Black Desire Read Online Free PDF Page A

man easily rattled. He had
had decades to perfect his icy, outward demeanor for most situations but
thinking of Raynor and being here alone with Katrina threatened his cool
resolve to remain detached. He gazed at her as she sat crossed legged with her
head back and eyes closed. Katrina listened to the waves and enjoyed the
setting sun on her lovely face. He took a moment to assess her. He had
certainly been with more cultured, classically striking women than Katrina. Her
beauty shone from within and glowed with an inner illumination that expanded
her fresh-faced prettiness to an overpowering splendor. This effect was
amplified by the golden sunlight to overwhelming feminine perfection. Fine, he
was overstating it perhaps, but whatever she had either inside or out appealed
to him.
      Her voice was a sultry mixture of Barbara
Stanwyck and Kathleen Turner, two of his favorite actresses. The cadence sent
chills through his body while fanning the flames even more.
    "Greg tells me
you are quite the ladies man."
      That he did not expect her to say. She was certainly forward. The side of his mouth
twitched. "Did he, indeed? Why? To warn you off me?"
    She opened her eyes
and turned to look at him, her gaze frank and inquisitive. "No, not at
all. Besides I sensed there was more he wasn't telling me. How long have you
been a ladies man? And sorry to be blunt, but am I just another notch? Just
want to know where I stand."
    God's mercy, this woman . "I admit I have been with a
lot of different women for a while now." Yes, since his aged wife
Georgiana died in his arms in 1939 after sixty-two years of marriage. The pain
roared afresh through his little used heart. Katrina's probing dagger made its
mark. Before he could stop himself the words tumbled out of him, words he had
never spoken to another woman before.
    "My wife died
after a long, debilitating illness. After a bout of grieving involving an
overabundance of spirits, I turned to fucking as a way to elevate the pain. It
works for a time." He turned his searing gaze to her. "A notch? On my
bedpost? There would be no wood left on the frame of my bed were that the case.
I invited you here because I enjoyed our conversation last night at the pub,
more than I have enjoyed a conversation with a woman for quite some time. If
you would rather I ravish you here on the blanket, I can oblige."
    He could. His cock
was hard and throbbing as it had been often ever since he first detected her
presence in the pub two nights ago. He watched a myriad of emotions play on her
face: sorrow, confusion, embarrassment and bloody hell, pity. That he didn't
need or want.
    "God, I have a
big mouth. I'm sorry to bring up such pain. Did you have any children?"
    He looked off toward
the horizon. The sun slowly sank behind a kaleidoscope of pink and red sky
dotted with streaks of whitish gray clouds. He did have a son. Lucius was away
at the moment visiting in London, a visit that had stretched into three years.
They had grown apart the last few decades, though he did receive a surprising
phone call from Lucius two weeks ago. Lucius would be coming home in two months
and he would be joined by Trevina Patterson, his mate.   Tristan found solace in his son's long
awaited happiness.
    The fact he and
Georgiana were able to produce a child was a miracle. His father surmised his
human half managed the deed, his strong seed in play with his Vampire biology.
The Blackthorne Clan had to open a new classification for Lucius. He was known
as a “Quarter,” as he possessed one-quarter Vampire blood. As hard as they
tried they did not manage to produce another. Yes, a miracle.
    "No—no
children," he lied smoothly.
    Katrina took his
hand. "I am sorry I was so—I don't know, flippant when I asked about the
women. I guess I secretly hoped I was not just a name to be added to a
list."
      He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it,
eliciting a small moan from her luscious lips.
    "Not at all. You
are a list all on your