Venice Dusk: A Vampire Royalty Romance (Vampire Sovereigns Book 1) by Kendrai Meeks & Killian McRae

Author:Kendrai Meeks & Killian McRae [Meeks, Kendrai]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tulipe Noire Press
Published: 2020-09-28T16:00:00+00:00

FOURTEEN

THEY SAT HER IN A CHAIR and tied her wrists to the arms, though both vampires were quick to reassure her it was only because the enthralled could sometimes flail or fall unexpectedly.

“Like anything I could do could hurt you at all.”

Portia had meant it only as a joke, but Massimo looked as though she had intentionally impugned his honor. “You have no idea the pain you could inflict on me.”

Portia wanted to call him out on taking a moment of jest and imbuing it with global implications. She was still reeling at being accused of being in love. She couldn’t be in love with a man she’d only known for a week. That kind of thing only happened in movies. She’d dated Richard for two years before she even experimented with the thought. Sure, she liked Massimo. Maybe even she lusted him. But love? No way, no how.

Patria leaned over her, her face inches from Portia’s. “Do not worry, Signora, my brother is given to dramatics in all things romance. A carryover from his mortal days, I’m afraid, but of course, you know all about that.”

“No, I don’t. What do you—”

Her words died on her tongue and her will followed suit as Patria’s eyes became her world. A warm wave of serenity crashed through her, separating Portia from her anxiety, her curiosity, her thoughts. Like being on a boat just offshore but completely able to see land. She could swim to any point on this beach, she just needed to know which direction to go and when to dive in.

The Duchess’s voice echoed in the sky of her imagination. “Turn your thoughts back. Tell me everything you remember about—what was the guard’s name?”

Massimo cleared his throat and stepped closer. “Giuliano.”

“The night Giuliano died,” Patria pressed on. “Where are you, Signora?”

Suddenly, serenity fled. The world became streaks of black and gray and red. She stood, her back pressed into the doorway of the flat. “We’re in the street outside my vacation rental. Giuliano walked me home after I finished my work at Massimo’s office for the day.”

“You’re working for my brother?” Suspicion stained Patria’s words.

Massimo clicked his tongue. “Portia is an artist. I commissioned her to create a piece to mark the Ravens’ arrival.”

“You didn’t just ask for one from my stable?” Patria spit back. “Is she that good?”

Portia sensed the question wasn’t for her but answered anyway. “I’m not. I don’t have any professional credits and the only salon I ever had was in college before...” She swallowed. “Before I met my ex.”

Even behind the shield of her will, Portia could see with her eyes perfectly well. That didn’t mean, however, that she understood the sight. Massimo’s face contorted, a combination of surprise and... if she didn’t know better, determination. Or was that possession?

“I’m not interested in your huey love life,” Patria said. “All I want to know is how Giuliano died. Tell me what you saw.”

And so Portia did, reliving every quaking moment in tandem with recollection. Marco’s arrival.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.