The Vampire's Angel Read Online Free PDF Page B

clinging in love.
    Ah, Xavier. You haunt me . Thomas frowned, thinking about him. Could the priest ever accept his own sexual longings? Thomas had no such qualms himself. In contrast, Thomas saw fear on Xavier’s face when they sat near one another, or when Thomas intentionally brushed his hand against Xavier’s. Sighing, Thomas stood and began pacing throughout his apartment. What to do? He ached for Xavier but the mere thought irritated him. He had known Xavier for only two days. How could he possibly possess such strong feelings?
    Yet he could not delude himself. Thomas spent almost every moment contemplating making Xavier his mate. The one thing that he longed for, the one area of his life that remained unfulfilled and empty, was the absence of a partner. He knew that this emptiness made him bitter and angry at times. Perhaps Xavier would solve this issue for him. He had no doubt that Xavier would enjoy the passive role and want the protection Thomas offered, if only he would yield to his sexual longings. Perhaps, after Xavier accepted the love of another man, it would destroy his faith in that damnable Catholic Church and allow Thomas to tell him who he really was.
    Thomas laughed. His confidence astounded even him. He stood gazing out into the night, thinking. How to proceed? Anthony had made the lessons simple for him, about how easy it seemed to navigate through eternity. But he had failed to explain that emotion persisted in the darkness, that desire for love and companionship intensified the longer Thomas remained alone. True, Anthony had mentioned the need for a mate and had hoped for such companionship from Thomas, but both proved too strong-willed to stay with each other as lovers.
    Yet in all those lessons, Anthony had failed to mention the intensity of these feelings that Xavier had brought to the forefront of Thomas’s existence. And now, how could he convince Xavier to accept sex with another man? And how would he react to the possibility of eternal life? Would the priest in him see only sin and damnation? And if all of that happened, how could he secure a bond with Xavier?
    Thomas wrapped a silk robe around himself and went onto the balcony. The still darkness of this street surrounded him with peace. But in his mind, loneliness plagued him. He knew it now more than ever and realized that he wanted a lifemate.
Catherine: Betrothal

     
     

    24 May 1789 Afternoon
     
    WHAT WAS XAVIER hiding. For the past few days, he had left earlier each night. They spent almost every evening together, having dinner, reading, and talking until they were too tired to continue. But recently he left even before sunset, mentioning some nonsense about obligations and work, but Catherine suspected that he was hiding something. As they sat together again this evening, talking about the day’s events, she listened for a while but finally stopped him.
    “Where do you go when you leave here?”
    “Go?”
    “At night, when you leave here.” Catherine poured more tea and took a sip. “You’re doing something. You can’t hide from me.” She looked at him pointedly. “You leave before dusk now, and I want to know why.”
    “I return to the church,” he hedged.
    “To do what?”
    “What do you want to know?” Xavier’s face turned red, betraying him.
    Comprehension dawned. “You’ve met someone! Who is it?”
    Xavier looked at the floor and fumbled with the cross dangling from his neck.
    “You’re seeing someone. I knew it.” She sat back, surprised but delighted. “Tell me everything.”
    “Catherine, please.” Xavier looked around the room. “I took a vow of celibacy. There’s no woman in my life.”
    “I never said that.” She wanted to blurt out that she knew Xavier fancied men over women but thought better of it.
    “Fine. I have a friend from America who visits. There’s nothing else. We talk about many things. He isn’t Catholic.” Xavier leaned forward with a huge grin. “This sounds ridiculous,