Page 89 of Warrior Unraveled

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“You made quite an impression on my colleagues,” Wesley said, sliding his hand onto Virginia’s thigh.

He was driving toward his home in the Corona Heights neighborhood of San Francisco with Virginia in the passenger seat.

Virginia put her hand on his. “Tonight’s been a revelation for all of us, I think. I never thought vampires like your colleagues existed. They seem to abide by a code of honor. I never expected that from a creature who’s defined by its lust for blood.”

“Defined?” Wes cast her a sideways look.

“Well, they are, aren’t they? I’m assuming they still drink human blood.”

“They do. The vampires who’re bonded to humans drink from their human partner.” He winked at her. “And it’s quite a high, for both partners. But many of the others drink bottled blood. You know, donated blood. Scanguards buys blood via a medical supply company and then sells it to its employees at cost.”

“At cost? That’s generous.”

“Samson is extremely wealthy, as are many of Scanguards’ directors. He’s not in it for the money. He wants peace. And a future for his children.”

“About the biting…”

“Yes?”

“Have you ever been bitten?”

Wesley sighed. He should have expected the question. “Well…”

“If you don’t want to answer the question—”

He squeezed her thigh. “No, I do. I don’t have any secrets from you.” He shrugged. “I’ve been bitten. By male and female vampires.”

He felt her surprised gaze on him.

“I volunteered.”

“What do you mean?”

“There was a newly turned vampire, he was in dire need of human blood to survive. Samson asked me if I would let him drink from me. So I agreed—in exchange for being allowed into the bodyguard training program at Scanguards.” He looked at her. “And before you ask, no, it didn’t feel sexual, though I have to admit that I can see how it can turn sexual if you open your mind to it. But I’m not wired that way. It was a deal I made.”

“And the women?”

Wesley cleared his throat. Those incidents he couldn’t explain away as business. “Virginia, I want you to know that whatever is in my past will remain there.”

“You don’t have to—”

“I do. I dated a few vampire women, and I let them bite me, because I wanted to experience what everybody was talking about. When you live with vampires, that’s your world. Those are the people you hang out with, the company you keep.” He caressed her thigh. “But no matter how exciting it was, it pales in comparison to how I feel when I’m with you.”

“Wes, you…”

“Wait until we’re in bed. I’ll say it again, and then you’ll believe me, won’t you?”

He pulled into the driveway of his home and pressed the garage door opener. While the gate lifted, he looked at Virginia.

“I believe you,” she said softly and lifted her hand to his cheek. “Even when we’re not in bed.”

He slid his hand higher up her thigh. “I think we should still go to bed. We need our rest.”

Virginia brushed her lips against his. “Why do I get the feeling that we won’t get much rest in bed?”

“It’s not my fault. Well, not entirely anyway.” He kissed her. “You can’t look like you do, and then expect a guy to keep his hands to himself.”