Free Cursed Kiss (Paranormal Romance) by Helen Scott Taylor Page B

stripped the foil from the top of a bottle of wine and pierced the cork with sharp twists of the corkscrew. He downed two glasses of the dark purple liquid without tasting it, then refilled for a third time and rolled the rich, fruity flavor over his tongue.
    He closed his eyes, willed steel into his muscles, and patience into his heart. Then he moved a chair to the window, settled in the sun, and stared sightlessly across the vast expanse of his lands. With a glass of wine cradled in one hand and the phone in the other, Luka waited for the call he prayed would come.
    ***
    Pablo's arms closed around Clare as she stumbled into the shadowy bedroom in Taldom. She inhaled a breath of Christian Dior aftershave and coughed. Pablo's aftershave was so incongruous with his old-fashioned outfit that she nearly laughed.
    Pablo barely spared her a glance, his gaze fixed over her shoulder. "Where's Luka?"
    Clare twisted to stare at the full-length mirror she'd passed through. Her intention had been to grab Pablo and go straight back if she could, but it had taken a few moments to gather her senses and she'd missed her opportunity. "Damn. The portal's closed. Now we'll have to stand here until we see somewhere on Earth."
    Pablo stared at her, his face pale, lines of tension bracketing his mouth. "How long will that take?"
    "Just over four hours the last time it happened to me." A horrible stench reached her as if there was something dead in the room. She glanced around, nose wrinkled. A huge four-poster bed dominated the space, its red velvet drapes hooked back to reveal white lacy sheets. Smaller pieces of elegant, dark wood furniture were placed around the room. She saw nothing to account for the smell.
    "Clare, don't get distracted." Pablo grasped her hand, his gaze fixed on his reflection, and pulled her back to face the mirror.
    "We'll get back. It's just a matter of time." She gave his fingers a reassuring squeeze, although she felt far from reassured by the surroundings. The smell still hung around and it bothered her.
    Pablo met her gaze in the mirror, his anxious eyes rich velvety brown in the late afternoon sun. "We can't be too long. Luka needs my help to survive."
    Comprehension dawned. Luka needed psychic energy and the only person he could touch without causing them harm was Pablo.
    "How long can he last without you? Hours, days?"
    "Days, but I don't want to leave him worrying."
    He would be worrying. Clare imagined how she'd feel in his position. The poor man must be frantic, unable to do anything to get them back.
    The sun fell and dusk poked its shadowy fingers into the room.
    "What do we do if someone comes?" Pablo asked.
    Clare had been wondering the same thing. She glanced over her shoulder. "Hide under the bed."
    "That's the first place someone would look."
    "But they won't be looking for us, will they?"
    Their eyes met in the mirror and Pablo released a tight breath. "We'll be lucky. Nobody will come. In a moment we'll see somewhere in the mirror and pass through the portal."
    She wished she shared his optimism. They stood in silence for a while, then something stirred in the glass. "Look." She raised a finger. She tensed, preparing to move, and squinted. The brown image wavered and distorted.
    "Shall we go?" Pablo said.
    "No. We can't risk passing through unless we're sure what's on the other side."
    The image faded, leaving them staring at their own reflections again. Her shoulders sagged and she rubbed her forehead.
    Nothing happened for what felt like hours. Clare let her gaze travel up and down Pablo's reflection. His skin glowed deep bronze, his hair glossy black. He was an attractive man, probably better looking than Luka, but he didn't have Luka's charisma. Although she had to admit that the tight leather leggings and the jerkin, loosely laced to reveal a glimpse of chest, were pretty hot.
    His gaze snagged hers in the mirror and his lips kicked into a smile. He'd noticed her checking him out. Clare cleared her