The Kyriakis Curse (11 page)

displayed before her. “Why do you keep calling me that?”

“Calling you what?” He took a seat behind a large oak desk nearby.

“Cub. I don’t like it.”

“I mean no offense. It’s a term of affection among our kind. You are of a certain age and I’m significantly older, so to me, you are a baby -- a cub, if you will.”

She lifted her chin. “My name is Sarah, not cub.”

“As you wish.” The alpha inclined his head graciously. “Excuse me, where are my

manners? I’m Paris Kyriakis. You’ve already become acquainted with my cubs, Constantine and Persephone.”

“You look more like their brother.”

A slow smile tilted his lips. “Do you find it very hard to believe I fathered them?”

“Well, you look young.”

“I am immortal. We don’t tend to age past thirty-five, although some of us may still acquire distinguishing features throughout the years. My grandfather, for instance, received his first strands of gray hair at the age of four hundred. Now that I’ve reached that age, I have yet to show any, but perhaps one day I will.”

Sarah shrugged. “While this is all very enlightening, would you mind telling me why

you’ve brought me here, and why I can’t leave? Where is Constantine?”

Paris gave her a smile as if she were slow-witted. “My son is freshening up from his little adventure today. I have some questions of my own, Sarah, so please bear with me. First, 58 Eve Vaughn

I must ask your pardon for my reaction to you earlier. I think the stress of my business is getting to me. Perhaps I need to take the vacation my cubs claim I need.”

“What do you do?”

“I own a shipping conglomerate.”

“Constantine explained earlier, but it still amazes me that immortals have their own businesses. I feel like I should have noticed the existence of shifters before now.” There was so much she still had to learn.

“People see what they want to. You’d be surprised what’s out there.” He cleared his

throat. “Sarah, who were your parents? Constantine relayed the story you told him, but I need you to fill in the blanks. What were their names? My son tells me you’re unsure of which parent was the shifter.”

“I guess one of them had to have been, right?, but I don’t know which. And I only

found out what I am today. All these years, I just thought I was some kind of genetic freak, but this is much worse. To top everything off, some really bad guys are after me. While I appreciate your hospitality, I can’t put your family in danger. I have to leave.”

“Don’t you think that’s our decision?”

“But--”

“No buts, Sarah. Please. Tell me your parents’ names.”

“My father was Roland Devereaux, and my mom, Anna.” Sarah could have sworn she

saw disappointment on Paris’s face. “Why do you want to know?”

“Just curious, I suppose. What do you remember about them? I understand you lost

them when you were young.”

“Yes. I was five.”

“Is it difficult to talk about them?”

“Not really. It was so long ago, but sometimes I dream of them.”

“Your mother -- do you remember her maiden name?”

“No, although it was probably something foreign. I don’t think she was from this

country. She had a bit of an accent, but I really can’t say from where.”

“I see. What else do you remember about her?” he asked quietly, his piercing blue eyes never leaving her face.

“She was very beautiful. I remember her scent especially -- she always smelled of

jasmine and fresh rain on a spring day. Whenever she smiled, it made me feel really special.

She was very petite, too, because I remember her barely reaching my father’s chest, and he was a large, raw-boned man.” A small smile touched her lips as the memories slowly came back to her.

“She sounds absolutely enchanting.”

“Oh, she was.”

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“What did she look like, facially, I mean?”

Sarah frowned. “Why do you want to know all these things?”

“Humor me.”

“Well, she was really dark, but she had the nicest skin I’ve ever touched. My mother liked to wear her hair wild and loose around her shoulders. I used to sit on her lap for hours, just running my fingers through that soft mane.” Tears sprang to her eyes. It shouldn’t have hurt after all this time, but the thought of someone brutally murdering her gentle mother tore at Sarah’s heart.

“My sincere condolences for your loss. I know you may think I’m a little crazy, but you remind me of someone I used to know, and I thought--”

“What?”

“I thought you could possibly be her daughter, but you’re rather young -- twenty-nine I’ve been told.”

“Thirty soon.”

“Yes, well, you’ll thank me for forcing you to stay with us when Constantine takes you to our island. You’ll be safe there, and when you go into heat, which will be soon--”

“Hold on. Do I even want to hear this?”

“You need to know what to expect.”

Though Constantine had brought up the matter at Aries’s apartment, Sarah had had

enough. She needed to get away from this place. “Look, I refuse to deal with this right now, because I’m out of here, with or without your permission.” She rose and headed to the door, but Paris was in front of it almost as if he’d teleported there. She kept forgetting these people were not human.

“Please, Mr. Kyriakis.”

“It’s Paris, and for the last time, the answer is no.”

She shook her head, but something caught her eye. A painting in the corner of the

room, near the entrance. Why hadn’t she noticed it? Had she not been so tense, Sarah wouldn’t be so oblivious. That had to be the reason, otherwise, she would have recognized the portrait right away. “That painting.”

Paris looked at it, too. “Lovely, isn’t it? Do you like it?”

“I can’t believe Stella did this to me,” she muttered.

“What are you talking about?”

“My art agent. She knew that piece wasn’t for sale, but she sold it anyway.”

A confused expression flitted across Paris’s face. “Your art agent? You’re not saying--”

“Yes, I painted it.” Suddenly, Paris grabbed her arms in a bruising grip, his eyes glowing that icy blue again. She slapped at his hands. “You’re hurting me.”

60 Eve Vaughn

Instead of apologizing and loosening his fingers, his hands dug harder into her arms.

“Who is she?” His teeth grew to sharp fangs.

“My-my mother...”

“You said her name was Anna!”

Sarah didn’t care for his accusatory tone, the loud voice in which he spoke, or the way he held her. “It was, I swear. Now, let me go!” She shoved him as hard as she could, breaking free from him before she yanked the door open and tore down the hall.

Come hell or high water, she was getting out of this madhouse.

* * * * *

He headed toward the sound of her voice, which was coming from where his father’s

study lay. Just as he turned into the corridor, something slammed into him, knocking him back a few steps.

He caught the frantic half-breed in his arms, holding her close. “What happened?”

“I don’t want to be here anymore.”

Constantine saw his father walk toward them. “I believe the blame rests squarely with me. I frightened her.”

Constantine glared at him. “What did you do? Why is she shaking like this?”

“I got a little carried away in questioning her. As it turns out, you completed your task for me and didn’t know it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Sarah is S.E.D.”

Constantine looked down at the trembling woman in his arms. “You never said you

were an artist.”

“You never asked. What does it matter?”

“Oh, it matters a great deal, especially when you claim to be the daughter of a woman who disappeared nearly two hundred years ago.” Paris’s voice were was level.

Sarah sighed. “I don’t understand any of this, but I’m sure you’ll tell me about it.”

“Papa, give her some time to adjust to what she’s learned today before you throw any more information her way. Can’t you see she’s tired and had enough?”

At first, Paris looked as though he’d refuse, his mouth a tight line. “Fine. We’ll talk later. Why don’t you take her to her room? She’ll need her rest if we’re to leave for Circe in the morning.”

“You’re coming? I thought you had important business to handle.”

“They can be rearranged.”

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Sarah tried to squeeze out from under Constantine’s grip, but he was too strong. “Are you two deaf or something? I’m not going anywhere. You can’t just kidnap a person and get away with it.”

Paris shot him a meaningful look. She’s a feisty one. I’ll have to reassess my opinion of half-breeds. She’ll bear watching; just tread lightly with her, son.

Constantine lifted a brow. Are you warning me off?

No. I’m advising you to be careful.

If you’re finished lecturing me, I think I’ll get Sarah to bed.

As long as you don’t take her to bed. His father shut his mind to him then and looked at Sarah. “I’m sorry for frightening you, twice in one day, no less. We’ll talk again.” He turned abruptly and headed back to his study.

Sarah began to wiggle again. “Let me go, you big gorilla.”

“If I do, will you promise not to run?”

“Even if I tried, you’d catch me.”

That was true, but he still didn’t want to turn her loose. Her nearness was doing things to his body he had thought he would never experience.

Against his better judgment, Constantine released her. They had only taken two steps toward the staircase when Sarah spun around and kicked him in the knee before taking off in the direction of the front door.

“Dammit!” He grasped his injured limb. That little spitfire was more cunning than a

ninja. Ignoring the pain in his knee, Constantine raced after her, something primitive pounding within his blood. The need to claim her was strong. He caught up to her just as she made it to the entrance. Pulling her roughly against him, he brought his mouth down to her ear. “You promised you wouldn’t try to escape.”

Sarah shrugged. “I-I made no such promise.”

“So this is how you want it?” When she remained stubbornly silent, Constantine

turned her around and tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“Let me go you, big bully.” She kicked wildly and beat at his back and legs with her hands.

“Be still or else,” he warned.

Her fists continued to pound on his back, and her legs continued to flay the air. Losing patience, Constantine brought the flat of his hand sharply on Sarah’s curvaceous ass. She howled. “Oww!”

“Then be still!” He strode to the stairs.

“Wow, Con. When I left you, I didn’t realize you’d manhandle her,” Persephone

observed.

“Shut up, and stay out of it.”

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“How can I, when everyone can hear what’s going on?”

Sarah kicked him again, and he smacked her ass even harder than before.

“Constantine!” His sister’s eyes widened in horror. “You’re hurting her. She’s crying.”

Ignoring Persephone, Constantine took the stairs two at a time. When he reached

Sarah’s room, he slammed the door behind him and locked it, then dumped her

unceremoniously on the bed. To his shock, tears were indeed rolling down Sarah’s face. Her bottom lip was captured between even white teeth.

“Shit,” he muttered. “Sarah, don’t cry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Her response was to roll over and expose her back to him.

“Would you at least listen to me while I’m trying to apologize?”

“Can’t you just leave me alone? I think I’ve been through enough today, thanks. I’m...

oh, what does it matter?”

Taking a seat next to her on the bed, Constantine reached out to stroke her hair.

“Sometimes I don’t know my own strength. You’ve been so brave today, and it made me

forget that you’re not a full-blood.”

“I’m not crying because you hurt me. It didn’t hurt... that much.” She sniffed.

“Then why the tears, mana mou?”

“It’s just the culmination of this entire rotten day. When I woke up this morning, I was still my own woman, but then you walk into my life, and your family tries to take it over. I don’t know what I have to do to make you all understand that if I stick around, your lives are at risk. I just want to go home.”

His heart went out to her. Despite their short acquaintance, he’d discovered Sarah was a woman of courage and compassion. But she was also a lonely female who wasn’t used to letting anyone in. Constantine wanted to smash those barriers of hers. He stretched his body next to her, spooning her delicately curved back.

Sarah’s shoulders shook. He nuzzled the nape of her neck, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her closer. Listening to her soft cries tore at him. How could he feel so much for someone in so short a time?

“Sarah, it’s okay. I’ll keep you safe.”

“You don’t understand. I was doing just fine on my own.”

He turned Sarah over to look into her tear-streaked face. “You don’t have to be alone anymore.” Unable to go another second without feeling her soft brown skin beneath his lips, he pressed kisses along the wet tracks on her cheeks, tasting their saltiness. She looked at him with sad, soulful eyes. His gaze slid to her lips.

Oh, that mouth. That sweet, plump mouth. With a groan, Constantine covered the

very flesh he’d been fantasizing over since their first kiss. Sarah whimpered beneath his Kyriakis 1: Kyriakis Curse

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urgent lips, neither responding nor protesting. His tongue slid forward, gently pushing against the seam of her mouth.

He was crazed with wanting to savor her over again, pleading with her, “Open for me, mana mou. Please, I think you want this as much as I do.”

Sarah’s lips remained shut for a brief moment before she parted them with a sigh. He explored the sweet recesses of her mouth, leaving no inch unexplored. The tangy, sensual flavor of her sent a wave of passion spiraling up his spine. His cock grew hard as he rubbed it against her.