Chapter Twenty

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           Lily

             She stared disbelievingly at the toppled journal.

            "That's impossible."

            "Is it?" he asked, arching a black brow.

            Lily pressed a hand to her forehead, "What you're saying doesn't make any sense-you're suggesting that my father is 178 years old?"

            He nodded.

            Lily laughed, stepping as far away from the journal, intent on not believing that her father was in some shape or form, paranormal. "This is ludicrous."

            Varian stepped around her and leaned against the bedpost, crossing his burly arms against his massive chest. "Think about it, Lily, here you are, conversing casually with a vampire, and you find that ludicrous?"

            Lily grimaced, "Is he a vampire?"

            "No."

            "Werewolf?"

            He growled, "No."

            She stiffened, "Are they real?"

            "Perhaps."

            "Are you going to give me any straight answers?" she demanded, her face flushing red with growing frustration.

            His arms fell away and he stepped toward her, his eyes taking on that burning glint as they settled heatedly on her throat.

            "Do I hunger for you?"
            One step-

            "Yes."

            His eyes moved readily to her mouth.

            "Do I long to kiss your sweet lips?"

            Another step-

            "Yes."

            She grew breathless.

            "Do I yearn for your blood?"

            She felt the heat of him, so close, so enticing.

            "Yes." He whispered gravelly.

            He crushed her body to him and reveled in the sensation of their bodies intimately mingled. He tilted her head with just a finger beneath her chin and his hungry gaze fell hungrily to her lips.

Varian

            The beast stirred just beneath the surface; sensing the arousal, the yearning for blood. His fangs lengthened, extending at the tips, aching and demanding to sedate the insufferable urge to sink deeply into the velvety expanse of throat, where just below, a profound pulse, beat insanely to the rhythm of his own.

            She felt lovely in his arms; unmistakably irresistible, tugging crazily at his desiring seams. He couldn't remember last when he had taken a woman, if he had, he couldn't remember her feeling as lovely as Lily.

            His hand spanned the length of her throat; he felt that pulse, beating intensely beneath his fingers.

            The arm wrapped possessively around her waist tightened and heat spiraled through him at the feel of her breasts and curvaceous frame flushed warmly against the hard contours of his own.

            He felt her heart, thumping wildly against his chest, sensed her desire as well as lingering fears-could smell her blood and his fangs extended a little more.

            He lowered his head and very gently, captured her lips. He felt her reluctance, her uncertainty- so he was slow, teasing and pulling tenderly at her lips, careful not to draw blood with his fangs. His hand roamed the luscious curves that enticed him, bunching in the material of her shirt, curling into a tight fist as a fierce and swift spasm of hunger seized him.

            A deep rumbling that sounded somewhat along the lines of a growl arose from his throat as he deepened the kiss with an eagerness that intensified with each roll of his tongue, curious nip at her lower lip.

            She responded shyly, opening to his fervidness, wanting to explore the passions ignited between them, but he felt her unwillingness to lay her heart open and with as much willpower as he could summon, he pulled away, releasing her all at once.

            She fell back, disoriented, her lips swollen and her cheeks flushed a deep red.

            His undeniable attraction to her combined with the unbearable thirst was all too intolerable. He had to feed before he went any further of touching her.

            Without a word, he spun on his heel and fled before he went beastly and staked claimed to her blood and her delectable body.


            In the foyer, Marguerite observed him above the sleek rim of her wine glass, though the contents of the glass did not contain fermented juice.

            "Why did you bring that human here?" she spat in a deliberate hiss.

            Varian resisted a grin as he turned to survey Marguerite, whose ethereal face was pinched quite considerably with spite, "Has my human ruffled your feathers, Margie?"

            Her eyes darkened to slits of sloe-distaste, "She's invaluable to us, Varian. Dispose of her."

            "No." he growled darkly.

            A look of surprise crossed her whitened face. "You have a fondness for her?" her eyes widened and than, "You think she's your mate?"
            When he said nothing, Marguerite's face reddened with chagrin. "You cannot possibly take a human as your mate?" she slammed her glass to the floor, blood and tiny shards streaking the beautifully polished wood. "Never has our kind done so in centuries."

            She stalked forward, not caring that her silk train trailed her bloodied drink. "Do you realize you jeopardize everything!" she exclaimed in a strained murmur, "All for the ardent affairs of a human?"

            Varian turned on her, fangs drawn; face flushed a deep and angry red. "My interest in the woman goes no further than my hungering for her blood; that is not uncommon among us vampires."          

            Marguerite narrowed her eyes in suspicion, "You endanger the lives of those you are sworn to protect, all for the sake of a human. Do you wish to be stripped of your duties, banned from the clan because you thirst after some female? The council will disagree."

            She stepped back and observed him carefully, "You think I can't sense your hunger, your desire for her? Why not sedate your cravings and be done with her, is that not why you keep her?"

            His hand lashed out and grasped a thin, ivory arm.

            Though Marguerite appeared a delicate beauty, beneath her angelic appearance, laid a lethal and dangerous predator, "I've had enough of your opinion for the night. Dawn approaches, take leave and do well to remember that I don't take kindly to your honesty when it concerns my human."

             Her face hardened like cold stone as she took an agile step back. She knew she had overstepped a boundary. She may be strong, but not nearly as strong as Varian.

             To challenge him would be foolish.

            Gathering her train in one elegant hand, she glided from the room.

            It was then, that Varian caught the faint but detected sound of a window cracking open.

**********

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