Page 48 of Born Reckless

The look in his eyes is understanding. But there’s still want there. There’s still heat. “Then we’ll just have to make the most of what we can do.” In the next beat, his hand comes to the back of my neck, and as he rolls me to my back, his lips come back to mine.

He doesn’t understand the danger he’s in. He doesn’t know that the taste of his blood is lingering on the back of my tongue, tempting me to take just a little more. He doesn’t know just how damn good he tastes.

But I’ve never been very good at self-control.

So, I go with it. I let him take the lead.

And I ignore that little voice in the back of my brain that sounds a lot like Elena.

You cannot fall in love with him.

Chapter Ten

I’m never goingto get used to this.

I asked Mason where I could go to see Sigrid. He’d told me that all I had to do was call up his driver and he’d take me right to her.

It was exactly as simple as that.

While he headed off to another meeting, I rode the elevator to the ground floor, and when I walked outside, sunglasses in place, Mason’s driver was standing there with the limo.

“Miss Doe,” he says. His voice is low, the deepest I’ve ever heard. “Mr. Godfrey has asked me to take you to Sigrid Haugen.”

He steps aside and opens the door for me. “Thank you,” I say awkwardly as I climb inside. There, I find a fresh stash of blood bags. I help myself to two on the drive.

It’s a ten-minute commute. We head north, and we roll past a beautiful sign that says Old Town. We turn at one of the most beautiful churches I’ve ever seen. And then we drive down a street filled with homes that all look well over one hundred years old. Finally, we park at the curb. Patrick opens the door for me, and I look up as I step out onto the sidewalk.

There is a row of townhouses in front of me. The façade is brick, but all the window trim and doors are painted black. Gas lanterns are affixed to either side of the door. I can’t imagine a more fitting place for a “witch” who says she’s not a witch to live.

“Sigrid lives in the middle one,” Patrick says. “I’ll be waiting here when you’re finished.”

“Thanks,” I offer, even though it seems crazy to me that he’d wait, not having any idea how long I’m going to be.

I walk up the stairs, noting that even they are painted black. Just before I knock on the door, it swings open, and Sigrid looks out at me with a knowing smile. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

“How?” I begin to ask, confusion furrowing my brows.

But she simply gives that sly cat smile and holds her palm up. Her eyes flash that glowing green color. And atop her hand is a map. There, standing right where I am, is a glowing golden dot.

“Oh,” I say, feeling stupid. “Right. Constantly tracked.” My eyes drop to my tattooed forearm.

“Come inside,” she says. Despite her accent and the unique way she pronounces her words, her English is excellent.

She turns and walks into her home. I step inside and close the door behind me.

The floors are a dark wood and the wear in them tells of their age. The walls are painted a mixture of black and dark green. There are plants everywhere. On shelves, hanging from the ceiling, lining the floor. And all of the furniture is ornate and black.

We walk into an entryway and immediately to the right there is an elaborate sitting room. Straight ahead, I see a dining room with a table that can seat ten, and beyond that, a kitchen with all black cabinets and brick walls. Just inside the front door, there is a grand wooden staircase leading to an upper floor.

“How is your thirst?” Sigrid asks as she walks into the sitting room. She extends a hand to a big, overstuffed chair and sinks into its twin.

“I’m getting there,” I say, being honest. “I’ve only snuck out of the tower a few times since getting to Chicago. And I haven’t even killed one person since arriving.”

Sigrid arches an eyebrow. “Well done. It won’t be too long, and you can begin your apprenticeship with Dr. Vincent.”

I nod, even though the thought makes my stomach clench a little bit. Being a doctor is all I’ve wanted to be for the past ten years. But doing that will mean leaving Mason.

I flick that thought out of my brain. I won’t make my decisions based off my feelings for a man.