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Her own smile dims. “One second, he was there on the bed as I sashayed toward him. The next, he was on the other side of the room, putting two beds between us and averting his eyes.”
I nod thoughtfully. “You’ve got him on the run.”
“And I plan to catch him,” she says, her voice firm with confidence.
“And then, what?” I ask.
“What do you mean?” she asks.
“What happens when you catch him?”
“I think that would be obvious, Eden,” she deadpans.
I lean forward in my chair so she can hear my words as I lower my voice. “That’s not what I mean, and you know it. Sex with a vampire is more than just sex. I mean, it doesn’t have to be, but you’d me missing out on a lot of pleasure if you don’t let him bite you. So, will you? Let Erik bite you, I mean?”
She sinks into her chair a bit, tugging her lower lip between her teeth to gnaw it. I don’t rush her for an answer. It’s an important decision to make, especially for a witch. Steph may not have been raised with the knowledge that vampires are her mortal enemies, but the social stigma remains. On the other hand, I’m a witch, too, and I let Jesse do a hell of a lot more than bite me. I practically forced him to turn me so I could be with him forever. Steph found out she was a witch only a short time before I discovered the truth about myself, so we’re kind of in the same boat. The bias against vampires doesn’t affect me in the least, but I don’t have a family to disappoint like she does. Bernadette is helping us vampires, but that doesn’t mean she wants her niece to get involved with one.
Plus, the expected pain is scary as hell. I’ve described it to her, and she knows it doesn’t really hurt. That the pleasure is unlike anything she ever has––or ever will––experience. But self-preservation is a powerful thing, and choosing to surrender that power is a tough decision.
“I think I would,” she says finally, her voice low and thoughtful. Tilting her head to study me, she adds, “I want to know what it feels like, and I’m certain Erik wouldn’t hurt me.”
“No, he wouldn’t,” I say with a slight shake of my head.
I haven’t known the Vikings long, but it’s obvious both of them are very protective of those in their inner circle. Neither of them would allow any of us to be hurt if they could help it, much less inflict pain, themselves.
And Steph’s right about Erik. He wants her. I’ve seen it, myself. If she keeps trying to entice him the way she did last night, he’s going to break. It’s inevitable.
“What happened next?” I ask with a small smile, hoping to lighten the conversation.
“I walked to my bed, and we stared at each other for a moment, him on one side and me on the other. Then I tried to be sexy, climbing onto the mattress and crawling toward him. His eyes dipped to my chest––the camisole dipped open to reveal everything––and he licked his lips. Oh, my God, Eden, I almost came on the spot. But then he caught himself and zipped away. I didn’t even see him move. One second, he was there, and the next, the bathroom door was closing with him inside.”
She slumps back into her chair, picking at her scrambled eggs with her fork.
“How long was he in there?” I ask when she doesn’t speak again.
Her eyes snap up to meet mine. “I don’t know. Five, maybe ten minutes?”
“Did he take a shower?”
Her face scrunches in confusion. “No, actually. When we got to the room, he said he’d shower while I’m out with you this morning. He didn’t want to leave me alone and unprotected, even for the few minutes it would take for him to get clean.”
I nod slowly. “So, I wonder what he was doing in the bathroom for five or ten minutes when he insisted on being present to keep an eye on you.”
I say the words with an air of suggestion, and slowly, Steph’s confused frown brightens into a wide smile.
“You think he was masturbating?”
I shrug. “Vampires don’t need to use toilets, and he did just get an eyeful of your boobs while you actively tried to seduce him.”
She bounces in her seat. “I’m so going to wear him down.”
We eventually move on to other topics, and I tell Steph about my call to family services and my plan to revisit Terremagie again today. She has the same initial response Jesse did, worry over my safety after what happened last time. After giving her the same assurances I gave my mate, she eventually caves and agrees it’s a decent idea.
We head back to the hotel together, then split off on our floor to head to our rooms. Using my key, I unlock the door and head inside, then freeze at the sight before me. Jesse is standing beside the bed, watching me with those dark, loving eyes, and a stranger sits on the mattress beside him. A male, human stranger.
“Eden, this is Matt,” Jesse finally says when I don’t move or speak.
“Hello, Eden,” Matt says, his voice light and friendly.
