Nonno
would never leave Paul in charge of the shipping business, no matter how astute he is. When it comes down to it, he’ll make an emotional decision every time.”
“You do not want the business.” Her hair was soft. Her skin too tempting. He removed her dark glasses to allow freedom to his lips to drift over her eyelids.
“No, I’m an artist. I want to compose my music. I’m selfish, I guess. I really don’t enjoy stopping what I love to attend endless meetings. Paul has the ability but not the personality for it.”
His hand cupped her chin, lifted her face to his. “I love kissing you. I could spend a lifetime or two just kissing you.”
“Funny, I feel exactly the same way.” She opened her mouth to his, let the magic take hold. The breeze coming off the sea was crisp and cool, but it only acted as a counterpoint to the flames leaping between them.
A shadow passed over them, a brief gray over the moon. Byron was aware instantly they were no longer alone. He whirled around, sweeping Antonietta behind him.
Do not move; do not make a sound. What is it? I do not know yet.
On the alert now, he scanned the surrounding areas for signs of an enemy. There was no sign of the vampire and no scent of the jaguar. The disturbance came from above him on the turrets and tower looming above their heads.
Byron narrowed his vision to search, his gaze moving continually, restlessly, working every inch of the eaves and rooftops. He caught a slight movement out of the comer of his eye and froze. The gargoyle crouched just above his head stared down at him with red, burning eyes. There was a loud creak as the giant sculpted head turned slightly, and the wings spread outward a good six feet in preparation for flight.
Antonietta’s fist tightened in his shirt at the small of his back. She immediately merged with him. She couldn’t see what he was seeing, but she had the sharp impression of it.
That’s impossible. Those gargoyles aren’t alive. Their eyes are stone. There aren’t even gems in them to capture or reflect light. And they can’t spread their wings or turn their head. You are so right, Antonietta.
The grim note in his voice sent a shiver down her spine. I only know one person who would dare to try to play such a joke on me.
Byron concentrated on the gargoyle. The head turned further, facing back toward the rooftop. As the head swung around, the giant mouth yawned open, and huge teeth filled the jaw. The mouth snapped closed, a vicious bite of warning. Josef yelped, scooting out where Byron could see him.
“You almost took my leg off,” he accused.
“That was the idea,” Byron replied calmly. “Next time you try to sneak up on me, I will make certain the gargoyle takes a chunk out of you.”
Josef sat on the back of the gargoyle, dejected. “I can’t get it right. No matter how many times I try to make an inanimate object move, it’s always clunky. If it had been smooth, you wouldn’t have known it was me.”
Antonietta put a restraining hand on Byron when she felt him gathering himself for a lecture. “It sounds difficult to do, Josef. I think anyone would have trouble making a sculpture of a gargoyle move.”
“I thought you were blind,” Josef said.
“I’m not nearly as blind with Byron around. I catch images through him, at least awareness of what’s happening around me. You shouldn’t be out this late. I don’t know if Byron warned you, but there’s a jaguar out killing people. I’m serious. I don’t think your mother would want to lose you.”
“I can take care of myself,” Josef assured. “Do you shape-shift yet?”
“I can’t shape-shift, but it sounds fun.”
“It’s hard to do on your own. I practice a lot, but I still get it wrong sometimes. Why haven’t you tried it yet?”
“I’m not like you.”
“Yes, you are. You’re Byron’s lifemate. You’re—”
“Josef.” There was a distinct warning in Byron’s voice. “Enough. You get back to the villa. Antonietta is right; it is not safe out here for you.”
Although I think it is more likely he would come to harm through me rather than another source. He is just a boy. So Eleanor keeps reminding me.
“Can’t I go with you, Uncle Byron? Mom won’t let me do anything. I was scaling the wall of the villa, and she just about screamed the house down. I can get a running start and leap pretty high, but then I can’t quite get the hang of going up a vertical wall. I have to use toe- and fingerholds.”
Byron sighed. “You are trying to use your body. Use your mind. You are too aware of your physical body.”
Antonietta shivered. The wind could be biting cold. Byron immediately removed his suit jacket and wrapped her in it. She was surprised it was so warm.
“Go on back to the villa, Josef. I will work with you tomorrow on some of these things, although you have to remember you are not supposed to use these gifts or discuss them outside of our people. The idea is to blend in.” Byron did his best not to sound as long-suffering as he felt.
“No one else is around. You were so busy kissing Antonietta I thought I could sneak up here and play a joke.”
“You are very lucky I did not zap you with a lightning bolt. Go home. I want to be alone with my lifemate.”
Josef sighed heavily. “I never have any fun. I don’t think it’s fair the way I’m always told I have to wait to learn anything.”
Enough!
Byron bit the silent command out between bared teeth.
Do as I say.
Josef stood up, looking extremely petulant. He shimmered several times but nothing happened. Byron closed his eyes and sent up a silent prayer for patience. “Josef, you hold the image in your mind.”
“Dad always does it for me.”
“Then how did you manage to get up there in the first place? If I do it for you, you will never learn.”
Antonietta leaned into Byron. “If you’re going to take me flying, we could escort him home, couldn’t we?”
Byron kissed her temple. “You are a very understanding woman.”
“
Grazie
for noticing.” Antonietta waved in the direction she knew Josef to be. “Come with us. Byron’s going to take me flying. I’ve never been before.”
“I will take the shape of a dragon with wings. That way I can hold you close to me. If you become alarmed, I will know, and we will go back to earth immediately.”
“Will you have scales?”
“Yes, I can do scales.”
“Can I have any color?”
Byron laughed. “What color do you want?”
“When I was a little girl, my mother always read me a book where the dragon had beautiful iridescent blue scales. I loved the sound of that. I still picture the dragon shimmering with watercolor blues, just like in that book. It’s a very vivid memory.”
“Then your dragon will be iridescent watercolor blue.” He held her close to him, nuzzled her neck.
“Why can’t I ride on the dragon’s back? In all the books, a rider was on the dragon’s back. Only the idiot who was going to be eaten was clutched in the dragon’s claws.” Antonietta could feel his teeth scraping back and forth across the pulse beating strongly in her neck. Her entire body tightened in response. There was something mesmerizing and erotic about the motion. His teeth nipped, sending darts of fire racing through her bloodstream. His tongue swirled over the ache.
“I do not want to take a chance that you could fall.” The words were whispered against her neck, his breath warm on her cold skin. His teeth closed over her pulse, teased gently while desire burned hot in her deepest core.
“I won’t fall, Byron. I’ll hold on tight. Please let me do this.”
How could he deny her anything, her slightest wish, when he knew what was in store for her? “I will be most unhappy with you should you slip, Antonietta.”