Page 31 of Venice Vampyr: The Beginning

“Well, it appears all has been said.” Just as Massimo cocked his gun, Raphael’s sensitive hearing picked up the sound of the front door opening.

“Wait.” He had to stall him just a few more seconds until help arrived. “At least tell me how you figured me out. I deserve that much, don’t you think?”

Massimo chuckled, but it wasn’t a friendly sound. “Nothing easier than that. A servant told me that you nearly drowned in the canal. So I made inquires and found out that one of my fellow Guardians had pushed a vampire into the water that same night. It was easy to figure out from there that it was you. You might have escaped death once, but now, vampire, you’ll die.”

A shot rang out the moment the door burst open. Raphael closed his eyes and steeled himself against the pain the silver bullet would inflict on him seconds before his life force would drain from his body.

“I love you, Isabella,” he whispered his goodbyes as the shouts of his brother and Lorenzo filled the room.

“What in hell?” Dante cried out.

“Raphael!” Lorenzo called to him. “Are you alright?”

Raphael opened his eyes. He felt no pain. “I don’t know.” Then his eyes searched for Isabella. She sat up, the sheet that had covered her breasts pooling in her lap, his gun in her hand, still pointing toward where Massimo had stood.

“He’s dead,” Dante said. “Massimo’s dead.”

“Isabella?” Raphael tried to get her attention. Finally she turned to him and ran a long look over his body.

“I thought I was too late.” Then she threw herself into his arms—or rather, against his chest, since he couldn’t embrace her with his wrists still tied.

“You saved me.”

A clearing of throats made him snap his head toward his brother and Lorenzo. He gave them a scolding look. “And what took you guys so long? I thought you were following him.”

“We were, but the crafty fellow tricked us with a decoy dressed just like him. We lost him. When we noticed, we had a hunch he’d go for either you or Isabella. And since we didn’t find either of you at Isabella’s house, we instantly came here,” Lorenzo replied.

“And now that that’s cleared up, would you care to explain why you’re tied up in your own bed?” Dante grinned.

“That’s between me and my wife.”

Isabella raised her head, then pulled on the bed sheet to cover her naked torso.

“Would you like me to untie you?” Dante offered.

Raphael looked at Isabella and smiled. “That’s for Isabella to decide.”

The sparkle was back in her eyes, the tears forgotten. Without turning to Dante, she answered, “I’m not done with him.”

His heart skipped a beat at the underlying promise in her voice. “You heard my wife, Dante. So, if you would be so kind as to leave our bedchamber and take the body with you. My lovely wife and I have things to discuss.”

Dante shook his head. “As I said before: a fool in love. A very lucky fool.”

When the door closed behind Dante and Lorenzo, it was quiet again. All he could hear was Isabella’s breathing. “My angel, this is the second time you’ve saved me. I hope you realize that now my life belongs to you.”

“And your body?” she negotiated.

“My body was already yours long before that.” He kissed her gently. “Now untie me so I can hold you in my arms and thank you properly.”

“Not yet. I want to ask you something first.”

“Then ask.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Does what hurt?”

“Your bite.”