Lynn Viehl - [Darkyn 08 - Lords of the Darkyn 01] Read Free Page B

way”—she pointed north—“until you reach the second turn. Then go this way.” She pointed east, but this time her fingers quivered under his, and her breathing grew fast and uneven. “I come with you. I show you. Madame, she not care.”
    Korvel eyed the scowl being directed at them from the bar. “Actually I do believe madame will mind.”
    “You take me. With you?” She released one more button of her blouse, which exposed the sweat beading between her full breasts. “I want go with you.”
    He knew exactly what she wanted, and carefully removed his hand from hers. “You have been quite helpful,” he said as he deliberately shed more of his scent to bring her under his command. “Thank you. You should return to your work now.”
    The light vanilla fragrance of larkspur enveloped the two of them as l’attrait caused the waitress’s pupils to dilate.
    “ Oui. ” She backed away, bumping her ample hip into the edge of another table. The pain released her from Korvel’s control, and she clapped a hand over her giggles as she fled toward the kitchen.
    Once he pocketed the GPS, Korvel drank the last of the bloodwine and sat back to let it finish its work on him. While he waited, he checked his mobile for messages. Stefan, the senior lieutenant Korvel had assigned to serve in his place during his absence, had texted him a brief status report before Korvel had left Paris. The men had been drilled, the night patrols assigned, and the high lord had retreated to his study for the night.
    All was as it should be, as it would have been if Korvel had never departed. It should have reassured him, but it only made the hollow sensation inside him grow.
    Since becoming one of the immortal Darkyn, Korvel had served Richard Tremayne as the high lord’s seneschal as well as the captain of his guard. Seven lifetimes he had devoted himself to his duties and honoring the oath he had made to his master. Eight, if one counted his mortal life.
    Now it seemed his absence was not even noticed.
    “You look sad, monsieur.”
    The ethereal little girl who had been sitting with the bickering couple slipped into the empty chair beside his. Confusion filled her eyes, as if she weren’t quite sure why she was speaking to him.
    Korvel knew exactly why the child had come to him. She must have been just on the verge of puberty; his ability to influence female mortals never affected the very young. “I am well, thank you.”
    “You are a Viking, no?” The girl darted a look over her shoulder. “My maman said you look like one, which made my papa very mad. But I think you are more like the beautiful angels.”
    Korvel glanced around the room and saw he had gained the avid attention of the child’s mother and every other female in the place. He’d made a serious error shedding so much scent to influence the waitress, for he had not considered that the cold air outside might have acted as a natural barrier at the ventilation points. His scent saturated the inside air now. If he did not leave at once, all of the women would come over to his table, drawn to him like moths to a burning lantern.
    “I must go now and continue my journey.” He managed a smile for the little girl. “ Au revoir, my sweet.”
    “Take me with you.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “Please.”
    He could not explain to her that what she felt would disappear as soon as he departed, but he would not see her suffer even a few seconds. “What is your name?”
    “Tasha.”
    “Tasha.” He touched his hand to the side of her little neck, where the connection of his will to her mind was the strongest. “Go back to your parents. Forget me. Be happy.”
    “Go. Forget. Happy.” She turned like a sleepwalker and shuffled away.
    Quickly Korvel took out enough euros to pay for a case of wine and dropped them on the table before he rose to his feet. The habits of many lifetimes compelled him to attend to one final detail: the memories of madame and the waitress, who