Caressed by Night (46 page)

Sonya gasped. His heat gone, the chill of the room was a shock to her system.

Startling clarity slammed into both of them as they rushed to fix their clothing. Disappointment filled the room like a dark, threatening thundercloud.

Sonya pushed away from the desk. She smoothed her dress and fixed her hair with trembling fingers.

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“I’m sorry,” he rasped, his breath still labored from his lust.

“No.” Sonya straightened her spine. Shoving aside her desire for the Black Knight, she cleared her throat. Summoning her most regal voice she said, “We both wanted this.”

He nodded, his gaze focused on the floor.

“But this is all we will share, one foolish moment of passion.” She ignored the tears that had begun to gather in her eyes. “We must stay away from each other, this link between us is dangerous. I care not what happens to me, but I cannot and will not watch you burn.” She crossed the room to the door. Pausing, she looked over her shoulder.

“Gwendolyn and I will take our leave. I will make my apologies to Dimitri and Kerstyn. You should know, you must speak of this moment to no one.” With that, she opened the door and stepped out, leaving Falcon alone in the shadows of the study.

Hadrian watched Sonya cross to the bar where Gwendolyn stood with Kerstyn, her friends, Victoria and Dorian.

“It appears Queen Sonya is leaving,” Dimitri said. “The temptation was more than she could bear.”

Hadrian frowned, but did not ask Dimitri his meaning. From what he remembered, the pureblood always spoke in cryptic riddles.

“When will you be returning to your land?”

“Not for a few more months,” Dimitri answered. “Have you revealed yourself to your people yet?”

“No.” Hadrian clasped his hands behind his back. “This is my first official outing. A test run, if you will.”

“You seem to have adjusted well to the world in two months.”

“I have always been a quick study,” Hadrian replied with a shrug. Falcon had given him hundreds of books that he read in mere days and once he learn how to use the laptop and wireless internet, his brain absorbed the vast amounts of information provided by the internet, his mind had adjusting in such away he felt as if he was a computer, downloading endless amounts of knowledge.

“Yes, a true genius.”

“Genius,” Hadrian scoffed.

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“Tell me, what is the reason behind you having not revealed yourself to your people yet?”

Hadrian was not surprised by the question. He knew Dimitri could read minds and see the future.

“I do not know where to being, when I return. I have been absent for so long,” Hadrian explained. “I came here, not only to celebrate your marriage, but to ask for your advice.”

“I enjoy how you and Dorian are always so direct and straight to the point.”

Hadrian shrugged. “Must be our military training,” he offered.

Dimitri nodded in agreement. Dorian was Greek while Hadrian was Roman, but both had been highly respected, skilled generals.

Hadrian watched as Dimitri’s pupils dilated then returned to their natural state. His body tingled with awareness. He could sense a change in Dimitri and deduced the ancient had received a vision.

“Start at the end,” the pureblood said.

Hadrian’s brow furrowed as he grasped the meaning. “Are you suggesting I pick up where I left off?”

“Yes. There is always a new beginning at the end.”

“The end,” Hadrian repeated thoughtfully, his frown deepening. “At the end…I just signed a treaty with a jaguar shape-shifting tribe in Brazil. The night of my brother’s…” Hadrian cleared his throat, “I was hosting a ball in celebration, but the festivities were…ruined.”

“It was an accident,” Dimitri firmly stated. “Do not dwell on the past. The future is heading your way and you must be prepared. My advice to you is, contact the shape-shifters. To my knowledge, your pact has yet to be sealed.”

Hadrian nodded. Dimitri’s advice was sound and the ancient was correct. The contract he had with the shifters had not been fulfilled, though he could not blame them for not holding up their end of the bargain. He had slipped into madness and what man in his right mind would give one of his daughters to a crazed vampire?

“The shifters owe you a ward, do they not?” Dimitri asked.

“Yes,” Hadrian answered. “The alpha was to present me with one of his daughters as a symbol of trust and loyalty.”
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Hadrian’s lips began to curl into a charming smile, though danger danced in his eyes. “I will rectify the situation immediately.”
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