Page 12 of Bonded Through Bite

“How are you feeling?”

Like I got run over by a truck repeatedly. “Fine.”

“Don’t lie to me, Samantha.” He really has some fixation on repeating my name.

“Better than before,” I amend.

“The bar for that statement is not very high.”

I’m too tired to argue, so I push the blanket aside and slowly sit up. Goose bumps litter my skin, but the cold also wakes me up more. Carefully, I get up and test if my legs will hold. Once I’m confident that I won’t fall on my face after the first step, I turn to look roughly in the direction where Rafael’s voice came from.

“Point me in the direction of the bathroom.”

“I’ll take you there.” He’s already up and beside me, and I have more trouble than usual keeping up with him. Not that I can keep up with his movements on the best of days, but now, in the dark, it feels more like teleportation than actual movement. Who knows, maybe he really can teleport. I’m not an expert in all things vampiric.

“I can walk.”

“It’s dark down here. I’ll carry you.”

“Take it easy,” I warn him. I don’t need to get motion sickness too.

He takes my words seriously, and his hands glide over my body slowly before he lifts me up like I might break. I don’t even feel the movement when he walks and he keeps my head steady against his shoulder when he opens the door. I assume it’s a door anyway. It’s still too dark to see a thing.

“Next corridor has more light,” he says and I close my eyes. Gradually, the light behind my lids gets brighter and by the time my eyes adjust enough that I can open them, we are in the bathroom.

“You can put me down now.”

Carefully, he does and makes sure I’m steady on my feet. Then he hands me my purse and heads out. I take in the scarecrow staring back at me from the mirror and can’t blame him for bolting. Thank heavens my hair is short, so even when it is flat on one side and sticks out on the other, it’s still better than the rat’s nest that I used to have with long hair.

My eyes are swollen and red, and the faded blue looks gray. There are light marks on my body from earlier, reminders of the fun I had before the crash. I trace a finger down the line of small hickeys on my throat. My breasts hold a couple faint ones too and small marks from his fingers are on my hips.

The dress still lies on the floor and I pick it up. It’s wrinkled, smelly, and I have nothing else to put on, so there is no point showering first. I tug it over my head, pick up my heels and purse, and head out. Rafael walks out of the bedroom at the same time, dressed in dark blue jeans and a white T-shirt. No man should look so good in a T-shirt.

“Ready to go?” he asks and I nod. I would kick myself out too. “Let’s go then.” He picks up the car keys.

“You don’t have to drive me. I can call a cab.”

“Not an option.” He walks to the door and waits for me. I step into my heels and strap them on. My feet groan in vicious protest. I’ll get home faster with him driving, so why fight it.

I sink into the leather seat and focus on keeping my breathing even and nausea at bay. It’s a nice car, one that I would love to take out on the highway in the middle of the night. The car windows are tinted and I wonder if that allows him to be outside during sunlight.

“Are you sure you’re good to drive me? It’s getting bright,” I ask.

Rafael pulls on sunglasses and maneuvers into the morning traffic with ease as he replies, “I’m not a young vampire, Samantha. You know that already.”

“That’s not an answer,” I reply and let my eyes shut when the sun hits them. I wish I had sunglasses too.

“Sunlight is an inconvenience. Think of it as an allergy. Some people have stronger reactions than others. I’ve had a long time to build up tolerance and I’ve done it with purpose.”

“Oh.” The drive is silent after that, since his tone is strained and I don’t want to pry anymore.

Miraculously, he finds a parking space right in front of my apartment and it’s only then that I realize I didn’t tell him my address. We’ve never been to my home. I’ve refused to see him anywhere else but the Lair. It should creep me out that he knows where I live, but this is Rafael—I bet he could find out a lot more than my address if he wanted to.

“Thanks for the ride.” I mean it in more ways than one.

He snarls, actually snarls, and the steering wheel bends under his grip. The moment is gone in a blink and he breathes in deeply and releases his grip. I didn’t know vampires needed to breathe. Maybe it’s just a habit? He gets out and rounds the hood to open my door for me. He even offers his hand to help me out, but when I step toward my apartment, he doesn’t let go.

“I’m good. You can let go now.”