| |
Cursed is more like it, I thought and met her stare. I could tell she had a boatload of questions pinging around behind those beautiful eyes, but I wasn’t in the mood for speculating about why I could morph into a mammoth predatory bird at will. Whether it was a divine gift or a demonic curse, I wasn’t sure, but that unique gift saved my ass a time or two.
“Well?” Her hands found their way to her waist and her head cocked to the side.
Her stance allowed the V in the bathrobe to widen, giving me just enough of a glimpse of her breasts to jump-start my overactive libido. I forced my gaze back to her face and shoved my hands into my back pockets. Even though it had been centuries since I had a houseguest, I hadn’t totally lost sight of my manners.
“I’m sorry, Naomi, but I don’t have an answer for you.”
Her perfect pout surfaced and I turned, stalking out of the room before I acted on the overwhelming urges wracking my form. Instead, I busied myself with the laundry, pulling the soaking garments from the spiffy new front-loader I had purchased recently, and throwing them into the dryer.
I’d have to take her shopping tonight because there was no way I would be able to resist another day of her lounging in that bathrobe.
I turned away from the machine and stopped. Naomi stood in the doorway, her hands gripping the frame, all her earlier curiosity gone. Her face transformed into a mask of lust-filled hunger.
“I should get you something to drink,” I whispered, reacting to her close proximity and the knowledge that she could drain me dry if she wanted to.
She didn’t budge and I stepped back in the small space, my back finding another concrete wall.
“I’m hungry,” she said in a feral growl that revealed her sharp fangs. Her hands dropped to her sides and she stepped into the room, blocking my exit.
Memory of how sweet her blood had been bubbled my own thirst to the surface and I licked my lips, my gaze falling to the slow pulse visible in her neck. God, I wanted to drink from her again, but I knew how wrong it would be.
“Naomi,” I started, keeping my voice low and reasonable. “You don’t want to do what you’re thinking.”
Her laugh filled the small space and she lunged, pinning me to the wall. I tilted my chin to my chest so she didn’t have a clear bite and stared at her.
“Killing me won’t change you back,” I whispered.
She snapped her teeth together in a growl and then her crazed grin faltered. She blinked, and her sharp incisors retracted. “Who says I want to kill you?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
I raised a questioning eyebrow.
She let go and stepped back. “I don’t know what came over me...”
“You’re a newborn. It happens,” I said, dismissing the danger and stepping around her. “Your clothes will be dry in a little while, then you can get out of that bathrobe.” I started walking away.
The ruffle of fabric made me turn and she stood in the entry way again, but this time it wasn’t bloodlust in her gaze. The bathrobe lay crumpled around her feet and I stumbled, almost falling on my ass at the shock.
She was divine and I followed her curves before returning my gaze to hers.
“What are you doing?” It took everything in my power not to move to her, to take her in my arms. This need singeing my blood was foreign and unwelcomed. It was far greater than any need the blood-hunt created and I didn’t understand why.
I stepped backwards, putting more distance between me and this goddess.
She spread her arms out. “You don’t want me?”
The hysterical laughter that spouted from my mouth was so out of character and it offended Naomi, setting her into action. She snatched the bathrobe from the ground, wrapping it around her before she stormed off.
I didn’t follow until a door slammed and momentary panic filled my bones. I bolted to the stairwell and yanked the door open. The stairs were empty and the upper door still latched from the inside. Relief swept through me and I closed the access door, leaning against it with my eyes closed.
I focused, training my ear to locate her heartbeat and followed the sound to my bedroom. Tentatively, I turned the knob and opened the door.
Naomi lay face down on the king size bed, her face buried in my pillows and the distinct shake in her shoulders told me she was crying.
What the hell is the etiquette for this? I cleared my throat.
“Go away,” she said, her voice muffled by the pillow.
“Um...this is my bedroom.”
The glare she leveled at me made me second-guess the living arrangements.
“How long till sunset?”
I waved toward the clock. “It’s not even noon yet.”
She turned away and I hung my head, debating on whether I should leave her alone or not. History and my instincts told me not to leave her unattended, but I didn’t want to set her off. Dealing with a newborn was as volatile as dealing with a bomb, one wrong move and you’ll find yourself in pieces.
I looked up, meeting her stark stare.
“What?”
I bit the snide comment that surfaced at her snotty tone, opting to stare her down instead.
“Are you just going to stand there?”
“Maybe,” I offered with a snideness of my own.
“I don’t need a babysitter.”
“I beg to differ.”
“Screw you,” she snarled and turned away again.
The venom in her voice set me into action and I moved across the room, flipping her over on the bed and slammed her wrists over her head before I could blink. I straddled her, staring down into her wide dark eyes.
“You have no idea how much I want you, so cut the crap.”
She struggled and I squeezed my thighs into her hips, keeping her still beneath me. Naomi twisted her wrists, trying to break my hold and I clamped harder.
“Why?” she screamed in my face, the fury was back and I could deal with this much better than the hungry seductress.
“Why what?” I snarled down at her.
“Why don’t you just kill me?” she roared, her struggles continued and she screamed a long lonely wail before she lay still, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
“Killing you is the last thing on my mind,” I whispered and her exhausted gaze flicked to mine.
A sheen of tears covered her eyes and I sighed, letting go of her wrists. I sat back on my heels, running my fingers into my hair, holding the back of my head to get control of the torrent flooding my senses.
“But you laughed,” she whispered.
I met her gaze, dropping my hands to my thighs. “I laughed because your question was ludicrous.” Hurt flashed in her eyes. “Stop doing that.”
“Doing what?”
“Assuming the worst.”
Her lips pressed together and she blinked away the sheen.
“You’re not running on all cylinders right now,” I said. “You haven’t finished the transition and while you’re in this state...” I trailed off not knowing how to tell her that she might feel differently once everything clicks into place. Instead, I climbed off her and stretched out next to her on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
“So, you’re trying not to take advantage of me?” she asked and I smiled, nodding without looking her way.
“Well, doesn’t that just beat all?” Naomi sat up. “A chivalrous blood sucker.”
“Would you prefer I just fuck you?” I asked, sending a glare in her direction, although just saying it sent tendrils of heated anticipation through my body.
I guess the question turned her on as well because she met my gaze and offered a come-hither smile. She shifted, swinging her thigh over me and straddled my lap like I had done to her moments ago. A wicked gleam filled her eyes and she took my hands, placing them on her bare thighs.
“I’d like that very much,” she purred and circled her hips on my groin.
The feel of her silky skin under my fingertips just about did me in.
“Naomi,” I whispered, my voice raspy with want.
“Damian,” she whispered back and leaned forward, her lips breezed over mine and trailed down my jaw to my neck.
A trail of butterfly kisses lined my throat and a low grumble started in my chest until the sharp stab of her incisors pierced my skin. Her bite burned and without thinking, I sank my fangs into her exposed throat. Her blood still tasted like summer rain and I groaned under the pulse of it.
She whimpered against my throat, and I couldn’t help myself, my hand found her delicate folds and my fingers circled, playing with her and turning her whimper into a lust filled moan.
“Damian,” she whispered and I realized she wasn’t biting anymore. I relinquished my hold on her, the release flooding me with disappointment until our eyes met. My gaze dropped to the thin line of blood trailing down her throat, sliding between her breasts and I lost control.
I flipped her under me, pushing the bathrobe open and licked the trail away until her skin was pristine again. Her body responded to my touch and the heat between us increased, turning my heart into a frantic drum in my chest.
She fumbled with my belt and I stopped my exploration, raising my gaze to hers.
“You do realize, hawks mate for life,” I said.
Her hands paused and it took her a few seconds to digest my words. Her eyes narrowed.
“You mean to tell me you haven’t fucked anyone for over two thousand years?”
I laughed and raised an eyebrow. “I’ve fucked thousands of women but none of them were vampires.” I chuckled at her wide-eyed reaction, enjoying her shock and then my laughter faded. “None of them were my own kind.” When my gaze locked with hers, I saw the hesitation and it was enough to dampen my lust.