I should push him away. It’s ridiculous to be letting a mythical creature touch me this intimately.
Until his teeth nip, proving his touch isanythingbut mythical.
After another groan, he tugs the sweater back down and lifts onto his arms, coming over top of me. His bangs fall forward, revealing bright eyes and a smirk bred straight from the demons he claims to be his ancestors.
“It’s a promise,” he continues in a low murmur, “to spend eternity between your legs.”
Visions of him keeping that promise consume me until the only thing I see, the only thing on my mind, ishim.
When my attention drops to the curve of his mouth, it’s with another kind of intrigue that has my elbows shifting me upright. Would it be ridiculous to kiss after so few days of knowing him? Especially considering how many times his mouth has already been on my skin.
His arms lock to keep him rigid. Neither of us breathe. Him out of his immortality, and me because my lungs have decided to take a holiday elsewhere.
What if all thisisa trick? Some majorly fucked-up psychological warfare game meant to destroy my defenses? He’s capable of easily overpowering me, so there’d be no need for the bizarre trust exercise he’s putting me through.
Given all the possibilities, I turn my head towards the side table, checking the time while pretending the moment has passed. Except it hasn’t. Not according to my arousal that’scursing me out for not kissing him back, for not letting him bite me.
“Noon,” I state aloud. “I’ve been sleeping in so long.”
“You’re still healing. It’s natural.” His voice now comes from the end of the bed, the warmth his proximity created fading into the chill of the cabin air as he climbs off me.
“Makes sense.” Eyes averted, I roll out of bed and escape to the bathroom to drown myself in ice-cold water.
We spendthe day inside the cabin because there’s literally nowhere else to go. It’s slightly warmer today, but negative thirty isn’t actuallywarmby any stretch. Besides, with it being daylight, Lucian’s stuck inside.
He inquiries about everything and anything, and I meaneverything.
He has me describe an average day, all the good and bad moments from childhood, what activities I enjoy—except hobbies are a rich person’s luxury, so mine is checking all the local sights out—and my list of dream vacations: places I’d love to visit but likely never will.
In between, I attempt asking questions about him. Some regarding being a vampire, but mostlyhim. His human life, and how he spends his free time, which he has an endless amount of. What decade has been his favourite so far, and which music and clothing style he adapted to the quickest and which he misses the most. Since he asked me my favourite colour, I snuck the same question in.
He answers everything, but constantly shifts the conversation back to me, resulting in a battle of the wills he wins nearly every time.
The time on my phone reads five p.m. when I note, “A few hours until Christmas Eve.”
This is when the sun is set and my evening should involve a book in front of the fireplace, or simply staring at the outdoors. For once, not working but justbeing. Still and present and happy.
When’s the last time I felt happy? Truly content?
Today.
Although I’m not spending my break how intended, being with Lucian has been fun. Without the hatred Mom so often provokes, and the exhaustion work brings, Lucian—like me—is content to simply exist. I’ve smiled more during our conversation from opposite sides of the room than I have in months.
Lucian’s next question steals me from my wandering thoughts, demanding I tell him about any holiday traditions had growing up. None, because Mom sucked, but I detail the ones I fantasized about.
And then, night falls.
CHAPTER 10
Lucian
I’m fuckingstarving.
Being wrapped around her half the day, my face in her hair and neck, breathing in the scent of her bloodright fucking thereis one thing. But having her move against me, her breathy little moans inviting more trouble than she comprehends, is an entire other. She has no clue the predator she’s taunting.
I’m seconds—fractions—away from losing myself in her. From answering that little curiosity from earlier and allowing her to figure out for herself if feeding is painful on the victim or not.
The way she felt beneath my hands, the way her body moved like the little creeks that run wild in the summertime… My tongue jams into my fangs to prevent from making a noise. I could have fucked her in my bed this morning and had her screaming my name all day.
