“Is that your best pick-up line? Because it’s totally working.”
I tensed at the sudden pain as his needle-sharp fangs pierced my skin. But, instead of pushing him away, I wrapped my arms around him and let him drink. I wanted him to have my blood. I wanted him to be okay.
After a minute, he pulled away from me. His expression was tight and haunted. His chest moved with labored breathing. “I can’t do this. I can’t take too much.” He pushed back from me until there was a good six feet separating us. “I’m surprised at you. Why didn’t you stop me?”
“I didn’t want to.”
“Even with your recent interest in Gideon, I was under the impression that you were more loyal to the one you proclaim to love.”
I held a hand to my neck. He was able to stop all by himself. That was major progress! “I am loyal.”
“It doesn’t seem like it to me.” There was a hard edge of anger to his words now.
I eyed him. “I guess you don’t know me very well at all, do you?”
“All I know is that you let me touch you, that you let me taste you, with no protests. I don’t think that’s very loyal behavior.”
“No, it definitely isn’t.” I began to unbutton my blouse and took a small thrill at the shocked look he gave me. “Actually, neither is this.”
“What in the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Seducing you.”
He took another step back from me as I approached. “You’ve given me enough of your powerful blood to heal my wound and I thank you for that. But this isn’t right.”
“Because you’re the Red Devil, a vampire of mystery and intrigue?”
“Because you’re in love with another. Or is that no longer the case?”
I let my blouse fall to the ground. I wore a really nice black lace push-up bra underneath.
It had a little pink bow in the front that I knew probably wouldn’t make it through the first wash. I never sorted my delicates. It was a lazy habit and it tended to cost me loads in new lingerie.
Not that my laundry habits were even remotely important at the moment. I’m just saying.
“I love you,” I said evenly.
His eyes widened and I watched them slowly change from the black of a hungry vampire back to his cool, gray gaze. “No, Sarah—”
I walked directly toward him and kissed him, feeling how tense he still was. His cold mask shifted a little against my face.
With a low groan, he pushed me back from him. “Why would you say something like this to me?”
“Because it’s true. I love you.” I crossed my arms. “I’m breaking it off with Thierry to be with you. I love you, Red Devil. You can bite me any time. Thierry and I are through, he just can’t get it through his thick head.”
He stared at me for what felt like a very long time, studying my face and body language.
Suddenly, a clear realization came over his expression. It was amusing enough to almost salvage the entire messed-up day for me. Almost.
“You know, don’t you?” he asked slowly.
I smiled at him. “That the Red Devil and Thierry de Bennicoeur are one and the same? Of course I know. Duh.”
You can take the mask off any time now.” I finally flicked on the light and the living room became painfully bright.
He looked stricken. “How did you know?”
“I just knew.” I put a hand on my hip. “Also, that’s not exactly the greatest disguise in the world. It’s just a mask. I mean, how has no one else ever figured it out? Veronique doesn’t even know.”
He shook his head, still holding that expression of shock in his eyes. “Nobody has known.”
“Not even Barry?’
“Not even Barry.”
I shrugged. “I guess I’m just special. It’s like Superman when Lois Lane never figured it out—his disguise was a pair of glasses, for Pete’s sake. Ditto Wonder Woman. I mean, maybe Batman had a reason, since his costume was a bit more involved, but still, a jaw line is a jaw line and I could tell—”
“When did you know?”
“The third time I saw you. Or, rather, saw the Red Devil.”
He tentatively reached up and slowly removed the mask. His handsome face was pale behind it. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was waiting for you to come clean and tell me.” I raised an eyebrow. “I’ve been waiting for a while.”
“I thought… when you let me touch you thinking I was another man that our time apart had added problems to our relationship.”
“No more problems than we already had.” I crossed my arms. “Like the wife who won’t give you an annulment? That’s a problem. Like the fact that we can’t see each other in public or let anyone know we’re still together? Another problem.”
“Like Gideon Chase’s interest in you?” he added.
“Definitely a problem. A big one.” The reminder of the hunter sent a chill down my spine, especially after what had happened in the alley. “But the fact that I like you with or without the mask? That’s not a problem.”
“I must have lost more blood than I thought. You had me completely fooled.”
“I’m obviously a brilliant actress.”
“Of course.” He cleared his throat. “Does anyone else know?”
I shook my head. “Just me. And I have no idea how Veronique couldn’t have clued in. By the way, I’m supposed to set you and her up together. She wants to be lovers.”
“When Veronique couldn’t see past my mask I assumed that my disguise was good enough and didn’t give it another thought. She had known me for hundreds of years before she met the Red Devil. She should have known.”
“But she didn’t.”
“No.” His gaze moved over my features. “But you did.”