Page 12 of Viktor

“You all right, pet?” Viktor asked, his voice soft.

“Yes, yes. Everything is fine.” She blinked, focusing on Viktor, attempting to shake off the spell.

Viktor slowed to a standstill, holding her hand, his arm still around her waist. “I’ve got you.”

“I can’t do this.” Her eyes fell to his lips, her voice wavered. “I really should go. I have some work to do.”

Waverly’s heart pounded in her chest as he leaned toward her, his warm breath upon her ear.

“I assure you when I bite you, you will be begging me to do it,” he whispered.

“Viktor, I…" Words failed her, her chest touching his. Her traitorous body responded, flooding with arousal. She imagined his lips on her skin, his tongue slipping between her legs.

Gunshots rang out, shattering the moment. Patrons ran for cover, scurrying about the lobby, ducking behind tables and exhibits. Screams echoed throughout the room as the hail of bullets shot up into the ceiling, raining chunks of glass onto the event.

“Get down,” Waverly cried out, clutching to Viktor as they ducked behind a large stone column.

“I’ll be back,” he whispered and in a blink of the eye, he’d disappeared, leaving her safely behind a thick column.

Waverly sucked back tears as a hot stabbing pain tore down her leg. With her dress torn, she could only see a red pool of blood on the floor. What’s happening?

She searched for Viktor in the pandemonium. From across the room, she saw her vampire, fangs bared, pinning the gunman to the floor. How did he get there so quickly? Although the gunfire was silenced, the chaos continued, people pouring out of the front doors.

Sirens sounded from outside the building, and she breathed a sigh of relief. A gentle hand touched her shoulder and she looked up to Viktor.

“I…I think I’ve been shot.” Tears streamed down her face as she held up her hand to him, blood dripping from her fingers. Strong arms surrounded her, and the room began to spin.

“Hang in there, love,” he told her. “It’s going to be okay. I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.

“Help me,” she begged as another stabbing pain sliced through her entire body. A black tunnel swirled in her line of vision, a pin of light fading fast. As if suffocated under a wave, she succumbed to the darkness. “Viktor…”

3

Viktor sat in the velvet chair, staring at the beautiful woman in his bed. He shook his head, inwardly cursing. He should have just taken her to the emergency room. Instead, he dematerialized her to his home in Miami Beach. Her injury revealed itself to be a flesh wound, which he easily healed. Sealing it over with his tongue had been the easy part. As he suspected, the taste of her would haunt him, her exceptional blood both potent and flavorful.

“Dude.”

Viktor looked up to see the shifter standing in the hallway, wearing a smug smile. Rafe Beaumont. Five months ago, Viktor had rescued the wolf after a demon attack. In a last-ditch effort to save him, the vampire had done the unthinkable, and fed the wolf his blood and that of a high priestess.

Foolish decision. He’d created a hybrid. Both beast and vampire, the wolf could shift and run free, but he’d need blood to survive. Rafe had remained in his care ever since.

“I’m busy,” Viktor grumbled.

“Whatcha doin’? Is this all part of the vampire 101 super-secret bat-flying handbook?” Rafe joked.

“Curiosity killed the cat,” Viktor replied flatly.

“Good thing I’m a wolf.”

“I don’t have time for your shit right now.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Rafe glanced to the bed and back to Viktor. “I see that.”

“Whatever it is, now is not the time,” he warned.

“Say, Vik. Is that a girl in your bed?” Rafe entered and sniffed, looking down to a bloodied heap of fabric lying on the floor. “Oh no, man. What did you do?”

“Nothing.” Viktor exhaled an audible breath.