Venice Vampyr (Venice Vampyr #1)

it was you. You might have escaped death once, but now, vampire, you’ll die.”
    A shot rang out the moment the door burst open. Raphael closed his eyes and steeled himself against the pain the silver bullet would inflict on him seconds before his life force would drain from his body.
    “I love you, Isabella,” he whispered his goodbyes as the shouts of his brother and Lorenzo filled the room.
    “What in hell?” Dante cried out.
    “Raphael!” Lorenzo called to him. “Are you all right?”
    Raphael opened his eyes. He felt no pain. “I don’t know.” Then his eyes searched for Isabella. She sat up, the sheet that had covered her breasts pooling in her lap, his gun in her hand, still pointing toward where Massimo had stood.
    “He’s dead,” Dante said. “Massimo’s dead.”
    “Isabella?” Raphael tried to get her attention. Finally she turned to him and ran a long look over his body.
    “I thought I was too late.” Then she threw herself into his arms—or rather, against his chest, since he couldn’t embrace her with his wrists still tied.
    “You saved me.”
    A clearing of throats made him snap his head toward his brother and Lorenzo. He gave them a scolding look. “And what took you guys so long? I thought you were following him.”
    “We were, but the crafty fellow tricked us with a decoy dressed just like him. We lost him. When we noticed, we had a hunch he’d go for either you or Isabella. And since we didn’t find either of you at Isabella’s house, we instantly came here,” Lorenzo replied.
    “And now that that’s cleared up, would you care to explain why you’re tied up in your own bed?” Dante grinned.
    “That’s between me and my wife.”
    Isabella raised her head, then pulled on the bed sheet to cover her naked torso.
    “Would you like me to untie you?” Dante offered.
    Raphael looked at Isabella and smiled. “That’s for Isabella to decide.”
    The sparkle was back in her eyes, the tears forgotten. Without turning to Dante, she answered, “I’m not done with him.”
    His heart skipped a beat at the underlying promise in her voice. “You heard my wife, Dante. So, if you would be so kind as to leave our bedchamber and take the body with you. My lovely wife and I have things to ... discuss.”
    Dante shook his head. “As I said before: a fool in love. A very lucky fool.”
    When the door closed behind Dante and Lorenzo, it was quiet again. All he could hear was Isabella’s breathing. “My angel, this is the second time you’ve saved me. I hope you realize that now my life belongs to you.”
    “And your body?” she negotiated.
    “My body was already yours long before that.” He kissed her gently. “Now untie me so I can hold you in my arms and thank you properly.”
    “Not yet. I want to ask you something first.”
    “Then ask.”
    “Does it hurt?”
    “Does what hurt?”
    “Your bite.”
    A hot flame shot through his body. Was she contemplating what he thought she was? “When I feed from a human? No, it doesn’t hurt. My fangs are coated with a substance that dulls the pain to a point where there’s none.”
    “The nights you left our bed, did you go out to feed from humans?”
    “Not every night. I only need to feed every three days. Why do you want to know all this?”
    “Do you want to feed from me?”
    His heartbeat doubled in an instant. “Oh, God, Isabella! I can’t think of anything I want more, except to make love to you. But you know you don’t have to do this.”
    “I want to.”
    Could he be so lucky? And if she allowed him this, would she one day allow him to turn her into a vampire so she wouldn’t age or die? So they could spend eternity together? His heart filled with hope for a happy future. Pulling on his restraints, he whispered, “Then get me out of these chains.”
    Isabella sat up, and suddenly her breasts dangled right in front of him. His mouth closed over one nipple and sucked on it. Isabella’s moan echoed in the room. He let the nipple pop from his mouth.
    “Quickly, my love.”
    As soon as she’d untied him, Raphael ripped her breeches from her body and brought her underneath him. She was slick with her arousal, a scent that teased his nostrils. “Thank you.” He slid into her with one smooth glide, seating himself balls deep in her tight sheath.
    Isabella tilted her head to the side in invitation. “Feed from me, my love.”
    His gaze drifted lower, away from the vein on her neck, down to her gorgeous tits. He