noticing a brief hesitation before she placed her fingers in his. She had soft hands, delicate and smooth—a lady’s hands. He wondered if the rest of her was just as delightful and defied the urge to dip his gaze into her exposed cleavage.
“I’ll take them in,” he offered as he picked up her bags.
She didn’t respond immediately. Wariness flickered in her eyes. She was wise to be cautious, too. She had every reason not to trust him, and it had nothing to do with the fact that he was nearly twice her size and could crush her slender frame with his bare hands. Last night the Spring Equinox had begun, and should she invite him in, she would start the process that would end in her death.
“Thank you,” she said at last and removed her keys from her purse. “Come in.”
She opened the door and as he crossed the threshold, victory raced through him. Was it so simple? Would his task be so easily accomplished?
Alexandra motioned toward the countertop. “You can put them right over there, thanks.”
He did as she asked and then turned to look at her. She appeared uncertain, and he wondered what she was thinking. Could she see beyond his facade? Did she suspect his true identity?
“Would you like to stay for dinner?” Alexandra blurted out.
Marius’s brows raised a measure. Quickly he made his expression impassive. The last thing he’d expected was an invitation to share a meal with her. He tried to convince himself that it wasn’t the softness he sensed in her eyes, or the gentle incline of her head, or the indelible image in his mind of her naked body that urged him to accept. Instead, it was the need to assure himself that she was indeed the last of her bloodline. He would glean information from her, and once he’d learned all he needed to know, he would leave.
He offered her a subtle smile. “What are you preparing?”
“A seafood casserole. It’s my special recipe,” she told him.
“Then I would be delighted to stay and have dinner with you.” His attention fell to her ripe lips as they curved into a brilliant smile.
“Great,” she said. “Just give me a few minutes to change.”
She tossed her keys onto the counter and disappeared into her bedroom. When the door shut behind her, Marius focused his attention on his surroundings. The decor was of a contemporary style with a sprinkling of Romanian influence. A large tapestry that hung on the wall of her dining room caught his eye. He sauntered toward it, recognizing the depiction immediately.
He could almost feel the chill of the wintry mist that was settled over the ground, smell the pungent odor of moist earth and decaying leaves that rose from the lake that he knew lay just beyond the frayed ends of the textile. It was Elburich Castle in its prime. Now, it was a vacant ruin that howled with the ghosts of its past.
Marius inhaled softly. Alexandra had returned. Her entrancing fragrance drifted into the room to assail his senses. “You are a collector?” he asked without turning around.
There was a brief moment of silence before her composed response came. “No. That has been in my family for generations. It depicts a Romanian castle in the twelfth century,” she said as she moved to stand beside him. “It belonged to my mother.”
“Do you know the name of this place?” He turned his attention to her and drank in the view of her slender form clad in a clingy velour hoodie with matching pants. Something within him stirred. It was more than the carnal wanting that had harassed him earlier. It was a need to learn more about her.
“No,” she replied.
Their gazes locked in an unconscious mating of intense attraction. He found himself drawn into her stare, unable to look away. She was so lovely.
“I should start dinner,” she breathed softly. “Would you like something to drink while you wait? Some wine, juice, coffee maybe?”
“Some wine would be fine, thank you.”
She nodded and flashed him a hesitant smile before moving to the other side of the countertop that divided the kitchen from the dining room. There she busied herself with the task of gathering the ingredients for her casserole.
Marius’s attention strayed to the tapestry one last time. All he could hope for now was freedom, and there was only one way to bring that about. He knew what he had to do.
“Red or white?” Alexandra asked as she held up two bottles of wine.
“Red,” he responded somberly.
She nodded and popped the cork on the wine bottle, pouring him a glass. “I think I’ll have some, too. So, why did you choose to move to New York?” she asked.
Marius accepted the glass. “It is a big city with much opportunity. I thought it would be a good place to live.”
“Me, too. I’ve only been here for about a year. And you’re right, it is a good place to live. There’s a lot to see and do.” She strapped on an apron.
He took a sip of the wine. “Where did you live before coming here?” he asked, seating himself on a stool.
“Washington, D.C. I was born there and lived there all my life.” She turned away to rummage through a cupboard.
Marius noted the perfect curve of her rear beneath the pants. With her transfixing eyes and curvaceous frame, he was hard-pressed to remind himself that she was his enemy.
She returned to the counter with a baking pan. “I landed a great job here, so I moved.”
“Do you have family in Washington? Brothers or sisters?”
“My mom and dad were the only family I knew, except an aunt on my father’s side. After they died, I needed a change.” She paused. “It was hard, leaving everything I had ever known, but without my parents, there was nothing to stay for.”
A brief silence lapsed between them.
“How old were they?” Marius asked with sincere interest.
She kept her eyes averted. “Mom was fifty-two and dad was fifty-eight,” she replied solemnly. “Mom wanted us all to spend the summer in Bucharest. It was her first time back there in almost twenty-seven years. She and Dad went ahead, and I was to follow a week later.” She paused, obviously blinking back tears. “They never even made it to the city. Somehow, Dad lost control of the SUV they’d rented and went off the road.”
Marius experienced a pang of remorse, for it had been his family who’d caused the accident. And it truly had been an accident. They’d believed that Alexandra’s
