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“You know what I want.”

“Lucia.” He moved closer to her.

Her reason demanded she step back, but her body refused to move an inch, wanting Vladimir closer, wanting his heat in this chilly winter evening.

“Exquisite,” he whispered, his warm hand gently tracing her cheek. “My milácek.”

Milácek meant sweetheart in Czech. Exquisite or not, Lucienne flinched, expecting her skin to scorch him, bracing for him to run away or collapse. She whimpered in relief when her face didn’t singe him. Hesitatingly, she pressed her hand against his. Her touch was warm, but didn’t burn him.

“See, it’s safe.” Vladimir laughed softly. His fingers folded against hers and inched toward her lips.

“No, Vlad.”

“Shush, trust me. It’ll be okay.”

Lucienne held still. Her lips parted, until they held the bent knuckle of Vladimir’s ring finger between them. Her gaze locked on Vladimir’s.

“Kiss me.” Vladimir’s voice was hypnotic.

Lucienne folded her full lips around Vladimir’s ring finger. At first, it was tender, like a hummingbird’s first taste of nectar, before turning to wild passion, the tip of her tongue joining the feast.

Vladimir closed his eyes and moaned. When he opened them, they blazed with a liquid fire of gold and green. He disengaged his hand reluctantly from Lucienne’s lips.

Lucienne froze as Vladimir tilted her chin and leaned down to kiss her.

She wanted that kiss more than the world. Her unfulfilled thirst demanded to be satisfied, not to be quenched. Vladimir’s curvy lips were an inch, then half an inch from hers.

Icy air coursed through her head. Instinctively, Lucienne cried, “No!” Her hands shot out, slamming against Vladimir’s hard chest. The Czech prince staggered back, confused. The dreaming tenderness in his eyes shattered like broken glass.

“We can’t kiss,” Lucienne said. “The DNA in my saliva will cause harm to you . . . to any man, because,” she swallowed—she wouldn’t tell another soul about this, but she wanted Vladimir to know—“because I’m the first female Siren. I was marked the night I became the Siren. My grandfather believed it did something to me. It’s fighting to keep me a virgin. I’ll probably die one. I’ll never intimately know a man. Never. Not you; not anyone.”

Vladimir was unreadable for a few seconds. “And passionate kissing leads to sex,” he said, “so it draws a line for safe keeping.”

“Yes,” Lucienne said, her ears burning, and her heart sinking into the icy water. It was over now. She had given him the closure he needed so he could move on. He’d start a fabulous new life, while she would be left alone in the cold. She should feel happy for him, but why did her body feel like the dead?

“You trust me enough to let me know the truth,” he said.

“You earned it. Kian will arrange a jet for you. It’ll take you any place you want to go, far from me.” She started heading toward the Red Mansion. “Live well, Vladimir.” She quickened her pace. Any minute, she’d melt down.

Vladimir caught up with her. He grabbed her arm, stopping her. “What if I tell you the place I want to be is where you are?”

“Then you’re out of your mind. I know your reputation. You live for sensual satisfaction, but pleasure is the one thing I can’t give you.”

“I know my reputation is debatable, but that was before I met you. I vowed that as long as you walk the earth, I can’t and won’t be with another.” His eyes gleamed warm light. “You can’t be with a man, and I won’t be with other girls. We’re a match made in heaven.”

Lucienne stared at Vladimir. “Don’t sacrifice for me. I’m not that desperate.”

“But I am. I’d never been in love until I met you,” Vladimir said. “Do you know where I should go to file a complaint against Cupid?”

“Yes.” Lucienne’s voice turned deep and sweet. “My curse will be lifted after we locate Eterne.”

“Eterne, like eternal?”

“There’s no term that can precisely describe this realm. The ancients called it different names, like New Elysium.”

“The Elysium where the ancient Greeks believed immortals and heroes dwelled?”

“The realm is beyond Elysium. We’ll only learn about Eterne after we enter it or have the third scroll, which is still beyond our reach.”