did
until they mastered behaving like men and could blend in. Vampyres already had
that part down to a science.
Sure she wouldn’t wake up, he lifted her onto his lap.
Drawing her tight in his arms, he sniffed at the sweet scent that was pure
Viviana.
Closing his eyes, he dozed off holding her next to his
heart.
Alek woke with his arm cramped around her. When she moved
slightly he realized hours had passed. The sun would be sliding toward the
western horizon.
He glanced down, waiting for her eyes to open, and for the
first time he noticed the pink streaks dried on her cheeks. He’d cleansed every
trace of blood after he fed her. She had cried before she fell asleep. Why? Did
she dislike his species that much?
She moved again and murmured something. He lowered his ear
to her mouth.
“Don’t go.”
She had not wanted his blood, didn’t want to be a cat—who
the fuck was she thinking about? Alek’s thoughts crashed around his mind. He
locked his shields tight, careful to keep her out. He’d find out sooner or
later who she thought about. Better later.
“Wake up, Viv.” He eased from under her. “You need to feed.”
She stretched, flinching in pain when she raised the wounded
shoulder. “Damn that hurt.”
“You’ll be fine.” He opened his wrist and placed it in front
of her.
“I could have done it myself.” She moved her lips to cover
the tiny holes and started to drink. This time he didn’t have to stop her, she
had more strength and, taking only what she needed to heal, Viv stopped herself.
“I thought you’d trust me now.” He stood from the bed. “I
have no designs on changing you to something you find objectionable.” Not
wanting to remember where her mouth had been, Alek fabricated a long-sleeved
shirt. His cock jerked against his pants at the idea of places he’d like to
feel her lips. Get a grip.
Viv made it very plain she didn’t want him or anyone like
him.
He grated the words out, “Dress, I need to feed too. We’re
going to have dinner with Case and his mate tonight.”
“Not sure I want to try another piece of steak.”
“Whatever you want, the Looking Glass serves it. I’ll leave
you to get ready. I have to check on a few things.” Grabbing the doorknob, he
stopped. “Do you want to do this? We can stay here.”
“I’m fine, give me time to think.” She glared at him, angry
color dotting her cheeks. “I’ll let you know.”
Great, she’s mad.
“Don’t take too long. I’m hungry.” Good job, asshole.
Piss her off more. She definitely wasn’t the type to take any shit from
him. Not quietly anyway.
“The sooner you get out, the faster I’m ready.”
Yanking the door behind him, Alek jumped when it slammed in
the frame.
“Should have just vanished, dickhead,” he said aloud,
cursing himself and his stupid temper as he stomped down the hall.
Bastard . What bug crawled up his ass and died? Wish
it had bit the hell out of him. “No you don’t,” she said. Stretching the
kinks out, Viv touched her wound and it ached a little. “Strong blood,” she
murmured. Great, now I’m talking to myself .
Walking to the table, she spied the bottle of Dom 1998.
Couldn’t get any better. That’s what Alek had gone back to get. Champagne.
She’d been distracted, missed the transgressor because she’d thought he went
back to talk to the manager.
Damn.
She shoved her hand into her hair and it stuck where a plait
started. Too weak this morning to do anything but drink his blood, she hadn’t
done this. Pulling it over her shoulder, she looked at the crooked braid.
Tears sprang from her eyes and slid down her cheeks.
Alek. She drew the hair under her nose, breathed in his
scent. He’d come back and fixed her hair.
“God help me, I’m in love with him.” Saving her life,
sharing his blood and his innermost thoughts had already chipped at the wall
she thought she’d built around her heart. Imagining his strong fingers doing
something so simple as
until they mastered behaving like men and could blend in. Vampyres already had
that part down to a science.
Sure she wouldn’t wake up, he lifted her onto his lap.
Drawing her tight in his arms, he sniffed at the sweet scent that was pure
Viviana.
Closing his eyes, he dozed off holding her next to his
heart.
Alek woke with his arm cramped around her. When she moved
slightly he realized hours had passed. The sun would be sliding toward the
western horizon.
He glanced down, waiting for her eyes to open, and for the
first time he noticed the pink streaks dried on her cheeks. He’d cleansed every
trace of blood after he fed her. She had cried before she fell asleep. Why? Did
she dislike his species that much?
She moved again and murmured something. He lowered his ear
to her mouth.
“Don’t go.”
She had not wanted his blood, didn’t want to be a cat—who
the fuck was she thinking about? Alek’s thoughts crashed around his mind. He
locked his shields tight, careful to keep her out. He’d find out sooner or
later who she thought about. Better later.
“Wake up, Viv.” He eased from under her. “You need to feed.”
She stretched, flinching in pain when she raised the wounded
shoulder. “Damn that hurt.”
“You’ll be fine.” He opened his wrist and placed it in front
of her.
“I could have done it myself.” She moved her lips to cover
the tiny holes and started to drink. This time he didn’t have to stop her, she
had more strength and, taking only what she needed to heal, Viv stopped herself.
“I thought you’d trust me now.” He stood from the bed. “I
have no designs on changing you to something you find objectionable.” Not
wanting to remember where her mouth had been, Alek fabricated a long-sleeved
shirt. His cock jerked against his pants at the idea of places he’d like to
feel her lips. Get a grip.
Viv made it very plain she didn’t want him or anyone like
him.
He grated the words out, “Dress, I need to feed too. We’re
going to have dinner with Case and his mate tonight.”
“Not sure I want to try another piece of steak.”
“Whatever you want, the Looking Glass serves it. I’ll leave
you to get ready. I have to check on a few things.” Grabbing the doorknob, he
stopped. “Do you want to do this? We can stay here.”
“I’m fine, give me time to think.” She glared at him, angry
color dotting her cheeks. “I’ll let you know.”
Great, she’s mad.
“Don’t take too long. I’m hungry.” Good job, asshole.
Piss her off more. She definitely wasn’t the type to take any shit from
him. Not quietly anyway.
“The sooner you get out, the faster I’m ready.”
Yanking the door behind him, Alek jumped when it slammed in
the frame.
“Should have just vanished, dickhead,” he said aloud,
cursing himself and his stupid temper as he stomped down the hall.
Bastard . What bug crawled up his ass and died? Wish
it had bit the hell out of him. “No you don’t,” she said. Stretching the
kinks out, Viv touched her wound and it ached a little. “Strong blood,” she
murmured. Great, now I’m talking to myself .
Walking to the table, she spied the bottle of Dom 1998.
Couldn’t get any better. That’s what Alek had gone back to get. Champagne.
She’d been distracted, missed the transgressor because she’d thought he went
back to talk to the manager.
Damn.
She shoved her hand into her hair and it stuck where a plait
started. Too weak this morning to do anything but drink his blood, she hadn’t
done this. Pulling it over her shoulder, she looked at the crooked braid.
Tears sprang from her eyes and slid down her cheeks.
Alek. She drew the hair under her nose, breathed in his
scent. He’d come back and fixed her hair.
“God help me, I’m in love with him.” Saving her life,
sharing his blood and his innermost thoughts had already chipped at the wall
she thought she’d built around her heart. Imagining his strong fingers doing
something so simple as
Similar Books
