Heiress to a Curse. Zandria Munson
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they were securely out of sight, Alexandra turned on her. “What is wrong with you?” she asked in a harsh whisper. The woman was her best friend, but God, she could be embarrassing!
April regarded her with an incredulous expression. “I should be asking you that question!” she replied in a similar tone. “You had that tall, handsome hunk out there practically drooling all over you, and all you could do was stand there like some mute pigeon! Then, when I try to help things along, you run?”
Alexandra spun away and stalked to her bedroom. “Well, forgive me if I’m not inclined to make dinner dates with strange men in my robe. And he wasn’t drooling,” she countered. She wouldn’t allow herself to believe that she was so physically stunning that she’d taken the man’s breath away—especially after just rolling out of bed.
April was hot on her heels. “Are you kidding? Did you even see the way he was looking at you? He could barely take his eyes off you.”
“He was probably wondering when I last combed my hair,” she said, sliding open the door to her closet. “How could you do that to me, April? Do you know how embarrassing it was to have him see me this way?”
April placed her hands on her hips. “What are you talking about? You look …” She paused, wincing a little. “Well, we had to act quickly. There was no time to be concerned with appearances.”
With a groan, Alexandra disappeared into her closet. The man was beautiful, yes, but that wasn’t enough. So before she got herself all wound up weighing the potential for a relationship with him, she’d need to learn more about him.
“If it bothers you so much, then the next time you meet him, we’ll have to make sure you look your best,” she said.
“The next time?” Alexandra yelled from the closet. “I hope there isn’t a next time!”
“Oh, come on. It wasn’t that bad. And besides, you can’t avoid him forever. He lives next door.”
“Can we just change the subject?” Alexandra emerged holding two dresses. “Blue or lavender?”
“Lavender.”
Alexandra nodded. “Great. Now I’m going to take a shower.” She tossed the lavender dress across the bed and headed for the bathroom. “And not one more word about Mr. 13A from you.”
“Fine!” April shouted after her.
Alexandra closed the bathroom door and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She wasn’t getting any younger, she told herself. Perhaps it was time she put some of her inhibitions aside. Her new neighbor was gorgeous and possibly interested in her. It would be a shame not even to try to get to know him.
Chapter 2
Marius remained in the entryway of his new apartment long after the door across the hall slammed shut. The image of the woman called Alexandra—the woman he’d been sent to kill—remained in his mind. He’d been hard-pressed to take his eyes from her, for she’d looked even lovelier than she had the night before. The shadows had deftly hidden the sleek lines of her face—a straight and regal nose that was befitting her lineage, long feathery lashes and soft, pouting lips. She was beautiful.
He’d noted that his mention of being Romanian had drawn her attention, and rightly it should have. Romania had been her home once, some five hundred years past. Her curious hazel eyes had reflected no knowledge of this. Instead, a gentle and honest nature had become apparent. And something more—strength, and a silent beckoning that oddly, he felt the urge to explore. It was hard to believe that behind those alluring pools lurked the presence of the witch Necesar.
Sometime in the early evening, while he was unpacking a set of two-hundred-year-old books, he heard a soft cry and a thud. He opened the door of his apartment and was surprised to find Alexandra on all fours in the middle of the carpeted hall, gathering packages of shredded cheese, shrimp and fresh parsley that littered the floor around her. A small, pink cat toy that lay a few feet behind her was the obvious culprit of her misstep.
“Mr. Winston and his damned cats,” she grumbled a second before she realized that she was no longer alone. Slowly, she turned her head toward him. “Hello,” she said with a pained expression.
“Good evening,” Marius returned, his gaze coming to rest upon her rear.
A wave of heat surged through him, and the muscles of his jaw tightened as he attempted to tame the carnal urge that was rising within.
Alexandra sat up quickly and adjusted her dress. “I hope I didn’t disturb you,” she said, tucking a lock of ebony hair behind an ear. “I just returned from the grocery store and didn’t watch where I was going.”
“No, you did not,” he replied before moving forward to assist her.
With a few deft movements, her grocery bags were repacked. He stood and extended a hand to her, noticing a brief hesitation before she placed her fingers in his. She had soft hands, delicate and smooth—a lady’s hands. He wondered if the rest of her was just as delightful and defied the urge to dip his gaze into her exposed cleavage.
“I’ll take them in,” he offered as he picked up her bags.
She didn’t respond immediately. Wariness flickered in her eyes. She was wise to be cautious, too. She had every reason not to trust him, and it had nothing to do with the fact that he was nearly twice her size and could crush her slender frame with his bare hands. Last night the Spring Equinox had begun, and should she invite him in, she would start the process that would end in her death.
“Thank you,” she said at last and removed her keys from her purse. “Come in.”
She opened the door and as he crossed the threshold, victory raced through him. Was it so simple? Would his task be so easily accomplished?
Alexandra motioned toward the countertop. “You can put them right over there, thanks.”
He did as she asked and then turned to look at her. She appeared uncertain, and he wondered what she was thinking. Could she see beyond his facade? Did she suspect his true identity?
“Would you like to stay for dinner?” Alexandra blurted out.
Marius’s brows raised a measure. Quickly he made his expression impassive. The last thing he’d expected was an invitation to share a meal with her. He tried to convince himself that it wasn’t the softness he sensed in her eyes, or the gentle incline of her head, or the indelible image in his mind of her naked body that urged him to accept. Instead, it was the need to assure himself that she was indeed the last of her bloodline. He would glean information from her, and once he’d learned all he needed to know, he would leave.
He offered her a subtle smile. “What are you preparing?”
“A seafood casserole. It’s my special recipe,” she told him.
“Then I would be delighted to stay and have dinner with you.” His attention fell to her ripe lips as they curved into a brilliant smile.
“Great,” she said. “Just give me a few minutes to change.”
She tossed her keys onto the counter and disappeared into her bedroom. When the door shut behind her, Marius focused his attention on his surroundings. The decor was of a contemporary style with a sprinkling of Romanian influence. A large tapestry that hung on the wall of her dining room caught his eye. He sauntered toward it, recognizing the depiction immediately.
He could almost feel the chill of the wintry mist that was settled over the ground, smell the pungent odor of moist earth and decaying leaves that rose from the lake that he knew lay just beyond the frayed ends of the textile. It was Elburich Castle in its prime. Now, it was a vacant ruin that howled with the ghosts of its past.
Marius inhaled softly. Alexandra had returned. Her entrancing fragrance drifted into the room to assail his senses. “You are a collector?” he asked without turning around.
There