Free Luca's Magic Embrace by Kym Grosso Page A

as pleasant as possible. I don’t want to enthrall you. I just need you to be safe.”
    A tear fell from Samantha’s eye as she looked up at Luca. “Okay, Luca. I’ll go. But I don’t want to go back to the coven. Maybe no one told you, but I can’t do anything remotely witchy. The witches don’t even like me there, and frankly, I don’t want to be there. Ilsbeth is fine but I’m just not comfortable staying with the coven. Can I return to Kade and Sydney’s? Maybe I could stay with them until we get this figured out?”
    Luca did not think it was a good idea for her to return to Kade’s house with Dominique milling about the place. When Samantha had been bespelled, she’d silvered Dominique to a table in Sangre Dulce. Dominique could have cared less that Samantha had no control, and she wanted very much to tear into her throat and drain her dry for what she’d done to her. She was incredulous that Kade had saved her and taken her to the coven. If Dominique saw Samantha, it was likely blood would be shed.
    “No, there’s no way you can safely stay at the mansion with Kade and Sydney. As much as Sydney would love to have another human visit, Dominique is at their place way too often, and she’s looking for payback. She probably won’t kill you, since Kade has made it clear you’re off limits, but I’m afraid I couldn’t trust her not to at least attack you,” Luca continued, knowing he was going to regret his next words. “You’re welcome at my home, however. I live next door to Kade within his compound. There’s plenty of room, and I have a spare bedroom.”
    Samantha nodded in relief. “Thank you, Luca.” She toyed with the apple in her hands and broke eye contact. “You have to realize that things are so out of control for me. I just need to have a few things I can control, like where I live.” She rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe this is happening to me. You know, I haven’t even told my family. My mom and dad live outside of Baltimore, and I haven’t even gone to see them since I got back. I just called my sister, Jess, to tell her I was the unfortunate victim of a ‘mugging’ per the story Sydney set up with the police and my employer. I told her to tell mom and dad I was staying in New Orleans on a consulting job and would call them when I got a chance. I’m lying to her…I’m lying to everyone. What am I supposed to tell them?”
    She walked away from Luca, looking around the floor for her shoes. “Luca, you don’t need to say anything. I know you didn’t cause this to happen. I’m just frustrated. I need to think.”
    Luca couldn’t resist her any longer. She reminded him of a wounded puppy, albeit a very sexy one. He confidently strode over towards Samantha and put his arms around her, raking his hands through her hair as he brought her face against his chest. Settling his lips into her mane of hair, he kissed the top of her head. He wrapped his other hand around the small of her waist as he spoke gently to her. “Samantha darlin’, it’s goin’ to be all right. We’ll find who’s responsible for this attack and you’ll get your life back. I promise you.”
    Surprised by Luca’s tender embrace, Samantha hugged him back, enjoying the feel of the sinewy muscles of his back. Somehow within his arms, she knew she could trust him. He made her want to feel again: desire, lust, love. But he was vampire. Strong and lethal. At six foot five, he could easily overpower her and drag her to New Orleans, bend her to his will. But instead, he was comforting her in the best way he knew how…with words, with an embrace.
    The growing desire within her chest frightened her. How could she be so attracted to Luca? She inwardly laughed, knowing that it was not so hard to be physically attracted to him. He was ruggedly gorgeous but not a pretty boy. No, nothing boy-like about him; he was pure virile male. Samantha could feel his tight abdomen against her own and longed to see the hard