Gasping she shut her eyes against the carnal picture of desire.
“Are you all right?” he asked, a small, knowing smile on his face.
“Yes, I’m fine.” Although the sudden pulse of heat in her sex told her otherwise.
“Do you like the wine? It’s over four hundred years old.”
Eden clutched her glass. “It’s quite good.”
He nodded, his smile broadening. It made her thighs tense.
After another careful mouthful she set the cup down and regarded the man seated across from her. “Who are you?”
“My name is Bael.”
“Okay, that’s your name, but who are you?”
He chuckled and leaned back in his chair. “That’s what I’ve always liked about you, Eden. You’re always so to the point.”
She flinched a little at his use of her name in such a familiar way. “You talk as if we know each other.”
“We may not have met in person, but we certainly do know each other. I’ve been with you,” he tapped his head, “for months.”
“So you’re saying you are a figment of my imagination?”
One perfectly sculpted eyebrow rose at that. “Don’t be obtuse, Eden. You know perfectly well I’m real. And you also know perfectly well where you know me from.”
She sighed, not wanting to accept the truth. “My dreams,” she finally breathed.
He nodded, satisfied, then drank from his cup again. A server took that moment to enter the room with their food. Steam rose from the covered trays and a delectable scent wafted to her nose.
The server set a covered plate in front of her, then with a flourish unveiled it. On the plate was a thick piece of meat—wonderfully bloody, just the way she liked it—vegetables and some kind of rice mixture. It smelled and looked delicious. Her stomach rumbled in agreement.
Bael waved his hand toward the meal. “Eat, and you can tell me why you are here.”
She picked up the fork and knife and cut into her meat. It was like slicing butter. She put it in her mouth and groaned as it literally melted in her mouth. She’d never tasted anything like it.
“Good Lord, that’s an amazing piece of meat.”
Bael smiled. “I’m sure he would thank you for that, but I’m pretty sure the Lord had nothing to do with it.”
She didn’t know what to say to that, so she continued eating, moaning every so often at the deliciousness of the meal. She couldn’t help it. It was like ha**ng s*x. But in her mouth.
As she thought that, more sordid images flashed in her mind.
She on her knees in front of him, his engorged c*ck in her hand. She was licking the length of it and sucking eagerly on the knob.
She shook her head to clear the image. The ache between her legs intensified, and she squirmed a little on her chair to ease the discomfort.
He was watching her when she did this as if he’d known what she’d seen in her mind. As if he’d sent her the thought.
With the steak finished, she picked at the vegetables and watched Bael as he ate. She watched the movement of his mouth and found it mesmerizing and arousing. He had full lips and they looked soft. She couldn’t help but wonder what they would feel like on her skin.
The second that thought crossed her mind, he smiled, and his gaze lifted to meet hers. The look in his eyes slammed her right in the gut and threatened to venture lower. She crossed her legs to try and stop it.
“I’m looking for someone,” she said, trying to get her mind off how devastating he was and back on the reason she’d come to this place.
He lifted that eyebrow again. “Who?”
“A woman named Lilith Grae.”
She watched his face, looking for signs of recognition. There weren’t any, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything. He could be an accomplished liar. She’d met many before.
“What makes you think she came to Threshold?”
“Instinct,” she said. “And I followed that big, dumb stonehead out here from a club that I believe she frequented. Plus, he mentioned her, and the fact that I should forget about it.”
“So naturally that made you even more curious.”
“Naturally.”
He smiled at that, then leaned back in his chair. “What does she look like, this woman?”
Eden took out a folded picture of Lilith from her pocket and slid it across the table to him. He didn’t look at it, but said, “Leave it with me, and if I see this girl or hear of her, I’ll get in contact with you.”
“Thank you.”
He inclined his head. “Of course. Do you know where you are staying?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Well, if you are so inclined, I have an empty room in my home. You’d be more than welcome to stay.”
There was a little gleam in his eyes that came with the invitation and it made her belly and thighs tense again. He was potent, this man. More potent than any person she’d met before. It was obvious that he’d had a lot of practice in seduction and in the act itself. It rippled around him like an aura, taunting her, tempting her.
“That’s kind of you. I’ll think about it.”
“I’m sure you will.”
Eden took that as a cue to leave. She stood, her knees weak, and set her napkin on the table. “Thank you for the meal.”
He inclined his head. “It was my pleasure.”
She turned to go, then paused and glanced over her shoulder. “If you see her...”
“I will find you, be certain of that.”
She nodded her thanks, but put a hand on her gut where it churned and rolled unpleasantly. She didn’t like his last statement one bit. It was a veiled threat—she was certain of that. It scared her a little. And aroused her at the same time.
Bael wasn’t a man to be trifled with, that was obvious. He’d been warm and pleasant and seemingly helpful to her, and she had to admit she found him extremely attractive, but she instinctively knew he was bad news. Especially for her. And that just made her desire him all the more.
Durt was at her side the second she stepped out of the other room. “I thought you was a dead woman.”
“Don’t worry. I’m good at taking care of myself.” Eden looked around and noticed that the tavern was empty, save for the barkeep wiping down the counter and putting up the bar stools. Closing time already? She didn’t think she’d been having supper for that long.
Durt tsked at her. “That may be, but Lord Bael is one bad dude. If he wants to talk to you alone, that usually means you is dead.”
Eden gestured to the empty bar. “What’s happening here?”
“Time to go, it is.”
“But I have more questions to ask.”
“Will have to wait until morning.” Durt grabbed her arm and escorted her toward the door.
“Where am I supposed to go until then?” she asked as the little goblin pushed open the wooden door and hustled her out.
“I find you a place. Cheap but safe.”
She stepped out into the chilly night. Durt came out behind her, chatting incessantly about the place where he was going to take her.
“Good place, don’t you worry.”
She hadn’t taken but four steps when an imposing figure stepped out of the shadows in front of her.
“I told you to leave this alone.”
He grabbed her before she could protest. By the time she took in a breath to scream, she was being carried through the streets by a large, hairy white wolf.
Chapter Eight
Eden dropped to the gravel in a back alley. This time, though, she didn’t land on her ass. The second her feet touched ground she was swinging at her kidnapper. But she twisted the wrong way and turned her ankle. Pain seared up her calf but she didn’t let it stop her from attacking.
“You son of a bitch!”
He dodged her foot easily, dancing just out of reach of her leg. She tried again, but the animal was too nimble. He regarded her with those pale eyes as if he wanted to play. She shook her head and turned to limp away.
“Screw you.”
“I warned you, Eden.”
She whirled around and stared at the gorgeous, na**d man.
“What are you?” she asked, having difficulty not staring at his impressive manly parts.
“What do you think?”
“A werewolf,” she said.
“I’m a shape-shifter.”
“There’s a difference?”
“Of course.”
He said it with a look as if he was appalled that she’d suggested otherwise. She turned away, still having a hard time not looking directly at his endowment.
“Could you put some clothes on?” she asked.
“Why? Does it bother you?”
“I’m just having a difficult time not talking directly to your penis.”
He guffawed unexpectedly and the sound sent a rush of shivers over her body. There was no discounting the surge of heat between her thighs. She was still achy from her encounter with Bael, and now sexy, na**d shape-shifter had to come along and ramp things up again. Images of her sex dream with him flashed in her mind and liquid heat pooled between her legs.
“What do you want? Why did you kidnap me again?”
“I know you think you are doing the right thing by looking for the girl, but you put her in more danger by being here.”
“So she is here?”
“Talking with Bael just proves my point about the danger.” His jaw tightened.
“He seemed nice enough. At least he was willing to talk to me.”
The shape-shifter quirked an eyebrow. “Nice? You think Bael is nice?” He shook his head in disgust. “What is wrong with you?”
“Where do I start?” She laughed, then wiped a sweaty hand through her tousled hair. “Tell me your name.”
“Why?”
“Because I asked nicely. And I want to know who I’m being threatened by.”
He stared at her for a long beat, then tilted up his chin. “Mikhail.”