she felt the sharp sting as his fangs scraped her neck, just over her jugular. This was it. He was going to bite her. She should have felt fear—swift and painful—but all she felt was relief that the wait was finally over. It stung for a mere second before a wave of heat stole her ability to do more than whimper in his arms. There was no denying the pleasure and need coursing through her body from where his fangs were sunk into her neck. A low groan escaped him as he hungrily drank her life’s essence from her with sweet pulls.
She should fight him, she thought hazily, but she could do nothing as her knees gave way. His strong arms held her up with an ease that should have scared the daylights out of her, but only made the ball of need low in her belly strengthen. She wanted him to take it all, all of her blood, all her fear, even all of her dreams. It was all his in this moment suspended in time. In the most basic sense she belonged to him and she knew it.
Chapter Four
Wilhelm was lost in his own blinding need to feed and conquer the strong-willed woman in his arms. For this one moment she was not a Witch, not his enemy, not even his wife. Here, in this haze of blinding need and hunger she was only the best thing he’d ever bitten in his damnably long existence. Power coursed through him as her blood, strong with life and magic, filled his aged veins, making him lightheaded as he drank from her fragrant neck. She smelled of the roses blooming in his conservatory.
The sharp nails digging into his forearm slowly released him as her arms fell to her sides. He raised his head to try to clear the dizziness as he felt like he was soaring far above his body. She sighed a soft breath as her head fell back to rest on his bare chest. Alarm abruptly cleared the fog as he realized how limp her slight body was in his arms. He knew with a feeling of dread that he’d drank far too long and too deeply from her. He moved quickly, licking the two small puncture wounds to close them and keep her from losing any more blood. Still, the taste of her skin and the sweet drops of blood left on his tongue urged him to take what was left, what was offered up to him. He cursed as he bent and picked her up to place her on the bed.
Her eyes were closed, her elfin face pale like the death that was trying to steal over her. Pale pink lips opened as she struggled weakly to inhale. He knelt beside the bed, pushing her hair off her cheek with a hand that strangely shook. He swore profoundly as he debated what he should do for her. If it wasn’t already sunrise he could get Grant Vernally, the Hive’s doctor, to come look after her, but Grant would be sleeping like the rest of the Hive, locked in his chambers until dark.
“Damn it!” He shoved his hand through his hair as he realized keeping her alive might mean turning her, something he should not do. Turning anyone was strictly forbidden without permission of the Council of Elders, carrying the harsh penalty of the Shining. The Shining was the strongest sentence for a Vampire. He’d be dragged out into the center of the Hive’s buildings and tied to a pole to wait for the sun to rise and turn him to a blistering mass of ash. Yeah, not something he wanted to chance, not even to save his Keeper and his one shot at redemption. No, there had to be another way. Standing abruptly, he left her lying motionless on the soft bed with the blankets pulled over her shivering body.
***
Alexa felt her body quake within as a heat spread through her like waves crashing up onto a sandy shore. What was he thinking to cover her with the thick blankets? She moaned as she tried to shove them off her arms and chest. She felt as weak as a kitten. The memory of the prophetic scene involving Wilhelm and her when he licked her palm that first time to seal their deal came back to her with a force that stole the breath from her already burning lungs.
She hungered to feel his hard body pushing hers into the
She should fight him, she thought hazily, but she could do nothing as her knees gave way. His strong arms held her up with an ease that should have scared the daylights out of her, but only made the ball of need low in her belly strengthen. She wanted him to take it all, all of her blood, all her fear, even all of her dreams. It was all his in this moment suspended in time. In the most basic sense she belonged to him and she knew it.
Chapter Four
Wilhelm was lost in his own blinding need to feed and conquer the strong-willed woman in his arms. For this one moment she was not a Witch, not his enemy, not even his wife. Here, in this haze of blinding need and hunger she was only the best thing he’d ever bitten in his damnably long existence. Power coursed through him as her blood, strong with life and magic, filled his aged veins, making him lightheaded as he drank from her fragrant neck. She smelled of the roses blooming in his conservatory.
The sharp nails digging into his forearm slowly released him as her arms fell to her sides. He raised his head to try to clear the dizziness as he felt like he was soaring far above his body. She sighed a soft breath as her head fell back to rest on his bare chest. Alarm abruptly cleared the fog as he realized how limp her slight body was in his arms. He knew with a feeling of dread that he’d drank far too long and too deeply from her. He moved quickly, licking the two small puncture wounds to close them and keep her from losing any more blood. Still, the taste of her skin and the sweet drops of blood left on his tongue urged him to take what was left, what was offered up to him. He cursed as he bent and picked her up to place her on the bed.
Her eyes were closed, her elfin face pale like the death that was trying to steal over her. Pale pink lips opened as she struggled weakly to inhale. He knelt beside the bed, pushing her hair off her cheek with a hand that strangely shook. He swore profoundly as he debated what he should do for her. If it wasn’t already sunrise he could get Grant Vernally, the Hive’s doctor, to come look after her, but Grant would be sleeping like the rest of the Hive, locked in his chambers until dark.
“Damn it!” He shoved his hand through his hair as he realized keeping her alive might mean turning her, something he should not do. Turning anyone was strictly forbidden without permission of the Council of Elders, carrying the harsh penalty of the Shining. The Shining was the strongest sentence for a Vampire. He’d be dragged out into the center of the Hive’s buildings and tied to a pole to wait for the sun to rise and turn him to a blistering mass of ash. Yeah, not something he wanted to chance, not even to save his Keeper and his one shot at redemption. No, there had to be another way. Standing abruptly, he left her lying motionless on the soft bed with the blankets pulled over her shivering body.
***
Alexa felt her body quake within as a heat spread through her like waves crashing up onto a sandy shore. What was he thinking to cover her with the thick blankets? She moaned as she tried to shove them off her arms and chest. She felt as weak as a kitten. The memory of the prophetic scene involving Wilhelm and her when he licked her palm that first time to seal their deal came back to her with a force that stole the breath from her already burning lungs.
She hungered to feel his hard body pushing hers into the
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