by Zoe Forward
Once seated, to give herself something to do and avoid his forceful gaze, she plucked a paper napkin from the holder on the counter and placed it in her lap. “So, what is it you need to tell me?”
“Later. Food first.” He poured her a glass of orange juice, returned to the refrigerator, and examined its contents. “I can do omelets or fry up some meat. Looks like there’s pork and ground beef. Or there’s always a sandwich. No peanut butter. Eric’s got a bit of an addiction and eats it by the spoonful. But I can do…” He pulled open the center drawer in the refrigerator. “Roast beef or turkey.”
“What? No gourmet cook on staff to make you food?”
“The staff doesn’t travel with us.”
She grabbed the juice and took too large a gulp. Its acidity burned her throat. Her eyes watered as she struggled not to cough.
His lips twitched. If he laughed, she would go over the counter and hit him.
“Anything chocolate?”
“Are you craving sweets?” His tone was mysterious as if the craving meant something.
“I always like sweets.”
He pulled out a grocery store cardboard box. “Pie? Says it’s apple.”
“That works.” She glanced around. “Where are your, uh, guards?”
“They’re around.”
She pulled her gaze off the upward curve of his mouth. “How long have your guys been with you?”
“Long time.” He slid a slice of pie her way with a fork.
She scrutinized him, frustrated by his relative non- answers.
“I guess you’re a hot target and need guys you trust around you. Is that why you keep a low profile? Why you haven’t visited this country in a very long time?” She lifted the fork but didn’t eat.
“I have many responsibilities to my people. Those keep me busy. I probably should’ve ended this unfounded skirmish long ago, but the North American territory head wanted to handle it.”
“You think a wolf didn’t kill my mother?”
“I’m not sure who killed your mother, but for sure it wasn’t the wolf Dominic blames.”
“Really? Is that why you’re here? To fix a misunderstanding?”
“No.”
“Are you here to end this war and you think I can help?”
He shook his head. “Why aren’t you eating? You need food.” You need to be strong.
She’d inadvertently picked up his thought. Again with the being strong. For what? She glanced down. Food? Her life had become a screwed-up mess, her body was distractingly on fire for a male she couldn’t have, and he wanted her to eat?
“Eat.” He nodded at the pie.
She ate a small piece. It tasted like plastic, even though she was sure it’d been baked to perfection. Her body didn’t want anything but blood. She inhaled his scent, remembering the smell of port when he’d bled. Yeah, if she could find safe blood that smelled that good, then she’d be in heaven. “So, you being the reigning wolf, are you married? Or do you have a mate or two somewhere?”
His fork paused halfway to his mouth. “What? No.” He put down the bite of pie.
“Do you have a woman in your life, then?”
“Not in a long time.”
“There was someone. At least, I heard there was.” She took a cautious sip of orange juice.
“Was.”
“What happened?”
“It was a bad match. Political, arranged. A bad deal for both of us.”
“I understand arranged matches.”
“How long have you been engaged to Ambrose?”
“Seven months.”
“Why aren’t you married? Aren’t you under pressure to have an heir? That’s usually the focus of the first years for vamps.”
“That has become a focal point. My father and Viktor DiFalco have decided to take it to the next level. They plan to force it prior to marriage. Maybe they think pregnancy will compel us to tie the knot officially. I’m not sure.”
The space around Lexan darkened as if he sucked the light out of the area. “They want you to do the shots and force biology?”
She nodded. “The treatment.”
“Rumors say it doesn’t always turn out well.”
“My cousin died a few years ago from excessive bleeding. So, no, it doesn’t always work. It’s got high risk for side effects. I said no, not that anyone listened.”
“Ambrose agrees with this plan?”
“Pretty sure he does. All three of them are up to something far beyond the two of us getting married.”
Lexan scowled. “Any idea what it might be?”
“Not really. I’m not in the inner circle. Never was.”
“So, this pregnancy plan is between Viktor and Dominic? Interesting.”
“Nothing about it is interesting. This is my life. I don’t want to die trying to conceive a child I don’t want.” She shuddered.
“Sounds like we saved you from a bad deal, then.”
“I don’t have a lot of choices in my life.” No female born into an aristocratic vamp family had choices. “Why don’t we admit neither one of us is into eating and skip to the part where you tell me why I’m still here.”
He crossed his arms. “I need to see you eat first.”
She chewed two small bites and pushed the pie away. “I’m sure it’s good, but I can’t eat.”
He scowled. “Fine. Let’s go where we can talk. In private.”
“In private from whom?” She met his gaze.
“The others.”
She glanced around. “Your bodyguards?”
He nodded. “They’re curious about you.”
“I’d expect so, when His Majesty won’t leave me alone.”
He moved toward her to help when she stumbled.
She waved him off. “No touching.”
He didn’t back off but grabbed her arm to steady her. He whispered low, “Yes, they’re fascinated because of who you are, what you are, and because you’re in heat. Any wolf of our age can smell it a long way off. It drives us with a need to mate, especially with the full moon almost upon us.”
“Right, I forget you’re dogs.”
“I’d be offended, but I’m going to assume you mean it’s instinct and not something intentionally derogatory.”
“Think what you want.”
He directed her into a beautiful wood-paneled office complete with a stonework fireplace. She pulled her arm out of his grasp, clinging to dignity and pride. They wouldn’t hold out for much longer with any part of him touching her.
A burgundy button leather sofa across the room looked promising. Standing for this discussion wouldn’t work since her brain was already lightheaded.
“Are you in any pain?” Lexan asked as he closed the door. His piercing pale eyes surveyed her.
“Not so much.” Surprisingly, she didn’t feel more than a twinge of soreness. There was just this residual weakness and the ever-present vertigo.
“Is your back okay?” His tone was cool, but his gaze churned with the promise of retaliation against her attacker.
“Why don’t we skip the concern over my comfort? I know I’m not here to hash out my injury tally. Yesterday, well, day before yesterday, your helping me must have been self-serving in some way. So, drop that seductive smile. We’re going to ignore the hormonal disaster between us. Let’s skip to the part you tell me why you won’t leave me alone.”
“I’m not trying to seduce you.” Right now. “What’s going on with you is biology. You’re seducing yourself and me.”
His grin, much to her annoyance, made her cheeks heat.
He said, “I meant what I said the other night. Whatever’s going on here is unexpected and…distracting.”
“It’s aggravating.” Her body went traitor on her and sent heat coursing through her veins as she remembered the sensation he was capable of producing. The intensity in his eyes stole her breath. It stripped her raw and left her wanting every distracting touch he could dole out.
She had to get beyond this mesmerizing, seductive hold he had on her. Somehow she had to switch her brain out of take me please into this guy is dangerous and using you. Here was another ancient alpha with an angle. “Let’s stop this and get serious. Please.”
“I’ll get serious when you stop staring at me as if you prefer I tear off your clothes and lay you on this desk.”
Oh God, yes. She double blinked. “I have no such thoughts.”
“You’re a bad liar. You’re going to need my help.” Something flashed through his eyes that almost looked like apprehension. Because she needed his help?
“I think you’ve already helped me enough. You and your friends are putting my life in jeopardy.”
“Your father sent me to help you.”
“Dominic?”
His face tightened. “Dominic isn’t your father. Blaylock Lazlo sent me.”
“What do you mean Dominic isn’t my father? Of course he is.”
“Trust me, catifea. You’ve got Blay’s eyes. That little splash of brown in the midst of those greens is a familial mark. I, too, was skeptical until I saw that.”
“Who is Blaylock?” Panic ensued in her mind. It was a ruse, she told herself. He meant to throw her off balance.
“Blay is the werewolf who had a liaison with your mother. He’s the one Dominic thinks killed her.” No hint of dishonesty reflected in Lexan’s gaze or in his mind. Either he was a master poker player or he believed this to be truth.
“A wolf is my father? That’s ridiculous. Dominic says my mother cheated on him after I was born. Then this wolf went crazy and killed her. There’s absolutely no way this Blaylock guy is my father. I’m not a mix.”
“You’re not a pureblood vamp. Somehow your vampire genes allowed you to stay primarily vamp this long. Perhaps it was survival instinct. You’re craving sweets because your body is desperate for extra calories. The first shift depletes the muscles. So, the body prepares itself as best possible. You probably feel vertigo all the time as your body tries to find balance between what it is now and what it wants to become. All of this means your inner wolf is about to show herself. Why else would you be able to go into heat?”
“Is this some sort of game? If so, it’s not funny.” Vee stood to leave. Vertigo slammed hard, causing her to grab the sofa’s arm and sink back onto the plush seat.
“I will follow you until you hear me out. You are why I am here in this country. Your transition is going to happen soon, and when it does, if you’re near vamps… Well, it won’t be good for you.”
Vee crossed her arms and shot him a sour look, waiting.
“How often has Dominic sent his Squad vamps after you, like the one who knifed you?” His tone was cool. Too cool. His eyes turned arctic cold.
It took her a moment to adjust to the one-eighty the conversation just took. “That’s not what we were talking about.”
“It’s what we’re talking about now.” Lexan crossed his arms.
“That came out a bit more like kingly ordering than asking. I’m not one of your subjects.” She itched to fight and enjoyed it, but the room had taken on a hazy sheen, as if she was looking through a steamed-up shower door. Whatever Lexan said sounded as if he were underwater. Sparkles highlighted her peripheral vision.
The next thing she clearly registered was Lexan beside her on the sofa, holding her head. His large thigh pressed tightly next to hers. She gave into the desire to relax into him. Her eyelids drifted shut as she savored his smell. God, she could become addicted to it…probably already was.
He brushed hair off her face. “You need blood.”
“I’m pretty sure you don’t have a few bags of Type-O in the frig.” Even to herself her voice sounded slurred.
“Probably not.”
“Let me go home. There’s a convenience store nearby…just tired.” She struggled not to fall asleep.
The soft pads of his fingers touched her throat over her jugular. “Do you find human blood unfulfilling? That it doesn’t sustain you long? That you’re different than other vamps?”
She nodded, startled by his question. She’d kept the odd defect secret. Others could drink one liter of human blood or a sip from a fellow vamp and it’d last them a day or two. She needed one or two liters of human blood to get through twelve hours.
“Can you drink vampire blood?”
She shook her head, which made the world around her go to doubles.
“Dominic forbade anyone in the States to drink from a source, even a vampire source, unless the two are married. Even so, I did try it once with a vampire. Makes me sick.” One sip long ago from a friend made her puke for twenty-four hours.
“I think you need wolf blood.” He continued to stroke her throat.
Adrenaline fear eclipsed lethargy. She wiggled to get out of his grip and pushed away from him. “You want to poison me? I’ll die.”
“I’m pretty sure you won’t have a problem.”
“I’ve seen a vamp poisoned by wolf blood before. It’s one of Dominic’s favorite ways to execute traitors. Not pretty.” Capillaries ruptured, orifices bled, and eventually the vamp would die puking blood until he aspirated on it. She always figured it was some sort of species preservation thing.
Still, she couldn’t help speculating on the life source pulsating through the thick vein in Lexan’s throat. His neck muscles corded down to the junction of his clavicle, peeking out of a dark shirt. Sexual heat swelled her core to preheat. Others liked to bite during sex with vamps or humans. She’d never been tempted. The thought of Lexan pounding into her and then her taking his neck—she wanted it. Now. She had to physically shake her head to clear the intoxicating vision.
“It’s poison.” Good Lord, she couldn’t quit staring at the pulsing vein in his neck and wondering.
“You’re half wolf. My blood won’t hurt you. You already had some earlier, when you were half passed out.”
“What? I don’t believe you.”
“It happened, and you seem to be fine.”
She involuntarily licked her lips as she stared transfixed on his jugular.
“I need you healthy.” You’ll die going into the transition this weak. I won’t let you die.
“What transition?” She watched shock transform into a smile of comprehension. Well, screw it to Sunday, that’d been dumb. Never had she been careless with her ability to read thoughts.
“You are full of surprises, Vee. A mind reader. Rare. Terrifying to all species. Makes sense, though. Both your father and mother were known for remarkable mental capabilities.”
“Can’t you read minds?”
“I can communicate with others mentally, but not read minds. I’d give anything to know what you’re thinking right now.” His eyes smoldered as his gaze dropped to her lips. His finger touched one of her elongated, hypersensitive fangs.
She suppressed a groan. “Why, do you think I’m dying?”
“You’re a hybrid. A demisang. If you don’t accept both parts of yourself, you’ll die. Probably within the next forty-eight hours when your inner wolf starts to want out. You need wolf blood to help you through the transition. With the full moon almost at hand—”
“If there is a wolf part of me, it’s just going to have to suck it up and stay in the backseat right now. I’ve got enough to deal with being vampire. This is going to take my life to a whole new level of crazy. Can you please take me home?” She fell back against the sofa and put an arm over her eyes.
Lexan whipped out a small knife.
She cringed away from him. Maybe he lured her here for this end. Logic kicked in. He’d had too many opportunities to hurt her. He’d been super pissed when others had hurt her. Her murder wasn’t his objective.
Much to her shock, Lexan nicked his wrist. The smell of his blood tickled her nostrils. Her mouth watered. She tracked the small red stream as it flowed to his hand. Instinct clamored for her to lick it before it dripped. Before any was wasted. “I don’t drink from the source. It’s usua
lly disgusting.”
He moved his hand close to her mouth. “Just have a small taste. It won’t hurt you.”
The coppery smell tempted. It taunted. She was just too hungry to resist. Why not? She’d rather die than be married to Ambrose or forced to undergo the treatment.
Her mouth watered. “If I die, please don’t give my body back to Dominic. Burn it.”
He allowed a drop of his blood to fall onto her lips. “You won’t die.”
The first taste was…a revelation. His blood blazed down her throat, igniting in her stomach and spreading through her body, but not pain. She grabbed his wrist and licked off more. There was rejuvenation followed closely by white-hot desire. And recognition.
Her eyes snapped to his. “You fed me before, didn’t you?”
“I already said I did.”
Her heart pumped as if she was at a flat-out run. Her core throbbed to a point that the rub of her jeans over her center was almost too much. Any more tasting of him and she was going to tear off both their clothes and beg him to take her. Then she’d bite his neck.
The dark instinct within pushed her to latch onto him at any available blood vessel. The answer is no, even if it apparently wouldn’t kill her. She licked closed his self-induced laceration before she gave into temptation and latched on. Everything came into sharp focus: the feel of his heavily muscled body pressed tight against her, the heat of his skin against her lips, his spicy essence tantalizing her taste buds…and his less-than-subtle arousal.
She could hear his pulse pounding. The nectar in his vessels called its siren’s song to her. It lured her with the temptation of another drink…a deeper drink. This could become her addiction, obsession. So dangerous.
This wasn’t just about blood. It was also about sex. Nothing captivated a vampire more than a fine vintage at the same time as sex, not that she’d been tempted until now.
She glanced up at the ceiling, visually tracing the plaster cracks snaking toward the central chandelier. Walk away now, or you’ll lose it and go wild. He’s the one guy in the universe you cannot have sex with.
