Highland Vampire Read Free Page A

little when the softness in her eyes was rapidly replaced by a look of irritation.
    "I took my shoes off," she said even as she put her feet on the floor and began to stretch, trying to rid her body of the various small aches caused by sleeping in a chair.
    Jankyn wondered how she could make such a simple act look so sensuous. "I thank ye for stopping me from killing those two fools, though they weel deserved it."
    "Aye, they did, but ‘twould have caused trouble, raised questions neither of us could afford to answer. And I thank ye for coming to my aid." She frowned a little. "I am a wee bit surprised ye were so close at hand whilst the sun was still in the sky."
    "I was in the window. 'Tis shelter enough late in the day. I simply leapt down when it became clear that ye were losing the battle."
    Efrica looked at the window, recalled how far above the ground it was, and looked back at Jankyn. "A bit dangerous."
    "Nay. The sun was a far greater threat. 'Tis why I was slow to interfere," he admitted. "I had hoped ye could deal with it on your own."
    "They were weel practiced in such games, I fear." She scowled. "Mayhap I should have let ye rip their throats out. Now they can recover and repeat their crimes against women."
    "’Twill be a while ere Lachlan dares show his face. Those scratches ye marked him with will take time to heal." Hating the lingering weakness that necessitated it, he asked, "Could ye bring me another tankard of my wine?"
    Efrica nodded and went to get him his drink. She silently cursed her keen sense of smell, for it made it impossible to ignore the fact that his wine was enriched with blood. His need for it was one of the reasons she fought her attraction to him so vigorously. She never ceased to be amazed that her sister Bridget, married to the laird of the MacNachtons, could be so happy in a place where the sun never cast its warmth or light and among a people who required such a gruesome sustenance. It was because Bridget loved her laird, of course. Efrica was determined not to fall into that trap, but her heart appeared reluctant to heed good sense.
    Jankyn's hand shook slightly as he took hold of the tankard, and Efrica moved to help him. She put one arm around his broad shoulders and placed her other hand over his to steady it as he drank. Being so close to him had her heart pounding in her chest and her blood running hot.
    Telling herself it would be humiliating to suddenly pull away and flee the room, she silently prayed Jankyn could not sense her reaction and would finish his drink quickly.
    The drink rapidly revived Jankyn, but that made him all too aware of the slender, warm female so close at hand. As he sipped the last of his drink, he slowly inhaled her scent, an intoxicating blend of clean skin, woman, and a hint of lavender. He had been attracted to Efrica from the first moment he had set eyes on her, and that attraction was rapidly breaking every bond he had placed on it.
    Just one little kiss, he mused as he slipped his arm around her small waist. Just one little taste of what he had long wanted, but knew he could not have. And he would have to steal it, he thought, for she was already tensed to leave his side. He finished his drink, tossed the tankard aside, and tugged her down onto the bed beside him so swiftly, she had no time to flee.
    "What are ye doing?" she demanded, sternly telling herself to pull free yet discovering she was unable to heed that sensible command.
    "Should ye nay thank your gallant rescuer with something a wee bit warmer than words?" he asked.
    "I think that may be verra unwise."
    "Ye are probably right."
    Instead of releasing her, however, he wrapped his other arm around her and kissed her. Efrica's resistance to the embrace lasted barely longer than a heartbeat His lips were so enticingly soft and warm. Just one little kiss, she told herself. Just one little taste of what she had so often dreamt of. When he nudged at her lips with his tongue, she parted them,