Free Two Knights of Indulgence by Alexandra O'Hurley Page B

pulled the covers up and over her, tucking
her in tight.   “Sleep it off.”  
    ****
    Nicolas stood tensely as he awaited Matthias’ return
from Britt’s room.   His jaw hurt from the
tight clench he held it with.   A woman
had never come between them over the long years, and they’d known each other
much too long to let one now.   But this
woman was different.
    Matthias came out moments later, and Nicolas let out a
rush of a breath.   “She sleeps?”
    “She will soon.”   The large man settled into a chair across from Nicolas and propped his
feet up, relaxing.   Anyone who knew
Matthias knew he was never relaxed, even if his body appeared to be.   The killer instinct never let him rest.   He was a coiled snake, ready to strike.
    “Matthias, we need to talk.”
    Matthias brushed a hand down his face and rubbed his
eyes before answering.   “About?”  
    “You well know what about.”
    Matthias was silent a few moments, chewing over the
words he would soon spit out, as he often did.   “You want her.   I can see it in
the way you look at her.”
    “As do you.   I haven’t seen you take this
much interest in a female.”
    “She is … unique.”
    Unique was an understatement.   “Do you feel the ripple of power rush through
you at her touch?”
    “Yes.”
    “Is that the attraction:   not the female, but the rush?”   Nicolas felt his hands and brow begin to
sweat.   He wanted to rush into her room and
plaster her body against his even now.   He needed her with a desperation he didn’t understand.  
    “A rush?   I wouldn’t go so far as to
say I feel a rush.   I feel stronger, but
I’m sure it plays a part in it, but there is more to the attraction than that.   I’m sure of it.”
    “We know nothing of this woman.   She could be our enemy, and we’ve welcomed
her into your home, setting an elaborate trap.”
    Matthias was quiet for a long moment, his brow
wrinkling.   “Do you want her so badly
that you choose to turn my head?”
    “No.   That isn’t
it.   I only fear she’s coming between
us.   The rush I feel when she touches me,
I crave it now, like a drug.   That
worries me.   She has the power to take a
life; she has the power to give life.   What else does she hold sway over?”
    Matthias frowned at him a moment as his gaze roamed
over Nicolas’ face.   “I trust my
gut.   She’s not Illuminati.   She barely seems to know what she is,
either.”
    “That’s my second concern.   What is she?   I think we need to involve Thierry.   If he doesn’t know, he will know where to look.   I think we need to take her to
Monte Carlo
.   Let Thierry decide what needs to be done.”
    “We can’t leave without running the risk of our
enemies finding our trail.   The moment we
descend this mountain, they could sense us if they’re out there searching.   We would endanger everyone.”
    “So, we sit here and wait?   What if she kills us before your two week
window expires?”
    “I would say if she were going to kill us, she would
have done it by now.”
    “I don’t like being a sitting duck.”
    “We don’t have much of a choice.”
    Nicolas didn’t much like that answer.   He spun and stalked to his room, closing the
door behind him.   He pressed against the
wood with his back and slid down the length until he hit the floor.   Voices in his head told him to go to her, to
take what he needed from her.   His skin
was aflame, the need strangling him.   Sweat rolled down his back and face, the want he felt for her
all-consuming.
    Madness rushed through him, the screaming voices
growing louder until he clasped his hands over his ears, hoping to drown them
out.   Nothing helped, and the noise only
swelled louder and louder.   His whole
body vibrated from within.   He rose , the desire to touch her glowing skin once more too
much for him.   As he exited the door, he
began moving in the direction of her room.  
    She would be his, in all