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“I guess so.” Lexi cleared her throat. “I want to be clear that Castor was wrong in what he said. I’m not prejudiced against vampires.”
“I never thought you were,” I assured her. She’d shown wariness in the beginning, but never disgust or bigotry. “You can like vampires and still not want to be a donor. A lot of old school vampires hold a very disparaging view of humans. Consider them fodder, not people. Castor is one of them.” The number of his nest who’d come with him to live at The Hollow were just as bad. “But we don’t all think that way.”
“I know.”
Good, because I didn’t want her thinking I was anything like Castor or the rest of his ilk. “Has he given you problems before?”
“He’s rude to all the humans. It isn’t just me. I don’t know what his deal is, but you’d think he wasn’t once human himself.”
“Rude how?”
“Just dismissive and cold. Until he wants something. Like to feed from one of us. Then he turns on the fake charm.”
“How many times has he approached you in the past?”
She narrowed her eyes as she thought on it. “I don’t know. Four, maybe five. He was very forward and even a little sleazy, but not snotty and physical until tonight.”
Just thinking about the bastard grabbing her made my blood boil. But then her tongue flicked out to nervously touch her lower lip, and I was officially distracted. She had a mouth that was nothing short of sinful. I wanted to taste it, bite it, feel it sliding up and down my cock.
Forcing my gaze back to hers, I said, “If it happens again, you have to report it. Humans have failed to do so in the past, thinking they’ll be cast out of The Hollow if they’re complaining or ‘making waves.’ That’s not how it works here.”
She gave a hard nod. “Okay.”
“Have any other vampires acted in a similar fashion?”
“One or two can be pretty forward, but usually only when they’re drunk. They never take it too far, and they never get ugly. Just a little pushy. Dion is worse than most. He seems determined to drink from every human on this island—why he thinks it’ll be a point of pride, I don’t know. With Castor, he just seems to be one of those people who feels they should be able to have whatever they want whenever they want. Or something. I don’t know.” She bit her lower lip. “Thank you for stepping in. I appreciate it.”
I edged closer, leaving mere inches between us, and pinned her gaze with mine. The tension between us ramped up, making the air fairly crackle. “Maybe I wasn’t doing it to be noble,” I said, pitching my voice low. “Maybe I want something.”
The warmth in her eyes faded. “Ah,” she said, and I knew she suspected I wanted to drink from her. Oh, I did. But I wouldn’t manipulate her that way. Plus, I wanted her to want my teeth in her skin.
“A kiss,” I said.
She blinked, visibly surprised. “A what?”
“You heard me.” I curled my hand around her nape. “You can handle a little kiss, can’t you?”
Her pupils dilated, and she licked her lips. “Seems like a fair payment.”
“Hmm, I agree.” I dipped my head and brushed my mouth over hers. Her lips parted, I swept my tongue inside … and a brutal need seemed to slam into us both.
Fuck.
I greedily ate at her mouth, and she gave as good as she got. The kiss was hot, bruising, ravenous. Jesus, she tasted good. Too good.
Possessiveness settled into every bone, and a growl that was nothing short of territorial rattled my chest. I thrust my fingers into her hair and fisted. Her hands flew up to my shoulders and held tight. The kiss went on and on and on as we licked, nipped, and feasted. She sucked on my tongue, the little witch, and—
A loud laugh came from outside the room, reminding me where we were. I broke the kiss, but I couldn’t quite let her go yet. Shit, I fucking ached to take her right then. It was a real, honest to God’s ache. But I wouldn’t do that. Not here, not anyplace tonight. I wasn’t going to ask her to invite me to her bed when it was possible that, despite what she’d said, she was shaken by Castor’s behaviour.
I hummed, swiping my thumb over her mouth. “I was right in what I suspected.”
She swallowed, her eyes deliciously dazed. “And what was it you suspected?”
“That if I ever tasted you, I’d want more. I’ll have more. Just not tonight.”
She bristled and flicked up a brow. “Cocky.”
“But right. Aren’t I?”
“We’ll see. But don’t hold your breath.”
I had to smile. “You think you’ll stop me from having you? That’s cute.”
“Cute?” she echoed, a little edge to her voice.
