To Tatiana"s horror, Marcello shut the door, staying in the room with her. When he turned, his eyes glittered with silver and she could tell that the vampire had a specific purpose in staying.
"Tu sei bellissima, Tatiana," he murmured, looking her boldly over. A slow smile came to his brooding features. "Remove your robe."
Tatiana gripped it tighter, backing away. Her round eyes narrowed as she furiously shook her head in denial.
"Need I remind you that you are mine? You have given your word to obey me." He frowned. She could feel his anger. "Now, remove your robe."
"Turn around," Tatiana whispered, fearful, not sure she wanted to see his reaction to her naked body.
Marcello began to laugh. "Bella mia, I have seen you--all of you. I have tasted you, felt you. I have been inside you. What do you think to hide from me now?"
"You lie," she stated, mortified.
"You don"t remember?"
Tatiana got the impression that he was hurt, perhaps even amazed. Then, shaking her head, she knew better. This lifeless, emotionless creature before her didn"t have a heart to hurt. He only thrived off of fear and pain. He was a demon.
"You don"t remember inviting me to conquer your silken depths? You don"t remember how you begged for me? How hot and wet you were for me?" Marcello asked. His words were low, almost a whisper, but she heard them perfectly. "Do you not remember how you begged for me to drink of your blood?"
"You lie," she repeated, incapable of saying anything else.
"Bella," he scolded, not looking offended. "I am wounded."
"You don"t have the feelings to be wounded."
Her defiance made him laugh. Marcello looked to the fire in contemplation. When he seemed to arrive at a decision, he turned back to her.
"Perhaps, too much was blocked from you about our time together," Marcello mused. His jaw lowered. "Perchance, it"s time I gave you the memory of it back."
Tatiana pressed her lips together, trying not to cry. She shook her head. "No, I want nothing from you except my freedom.
Please, my lord, let me go home. Let Cesare and I go. You don"t need us."
"You are home, Tatiana. The sooner you realize it, the better it will be for you," Marcello said. His dark look screamed at her, though his rough voice was deadly in its calm. "You are mine now."
"Why ... why do you want me? What did I ever do to you?"
Marcello thought about that for a long moment. He didn"t want to tell her. How did a vampire with a condemned soul suddenly say that she made him feel for the first time in nearly a century? The very idea perplexed even him.
"This is the last time I will tell you,bella mia ," Marcello warned. "Undress and come here."
Tatiana could see that she"d defied him one time too many. Averting her gaze, she looked at the floor. She pulled the loop at her waist. The silk whispered as she pulled it free from her shoulders. It pooled around her on the floor.
"Come," Marcello whispered, holding his hand out to her. He didn"t hide the fact that his eyes looked at her, taking in every nuance of her form. He saw her large b.r.e.a.s.t.s that would overflow in his palms, smother his face when he buried himself in them. They fit well with the curves of her hips. Though, he did suddenly regret not feeding her earlier. Her body had become too slender.
Tatiana took a step forward. His gaze caught hers as she moved. She saw his eyes churning with hints of green fire and knew that he tried to read and control her. She could feel him entering her mind, swirling his presence in her blood as if to claim every piece of her body for his own. She fought his control. He might own her body, but she wouldn"t give him her mind.
Marcello frowned as she kicked him out of her thoughts. He held it still. Her hand didn"t lift to take his. She glanced at his fingers then to his face, refusing. Slowly, he smiled. Tatiana grew scared. Marcello"s hand went to his waist and he removed his waistcoat, one slow b.u.t.ton at a time.
"I don"t want to be your lover," she said, frightened. "Please, don"t do this, my lord. If you ever had pity ... if you ever had a soul, don"t do this."
"You will come to me,bella mia , rest a.s.sured of that. And it will not be by force."
"You"re forcing me now to be with you."
Marcello merely smiled. "It"s too close to dawn for me to heat more bathwater. I wish to bathe the travel from my body and you are too weak to bathe alone. I wouldn"t want you to have another one of your spells and drown."
Tatiana held very still. To her shame, she watched his fingers moving as he unveiled his naked body to her. She tried, but she couldn"t look away. Her blood heated at the sight of him.
The waistcoat slipped from his shoulders and he tossed it over to the wooden chair by the fireplace. Next he pulled the linen shirt from his breeches and began giving its b.u.t.tons the same slow attention he had the waistcoat.
His fingers were long, elegant like a gentleman"s. A sapphire ring glinted on his index finger. Tatiana had noticed that the Count owned many jeweled rings, matching them to his clothing. His arms moved with liquid grace as he leisurely pulled the linen shirt from his shoulders. She gasped. His muscles rolled beneath his pale skin.
"You may touch me,bella mia ," the Count said. His hands moved to his waistband. "Your eyes tell me you want to."
"My eyes say nothing, my lord," Tatiana answered quietly. During his show, her lips parted to accommodate her quickened breath. She snapped her jaw shut, daring to turn her back on him. The long waves of her black hair curled down her back and she wished it was longer to better hide her body from the vampire"s view.
There was a whispering of material sliding over flesh. Tatiana tensed, knowing Marcello"s breeches slithered to the floor. She wanted to look, was nearly dying inside with the need. She held perfectly still and waited for him to touch her. To her shame, she wanted him to touch her. Her nerves screamed out for him. Her mind tried to betray her with images of his naked form, with the memory of her dreams.
A cool stroke sent shivers from her wrist to her shoulder. She looked down, seeing that Marcello was already in the bath. She hadn"t heard him get in. His usually unaffected brown eyes looked up at her with an emotion she could only guess was longing. He wanted something from her. She could see that easily enough.
Tatiana knew the Count could feel nothing for her and didn"t try to convince herself otherwise. It was impossible that he could feel. There was no tenderness in the demon before her, no matter how deceiving his looks were.
Marcello"s fingers wrapped around her wrist and pulled her insistently to him. Tatiana stepped into the bathwater. It was warm, inviting. Unbidden, a sigh left her mouth as the heat soaked up her leg. When she merely stood above him, Marcello pulled her down. Arching his arm over her head, he kept ahold of her wrist, causing her to turn her back to him.
Tatiana found herself sitting naked before him. His legs spread to the edge, allowing for her hips. She could feel the rough hair of his thighs touching her, rubbing intimately against her skin. The water made his usually cool touch warm. Closing her eyes, she imagined that he felt like a man should. Her body shivered in response and she hardened her resolve against him.
Before she could react, Marcello lifted her hair and tossed it over her slender shoulders. He grabbed a bar of soap and lathered her back. His strong fingers ma.s.saged into her, rubbing her skin. Tatiana trembled.
Marcello let a small smile come to his features. He knew she tried to resist him. He could feel her fighting her body"s reaction to his touch. The faint scent of lavender came from the soap and he breathed deeply of it. She"d smelled of lavender that first night in the forest. On a whim, he"d bought bars upon bars of the scented soap to please her--and to please himself.
Tatiana held still, wondering at his gentle touch. His long nails occasionally scratched her skin, but did not cause her harm.
Marcello"s fingers urged her to go beneath the water, wetting her hair. With the same precision he showed her back, he washed the dirt from her locks.
When she rinsed, his hands again grabbed the lavender soap and he began cleansing her arms. His fingers pushed about her neck, lightly hitting across her collarbone. Tatiana sighed deeply, intoxicated by the nearness of him, by the relaxing smell of the soap.
Marcello gently pulled her back into his body. His hands continued to move, exploring and remembering the feel of her. He leaned forward, running his palms over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. His fingers glided over her nipples, ma.s.saging deeply as he caressed her.
Tatiana arched into his hands. His expert fingers circled her nipples, budding them, teasing them, grasping them. She grew weak and fell into his body. The hard muscles of his chest pressed firmly into her. The hard, full length of his arousal dug into the soft flesh of her backside. Her feet worked against the bottom of the tub, digging in as she sought to get closer. The soapy water caused their skin to glide as she restlessly rubbed against him.
Tatiana"s arm rose, searching for him. She found the soft, dry locks of his hair. Her eyelids became heavy and she let them close. A loud sigh of pleasure escaped her lips. His touch was like lightning, shooting through her body, heating and electrifying it.
Marcello"s hands grew bolder, stroking down her ribs, leaving trails of hot pleasure in their wake. He kissed her ear, sucking the lobe gently until her head fell leisurely to the side. His dark eyes narrowed as he saw her throat. He could feel her hips searching for him and did not deny them. His hand drew a haphazard path over her stomach, moving to curl into the top arch of her wet center.
Tatiana cried out in surprise and pleasure. She was beyond thought, beyond words. Her mouth opened wide as she gasped for ragged breath.
"Ricordisi di," Marcello urged in a whisper to her flesh. "Remember,bella , remember."
Marcello"s lips parted as his teeth sunk into her neck, piercing her. Tatiana gasped, arching into him in complete offering. The satisfaction of his touch opened her mind and let him wander in. His hand glided up from her hot center, curling naturally around her breast as he held her still against his deep, fiery kiss.
Marcello drank lightly against her throat. Red swam in his liquid gaze as he tasted her strength, her pa.s.sion for him. His body jerked, nearing what felt like an o.r.g.a.s.m. He knew she was ready. Taking his fingers, he did not stop drinking, as he ran his hand before her face.
Tatiana felt a pull to her senses. She felt him inside her mind, calling to her lost memories. They struck her in gentle waves, crashing into her with the soft promise of a pleasant dream. Her body stopped moving, growing peaceful. Marcello"s lips left her neck.