Page 81 of Eternal Obsession

“You would have bled to death.”

“Let me go.”

“I transformed Jadeon so that you wouldn’t mourn him.”

“You lie.”

“I just see things through a different perspective, that’s all.”

“Is that how you justify all that you do?”

“Look, Alex, I know that sometimes my moral compass can be a little off,” I said.

“You’re kidding, right?”

I smiled. “Do you remember when we spent that evening in that Marazion Inn, when I arranged that whore for you? Alex, you were so innocent then. You should have seen your face when you realized why she was in the room.”

Alex blushed. “You seduced me.”

I leaned in to kiss him. Alex closed his eyes, expecting my lips. He reopened his eyes to see me smiling at him.

Alex turned his head, abashed. “Why do you torment me?”

“Because it gives me so much pleasure.”

“No.”

“Shush.” I leaned in again.

He pushed at me. “I try to understand this hold you have on me,” he said.

Our lips met—no tenderness, only revenge. His mouth crashed against mine with the fury of centuries, fangs grazing skin, drawing just enough blood to taste without breaking. A shiver danced down my spine as pain flirted with pleasure, and in that kiss we poured everything—our hate, our history, the savage ache of love we could never speak aloud.

Alex faltered.

Our kiss was entrenched in secrets and longing. The walls around us were lined with forgotten portraits of Stone Masters past who watched in silence as we moved against each other, me grinning and then him. Two creatures born of night, bound by something older than desire. The mind-gift taunting him, coaxing, my silent words curled around his thoughts, stroking the edges of control.

This, the sweetest revenge and yet a part of me cherished it, cherished him. Even as my heart twisted with guilt that I cared.

I drew back and Alex rested his head against me. “Still hate you.”

“Come back to me,” I said.

Breathless, Alex leaned his head back against the wall, uncertain.

“Say it. I want to hear you say it,” I said.

“And I want to hear where Catherine is,” Alex replied.

We stared at one another.

“She’s in London,” I said.

“Where in London?”

I let go of Alex’s arms and groped for his shirt buttons, undoing them one at a time.

“Tell me please, Orpheus, and I will tell you what you want to hear. But first, where is she?”