Velvet Haven

the sphere as it moved and undulated, breaking free of the bubble. The crowd gasped as the life-sized image of a woman appeared, her hair long, floating around her shoulders. The image was opaque, her features muted. But Bran knew it was Mairi.
    The figure split in two, and a second shape appeared. This one of a man.
    “Sayer, stop.”
    But Sayer was done communicating now that he was deeply inside Mairi’s mind, picking through her thoughts, enchanting her so that she would show Sayer what he wanted.
    Bran moved against her, shielding her from the sphere, which hypnotized the mortals. He heard Sayer laugh, the sound echoing in his mind.
    He looked down at Mairi and he saw her eyes widen. He followed her line of sight, and saw Suriel sitting at a table all alone. He was watching them. Awareness flooded her, and Bran felt her body trembling.
    “Let’s go,” he murmured, wanting to take her away, to keep her safe.
    She nodded and allowed him to lead her out of the room. As he closed the door, he met Suriel’s gaze. There was challenge in the bastard’s dark eyes. A challenge he was ready to meet—for Mairi’s sake.
    “Wow, that was strange,” she whispered, rubbing her arms.
    “The magic show?”
    “No, the guy. Suriel. I’m sure I’ve seen him somewhere before.”
    Probably in her nightmares. Suriel liked to haunt. He found pleasure in the most perverse amusements. Bran wouldn’t allow Mairi to amuse Suriel. For some reason, this mortal had begun to matter to him.

    Mairi swallowed, unable to look away from Bran. God, he was the most gorgeous thing she had ever seen, and she wanted him. She just didn’t know how to get past the awkwardness she felt.
    “Mairi, are you all right?”
    She nodded. She’d be even better if he would kiss her like he did last night. But so far, he’d given her no clues that he desired her. He’d been nothing but gentlemanly, making conversation, asking her about herself and her hobbies. Nothing like last night on the phone when he seduced her.
    He moved closer, the wall of his massive chest brushing the curve of her breast, and she closed her eyes, wanting to feel more. But how did she ask? Did she just take? And what would he do? What would he think if she did?
    “You’re feeling awkward about last night.”
    She blew out her held breath and nodded.
    “Don’t.”
    “It’s just . . .” She looked around, struggling to find the strength to pull him to her and command him to take her.
    “Mairi?” he murmured as he brought her up against the wall and brushed her ear with his mouth. “Are you wondering what it would be like to have my hands on you? Wondering what my naked body would feel like on yours, what my mouth is capable of doing as I spread your thighs?”
    God, yes. This was what she wanted. She wanted to admit it to him, to clutch him to her, but that was too desperate. Not at all sexy and confident. So she shook her head, denying it all.
    “I can feel it within you. Sexual need. Hunger for pleasure. You’re starved for it, Mairi, and I want to be the one to feed it to you.”
    She was robbed of breath. How did he know? Mairi was aware of the mad pulsing of her heartbeat in her throat. One word came to mind. Now . She needed him, and what he could give her now.
    “Will you take your pleasure from me? Let me nourish you with my body.”
    The guy was totally out of this world, and every word he was saying was making her womb clench and her panties dampen. Every cell in her body was screaming out for her to trust, to try it just this once and take what Bran was offering her. His words alone had her so wound up that one touch of those long fingers would send her sliding over the edge.
    She wanted to touch him, to make sure he was real and not just another dream guy. She couldn’t handle that, waking up to discover that Bran was nothing but a dream.
    She wanted the feel of his hands on her body, opening her, touching her. She thought of the flowers he’d given her— picked for her. She wanted to be that flower, blooming.
    “Bran,” she whispered, reaching out to him. Giving in to what she wanted . . .
    Mairi’s hand came up to his face. He watched her reach for him. He saw right away the two scars that slashed across her wrist. Intrigued, he reached for her hand, pinning her arm above her head.
    “No,” she pleaded, trying to pull away. The sensuality he saw in her eyes quickly evaporated.
    His thumb moved over the jagged flesh. Her pulse leaped