A nervous chuckle escaped me.All rightdidn’t even come close to describing how wonderful I felt.
“I’m very well.” My voice sounded small and shaky.
“Good.”
“And you?” I glanced at him.
A fleeting, boyish smile graced his lips. “Your blood is fantastic.” The smile vanished. “I mean, your blood isn’t the only thing about you I find fantastic. It’s just…you.” He scrubbed the back of his neck. “Just you.”
I held back a grin, lest he think I was making fun of him. “Tell me how you feel.”
He hunched his shoulders. “I’m happy to have found you again. I’m not happy about the circumstances. I’m slightly embarrassed.”
“Why?”
“The taste of your blood reminded me of that night I’d drunk from you. I’m not proud of what I did. But also, it reminded me of how kind you’ve always been to me.” He took a long pause. “I felt what you felt earlier.”
I put a hand on my chest where the bond purred. “Because of our connection.”
“Yes. I’ve never experienced anything like that when I feed.” He touched his chest, too. “It’s like I’m holding you, and it’s the strongest sensation I’ve ever felt.”
His voice had lowered to a soft tone. It wasn’t as seductive as before, but sweet and tender, full of awe.
He stretched out his hand slowly until his fingertips almost brushed my hand. I didn’t know why touching me was such a challenge for him, but whatever the reason for his difficulty, it had to be deep. I remained still, my heart racing.
His jaw clenched as he stopped a breath away from my skin. His features hardened.
Silence stretched until he cleared his throat a few times, but didn’t say anything. I wondered how the bite would be. If a lash of his tongue triggered so much desire, the bite had to be devastatingly powerful.
I touched my arm where the cut had been. “If you can heal the wounds from your bite, how come your sire left them?”
“My sire probably lost his healing power. Vampires on the verge of becoming rogues can’t heal wounds anymore. I fear it might happen to me one day.”
I stretched out my fingers, almost touching his. “I don’t believe it’ll ever happen to you.” I stood up, still glowing from the wonderful sensations. “Thank you.”
“Any time.” He rose as well. “We’ll go to the city tomorrow.”
26
SOMETHING BORROWED
Irene
Iwas still reeling from Alex healing me hours later when I was in Myrtha’s bedroom, struggling to focus on the gowns. My brain suggested different ways to get injured, only to ask Alex to heal me. He’d said any time, after all.
Surely, after what we’d shared, he would touch me. He would be more comfortable with me and hold me. Unless there was another reason for him not to touch me.
Guilt worked its way through my mind, making me wonder if I shouldn’t have enjoyed the healing so much.
“Here we are.” Myrtha pulled me back from my musings.
She’d placed a few of her gowns on the four-poster bed to find something that would fit me. A display of fine velvet, silk, and satin was spread on the embroidered quilt. Everything in her bedroom was bright and immaculate. Even the fireplace was made of white marble.
The room gave me a sense of space and light, but it was cosy at the same time. There were plants everywhere, mismatchedvases, candles of different colours, paintings of blooming meadows, and baskets filled with fashion magazines.
Myrtha shifted her attention from the gowns to me. “Something that matches your complexion.” She inched closer. “My goodness. You look all rosy and glowing. Are you regaining energy?” Hope rang out in her voice.
“Yes. I mean, no.” I touched my warm cheeks. “I’m better. That’s all.”
