Page 101 of Once Bitten, Twice Mine

CHAPTER 26

Valeria.

She tried to say her name, but her breath had been stolen away. Valeria was there, and she could hardly believe it as the woman gave her a devilish smile before lowering her head back to Edgar’s neck.

“You’re feeding on my husband.”

She released her fangs. “Do you have any objections?”

She should most definitely have an objection, but she didn’t have much loyalty to him after all. “I’m not sure if you should kill him.”

“Oops,” she said, wiping her mouth before letting go of Edgar, and he hit the floor with a thump.

“Did you really kill him?” Caroline sat up and tried to get a good look at Edgar’s body to see if he was dead or had passed out, but Valeria pushed her backwards.

“Yes, but I promise it was necessary. Don’t worry, I’ll clean you.”

Caroline looked down to see the spray of liquid was blood, and she made an unhappy sound. Valeria leaned down and lapped at the blood stains she made, running her mouth up her body as she cleaned the blood, pausing to lave her tongue over her nipple.

“I think you’ve thoroughly cleaned the blood from there,” she said, gasping as heat pooled in her belly.

She knew she could care that her husband lay dead on her bedroom floor, but the elation at Valeria’s return eclipsed everything.

“I plan on being very thorough with your clean up.”

Valeria’s mouth moved up her body, licking her exposed collarbone, up her neck and to her jaw before Caroline grabbed her head and kissed her with a fury she had never known before. It was a battle of lips and tongue and teeth, but she never wanted to let go.

When they finally broke apart, she gasped for air. “I can’t believe you’re here. Even if you are a little late.”

“I know, but I couldn’t come any sooner. I know it seems cruel after the way I left you, but there was a plan.”

“Was that letter part of your plan?”

She hated it with every fiber of her being, but she kept it on her bedside table and read it almost every day. Sometimes it hurt too much to look at it, but sometimes she needed that pain.

“No,” she said, sitting up with grief in her eyes. “There are a few things we should talk about before we go forward.”

“Okay.”

Caroline sat up as well. There was much for them to talk about, so she couldn’t complain, but she did mourn the loss of Valeria’s body over hers. They sat cross-legged facing each other, their knees touching as though their bodies could no longer bear the distance after being apart.

“When I came here, it was to kill you and your family. I was to rob you and figure out a way to drain your accounts and sell anything of value here before we moved on to America.”

“Why?” She already suspected as much based on what Valeria had done in her house and the cryptic things The Count had said to her, but she wanted to hear it directly from Valeria.

“When The Count Made me, he said I needed a dowry. Immortality is expensive, so I needed to bring in some wealth to help support our growing family. He also wanted to know that I was dedicated to my new life as a vampire. I was an orphan by then and didn’t have any close relations. It was easy giving up being human, and I was too in love to care.”

Caroline placed a hand on her knee. It was a sad story, and she could see why Valeria had agreed. She was alone, and he offered her a family.

“I didn’t think I had anything left to lose. I gave him a few names, but that money wasn’t enough. Then I remembered you, and he was finally pleased. Now I know he was digging for people I cared about. I’m so ashamed I even thought of you, but that summer we spent together seemed so long ago, and then I learned you were engaged. I convinced myself you were no longer the sweet girl I once knew. I regret even thinking of you for such an awful task.”

“I know.” She moved her hand to grab Valeria’s hand and squeezed it. “The Count told me, and I couldn’t get over how there had to be some underlying reason because I know you.”

Valeria snatched her hand away and put her face in her hands. “I can’t believe he came out here. I’m so ashamed of everything I’ve done.”

“Well, I certainly hope you aren’t ashamed of everything.” Her joke hung in the air for a moment, but when Valeria didn’t respond, she got closer until their shins were pressed together and she placed her hands on Valeria’s wrists. “You came here to kill me, but you couldn’t do it. You couldn’t even bite me. You fell in with some bad people, but you’re trying to change.”

Valeria’s hands fell, and her dark brown eyes softened. She looked at her with such adoration it nearly took her breath away. “You are far too good for me. Much better than I could ever deserve.”