*Excerpt*
“Are
you not afraid? I am a vampire, Teran. I use your
kind for nourishment.”
Curiosity
filled her eyes as she gazed up at him. “Is that
why you were in the forest?”
“Yes.”
“Do you
live here? Do you really drink blood? How old are
you? Can you die?” The questions tumbled out of
her.
He shook
his head, nonplused. He was supposed to frighten
her, not make her curious. Didn’t she understand
what he was?
“Can I
see your teeth again?”
Sebastian
narrowed his eyes. His emotions threatened to rage
out of control. This was why he didn’t have contact
with humans. He hated to be on display. As his
irritation grew, so did his lust. She was so close
to him, he could smell her own special sweet scent.
He wanted to grab her and drive deep in her body
with both teeth and cock. The thought made his
mouth water again.
“No,” he
snapped.
Teran
looked hurt. “You don’t have to get all mad about
it.”
He shot
to his feet, looming over her. “I am not angry. I
am hungry. You prevented me from feeding last
night.”
A
tingling feeling of arousal went through her. She
stared up at the handsome vampire. Her heart
pounded and it made her limbs weak. A thought
leaped unbidden to her mind. What would it be like…
to be fed off of? Would it hurt? Would else might
he do to her? She trembled. She was already
attracted to him. Something she had never felt
before.
His eyes
were glowing even redder now. He stared at her with
the same animal intensity he had in the forest, but
still she wasn’t afraid. She was drawn to him in
such a powerful way. Did she want him to use
her for nourishment? Was it more than just
curiosity that made her want to get closer to him?
She bit her lip in sudden indecision.
She would
be putting her life in someone else’s hands.
Something she never did. But, she argued
with herself. He needs you. And he did help you.
Before she even consciously knew she was making the
choice, she reached her hand out to him.
“Do… do
you want to… feed from… me?”
Sebastian
stilled. He searched her face for fear or disgust,
but instead he found… acceptance. Who was this
woman? He shook his head, getting more confused by
the minute. She was reacting differently than any
human he’d ever met. He had to remember what she
was. She was human, so she was food. No matter
what how she made him feel, she could never be
anything more.
“I will
feed from you,” he rasped as he took her
outstretched hand and pulled her against him. He
ignored how perfect it felt to hold her. “I will
take your blood to give myself strength. He ran his
hand up her smooth throat, pushing back the tangled
hair. “You will allow this.”
Teran
trembled. She felt his mind reach out to hers and
was suddenly afraid. She wanted to do this, but on
her own terms. She didn’t fear much, but like
earlier, the fear of being out of control of her own
destiny terrified her. She didn’t want to be turned
into a mindless automaton. She jerked away from his
grasp.
He
growled and his eyes lit with red fire. “You cannot
escape me.”
Taking a
deep breath, knowing that she was making a choice,
Teran shook her head decisively. “I don’t want to.”
The
vampire stopped, confused by her words. “What?”
She
swallowed as the enormity of what she was doing
struck her. She lifted her chin and met the
flaring red of Sebastian’s eyes. “I won’t run
from you. You saved me from certain rape in the
forest. I owe you. If you need to eat, then go
ahead. All I ask is that you leave my mind
alone. Don’t steal away my will.”
Sebastian stared at her. She’d surprised him
again. She was offering herself to him? His
body twisted in sudden arousal. She was strong,
brave and beautiful and he wanted every part of
her. He stepped closer and ran a long finger
down to the pulse he could see throbbing in her
neck.
“It
will hurt if I do not enthrall you.”
Her
breathing quickened at his touch. “I’d rather
have the pain. It tells me that I’m still
alive.”
He
frowned at the bleakness of that statement. It
gave him a glimpse into what her life must truly
be like. Unthinkingly, he smoothed her wild
hair, pulling her closer. He had the sudden
urge to protect her forever. Then he laughed
inwardly. Why was he even thinking such a
thing? She was his for the day. He would slake
his hunger for her blood and her body,
and then let her go.
She
didn’t want him to enthrall her? So be it. He
would seduce her in other ways. His eyes
darkened to a deep blood red.
“I
will not kill you, little one.” He ran his
hands down her back to her shapely rear. “I
have reasons to keep you alive.” Bending, he
caressed her neck with his lips.
Teran
gasped as desire swept through her. This was
something she hadn’t experienced before.
Because of her mother, she’d kept all the boys
in town at a distance. Now… this man… this
vampire, stirred her like no other. He bit
down, gently and she moaned. Oh, God… it felt
so good.
As if
he heard her thoughts, he gathered her closer to
him. He licked down her neck and then up to the
shell of her ear. She instinctively cocked her
head to give him better access. He growled, deep
in his throat. Instead of scaring her, it
aroused her more. She wrapped her arms around
Sebastian’s strong body and snuggled closer to
him.
He
caught his breath and his mouth trailed over her
cheek. “Teran...” he muttered softly. “Allow
me to kiss you.”