AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Mr. Blackmore is in his rooms.”
Good, that was easy. Leah stamped down any doubts about confronting Julian and trudged to her destination.
Chapter Seventeen
He’dalmostdoneit.
He’d been so, so close.
Another millisecond and Julian would’ve bitten her.
Claiming her. Binding the two of them together for eternity.
Nothing had ever tempted him like the scent of her, of her blood. It had taken all his strength to tear himself away. Then, he’d run like a coward. Another second in that room with her, with her lilting voice urging him, his control would’ve snapped. He sprinted back to his room but couldn’t escape her alluring scent.
He needed to feed. Fresh blood would strengthen him. Then he could resist her.
“Tristan, send up two feeders.”
The AI acknowledged his order. While waiting, Julian tided himself over with the synthetic blood, which was fine for everyday purposes and if he had more time to heal. Between the Gathering, vampires circling like vultures, and the Hunters, he didn’t have the luxury of time. Only warm, fresh blood from the vein would do for faster healing.
As he cut open his wounds to extract the bullets, his thoughts wandered back to Leah, marveling at the fact she’d offered her blood. As something unknown shifted inside him, he hesitated to study it. If she wasn’t his mate, he would’ve taken her up on her offer without hesitation.
Even though he’d resisted the pull of the mating bond up till now, they’d connected somehow. He’d heard her thoughts earlier despite her C2 implant, and she’d sensed his injuries, things that were only possible between mates who had completed the mating ritual. It was as though the bond was doing everything in its power to ensure he claimed Leah.
He needed to stay away from her until she was gone so far away that the mating bond lost its effect. Leah’s contract ended in another week. After, she had no reason to stay. He would be rid of her, his life returning to normal.
Yet, at the thought of her gone, of never seeing her again, of never hearing her voice again, Julian’s beating heart threatened to shatter.
“The humans are here, sir.” Tristan’s voice brought him back to the present.
“Let them in.”
Julian sank down on his sofa as the humans strutted in. His vampire purred with delight at the prospect of fresh, warm blood.
Tristan had sent his favorites, Ebony and Marsha, both long-legged blondes he’d enjoyed plenty of other times. As the two women sat, one on each side of him, he tried to dredge up some semblance of desire for them. Nothing happened. His thoughts centered on his hazel-eyed, brunette mate.
When Ebony attempted to straddle him, Julian moved to her other side so that he wasn’t between them.
“You, stay there,” he warned Marsha, a quelling look stifling her protests.
When he took Ebony into his arms, he felt no excitement other than the instinctual need to feed.
Marsha pouted, her eyes glinting with mischief. “So, we’re playing that game,” she simpered. “Fine.”
Ebony smiled with welcome and tilted her head to expose her neck. Julian bent down, the anticipation to feed blocking out all else. His fangs slid out, and he was careful not to hurt Ebony when he bit down. Blood, hot and metallic, filled his mouth, rejuvenating him.
Ebony moaned, the scent of her desire, along with Marsha’s, filling the room. Though he didn’t desire the women, feeding and sex for a vampire were intertwined inexorably together. He had no power to stop them from wanting him, couldn’t stop them from enjoying the feeding any more than he could stop his heartbeat.
Before, he would have fulfilled the women’s physical needs and satisfied himself in the process. Now he had no interest in anyone other than Leah. When Marsha reached for him, he stopped her mentally, not wanting her hands on him.
Once Julian had fed enough from Ebony, he laid her down gently on the couch, making no moves to touch her more than necessary. Then he guided Marsha closer. Other than the feeding’s innate pleasure, he felt nothing else for the woman.
In the far corner of his mind, the instinct that guarded him during his most vulnerable registered the door opening. A familiar honeysuckle and cinnamon scent invaded his senses.
“So, this is why you won’t drink from me.” A frosty voice filled with restrained fury and hurt lashed onto him.
Fuck.
