Page 48 of Damian’s Conquest

“Technically I’m a hybrid, half vampire, half human.”

His voice sounded calm, but she wasn’t fooled. His fangs were extended, and she could see his nostrils flare and his gaze drop to her chest, to the blood that covered her. He wanted blood. She could see that. And something else was evident now too.

“It wasn’t just roleplaying last night, was it?”

He shook his head, and appeared to look guilty. How was that possible?

“I’m sorry, Naomi, I got carried away. I wanted you so badly, I couldn’t stop myself.”

That confirmed it. He’d bitten her. And judging by the look in his eyes, which were now shimmering golden rather than red, he was about to do it again. But she couldn’t allow that. Couldn’t let herself be at the mercy of a monster.

“Let me go, and I’ll never breathe a word of this,” she begged, knowing she had to do something to get away from him.

“I can’t do that, Naomi.”

He took a step toward her, and suddenly his fangs receded and looked like normal teeth again, as if she’d just imagined it.

“Please, let me go.”

“Naomi, I’m in love with you.”

The words shook her to her core. No, a vampire couldn’t love. A vampire was a bloodthirsty creature. Hell, vampires shouldn’t even exist.

“I’m sorry for biting you last night without your permission. I promise next time I’ll wait until you give me permission.”

“Next time?” She shook her head, panicked. “Why would I give you permission? Do you think I’m crazy?”

“No, but why do you think you climaxed so hard when we made love last night?”

She stared at him, her mouth going dry. What was he suggesting? That his bite had made her climax? No! That was ludicrous.

“A vampire’s bite heightens arousal in the vampire as well as the host.”

Naomi shook her head, not wanting to hear whatever else he had to say. “No!” Then she stared at the bottle she was still holding in her hand. “You lied to me even after I showed you the bottle I found. After I told you about the story I’m supposed to write. You kept deceiving me.”

“I was going to tell you tonight. That’s why I brought you here. So we could talk in private, and I could tell you what I am.”

“So I’d be alone with you, without anybody hearing me scream,” Naomi said, knowing she could never fight him. He was too strong. She was truly at his mercy.

To her surprise he chuckled.

“How’s that funny?” she snapped.

“Sorry, chérie, it’s just that you will scream, but not in pain or fear, but in ecstasy, because when we’re done here, you’ll want me to make love to you and to bite you while I’m inside you.”

The arrogance of his words made her slam the half-empty bottle on the shelf in the refrigerator door and brace her hands at her hips. “How dare you, you conceited, self-satisfied jerk, assume what I’m gonna do?”

When the words left her lips, she realized that she wasn’t afraid of him. She was pissed off with him. That realization hit her like a punch in the gut. At the same time, she remembered exactly how she’d felt when they’d had sex and he’d bitten her in the neck. She hadn’t felt any pain, and afterwards, there’d been no evidence of the bite. And she’d never felt so satisfied in her entire life.

Damian sighed. “Damn it, Naomi, how am I supposed to be able to think clearly, when you’re drenched in human blood, and all I can think of is licking it off you?” He ran a trembling hand through his hair. “This wasn’t how I was planning to have this conversation.”

“Well, that makes two of us, because I wasn’t planning on having this conversation at all,” she snapped.

“Take the damn top off, Naomi!”

“Make me!” The angry words were out, before she could take them back.

“Fine!”