Page 30 of His Stolen Queen
He was near.
My stomach gave an excited flutter. Nerves? Or something more titillating? Christ, what was wrong with me?
I felt his body against mine.
Physically, I knew he was a few steps away. But emotionally and spiritually, it was as if his tall, muscular build had swathed itself around me.
"Beautiful, is it not?"
I swallowed past the lump in my throat. His accented voice vibrated through me, and my traitorous body gave a delighted shiver.
I kept my gaze focused forward, my fingers still pressed against the fangs of the beheaded creature.
"Yes," I croaked out before clearing my throat. "It's beautiful." With one last caress of the crass ridges on its brow, I let my hand drop before bracing myself to face Acheron Angelou.
Christ alive.
Talk about a beautiful piece of work. I hadn't been able to uncover any photos of Acheron online. I was simply curious about what the enigmatic man did for a living to afford the most expensive piece of real estate in the city—and have enough money to renovate it with bespoke furnishings.
My search came up empty, but I now knew that any photos of him would not do Acheron Angelou justice. They wouldn't be able to perfectly capture his high, firm cheekbones or straight nose. They couldn't capture the beauty of his sensuous full mouth, framed by a light beard stubble. Von was a beautiful man, but he never invoked such a sharp reaction in me.
My wide eyes finally met his, and I was once again shot in the gut by those piercing blues. There was no doubt in my mind that they were the same shade and shape as the eyes that followed me into my dreams. I was still unconvinced that they actually belonged to Acheron, but it was maddening that I had yet to see their unique shade on anyone other than him.
He made a low sound, and the vibration tumbled through me. "I knew you would understand."
His arm stretched out, brushing my shoulder in the process. I bit back a whimper before shifting slightly aside to allow me some space. I needed to get a grip.
His long, thick fingers brushed against the same spot my hand had just left.
"He's a Strigoi," he explained in that thick voice that pricked my skin. "His name was Jure Grando. Often referred to as the first Vampire to appear in human historical texts."
A cold sweat slid down my spine at the term, and I inspected the piece again with new eyes. It seemed obvious by his fangsthat he was some sort of vamp creature, but he certainly didn't look like the Vampires I was used to. Although, considering I grew up around the Cullen family, it was not surprising that my idea of Vampires constituted handsome, pale men.
"Humanhistorical texts? As opposed to what?" I queried.
His full mouth shifted in amusement before he focused his attention back onto the carvings, ignoring my question.
"After he died in 1656, he resurrected into this." His hand moved slowly against the wood. My gaze was mesmerized by the sight of his firm, thick fingers. "He terrorized his village until he was decapitated in 1672."
His fingers brushed down toward the panel that showcased Jure surrounded by a mob of incensed villagers.
"He wasn't," Acheron murmured.
I turned, meeting his brilliant blue hooded eyes as they continued to observe me unabashedly. My breath hitched at his proximity. His body heat sealed me, and I found myself trapped in his lure. I was very aware of how inappropriate this was, yet my body felt entombed on the spot.
"Wasn't what?" I breathed out.
His captivating inspection dropped to my mouth and stayed there. "The first Vampire." His breath fanned my lips as we stayed in place.
"His was just one of the stories that survived over the centuries and was told so often it became widely accepted."
I gave a huff of bemusement. "You sound like you believe in them."
His eyes flashed as he dropped his arm from the wooden panels. He tipped his brow as his full mouth lifted in a smirk. "You do not think that there are other beings that exist?"
I dropped my gaze from his. "Well—"
"Consider all the species that have ever lived and all those which are now extinct," he continued. "It is widely accepted thatthere are species yet to be discovered, some of which never will be."
