edition
books, many of them classics that would have been very hard to find
in such condition.
Every available
table and solid surface held vases and vases of red roses which had
wilted and died, the petals dried and crumbling apart.
“I apologize for
the roses. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in this room. I
thought things would happen more quickly between us.”
She dragged her
gaze away from the gifts. “You can’t buy me! I’m not a thing
you can purchase!”
His eyes were sad.
“You’re already mine, poppet. If I’d thought I could buy you, I
would have brought you here first. It’s already sealed between us,
these are only small tokens of my gratitude. I know they can never
repay you for your sacrifice. Just know that there is no limit to
what I will give you now that you’re mine. There are glasses in the
minibar if you’d like to try the wine.”
Nicole hadn’t
noticed the minibar in all the piles of boxes and bags.
“I won’t
hover. I’ll leave you alone for now.” He shut the door on his way
out.
A corkscrew lay on
top of the minibar. Nicole poured a glass of wine as she sifted
through the bags and boxes. It was no surprise that all of his gifts
reflected the same level of good taste as the rest of his remote
estate. She opened one of the jewelry boxes to find an ornate,
glittering filigree gold necklace which would lay flush against her
skin and make her look like royalty—if she could ever bring herself
to put it on. Wearing any jewelry but the bracelet her husband had
given her, felt like more betrayal.
She closed the box
and went back to the wine. It didn’t matter what the vampire said;
she felt bought. And he had bought her—with the promise of
Dominic.
***
Nicole
woke the following morning, her mouth dry. Something shifted across
the room and she bolted upright to find August sleeping—or trying
to—in a chair in the corner. He’d watched her for hours, which
made her more grateful that she’d be sleeping in Dominic’s bed
tonight.
She’d
been surprised when the vampire hadn’t tried anything sexual. He
hadn’t insisted on sharing the bed. Maybe he wasn’t into her—only
her blood and the hope of freedom it brought him. If that were
true, she hoped his feelings remained that way—blood only. She
squeezed her eyes tight against the memory of his bite, of the
unrelenting sting. Large, dull needles poking at her skin like some
medieval torture.
Though no physical
mark had been left on her—and she didn’t want to begin to guess
about that—she felt bruised, somehow broken inside beneath the skin
where he’d bitten her. The soreness was a different kind of
virginity lost, and she prayed it was only a remnant of the first
time. Somehow she doubted it. Flesh was never designed to take fangs
inside it. There was no reason to think it would ever stop hurting
when he bit her.
She breathed
slowly and deeply to push away the edging hysteria. If it built too
large in her head, being fed on would hurt even more from the
anticipation and tension.
“Nicolette, are
you all right, my dear?”
She opened her
eyes to find his sharp gaze on her. How long had he been staring like
that?
“I’m fine.”
She wasn’t going to get weepy and weak. She’d made her choice,
and she would make it again if it meant Dominic’s arms could be
around her tonight.
August stood and
stretched, popping his neck and back. “Let’s get you fed and back
home.”
She’d worried he
would take it all away. Especially in the light of day, he had to
know he didn’t have to keep his word.
“Why are you
going to so much trouble for me?” Shut up, Nicole. Don’t draw
attention to it. Just take it and go.
“You’ve freed
me from my curse. You’re everything—the sun and the stars, the
universe. There is no request too great. I told you that last night.
There is nothing you could ask for that I would deny you now.
Including your husband.”
“Last night in
the kitchen I
books, many of them classics that would have been very hard to find
in such condition.
Every available
table and solid surface held vases and vases of red roses which had
wilted and died, the petals dried and crumbling apart.
“I apologize for
the roses. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in this room. I
thought things would happen more quickly between us.”
She dragged her
gaze away from the gifts. “You can’t buy me! I’m not a thing
you can purchase!”
His eyes were sad.
“You’re already mine, poppet. If I’d thought I could buy you, I
would have brought you here first. It’s already sealed between us,
these are only small tokens of my gratitude. I know they can never
repay you for your sacrifice. Just know that there is no limit to
what I will give you now that you’re mine. There are glasses in the
minibar if you’d like to try the wine.”
Nicole hadn’t
noticed the minibar in all the piles of boxes and bags.
“I won’t
hover. I’ll leave you alone for now.” He shut the door on his way
out.
A corkscrew lay on
top of the minibar. Nicole poured a glass of wine as she sifted
through the bags and boxes. It was no surprise that all of his gifts
reflected the same level of good taste as the rest of his remote
estate. She opened one of the jewelry boxes to find an ornate,
glittering filigree gold necklace which would lay flush against her
skin and make her look like royalty—if she could ever bring herself
to put it on. Wearing any jewelry but the bracelet her husband had
given her, felt like more betrayal.
She closed the box
and went back to the wine. It didn’t matter what the vampire said;
she felt bought. And he had bought her—with the promise of
Dominic.
***
Nicole
woke the following morning, her mouth dry. Something shifted across
the room and she bolted upright to find August sleeping—or trying
to—in a chair in the corner. He’d watched her for hours, which
made her more grateful that she’d be sleeping in Dominic’s bed
tonight.
She’d
been surprised when the vampire hadn’t tried anything sexual. He
hadn’t insisted on sharing the bed. Maybe he wasn’t into her—only
her blood and the hope of freedom it brought him. If that were
true, she hoped his feelings remained that way—blood only. She
squeezed her eyes tight against the memory of his bite, of the
unrelenting sting. Large, dull needles poking at her skin like some
medieval torture.
Though no physical
mark had been left on her—and she didn’t want to begin to guess
about that—she felt bruised, somehow broken inside beneath the skin
where he’d bitten her. The soreness was a different kind of
virginity lost, and she prayed it was only a remnant of the first
time. Somehow she doubted it. Flesh was never designed to take fangs
inside it. There was no reason to think it would ever stop hurting
when he bit her.
She breathed
slowly and deeply to push away the edging hysteria. If it built too
large in her head, being fed on would hurt even more from the
anticipation and tension.
“Nicolette, are
you all right, my dear?”
She opened her
eyes to find his sharp gaze on her. How long had he been staring like
that?
“I’m fine.”
She wasn’t going to get weepy and weak. She’d made her choice,
and she would make it again if it meant Dominic’s arms could be
around her tonight.
August stood and
stretched, popping his neck and back. “Let’s get you fed and back
home.”
She’d worried he
would take it all away. Especially in the light of day, he had to
know he didn’t have to keep his word.
“Why are you
going to so much trouble for me?” Shut up, Nicole. Don’t draw
attention to it. Just take it and go.
“You’ve freed
me from my curse. You’re everything—the sun and the stars, the
universe. There is no request too great. I told you that last night.
There is nothing you could ask for that I would deny you now.
Including your husband.”
“Last night in
the kitchen I
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