Excerpt of Midnight Conquest by Arial Burnz

"Sir, if you please." Davina tried to pull away from him, but his hands held her tight.

His muscles tensed as he tried to reach deeper into her memories. Flashes of Angus's evil grin mocked Broderick, as if to say, "Come and get me, Rick!" More of the visions of a kinder, more compassionate Angus reemerged, conflicting with the Angus he knew. Then blackness rolled in like a fog, blotting out everything. He focused on the woman in hand, her eyes saucers of fright as she quailed away from him.

Raising his eyebrows, he eased his tension, but did not release her. "My apologies, milady. The visions I saw..." He brought forth as much compassion as he could muster, stroking her hand, and entertained the desire to feed from her to get what he wanted. He wondered if he should take the chance, and glanced at the tent flap, hearing the many voices outside, but reconsidered. He would have to calm her. "Fear not, milady. I did not mean to cause you such distress. The visions I saw...you have been through a lot, aye?" He hoped the predictions he made of her future in their last encounter were true or his bluff would be called.

Nodding, Davina took a calming breath as her lashes dipped to her flushed cheeks, then her eyes met his. She shrank from him.

Calm her. He closed his eyes, allowing the tension to ease from his face, the crease on his brow smoothing away, and he caressed and massaged her hand methodically. Using his immortal influence, he willed a peace to flow over her, like warm water pouring over her head and trickling down her body, washing away the fear and apprehension. She sighed, accepting the calming spirit surrounding her, the time languishing by in luxury.

Now more tranquil, Davina surrendered to his ministrations.

Her mind was a little difficult to navigate, her emotions swirling around in many directions, and her ability to block those memories baffled him. The more she relaxed, though, the more the fog began to lift. Broderick saw through Davina's eyes and couldn't resist the wicked grin that surfaced at seeing her memories of dressing for the evening. She stood in front of her looking glass, pulling her shift up her slender form, the thin material caressing her full, jutting breasts. Those images swirled and reformed to show Davina's reflection fully dressed and applying her perfume.

"I see blossom oil in a glass vial." His smile broadened. "Intimate places are touched by this fragrance," he whispered as he saw her touch the valley between her breasts, the two sensitive skin patches behind her knees. Broderick opened his eyes and breathed in deep through his nose. "A fragrance I smell coming from you, lass."

Fire flew to her cheeks and warmth emanated from her.

He settled his eyes upon her square neckline, where she had dabbed her rose oil, to linger before they traveled up to her sapphire eyes. Without releasing her gaze, he dipped the thumb of his free hand into a bowl of oil heated by a candle.

She tried to pull away once more, but he refused to let her go. "For what is the oil used?" Her voice trembled in spite of her efforts to keep it steady.

"The oil makes the lines upon your hand easier to read," he explained, and he smoothed the warmth over her palm, each stroke of his thumb slow and deliberate.

The sound of Davina's heartbeat quickened. Broderick sensed a hunger blossom inside her, and her eyes roamed over his neck and shoulders. Those swirling emotions diluted the last remnants of fear and became a mixture of curiosity and desire. Davina struggled to maintain a slow even breath, fighting the urge to pant. She wondered what his body pressed to hers would be like; feeling his weight upon her and hearing him call her name, his voice thick with desire.

Even with his eyes open, his mind flooded with her erotic images, which joined with Broderick's own recollection of his dream. He could taste her when he examined her mouth; could feel her sliding down his shaft when his eyes traveled over her curvy figure. Seeing the erotic images she entertained in her mind, mimicking the dream, was his undoing.

With a groan, he dashed around the table, and before she could gather her wits, he pulled her to her feet, wrapping her in his embrace and crushing her arms between them. Davina's hands upon his chest spread warmth over his body. The wild thumping of his heart beneath her palms matched her own heart's cadence, pounding in his ears. Davina stared up at him with parted lips, full and tempting, begging to be tasted, and his mouth descended upon hers. With a dexterity that surprised him, she dodged him.

"Stop!"

Amusement played havoc with his features and he eased the tension of his embrace just enough to allow Davina some breathing room. His voice purred, "Stop? You are ripe and ready, lass. What say we indulge in each other in a more private atmosphere?"

Davina stepped out of his embrace and cracked her hand against his cheek.

"What in—" Broderick's brow scrunched in confusion, and then smoothed as he tipped his head back and hearty laughter poured out of his mouth, his fists planted on his hips. Oh, I like her!