My so-called logical theory was falling apart. Vampires could sense human life force—it's how they figured out who was worth eating, and who had already gone cold. So if he sensed Bean die, then rise…
You did this to me, witch…
“You’re right—there’s more. I… I can’t explain it. I don’t know…” Tears pricked my eyes. In a whisper only a vampire could hear, I said, “Nothing like that ever happened before. I swear. I—”
“Miss Desario.” The warning tone in Darius’s voice stopped me cold. I swallowed hard and met his gaze, realizing how weak I must look. Like a scared little girl. Like prey.
His eyes blazed suddenly with red-hot desire. If Darius had been a younger vampire, one with less control over his predatory instincts, I’d already be dead.
He wanted me to know it. And he was giving me about five seconds to do something about it.
I hated the bullshit power games, but not as much as I’d hate being dead.
With all the confidence I could muster, I gritted my teeth, jerking free of his hold. “Message received,vampire. Back off.”
After a beat, Darius stepped backward and turned away from me, putting some much-needed distance between my throat and his fangs.
Get your shit together, Desario.
Standing up straight again, I took a deep breath and forced the tremble out of my limbs. Scared and snackable? Definitely not a good look for me.
“Does coven know about your… extracurricular activities?” Darius asked, still facing the wall.
As if I’d tell those witches anything.
“No one knows.Ididn’t even know I had that kind of juice until last night.”
“Juice?” At this he turned around, his eyes still smoldering but slightly less terrifying. “If that was witchcraft, it’s not a magic I’ve ever encountered among your people.”
So I’m not just any old freak. I’m asuper freak!Awesome.
“Okay, let’s assume you’re right,” I said, clinging to the possibility that that the darkness hadn’t come from me after all. “If it wasn't my witchcraft, what was it?”
“Nowthatis the question, yes?” Darius considered me, his lips twisting into a calculating smile. I could practically hear the gears turning in his head, all the possibilities playing out in his hyper-logical mind. “A witch with a new toy. Imagine if you also had my strength? Speed? Immortality? Ah, the things we could achieve.”
Even if I wanted to be an immortal, superstrong bloodsucker—and that was a big if—I wouldn't take the risk.
Witches were human, so turning vamp would require a blood swap—he drinks mine, I drink his. But we also had the added complication of magic in our blood, whether we used it or not—and no one knew how vampire blood affected us long term.
Because short term? No witch had ever survived the change.
"Perhaps we can come to an arrangement,” Darius said.
“Thank you for the invitation, but that's a hard pass.”
“Regardless…” The hunger in his voice sounded especially menacing out here in the alley, with no one around to hear me scream. “The invitation remains."
“Noted.”
“Come.” Darius opened the door to the service entrance and gestured for me to enter ahead of him. “It seems we have some things to discuss.”
I took a step backward and raised my hands. “Again, thanks for the invitation, but I—"
“Apologies for giving you the wrong impression, love.” Darius clamped a hand over my shoulder, eyes blazing once again. “Butthatwas not an invitation.”
Six
Gray
