It had been at least a year since she had last taken a lover, and she felt the soreness in her muscles as she shifted her legs restlessly. Even with the soreness, an edge of that fiery hunger pulsed. Slipping a hand between her legs to cup herself, she realized she hadn’t even taken off the robe. The soft material twisted around her body.

Without visual cues from looking outside, it was impossible to know the time without a clock or device of some sort, and she was still very tired. What had woken her? She hadn’t dreamed of Malphas, thank God. Perhaps she had noticed the strangeness of the bed.

Faintly, the sound of male voices came through the closed door. Even though she could just barely hear them, not what was actually being said, they sounded tense, even angry.

Oh Lord, what now?

Throwing back the covers, she adjusted the robe and slipped out of the room.

The door to the bedroom where Diego had stayed was propped open, the room empty. The voices came from the living room.

As she froze in indecision, Diego said, “It’s been three years, and I’m not going anywhere. I clean the pool, maintain the cars and polish the guns, and that’s my entire life. When Melisande and Justine came to visit? That was the most interesting thing to happen to me in a long damn time. Even coming here last night was a massive change, and all I fucking did was go to bed.”

Sinking both hands into her hair, she held her head.

What is it about me? What?

I don’t ask to overhear this stuff.

“While I understand what you’re saying, it doesn’t change my mind.”

She had a visceral reaction, just listening to the sound of Xavier’s voice. Sensation ran along her skin, and she shivered, wrapping the robe more tightly around her torso.

His mouth on her. His mouth on her.

Dear God.

Calm and courteous, Xavier continued. “I retired you from the field for many good reasons, and I’m not going to put you back in active duty. The last time you went on assignment, your cover was so badly blown, you would be a dead man if I sent you back out again. You’re done, Diego. You’ve been done for a long time, and there’s no coming back from this retirement. I’m sorry, but that’s my final decision.”

Xavier retired Diego from a field?

A mental picture of Diego mowing an overgrown pasture bloomed in her mind. It was so patently ridiculous, the last of the sleep cobwebs in her mind blew away and she really woke up.

He retired Diego from active duty.

Like a spool of thread, everything she had witnessed from the past six weeks unrolled in her mind.

How she had felt more than once that something was slightly off at the estate. How everyone else had stopped talking whenever she entered the room.

How all five of the young men disappeared from one day to the next, and nobody brought it up in conversation. How important it had been to keep their identities hidden when unfriendly strangers had arrived.

How overwhelmingly knowledgeable Raoul was at killing. Once, she had even thought he would make an excellent assassin.

Was this . . . a little like James Bond?

With Vampyres?

She wasn’t sure if she should feel so amazed, or if she should just feel like a fool for not putting two and two together before now.

Before she could castigate herself too much, Diego spoke again. The tone in his voice was flat and final. “You’re right, Xavier. I’m done. I quit.”

SEVENTEEN

Silence fell.

Then Xavier said, “I take it you would not have brought this up if you weren’t sure. Do you know what you will do now?”

“Not yet. I think it might be best if I didn’t return to the estate with you and Tess. Is there any way I could get you to take me into the city, after sunset? That is, if you’re done with your business here.”

“I can give you a ride. Where would you like to go?”

“I thought I would stay at a nice hotel, maybe the Four Seasons, and consider my options. All I’ve done is save money over the last three years—I might as well enjoy a little of it for a few days. I can always send for my things later.” Someone paced, probably Diego. “This isn’t personal, Xavier. I want you to know that. None of it is.”

“I understand.”

Not staying to hear any more, she slipped down the hallway to her bedroom again to ease her door closed. Her mind and emotions in upheaval, she paced around the confines of the bedroom. She wasn’t like Xavier, and her body couldn’t contain her restlessness without launching into motion.

Even though the bedroom was as tastefully decorated as the rest of the apartment, the lack of windows was beginning to get to her. She wanted fresh air and a walk by the ocean. Quiet though the apartment was, there was no peace in this place.

What she’d heard didn’t necessarily change anything, except that it did. She thought back over what she had said to Xavier earlier and laughed under her breath. It felt bitter and humorless.

A quiet rap sounded on her door. She said, “I’m busy.”

The door opened, and Xavier walked in.

He wore all black again, classic, simple slacks and a tailored shirt that emphasized the strong, elegant bone structure of his hands and face. He had tied his hair back neatly, and there was no trace anywhere of the wild, sensual creature who had made such emotional love to her. He looked as he so often did, composed and self-contained.

The sight of him made her a little crazy, when everything inside of her was in chaos.

She snapped, “I said I was busy.”

He raised his eyebrows. “I heard you perfectly well. I also heard you pacing just now, and I heard you earlier, when you walked down the hall and paused outside the living room.” He eyed her narrowly. “You overheard Diego and I talking, and now, for some reason, you are upset. Why?”

“Just because we had sex—once—doesn’t mean it’s okay for you to ignore my boundaries,” she told him furiously.

“My apologies. Of course, you are correct.” He said it so smoothly, too easily, his face a refined mask, as he leaned back against the closed door.

For the first time she hated his blasted composure, and she glared at him. “You’re trapping me in here on purpose. Don’t try to say you aren’t, so you can stop being so damned polite.”

He adjusted the cuff of one of his sleeves. “Politeness is the backbone of civilization. Besides, what else would you have me do? Until I know what you’re thinking, I have no way to respond.” Glancing up from the small task, he speared her with a sharp gaze. “Let me guess: you’ve figured out what I do, from what Diego and I were saying. Haven’t you?”