Marked for Pleasure [Blood Bond] (3 page)

“Is he okay?” she asked, still looking toward the open doorway.

“He’ll be fine.” He bent down and collected the files from the floor. “Here it is. The property survey you requested.” He held out the folder.

She swallowed audibly, her heart ready to break free from her chest.
Timid little mouse.
He forced away his beast, took a cleansing breath, and attempted to get out of the office. Heidi blocked his path.

“I know I’m young and new in this field, but I promise I’ll do my very best to get your house sold for the highest price.”

He could hear the trepidation in her voice. He liked it—too much. She was indeed young and inexperienced. Her face was flawless and pale, her eyes a brilliant blue, full of wonder. The girl was too eager to please, nothing about her persona guarded from being hurt in the past. She was untouched, untainted by the woes of human life—shame that wouldn’t last long, especially since she was so visually tempting. Human males tended to ruin their women rather than build them up as they should. When a vampire found his mate, he devoted his life to her, never looking at another female. The blood bond connected the souls on an intimate level. It was not a relationship to be entered into lightly. Their woman was their prize, their glory, their partner in life. The divorce rate in human society was a clear indication that they didn’t value marriage or love in the way the vampire race did.

But what happened when a vampire fell in love with a human? What if some higher power brought two such ill-fated beings together? Should they resist for the greater good or give into their base desires?

Francis was held responsible for maintaining vampiric law. He was an example to his brothers and his race, so showing weakness was unacceptable. Just as the last plague nearly wiped out half their population because of one woman, Francis had a feeling this blonde beauty could spell their destruction.

“Just worry about selling it fast. Price is always flexible.”

She still wouldn’t move from the entryway and his escape route. Her eyes beseeched him. “Have I done something wrong?”

“Ms. Walsh, sell the house as contracted.” He stood staring down at her, hoping the hostile energy he emitted would scare her off. Not many humans stuck around when he got in their face.

She didn’t budge. “Is it because I’m a woman?”

He exhaled his irritation, reached down, and held her waist on either side, and set her away from the exit. The girl was as light as a feather, soft, and tempting. She stifled her initial squeal and grabbed his shoulders until she was on firm ground.

“No. It’s because you make me weak.”

Once in the safety of the hallway, he ignored Christian’s questions and wasted no time in heading to his safe haven below. Right now he didn’t think there was any place far enough to clear his head of Ms. Walsh. He pulled the heavy wooden door closed behind him, shrouding him in comforting darkness. The candlelight flickering below warned him he wasn’t alone. His heart went out to Joseph. He was fighting urges that came naturally, not realizing the significance of his desires. Heidi was more than the girl he’d slowly fell in love with over the years, she was
the one
. It was the reason he could barely focus when she was in the room, the reason he was battling an inner war between duty and desire every day since moving to the small town. Francis knew Joseph’s plight well, because it mirrored his own.

* * * *

Francis just walked away from her. Not a word. Not a backward glance. She didn’t understand how a man could be so cold, so unaffected by a woman. The DeVille brothers were an enigma, always had been. She could have sworn she felt a connection between her and Joseph. Every time he spoke, she felt his voice slither through her body like an erotic caress. He didn’t hide his sexuality. Rather, he flaunted it. But any connection must have been a figment of her imagination, because he just left the room, forgetting she even existed. These larger-than-life men had given her mixed signals for the past five years. One day hot, the next cold. Now they just seemed to barely tolerate her. She supposed she should be thankful they’d hired her at all. From now on she’d keep her mouth shut and just do her job.

She scanned the papers in the folder and then the rest of the room again. They kept immaculate records, and the reports she needed were now in hand. Then why couldn’t she stop thinking about the way Francis’s hands felt on her body? The touch had been dismissive, rude, and patronizing, but it still held a powerful punch in her memory. If only he’d tugged her against him rather than setting her aside like an unwanted object.

“You okay?”

Christian poked his head in the room. His dark hair fell slightly in his eyes as he leaned over. All her feelings for him came rushing back. “I’m okay. Your brothers—”

“Are extremely eccentric,” he finished.

She smiled, not wanting to incriminate herself for insulting any of the owners. “Maybe a little bit. But you said it, not me.”

“I think their actions speak for themselves, don’t you?” He leaned against the doorframe, the depiction of the perfect male form. His smirk had a boyish charm that didn’t belong a man who was anything but innocent.

She adjusted her skirt, feeling the burn of his gaze over her body. “Well, they both walked out of here like I was diseased, so what does that say about me?” She shouldn’t be getting personal or venting her emotions to a client, but Francis and Joseph had shaken her to the core. She didn’t know if she was coming or going when they were near.

“There’s nothing wrong with you, Heidi. In fact, you’re as close to perfection as a woman can get.” His voice was rich and husky. He took one step into the room. “My brothers…they lack control and general refinement.”

“Not you?” She was tempted to take a step back but held her ground so as not to appear affected by his proximity. Heidi clenched her pussy tight, aroused by his compliments and attention.

He shook his head. “I’m the youngest. It seems every generation learns a few tricks about blending in. Sometimes it doesn’t pay to be old and wise.” Another step closer. “What’s really important is adaption. Survival of the fittest.”

She felt cornered like a deer in the sights of a wolf. A violent mix of desire and trepidation swirled inside her womb. “Wouldn’t you be from the same generation? Joseph and Francis don’t look that much older than you.”

He shrugged. As he moved nearer, she noted a hunger in his eyes. All the years she’d vied for his attention, she’d have given anything for him to look at her like he was now. “They’re old-school. It’ll be the death of them.” He braced a hand on each side of the desk when she had nowhere else to go but sit on the hardwood surface. “I keep telling them to smile once in a while, but nope, just the creepy-guy faces. I swear it’s why we never have company.”

She couldn’t tell when he was kidding or being serious, not when he was so close. The heat from his body had her blood boiling. The scent of his expensive cologne was subtle and delicious, teasing her senses. The smell was ingrained in her memories. From the meal at the mall together, to the time he helped her push her car out of the intersection when she’d ran out of gas, to the random encounters when she’d bump into him after work. There was always that mouth-watering musky scent which got her pulse racing.

 
“I’m sure it’s none of my business.” She swallowed the frog in her throat, wanting to submit but knowing she couldn’t jeopardize her job. “Maybe I should head out. I can come back later to take the video.”

He leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. “Whatever you wish,
Heidi Walsh.
”

She gathered her files and purse and rushed out to her car. Joseph and Francis weren’t anywhere in sight when she walked back through the house to the exit. Where had they gone? Would they try and convince Christian to fire her? She filed through her memories, hoping to recall anything she may have done wrong. Was it her outfit? Shit, she should have dressed more respectably. Rather than represent a professional businesswoman, she fit the stereotype of dumb blonde with her stilettos and formfitting suit. She wanted to strangle herself as she drove down the winding driveway.

When she got home, hoping to crash on her bed and mope for a while before heading back to the mansion, she was greeted by a chorus of “Congratulations.” Her parents, family members, and close friends sported banners and helium balloons.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s a celebration dinner, sweetheart. You’re a big star now.” Her mother hugged her from the side as Heidi scanned the room.

Her parents were thrilled about her big deal. It wasn’t every day a small-town girl got such a big break. She only hoped the DeVille brothers didn’t change their minds about hiring her. Disappointing her family would crush her.

“You didn’t have to do this, Mom.”

“Are you kidding? Come on, have something to eat.”

Numerous hands clapped her on the back, leading her to the folding tables that had been set up in the living room. With all the people occupying the small bungalow, she could barely navigate.

After the initial excitement of her arrival, everyone began to talk amongst themselves. She noticed her best friend, Carmen Ridgeway, talking to her father in the kitchen. They’d known each other since grade school, even pretending to be sisters since they both lacked siblings. Carmen was her kindred spirit, but a physical opposite with dark brown hair and eyes.

“What’s going on in here?”

“Hey! Sorry, I just got here. Had to work late.” Carmen hugged her close, and her father drifted off into the other room. He wasn’t a sentimental man but very utilitarian and hard to please. It was one of the reasons she had to succeed. After she got the DeVille deal, he’d told her how proud he was. She savored the comment, knowing it would be a long time before she got another one. If ever.

“I have to talk to you.” Heidi pulled her friend to the basement entrance and tugged her down into her apartment.

“What’s wrong?” Carmen adjusted her long brown ponytail and flopped on her threadbare sofa. “You’re missing your party.”

“It’s about the DeVille house… I think I’m in over my head.”

Her friend sat up, her interest piqued. “What do you mean? The contracts are already signed, aren’t they?”

“It’s not that. There’s just something about the brothers. I mean, they’re hot, hotter than hot. I can’t even think straight when I’m around them. I don't know if I can go through with the deal.”

“Heidi, you can’t be serious.” Carmen stood up and braced her shoulders. “For God’s sakes, you have to separate business and pleasure. Didn’t they teach you that in real estate school?”

“I can’t explain it. It’s like they have some magnetic pull, but at the same time they act like they can’t stand me. I’m afraid they’re gonna ditch me and hire another agent. I’ll never live it down if they do.” She covered her face with her palms as she imagined breaking that kind of news to her parents, especially her father.

“Well, they didn’t say anything, did they? As far as you know you’re still selling their house?”

“I have to go back tonight to take a video tour.”

“Good. Get it done, keep professional, and get out. You can’t lose this opportunity, Heidi.”

“Don’t you think I know that?”

Carmen looked her in the eyes. “You’re the one who’s gonna make it big. Maybe be the first to get out of this fucking town.”

Heidi walked away and started rooting through the closet in her bedroom. She didn’t have to be told how important this deal was. It meant everything to her.

What should she wear tonight? Part of her wanted to dress even sexier, but the rational part screamed for her to get it together and dress matronly. Heidi sorted through the hangers, disapproving of everything she saw. Her mind was a mess, trying to balance two different opportunities. On one hand she had the career move of the century, and on the other she had the potential to get through to one of the DeVille brothers.

Carmen joined her and sat on the edge of her bed. “I know you used to talk about Christian all the time. How does he look now?”

“Don’t ask.”

“That good, huh?”

“You have no idea.” She pulled down a simple black dress and held it up against herself as she gazed in the full-length mirror. “He’s fucking edible.”

“Business and pleasure, my dear. Never forget why you’re going there.” She wasn’t so sure herself.

Heidi set her clothes on the bed then spent another hour mingling with her friends and family upstairs. It felt good to be recognized. Her parents’ friends always bragged about their kids—success in university, their new homes, cars, and toys. Heidi could finally make her family proud. A sale of this magnitude would put her on the map as an agent, and her career would no doubt begin to thrive.