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So the sooner he feeds from me, the sooner Colton won’t know where I am. “Where do I sign?” I ask, looking at his phone.

He laughs again. “Peace, Andi. These things take time. Our contract will be specific, so I don’t have one lying around. I will need my lawyer to draw up the papers.”

“Then call them,” I say, desperate for Colton’s hold to be off of me. “Get it set up. Wouldn’t they be awake anyway, if they’re a vampire?”

His smile is amused when he says, “She is actually a witch and keeps regular business hours. Do you truly need our contract before Monday, anyway?”

Technically, I don't need a bodyguard until Monday when I go back to rehearsals and the show, but the idea that Colton can somehow track me with some witchy nonsense sends shivers down my spine and makes me feel ill.

“Then feed from me right now, with no contract,” I plead, pulling all my hair to one side and tilting my head so that my neck is bared.

Julian’s eyes dilate, his gaze flicking toward my proffered neck. I can tell that the offer is tempting him. He rises from his chair, and I expect him to lean down over me, but he reaches out a hand and gently tilts my head back straight, my hair falling back into place.

“Not the neck, ma souris,” he chides, though there is what sounds like affection in his tone. “The neck is for lovers. And we are not like that yet, you and I.”

Yet. I blush again, but barely have time to react when he takes my hand and pulls my wrist up to his mouth. His fangs descend again, his eyes glowing, but I’m not scared this time. We’ve talked it through. A bargain is a bargain.

His fangs slip effortlessly into my skin, and I wince slightly at the invasion, but soon, just like he said, pleasure replaces pain coursing in my veins. It’s a feeling like a mixture of heady sweet wine and choice weed mixing together. I feel a little light-headed, but in a good way. All too soon, we are done, and he pulls away, grimacing like he just took the bitterest of medicines. He spits, blood splashing on the hard floor, and gags slightly. I’m still coming down from the high, though, and can’t even begin to understand what’s happening.

“Definitely cursed,” He says, spitting again. “Made your blood taste like shit. It’s almost like it was tailored especially to stop a vampire from removing it, but I did. It’s gone, without a trace. You are free, ma souris. My gift to you.”

My head swims down from the pleasure he gave me as he fed, and it takes a moment to understand what he said.

“‘I’m so sorry,” I say, sitting up straight. “Was it really terrible?”

“I have not had something so unpleasant in my mouth for a long time. It tasted like poison.”

“Do you need to feed again, then?” I offer, holding my wrist up. The holes in it are already almost gone and healed. “To wash out the taste?”

He looks at my wrist, but there’s no anticipation in his eyes now. “I will not risk it so soon after removing the curse, ma souris, but thank you for your generous offer. I will wait a few days before feeding on you again, just to be sure that the taste is completely gone.”

That makes sense, but I find myself feeling disappointed. The feeling when he fed from me was . . . indescribably nice. I felt better than I had in a long time.

Julian must read my expression because he smiles and reaches out an affectionate hand, stroking my cheek. After all his touches this evening, I don’t even feel weirded out by him doing that anymore.

“No disappointment, ma souris. I will feed again soon enough, but for now, let’s give it some time.”

I nod. There’s nothing else I can do. A wave of tiredness engulfs me as I look at him. Maybe it wouldn’t be a good idea to lose more blood, anyway. I look at my plate of unfinished food and pull it back toward me, taking another bite.

Julian smiles. “Good. You’ll need to keep up your strength if you are to be a good host. Health tastes best. In fact, give Gaspard your address, and I’ll have food delivered to you. I want you in peak condition next time I feed.”

I want to argue, as that seems like stepping over the line into controlling, but I suppose my blood is my payment, and he has a right to make sure it’s to his taste. “Alright,” I agree. “You’re the boss.” I would need to give Gaspard my address anyway, so that they can send the bodyguard to me.

Julian is suddenly in front of me again, doing that thing where he moves too fast for me to see. He is close to my face, and I make a shocked intake of breath. I wish he’d stop doing that, but maybe that’s how fast vampires always move when they aren’t hiding what they are.

“Yes, Andi. I am the boss. Your boss now. It will be official on Monday when you sign the papers, but now I will tell you something else about vampires. The older we get, the more possessive we are. I will not share you with any vampire. I know that you have just experienced the bliss of a vampire’s bite, but if you were to look for that feeling with another of my kind, I will kill them, and their blood will be on your hands.”

I gulp, intimidated, but slightly insulted. “I wouldn’t do that,” I reply carefully. “You said I was your host exclusively, right? I wouldn’t break a contract. My vow is important too, you know.”

He peers at me, weighing my words. Then, like the crazy mercurial fucker he is, he’s suddenly gone, standing at his chair like he was never all up in my face at all. “Good,” he says, picking up his phone, “we understand one another.”

He pushes some buttons and puts his phone up to his ear again. It strikes me that he keeps calling people, which is so old-fashioned, but I guess he did say that he’s an ancient vampire. He looks like he’s in his thirties, but I have no idea how old he actually is.

“It’s me,” he says again. “Have the car brought around for Miss Smith and take her home.”

He hangs up the call without a farewell and then looks at me. “Gaspard will take you home. Look for the contract and your new bodyguard on Monday.”

“Ok,” I say, feeling dismissed. I take one last bite of the pasta. It’s good, even though it’s room temperature. I stand and move toward the door, but then look over my shoulder. “Thank you for your time, Commandant,” I say for the second time this evening. But that’s what Jade told me to say, and even though the rest of this evening didn’t go at all like she said it would, I want to do things right.