Page 35

Oh hell no. I had to get out of this place. I didn’t understand the inner workings of vampire culture, and I wasn’t going to learn it all in one night, but this…was that why he brought me here? To make me a mate?

I stood, filled the glass with more champagne, and gulped it before pacing. For shifters, mates were fated. If that’s what this was, I sure didn’t feel it. Did that mean he meant to make me like him? Is that what happened in the past life? Had I tried to get away—or killed myself to escape?

Stop panicking, ordered Pythia.

Right. That wouldn’t help.

Julian burst back out onto the terrace, slamming the doors behind him. His suit jacket and tie were missing, his shirt torn practically to shreds with gashes across his hard stomach that repaired themselves as I watched. His perfect hair was mussed, and his fangs were out.

“What happe—”

He grabbed me and leaped up onto the top of the railing, our bodies pressed together, my arms hooked automatically around his neck. His eyes darted side to side as my heart thumped against him, and his damned amazing scent relaxed me even as I should have panicked worse.

“What’s happening?” I demanded.

“They scented your blood,” he said. “We have to get you out of here.”

“Who—”

But we were already flying through the air—no not flying, bounding lightly from tree limb to railing and back again in a graceful dance that couldn’t be pulled off by anyone other than a vampire. Maybe anyone other than Julian.

When we landed on the ground by the front of the mansion, Julian set me down.

“I was fighting with Carmichael when I realized something wasn’t right,” he said, taking my face in his hands. “The youngest ones were frothing at the mouth like they’d just been turned. Carmichael himself was half crazed, not that he’s much better when he’s sober, but he’s usually far more conniving about his misdeeds and never so crass as to bite a member of SHADE.”

“I don’t understand,” I said as the doors at the top of the steps crashed open.

“Every vampire here was drugged as far as I can tell.” Julian spoke around his extended fangs. “They’ll tear you apart if they get ahold of you. And they already have your scent.”

“But it’s just a scratch,” I argued, even as I saw them pouring down the steps, creeping toward us like shadowy beasts rather than humans, some on all fours.

Julian searched around him, and I realized he was looking for his car.

“Lurch took it for a joyride,” I said.

“Fuck. Okay, tuck your face into me and hold tight.” He scooped me up once again and zoomed off.

I’d had a sample of the rollercoaster-in-the-dark feeling from before, but this time it was like that on steroids. I huddled against him, breathing in his autumnal smell. The only stable thing in the world was Julian, and I wondered how I could have doubted his motives. I knew with certainty that he would never force me to change. I had to quit thinking like a scared little girl. And certainly stop comparing him with other vampires.

We slowed down, but as I started to lift my head, Julian swore again and took off only to finally come to rest at the doorway of his own home. I recognized it before he opened the door and ushered me inside to find his eclectic décor.

I collapsed back against the entry hall to catch my breath as he leaned over me, arms splayed against the plaster on either side of my head. His eyes glowed blue with pulses of crimson, and his mouth hung ajar with his fangs protruding.

“Are you drugged too?” I asked.

“I believe so,” he said, leaning in to nuzzle my ear. “You should return to your house and put up the wards again. I couldn’t get close. I should’ve left you there. I’m not thinking straight. Gods, you smell divine.”

Holy hell, every nerve ending in my body was awake and begging for more. Each hungry breath pressed my erect nipples against his practically bare chest, and I could barely focus on his words.

“I’m good here,” I managed to respond, pulling him closer by the shoulders.

“Whatever this is brings out every primal instinct I have. You should go before I can’t stop myself from devouring you.” He caught my earlobe in his teeth at the end of his sentence, and I gave my weight entirely to the wall.

“Devouring sounds good,” I admitted, wondering if it was the champagne that was spiked and why it hadn’t had such an effect on me. Not that I could control myself around him anyway.

Skimming his lips across my flesh to my mouth, Julian didn’t have to coax me to open to him. His velvet tongue stroked mine in a languid dance that made me thrust my hips shamelessly forward to grind against him. Despite his obvious desire, he pulled out of the kiss and held my face.

“I don’t mean that kind of devour.”