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"But you’ve kissed me"

"That I have" His eyes were very dark

"And you rather enjoyed it"

"Did I?" he sounded aotten the details"

Victoria felt a rise of annoyance, and she tightened her grip on his shoulder But shefor a reined that, behind the mask, his eyebrows rose in that sardonic ard, James LacyI have no desire to be one of many, Victoria" And now all humor vanished from his expression "No man does So, if you would like est," he continued set, that you keep your kisses, and suggestions of them, confined to him And most definitely away from the Marquess of Rockley"

Eleven

Dinner Is Announced

After their waltz, Max deposited Victoria at the edge of the dance floor where Vioget and Rockley waited It was a bloody relief to let her go and step away He bowed curtly and took hiate whatever the hell he could find to investigate

She’d be too damned busy to do so herself for awhile, if the expectant expressions on the faces of her two panting suitors were any indication It looked as though Vioget h Max had no concerns that Victoria would make the same mistake with this Rockley as she had with the previous one

Max’s scalp was hot under his hat, and his ers still reh that scandalously thin gown--if one could call it a gown Hadn’t she been wearing a dao, he’d been witness to Parisian wo to the very outline of their entire body--a Mada iht lance at the dance floor stopped it Christ, the fabric of Victoria’s long toga was just as thin and revealing as Madame Gorhoht as he sidled his way through the warht body he’d just handled was the possessor of such power and skill A man could hardly fathoth and grace of her slender ar into a vampire twice her size, the fire in her eyes and the flush of battle reddening her cheeksall of which siet and Zavier And even ones who had no idea who she was, and what she was capable of--like her husband and the new Aard, whom she was bound to slay

All thanks to the two vis bullae, hidden soown And one of theh it was useless to hie for whiskey to cleanse the bitterness in his estured for a sequined footman to pour him one, and turned back to watch the dancers

God dale purpose in the life he’d salvaged after Papa and Giulia were gone When he was done here in London, he was going after the va, would die himself in the process And at last he’d find out if he’d paid enough penance for destroying his fa, Maximilian"

Damn

"Sara" Bloody hell He’d been so damned distracted he nearly walked into the chit

"I knew that had to be you," she said, her full lips curving under her rose-colored mask She spoke sotten how beautifully you waltz Shall we, for old tienerous pout "Whoever she was, not only did she get you to dance, but you were completely captivated I shall have to be jealous, Maximilian Orperhaps it is Lilith ill be jealous" The pout had disappeared, along with thein her voice

Max’s body drained of heat Sara and Lilith? Good God "So you have allied yourself with Lilith the Dark A dangerous proposition She’s not known for constancy to her , then, Maxiers wrapped around his arrasped her wrist and set her away "Have you turned undead?"

She s up at him from under her lashes "Would you like me to drink from you, Max?"

The whiskey in his belly churned Lilith’s bites on his neck had finally disappeared, but the memories assailed him: red, hot, pain, pleasure