So, I part my lips and let my fangs answer her questions.
Blood drains from her face, and her eyes whip to the door and back, heart racing as she comes to the correct conclusion: leaving is impossible. Her throat makes a distinct gulping sound, and instead of screaming or crying, she shakes her head rapidly, wet hair flicking water everywhere.
“No, no, no, no, this isn’t real. This can’t be possible. Or happening. Or just…no.”
And then she laughs.Laughs.
“Oh, universe, you really do have it out for me. Not only is my vacation completely wrecked due to an accident, but I’m saved by a fucking. Mythical. Creature. Who isn’t that mythical after all.” She tilts her head to the ceiling. “This is how I die, isn’t it?”
“You’re not dying,” I growl, my teeth snapping in a way that returns her attention to them. “I’ve saved your ass quite a few times, so you need to understand that I won’tletyou die. To die is to leave me, and that won’t be happening.”
She exhales. Stares. Shakes her head and stares longer before finally whispering, “Then what do you want with me?”
Everything you have and are.
Without letting me respond, she goes on to ask, “This is fake, right? You’re fucking with me. Your…” She winces. “Your…teethare fake.”
“Come see for yourself.” My tone deepens invitingly. My fangs are too prominent to ignore, and thoughts of her skin shift my vision once again—something done purposeful for her benefit.
The blood running through her lovely veins drains, and her hair flies around from the rapid head shakes. She backs away, chest heaving, as fear—real fear, nothing like what had herlaughing moments ago—drives her towards the bathroom, as far away as she can get.
“This isn’t real. It’s not possible.Howis this possible? How arevampiresreal?” Her hands lift to cover her mouth, but at the brief touch of her fingers to her own lips, she flinches. “You’re not real. I must have died in that crash, and all of this is in my head. There’s no way afantasy creatureis standing in front of me.”
“You’re notdead.”Who’d have thought humans could ignore something blatantly revealed to them?“And from what I’ve been told, a human long ago made a deal for immortal life with a demon. Thus, the first vampire. He turned another for companionship, and so on, until here we are.”
“A d-demon? Next you’ll tell me witches are real.” She laughs again, strained, and tucks wet strands around her ear.
I point south. “The closest coven is in Banff.”
“I was kidding,” she murmurs, rubbing her hands up and down her face. “Jesus fucking Christ, this isn’t reality.”
“Shifters exist too—close by, in fact. Angels and demons are around, though no one really has business with the Celestials.”
Alec will kill me for telling her all this. Then he’ll kill her for her knowing.
Her eyes flick to the door again, desperation for escape growing. Even though she likely won’t try again, I’m still compelled to position myself between her and the door.
The next time she attempts to leave me, I’m turning her into a vampire.
“Wow. That’s…wow.” Another grating chuckle. “I want to not believe you, but here you are…” She gestures wildly to my face, wincing. “And that’s…wow. So, you drink…?”
“Blood. And let me tell you, it’s been nearly impossible to maintain control around you—because you smelldivine. Like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. No, I haven’t tasted yourblood yet, not even while cleaning you up. When I said I’d keep you safe, I meant it. Even from me.”
Her hand briefly touches her hair. “So that’s how you found me.”
I jerk my chin. “I smelled the blood.”
“Why help me?”
I didn’t want to help her and admitting that probably won’t gain her trust. Some unknown force begged me to, and even though I’m young by vampire standards, I’m not foolish enough to ignore a compulsion that strong.
“You needed it,” I reply, sticking to the truth—a simple fact. “Either animals would have found you or you would have frozen to death. Like tonight.” Unshielded anger and bitterness slip into my tone at the reminder of how we ended up here—of her learning what I am so soon, of her nearly dying. “This weather isn’t meant for humans. What exactly were you setting out to do earlier?”
“Escape.” Her bright eyes blaze a brilliant blue flame that ignites another kind of fire in me. Brave little human to be standing up to a vampire like this. “From you, because I didn’t—don’t—trust you. So many of your behaviours weren’t adding up, and I was convinced you were a serial killer. At least I was right about one thing.”
The fragile control chaining my true self snaps, propelling me across the room until her throat is in my grip and her back is shoved against the wall. She’s so fragile and breakable, it makes me feel like a starved man. Her throat gulping against my palm, innocent and weak and entirely in my control, calls to the monster within. She couldn’t stop me from sinking my teeth into her—or fucking her in this position—and that…ispower.
“Get this through your head right fucking now—I willneverhurt you. I found you. I claimed you. And I’ll be keeping you. No harm will ever come to you again. That’s a fucking vow.”
