Page 25 of Awakened Light

He took one look at it and laughed. “I’ll give you points for quick thinking. That paddle would have made a nice weapon.”

I tossed it aside. “My spear would be better.”

“I’m sorry I scared you. It didn’t even occur to me you wouldn’t understand the noise of a dirt bike.”

“A dirt bike?” I asked, furrowing my brow.

“Yes. That is what this is.” He pointed to the strange object. “It’s our ride back to the estate. I grabbed it from the farm.”

“Did you steal it?”

Twisting his lips, he hesitated, then answered, “Um, borrowed. I’ll bring it back to them.”

Narrowing my eyes, I placed a hand on my hip. “My mother says vampires hypnotize people and steal.”

He rubbed a hand behind his neck. “Well, that part of the rumors about us is true.”

I furrowed my brow.

“But we try to only steal from shitty people. We take their money, their homes, and the things they don’t deserve. My family doesn’t use our powers to take things from good people.”

“No?” I asked, searching his face for lies.

“No. I promise. And I will bring this bike back to them. I didn’t steal it. Borrowed.”

“Okay.” I crossed my arms. “But stealing is punishable by death in my tribe.”

“Borrowed. Don’t kill me.” He grinned, then waved me to come to his side. “So, this is a dirt bike. I’m going to sit here in the front, you’re going to sit on the seat behind me and hold on. It will drive us across the countryside to my home.”

“I sit on it?” I stared at the contraption and couldn’t begin to imagine how it worked.

“Yes. Have you ever ridden a horse?”

I nodded and stood up proudly. “I’ve ridden the island ponies many times. Almost every year, I win the tribal race.”

“This here?” He tapped the dirt bike. “Exactly like riding a pony. But it’s motorized and faster. You’re going to love it.”

I tipped my head while I examined it and contemplated going back to the safety of my island, but the excitement in Thorne’s eyes encouraged me to stay here and learn a little more of his world.

“Okay.”

“Okay.” He smiled widely, then straddled the dirt bike and patted the seat behind him.

I climbed on tentatively, then settled onto the seat. When my thighs closed around his body, a shiver of excitement snaked down my spine.

“Hold on tight around my waist,” he said as he glanced over his shoulder.

I did as he asked, and when my body pressed against his back, that shiver returned and intensified. My hands touched his rock-hard stomach as I pulled myself closer to him, and I struggled to keep my breathing steady.

“You hanging on?” he asked as he did something with a small jagged metal object.

“Yes.” I squeezed him tighter, and I felt that now familiar flutter inside my stomach he always seemed to cause.

“When I turn this key, it’s gonna get loud again, but that’s just the sound a dirt bike makes, so don’t be scared. Just keep holding tight to my waist when the dirt bike moves, and if you need me to stop, just yell. But you’re gonna love this. Trust me.”

I couldn’t even imagine how this thing worked, but I nodded anyway. My heart pounded against my ribcage... excitement about what would happen mixed with excitement to have Thorne in my arms.

The dirt bike started making that noise again, and it startled me at first. I could feel vibrations between my legs, and the sensation only amplified the ones Thorne had already started there.