Page 51 of Dark Seduction

Claire’s mind scrambled. “I don’t get it.”

He was very serious now. “The Ancients gave us the power to take life from others, not just to destroy evil but to enhance our powers an’ to save ourselves from mortality. We are meant to live, Claire, for we are the salvation o’ mankind. Malcolm was dyin’. He took life from the woman to heal himself—as he should. But he didna realize he’d taken all she had until it be too late, an’ she lay dead.”

Claire was on her feet, partly horrified—and partly mesmerized. “I would understand this, except they were having sex, MacNeil.”

“Ah, lassie, well, power be the ultimate pleasure. Power makes men hot,” he said softly, “an’ there be no rapture like havin’ more power swellin’ in the veins.”

Claire went still, a very graphic image coming into mind. Taking power was sexually arousing? Taking power and a life force made a man want sex? It was orgasmic?

“Aye,” he murmured, and he grinned.

His tone had become so seductive that she instantly knew he’d taken power during sex. She looked from his smoking green eyes toward Malcolm. He was now striding over, appearing enraged.

MacNeil said, his gaze sparkling, “When ye add sex to Le Puissance, there be even more rapture.”

When he grinned, appearing very much a naughty boy, Claire knew he had wanted to make her hot. It had worked. In spite of the dire nature of their conversation, every inch of her was inflamed.

She walked away from him, too stunned to be angry with such antics. In a way, this also made sense, because since time began, power was as much an aphrodisiac as beauty, if not more.

She whirled with sudden comprehension. “The women—the victims—they get off on it, too, don’t they?”

MacNeil nodded. “Like yer telepathy, lassie. What the man feels, the woman does, an’ the other way around.”

Malcolm seized her arm. “She’s had enough words with ye,” he told MacNeil furiously. “But I’ll be havin’ a few words with ye, meself.”

MacNeil shrugged. “Ye be very fortunate, Calum. An’ I be a man, as well as a Master. I canna help but admire such beauty an’ want it fer meself.”

Malcolm was ready to explode and Claire knew it. But before she could try to defuse his anger, MacNeil said, “I’d never betray ye, lad.” He shrugged as if he’d done no wrong and walked away.

Malcolm pulled on Claire, dragging her aside. Claire turned into his arms instead. His eyes widened, and then he gripped her shoulders. Claire stepped closer, knowing what she would find. His huge arousal hit her hip.

“Is that what happened?” she whispered.

“Aye.” His gaze held hers searchingly.

“But you were hurt—dying. With me, you’re fine. Why do you think you’ll lose control?” she cried, touching his cheek.

“Because I’ve known Le Puissance. Any man who has will want such rapture again. When I be with ye, lass, I have the urge to take one taste—one taste—o’ yer power.”

Claire stared into his heated eyes, aware that his desire, which should have frightened her, was having a very opposite effect. Her heart pounded far too rapidly now. “I trust you,” she said, and dear God, she did.

In spite of what he was saying, she moved deeply into his embrace, laying her cheek on his chest, listening to his thundering heart. Her body throbbed against his. Malcolm’s hands moved over her back. “Damn the MacNeil fer makin’ ye so hot.”

“You make me hot,” she managed to say. She looked up. “I do trust you. I am certain we can make love without resorting to…” She hesitated. “Le Puissance.”

And the moment she had spoken, she felt his body jerk and swell impossibly. “Nay.”

“Malcolm!”

“Canna ye try to ken? Moray wanted me to take pleasure in death. He wants me to lust fer Le Puissance.”

Claire stared back. Dread arose, and with it, fear. “You do want it again,” she said thickly. “You want it from me.”

“Aye,” he said as roughly. “Yer my test, Claire.”

CHAPTER NINE

“MY LORD,” his steward said carefully, but his eyes were filled with fear, “the earl of Moray is downstairs and he has requested your presence.”