5
" Her room was darkened with the curtains drawn, but he could sense her inside, moving around quietly. Her heartbeat had turned languid; she must be preparing for bed. He cocked his head, listening intently. The closet door opened and shut, and there was the sound of running water. He held the goblet with such tense care his fingers began to ache.
When she had turned the faucet off, he said telepathically, "Tess, come to your window."
Startled, frozen silence. Then the languid pace of her heart exploded into a furious rhythm.
For a moment, when she didn't move, he thought she might disobey and end their tenuous relationship. Then he heard the soft rustle of cloth, and the creak of floorboards. When she appeared in the darkened window, she looked shadowy, like the half-hidden, opaque moon, her skin pale like pearls and hair lustrous with darkness.
She looked down at him but said nothing.
He held the goblet up to show it to her. "Are you sure you want to give this to me?"
Because it mattered. It mattered what she said. While the struggle made the offering sweet, it was the act of the gift itself that was the vital part of the covenant.
She didn't respond for long moments. He stood motionless as he waited, until finally she moved to put her hand to the windowpane.
"Yes."
He inclined his head to her, brought the goblet to his lips and drank.
Pure, undiluted power slid down his throat. Like the delicate skin at her wrist, it was warm and perfumed with her scent.
Such precious, beautiful life. "
― Thea Harrison , Night's Honor (Elder Races, #7)
6
" Oh, for crying out loud. This was like some kind of modern version of My Fair Lady.
Only with Vampyres.
She made herself breathe evenly for a few moments. "You've made your point."
"Have I? How fortuitous." As he lounged back in his chair, all the subtle signs of aggravation disappeared. "Then perhaps we should get back to the task at hand, so that I can determine what you have learned before going on to teach you what you haven't."
Okay, that went too far. One small part of her mind--the wary part, the sensible part -- started to whisper, "Don't say it, don't say it..."
But the rest of her was too exasperated to listen. She flung out her hands and opened her eyes wide. "Who says fortuitous these days?"
He just looked at her. The slanted angle of his mouth had returned, as well as the slight snap to his diction. "Apparently, I do. Now if you are quite through, it might behoove you to remember that a successful attendant is nowhere near this argumentative with her patron."
The devil took hold of her tongue. There was no other explanation for it.
"Behoove," she said.
The angle of his mouth leveled out, and his voice turned exceedingly, dangerously soft. "Yes. Behoove."
She opened her mouth. Shut it. Opened it again. "Don't say it."
Gray-green eyes narrowed, daring her to cross the line. "
― Thea Harrison , Night's Honor (Elder Races, #7)
8
" The devil took hold of her tongue. There was no other explanation for it.
"Behoove," she said.
The angle of his mouth leveled out, and his voice turned exceedingly, dangerously soft. "Yes. Behoove."
She opened her mouth. Shut it. Opened it again. "Don't say it."
Gray-green eyes narrowed, daring her to cross the line.
---
A sense of peace and contentment filled him. He loved music, and he loved to dance. Teaching Tess to waltz was going to be a pleasure.
A half an hour later, he had revised his opinion drastically, as she stepped on his foot again. Instantly, they both stopped moving and glared at each other.
"Young lady, you are not an elephant," he told her. "Kindly refrain from imitating one."
---
"We can work it all out over time. Agreed?"
She might not know where they were going, but it was definitely a step to the right direction.
Taking a deep breath, she nodded. "Agreed."
His expression turned serious, and he eased away from the wall. Without his body weight pinning her into place, she had to force her own shaky limbs to support her.
Sliding his fingers lightly down her arm, he took her hand.
"Come make love with me," he said.
After all of that - after taking the time to create an understanding that was filled with respect and that gave her a sense of safety - how like him to make everything so classic and direct, and simple.
She tightened her hand in his. "Yes."
---
"What's she like?" Gavin's tone was elaborately non-chalant.
Defiant. Devious. Delicious.
He didn't say any of those adjectives aloud. Instead, as his silence grew too long and Gavin lifted up his head to look at him curiously, he finally settled on "Unforgettable. "
― Thea Harrison , Night's Honor (Elder Races, #7)
10
" I was a young man with a completely normal sex drive, who was encouraged to study the scriptures," he said. "I memorized all of it." He stroked her lips. ""Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet...Thou hast ravished my heart.""
Something stricken banished the laughter from her gaze. "Yes," she whispered. "That's what it feels like."
All the words burned away, and he stood silent, without language or barriers, holding on to her bare, warm waist. He felt like he might drown if he let go. He might drown anyway, but if he did, he needed to bring her with him. "
― Thea Harrison , Night's Honor (Elder Races, #7)
