Read Online City of the Fallen by Diana Bocco - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Diana Bocco
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also had a woman dancing in his mind.
It was an unsettling mix of emotions. For a vampire who had been around for centuries, it was also a startling discovery knowing a human had such power over him. He wouldn’t have minded so much if he had some way of controlling the situation, but Isabelle was way beyond his reach.
He paced, moving away from the window and towards the door that separated his studio from his bedroom. He heard a ripple in the air coming from the adjoining room and knew Isabelle was awake. It was just a small crackle, the sound of skin brushing against fabric—but it was enough to tell him she was up and moving. His stomach contracted and he cursed. He wanted—needed—more time with her. There was something about Isabelle that called him. It was a sort of electric hum that spread down to his bones and awoke his hunger. Something he’d never experienced with a human before.
Something he hadn’t experienced in a very long time.
There hadn’t been any female vampires for over four centuries. When the void had spread, it had had a devastating effect on the female side of his breed. Female vampires became erratic and violent much faster and much sooner—not only against humans but also against other vampires. Many were killed by their own partners in an attempt to crush the spreading plague. In less than a year, every single female vampire had been infected with the void and died—either of hunger or at the hands of other vampires.
Back then, many had turned to keeping human pets as a way to fight the loneliness. He had tried it too, but had quickly realized it wasn’t what he wanted. Humans were fragile and always terrified. The physical pleasure he got from them did little for his mind and his soul. What he wanted was a partner, an equal—and humans had never been able to reach that level.
Against all reason, he was now wondering whether Isabelle could.
The question had been in his mind since the moment he first realized she was immune to charming. But after last night, the question had become a lot stronger. A lot more real.
What if?
His body tensed and he had to shake his head to let go of the thought. Suddenly, he was glad he was alone and didn’t have to explain his emotions to Miles or anybody else who knew him well. It wasn’t hard to imagine what their reactions would be.
The king taking a human companion.
It wasn’t forbidden or impossible, but it was surely unheard of—and it made him uneasy. But thinking about it also sent his heart into a race and that was enough to tell him there was something there.
Of course, he knew little about Isabelle besides the fact that he couldn’t charm her. He knew she was passionate and strong. He knew that in bed, she was already his equal. Whether she could be the same outside of the bedroom was a question to ponder.
A knock on the opposite side of the room startled him. The compound was built over a long series of underground tunnels that stretched for miles. They connected all the important rooms inside the compound to each other and allowed his kind to move around without being exposed to sunlight. He remembered a time when daylight meant hiding away in cellars and caves—and he had made sure no hiding was necessary when he built the compound.
“Come in, Miles,” he said without approaching the hidden door.
A panel on the wall slid open and Miles walked in. His face was somber, tight.
“What is it?”
Despite the grave eyes, Miles seemed calm and collected. But then, Miles always looked that way. It was the reason Marcus had appointed him to deal with security. Miles was immovable. Not because he didn’t have emotions, but because he never let them affect him. At least not visibly.
“The first patrol group came back,” Miles told him. “They found a few rabids.”
“How far?”
“A couple of hours away,” Miles said. “They’ve never
It was an unsettling mix of emotions. For a vampire who had been around for centuries, it was also a startling discovery knowing a human had such power over him. He wouldn’t have minded so much if he had some way of controlling the situation, but Isabelle was way beyond his reach.
He paced, moving away from the window and towards the door that separated his studio from his bedroom. He heard a ripple in the air coming from the adjoining room and knew Isabelle was awake. It was just a small crackle, the sound of skin brushing against fabric—but it was enough to tell him she was up and moving. His stomach contracted and he cursed. He wanted—needed—more time with her. There was something about Isabelle that called him. It was a sort of electric hum that spread down to his bones and awoke his hunger. Something he’d never experienced with a human before.
Something he hadn’t experienced in a very long time.
There hadn’t been any female vampires for over four centuries. When the void had spread, it had had a devastating effect on the female side of his breed. Female vampires became erratic and violent much faster and much sooner—not only against humans but also against other vampires. Many were killed by their own partners in an attempt to crush the spreading plague. In less than a year, every single female vampire had been infected with the void and died—either of hunger or at the hands of other vampires.
Back then, many had turned to keeping human pets as a way to fight the loneliness. He had tried it too, but had quickly realized it wasn’t what he wanted. Humans were fragile and always terrified. The physical pleasure he got from them did little for his mind and his soul. What he wanted was a partner, an equal—and humans had never been able to reach that level.
Against all reason, he was now wondering whether Isabelle could.
The question had been in his mind since the moment he first realized she was immune to charming. But after last night, the question had become a lot stronger. A lot more real.
What if?
His body tensed and he had to shake his head to let go of the thought. Suddenly, he was glad he was alone and didn’t have to explain his emotions to Miles or anybody else who knew him well. It wasn’t hard to imagine what their reactions would be.
The king taking a human companion.
It wasn’t forbidden or impossible, but it was surely unheard of—and it made him uneasy. But thinking about it also sent his heart into a race and that was enough to tell him there was something there.
Of course, he knew little about Isabelle besides the fact that he couldn’t charm her. He knew she was passionate and strong. He knew that in bed, she was already his equal. Whether she could be the same outside of the bedroom was a question to ponder.
A knock on the opposite side of the room startled him. The compound was built over a long series of underground tunnels that stretched for miles. They connected all the important rooms inside the compound to each other and allowed his kind to move around without being exposed to sunlight. He remembered a time when daylight meant hiding away in cellars and caves—and he had made sure no hiding was necessary when he built the compound.
“Come in, Miles,” he said without approaching the hidden door.
A panel on the wall slid open and Miles walked in. His face was somber, tight.
“What is it?”
Despite the grave eyes, Miles seemed calm and collected. But then, Miles always looked that way. It was the reason Marcus had appointed him to deal with security. Miles was immovable. Not because he didn’t have emotions, but because he never let them affect him. At least not visibly.
“The first patrol group came back,” Miles told him. “They found a few rabids.”
“How far?”
“A couple of hours away,” Miles said. “They’ve never
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