Stealing Magic (Vampire Primes) by Susan Sizemore Read Free Book Online Page B

demanded.
    He accepted her explanations. “Yet you don’t fear me.”
    Grace shook her head. “Of course I fear you. Only a fool wouldn’t fear the ultimate predator. But I like you more than I fear you, so could we go now?”
    Julien let her go. “Are you that anxious to get to your ironing?”
    “No. I’m anxious to make love with you tonight. To manage this I need to get you back to your room, get you cleaned up, and make sure you are feeling well enough to satisfy my insatiable desires.”
    “Insatiable? Large words for a simple housemaid. Your education—”
    Grace put fingers over his lips. “The only part of my education you need worry about, my lord, comes later tonight.”
    “Well, then….” Julien held his hands out for her to help him up. “I suppose we had better get going.”
    * * *
    Grace took her eye away from the peep hole and whispered, “Do you think he’s ever going to go away?” Beyond the secret door, Mr. Beverly paced back and forth on the rug in front of the fireplace.
    Julien leaned his weight against her, his arm around her shoulders. Her arm was wrapped tightly around his waist. It had been a slow journey from the folly to the manor house, and they’d decided to take the back stairs and secret passage to Julien’s room. It was better not to be seen, for the sight of an injured guest would cause an unwanted stir. All had gone well until they reached the entrance to Julien’s room. The valet was there, and he looked very worried.
    “You could walk in and tell him to leave,” she whispered.
    Julien leaned very close and whispered in her ear, “Technically, he is my superior. He’ll want to know what happened.”
    She’d forgotten about their being spies looking for a traitor. “He’ll probably want you to go to the ball when you need to rest.”
    “It is not my resting you’re thinking about. Thinking….”
    Julien looked back through the spy hole. Then he rested his forehead against the door and closed his eyes. He kept his arm around her. After a few seconds she was supporting his whole weight. He began to sweat, and shake. When he lifted his head again, though, he was smiling.
    “Mr. Beverly will be joining the staff belowstairs any moment now. He thinks it a good idea to question them about guests’ behavior.”
    “Diversion or not, that is a good idea, Julien,” Grace said.
    He gave a tired nod. A quick look through the peephole, then he opened the door for them. Grace helped him limp in and settle on the bed. He gave a huge sigh, which ended in a groan.
    “I am not used to pain,” he said. “It is such a—mortal feeling.”
    “Typical male,” she said. “Mortal or not, men whine about the least little ache.”
    “You sound just like one of our females.” He adopted a high-pitched feminine voice. “If you Primes had to give birth you’d know what pain truly is.”
    Grace’s hand automatically covered her abdomen as her heart lurched in anguish and hope. Hope for having a child, anguish for using Julien. She turned her back on him as she fought off tears. He would never know their child. She reminded herself that she’d been told vampire Primes left the raising of offspring to their females, so even if he knew it wouldn’t matter to him.
    “Did I say something wrong?” he asked. “Of course. I’m sorry I forgot that mortals don’t discuss such a delicate and distasteful subject as childbirth. Even that word probably embarrasses you.”
    She blinked a few times and made herself smile as she turned back to him. “Actually, my granny explained the facts of life to me in some detail. Although it is not the sort of thing one discusses with a male, now is it? Hush now,” she commanded. “Settle back on those pillows and let me have a look at your wounds. Unbutton your shirt while you’re waiting.” She knew she sounded brisk and efficient, but, then, she had more training as a healer than she did as a seductress.
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    She went to a