Why am I not chasing him?
He was my mate. My vampire.My Cam.
I stepped away from the table, his voice suddenly in my head as he whispered,You can hunt me any day, sweet lioness. I’ll always be easy prey. For you. And only you.
His deep tones sent a tremble down my spine, my thighs clenching at the insinuation in his words.
Why am I still standing here?I asked myself.Go hunt him.
It was the only way I could determine if we had a path forward. Either he upheld his words and intentions, or he hurt me. But I wouldn’t know which way this would go unless I attempted to trust him again.
Standing here and wallowing in the past would never move us into the future.
Cam knew that.
And it was time I knew that, too.
Straightening my spine, I headed toward the door.I’m prowling your way,I told Cam, purposely using a verb that seemed lioness-like.
His resulting amusement warmed my mind.I’ll be waiting for you to pounce, my queen.
Goose bumps pebbled down my arms at the notion ofpouncingon Cam. Maybe I’d straddle his face again. Only this time, I’d ask him not to bite me. I wasn’t ready for that yet.
I… I just wanted to experience this version of him. But without the underlying threat of violence.
Or maybe with just a hint of it.
His inner predator enthralled me. That beast tempted me to want things I shouldn’t.
I just needed to be able to trust him not to harm me in the process.
There’s only one way to know for sure,I decided as I reached the hallway.I have to try. It’s the only way to forgive…My brow furrowed, my thoughts trailing off. “Keys?”
He was sitting against the wall, his head canted at a strange angle.
Frowning, I moved toward him, my brain struggling to process what I was seeing.His shirt is wet.The candlelight seemed to be reflecting off the black fabric.
And his tie was… askew.
His jacket torn.
One shoe was missing.
But his neck was what held my focus. His dark skin was damp there, too.
No, not damp.Bloody.
Ismerelda,Cam said into my mind.Go back into the room and lock the door. Now.
The urgency in his voice had me freezing midstep, my mind processing his command in slow motion. I understood him. It was just the… the scene in front of me… I…
Ismerelda!
I blinked, my feet moving backward in a frantic motion until I hit the wall.
Wait, no… not a wall.It was too soft. Too pliant.
I’m coming,Cam vowed.I’m almost there!
