Page 208 of Eternal Craving

“Not this wing. It mustn’t be touched.”

“You’re not planning on staying to see your plan through, are you?”

“I’m done with London.”

“Orpheus?” Wary of me, her tone was timid.

“We leave tomorrow.” I waved her out of the room. “Tell Marcus I want to see him.”

Chapter Sixty-Three

Spain had not forsaken me.

She greeted us with glorious, vibrant landscapes, the freshest breeze, and the friendliest Latin faces. I had to hold back tears of relief at returning to my homeland, for fear of drawing attention.

Later, my mood turned sour – having long ago dreamed that I’d one day return with Jacob. My chest ached with grief. If I had been in denial, coming here ended such sentimentality.

My son should have been here with us.

Sunaria squeezed my hand, aware of my anguish, and with a nod, I acknowledged my appreciation.

Marcus had argued with me when I’d told him my plans. He’d been heartbroken. I’d stood before him silent, stone-faced, waiting for him to finish beseeching me to stay. He’d eventually agreed to remain behind and continue to take care of all our business dealings.

Marcus’ expression that evening never wavered from my memory, his words still resonating in my mind. “Promise you’ll come back to me,” he’d begged.

I vowed that I would, though even as I spoke those very words, I wasn’t sure such a promise would ever be realized.London offered nothing but the saddest of memories, the deepest pain.

The future beckoned.

With no business dealings to keep me occupied, having left Marcus to initiate the transformation of Belshazzar’s, my time became wrapped up in Sunaria and she loved the attention.

Settling into a modestly decorated, isolated château overlooking the ocean, we took our time to acclimate. Before we ventured into the heart of the country, we wanted to get a feel for the societal changes that had unfolded since our departure. Taking our time, we gauged the mood of the people, researching how far they’d advanced with their knowledge of the undead.

Catholics were known to burn the accused, whether they had proof of a sin or not. With our affected accents, we’d stand out. A foreigner with a strange inflection could alarm even the most passive of villagers. Not that the thought of a man chasing me with a burning torch made me nervous. The disruption to my evening would be more of an annoyance.

Not so for Sunaria, who – until I persuaded her otherwise – had insisted that we sleep in coffins again for the first three weeks upon our arrival.

Discreetly, we tried to ascertain how many nightwalkers were in the province, those who slept by day and withdrew at sunset, eager to play all night. We wanted to keep a low profile.

After an entire night of seeking out new pleasures with Sunaria, we returned to the château. Sunaria had teased me all evening. We made it home with an hour to spare before sunrise.

I had my revenge before the fireplace in the great hall.

After wrestling with each other, each vying for control, I managed to restrain her, binding both her hands behind her with a silk sash that I’d found. She lay prone, perfectly vulnerable on the silken rug.

Starting at her ankles, I planted kisses there and then moved to her calves, along her thighs, lingering a moment to nestle near her belly button, my tongue probing, and then sliding to her breasts, suckling on each hard nipple, driving her into a frenzy, her well- deserved punishment, giving her no choice but to submit. With a firm touch and masterful strokes, I took her to the edge of pleasure, suspending her there, before pulling her back, leaving her wanting. Sunaria’s cries echoed around us.

I left her lying there, unsated, exposed, and desperate for me to finish, her hands still secured, her movement restricted. She could escape if she really wanted to – she had the strength of the darkest goddess. Her choice to remain bound was proof I had tamed her.

I withdrew from the house, strolling along the neglected pathway, hoping to free my mind while all the time imprisoning Sunaria’s.

The sea air stung my nostrils and the cool air cleared my mind. Over the grassy bank, waves buffeted the golden shoreline. The swell of the sea moved in a continuous rhythm, inducing a soporific sensation. Foam sprayed up onto the beach and several birds flew along the horizon.

Perhaps coming home to Spain was one of my better decisions.

After several minutes of contemplation, I returned to the house.

Sunaria’s turquoise gaze begged me to resume. Fully aroused, I wondered how long I could just stand over her, full of desire.