It took an effort, but I managed to think it. No.

One of her silky eyebrows rose. Oh, really? That’s why you’re thinking about it right this moment?

I’m not. And stop pretending you can read my thoughts.

I glowered at the pretentious Miles as he expounded about some foolishness or other, glancing at the papers that Noelle’s friend had presented me with. “These look in order,” I allowed, irritation lacing my voice. “I will have a word with the agent about leasing the house for such a purpose, but I suppose there’s nothing I can do about it now.”

“Oh, please don’t throw us out,” Teresa pleaded, glancing repeatedly at Noelle. “The Abbey is so perfect for us, and now that we’ve met the resident ghost, I know the show is going to break new ground and become a huge success.”

I glanced at Noelle, who was watching me with quiet amusement in those soft gray eyes. Why do I think you’ve had something to do with Nosty finding his way to the public’s eye?

Actually, it’s just the opposite. She quirked her luscious pink lips. I’d really prefer he stay hidden.

Why? He can only do your friend’s show good.

Yes, but I’m a Guardian. We try to keep all Otherworld beings from the attention of the mundane world.

I doubt if one ghost, even one as randy as Nosty, will do any harm. Now, stop talking to me in this manner. It does not mean you are my Beloved, and I dislike having you rummaging around in my thoughts.

I’m not rummaging, although I really do like that bit about licking me. I think I’d like you to lick me, Gray. I’d like to lick you, too. That chin dimple is driving me nuts. Would you be offended if I bit your chin?

With almost superhuman strength, I managed to keep from grabbing Noelle and carrying her off to the nearest bedroom. Yes, it would offend me to the tips of my toes. It would physically sicken me. It would be such a repugnant act I might actually vomit.

Her head tipped to one side as she considered me. You don’t lie very well, do you?

I am a consummate liar! I thought with as much outrage as I could manage, and shoved down all the erotic thoughts of just what I wanted to do to her at that moment. You know nothing about me. And stop thinking about licking my belly and fondling my ass. Such things repel me unlike anything I’ve ever known.

I bet you have sensitive nipples, she all but cooed into my brain, making my groin tighten painfully.

I fought the image of her breasts, all satiny smooth and warm, plump little morsels just waiting for my mouth and hands, and for a moment, I couldn’t even think. My nipples reject your desired attention. Please do not continue thinking about them. And stop this. I will no longer respond to you speaking to me thusly.

The others present had been discussing Nosty while Noelle damn near brought me to my knees with desire. With a strength of will I didn’t know I possessed, I managed to drag my attention off the temptress and onto the others.

“Noelle and I saw him first upstairs, although he was in a kilt then, and later, after we had dinner, he appeared to Raleigh and me as we were setting up for this shoot and told us all about himself, how he suffered so horribly for love, and how the brothers eventually walled him up alive because he wouldn’t renounce his love for a milkmaid.” Teresa clutched the rental-agreement papers to her chest and sighed happily. “It’s so very romantic. I just know the public is going to go gaga over him.”

“I have yet to properly interview this so-called spirit,” Miles said, obviously annoyed that attention was being drawn away from him. “I must speak with him first to determine the veracity of his claims. It could be a rival, you know, someone tricking us to make us believe he’s a ghost, someone who wishes to see my downfall. I wouldn’t put it past some of the other shows to send people here to deliberately try to destroy us before we’ve had a chance to even hit the air.”

“I think he’s real,” Teresa said, looking to the cameraman for confirmation. “Raleigh saw him appear out of nothing, too, so he has to be real. He was really very interesting, although he seems to have a bit of a fixation on milkmaids. But other than that, he was most informative. He told us about this house and how your family has lived here for centuries, Mr. Soucek.”

Acid filled my stomach; I’d swear vengeance on Nosty if he had been telling tales.

Noelle shot me a curious glance.

“There is nothing interesting about the Abbey. It is just an old house, nothing out of the ordinary. Part of it is falling down; the other part is unremarkable in all senses of the word.” Even to my ears, the words sounded false and forced. I swore to myself.

Are you all right?

Yes.

You tensed up all of a sudden, as if you were worried about something.

“Unremarkable?” Teresa asked, gaping at me. “It’s almost five hundred years old! It’s gorgeous. Well, the part of it that’s still standing is gorgeous. Not to mention it’s haunted, which is just awesome. And of course, there’s the secret treasure.”

The acid turned to fire in my belly.

Gray?

The word was soft in my mind, filled with genuine concern, distracting me for a moment. How long had it been since someone felt anything but fear and loathing for me? How long had it been since someone was sincerely interested in what worried me, in what I wanted? How long had it been since someone cared?

I do care, you know. I was told once that it’s hardwired into Beloveds and Dark Ones to be attracted to one another, but this is different. It’s not just your adorable chin, and your nipples, and your stomach, and all the other interesting parts of you, it’s… you’re filled with so much darkness, Gray. So cold and alone, and you hurt. I want to change that. I don’t want you to hurt any longer.

For one exquisitely painful moment, I let myself imagine what it would be like to allow Noelle to ease my pain, to fill me with her soft, gentle light, to warm me in the glow of her being. Her mind, I already knew, was unique, her thought processes endlessly fascinating. She would never bore me, never drive me away as mortal women had done over the centuries. I could at last experience the ecstasy so long sought by those of my kind.

And then the memories clutched at me, ripping such thoughts to shreds with little daggered fingers, tearing apart the finely spun web of illusion until I was left with nothing but despair.

No. I firmly pushed her from my mind. I enjoy the cold and darkness and pain. I am giddy with happiness to experience them every moment of my endless life. I would miss them terribly if you took them from me. Begone from my mind, woman. I have no need for your concern or your warm, gentle feelings, just as I have no need for your luscious, silky-soft body.

You are the strangest man I’ve ever met.

I am not a man. I am a Dark One. And I’m damned.

Only if you want to be. And she turned back to the others.

What the hell did that mean?

“What treasure?” the smug actor was demanding of Teresa. “Why didn’t you tell me there was a treasure? That sort of thing is hugely popular with the public. They’ll want me to find the treasure on air. Get that ghost back, and make him talk.”

Do you seriously think I want to be a vitiate?

You’re not talking to me, remember?

Do you have any idea what my life is like, being vitiated?

I would know if you were talking to me, because you’d apologize for shoving me out of your mind in such a rude and callous manner.

I am not rude and callous. I am not enjoying being a martyr, which is what you’re thinking, isn’t it? Ha! I can see you do think that!

Stop rummaging around in my mind. She cast my own words back at me, but I was too incensed to care.

I do not enjoy this! A demon lord has marked me for destruction. Every single member of his extensive legions of minions is sworn to destroy me on sight. Do you think you can live your life happily with imminent destruction at the hands of vengeful demons hanging over your head?

If you were talking to me, I would point out that I’ve mentioned repeatedly that I’m a Guardian and thus perfectly able to handle demons and even a demon lord, given enough preparation.

You’re not my Beloved. I growled, desperately praying she’d finally have enough of my boorishness and spurn me as any sane woman would do.

She sighed. If I’m not, then this won’t do a single thing for you, will it?

Before I could turn tail and run, she was there, in my arms, her warm, soft body pressed against me, her lilac scent filling my head. I had a brief glimpse of smoky gray eyes before she stroked her hands up my chest, digging her fingers into my hair and pulling my head down so she could kiss me.

Reject her! my mind demanded, even as I filled my hands with her delectable ass and hoisted her upward so she could better kiss me, angling her head just so, allowing me to take control of the kiss.

Dimly, I heard Teresa exclaim, “Noelle! What on earth are you doing?” and at the same time, the man Miles made a lewd comment.

None of that pierced beyond vague awareness; the only thing that mattered was claiming the sweetness that lay within Noelle. I nipped at her lower lip, causing her to giggle breathlessly against my mouth, her fingers tightening in my hair as she squirmed against my now painfully erect penis.

Stop that, I ordered, moaning when she parted her lips and my tongue swept into her warmth. Christos, you are so hot, so sweet.

So are you, she said, wiggling more until I hoisted her higher and she wrapped her legs around my hips.

“Noelle! Raleigh, do something!”

“What?” the cameraman asked.

“Well… I don’t know. But surely we should be doing something? I mean, that man is kissing her like there’s no tomorrow. We should stop him.”

“Noelle went to him, Teresa. I think she’s enjoying it. She’s making happy noises.”

“I am not going to stand around here wasting my time watching people snog each other,” Miles said in an aggrieved voice. “Raleigh, come with me. I will attune with the spirits in the other garden, the one with the statue.”

“Wait, guys… I can’t leave Noelle. Can I? Noelle? Are you going to be all right? Moan twice if you are not being assaulted and are OK with this stranger kissing you like there’s no tomorrow.”