Claimed by the Immortal

“Thank you. You were so close to death, Schatz. Too close. I could feel that elemental draining you of life.”

“I felt it, too. I won’t get cocky again.”

“Good.” Then he astonished her by reaching out and hugging her to his side. He seldom did that, and after the way he had warned her there was just so much that he could pretend to be ordinary, she hadn’t looked for comforting touches from him.

She definitely liked it, however. Definitely liked his arm around her, liked being pressed to his side while she sipped her coffee. If she wasn’t careful, she might start to think there was something normal going on there.

But none of it was “normal” start to finish. Although as the department’s shrink had mentioned during her interview after that shoot-out recently, “What’s normal? There is no normal.”

Right now those sounded like wise words.

Then she remembered. Her breath caught. Anxiety filled her along with an inescapable heat. Frightened and longing both, she asked, “Aren’t we supposed to do something tonight?”

He hesitated. “After what just happened, I’m not sure you have the strength. Let’s wait and see.”

Wait and see? How long could she stand having this looming over her? Another day of anticipation and nervousness that put her on edge so badly that she’d hardly sleep. That had probably played a large part in her decision to risk that walk.

“I don’t know if I can wait another day.”

His smile turned wry. “I wish you meant that the way it sounds.”

“What are you two talking about?” Chloe demanded.

Damien lifted a brow, eying Caro. “Do you feel well enough to go to your place?”

She felt an unexpected urge to laugh. “Yes, of course.”

Chloe grumbled, “Nobody tells me a damn thing. Get out of here, you two, and keep your secrets. I’m just the assistant anyway.”

* * *

Damien borrowed Jude’s car for the trip. First he loaded it with the bags full of his purchases, and then he escorted Caro out.

“So being a vamp has its limitations? Too many bags to carry?”

“I could carry them and you, but I don’t want to expose you to the cold just now.”

That was thoughtful of him. But as the buildings zipped by on the way to her apartment, her stomach turned to lead with apprehension. She had agreed to this ritual of his, but that didn’t mean she was entirely comfortable. Even more, she was on tenterhooks wondering if he would postpone it yet another day. How would she endure that?

But what if he was right that she wasn’t up to it now, after what had happened? She didn’t exactly feel as if she had regained all her strength yet, and her head still pounded, though not quite as much.

Not tonight, dear, I have a headache. The old joke popped into her head and made her smile. When they arrived at her place, he carried all the bags while she led the way. Her legs felt a bit stronger now, but the butterflies in her stomach hadn’t eased one bit.

What now? The question hovered over her like that elemental she sensed was still nearby.

Once in her apartment, however, things turned disappointingly ordinary. She made more coffee. Damien put the bags in her bedroom, then made his protective circle of salt once again, chanting in that strange language.

Then...nothing. They sat side by side on her couch, not touching. Neither of them moved. Oh, this was going to be maddening. Her nerves were already stretched tight.

Finally his voice filled the silence and agonizing anticipation. “Let’s see how fast you improve,” he said. “We have time.”

Time was what was killing her right now. Nervous as she was, she still wanted him to touch her. Wanted him closer. Even wanted him to drink from her again if that was the most he would do tonight.

It had been such an amazing experience and she was still trying to absorb the fact that giving a vampire her blood could be as pleasurable as any sex she had ever had. More enjoyable, actually.

“Have you fed?” she asked, her voice a little throaty.

“Of course.”

“Oh.”

A quiet chuckle escaped him and she looked at him. Smiling, he reached out to touch her hair, trace her cheek and bring his fingers to rest in the hollow of her throat. “I warned you would want to repeat the experience.”

“So?” His amusement irritated her. “I want to repeat it with you, not with just any vampire. There’s a difference, you know.”

“I know.” His face darkened. “Believe me, I know.” He turned his head, concealing his expression from her briefly. “I know,” he said yet again. “There’s danger there, too, Caro. Don’t become too attached to me. I might not be able to give you what you want.”

“What do you mean?” Her heart sank as she realized that she did want more from him than just a good lay. A lot more.

“I’m not exactly sure,” he admitted. “There’s danger here. I told you of it. But I’ve been around for nearly three millennia, Caro. In all that time I have never claimed anyone. Perhaps I can’t. But I have also never lingered that long with any one person. Perhaps I can’t.”

“So you’ve been a playboy all along?”

He considered before answering. “I suppose you could call it that. But I do have an opinion on this much. There is nothing sadder than to give your heart and not receive a heart in return. After all this time, you are the first to make me wonder if I have a heart. Perhaps I do. But what if you’re unhappy with what comes from that? Or worse, what if it turns out I don’t have a heart to give?”

Her stomach took another plunge to her toes, warning her that she was steadily getting into trouble. But along with that warning came the realization that she might not be able to control this. “That’s a risk in any relationship,” she finally said.

“It is,” he agreed. His fingers caressed her throat, sending shivers of delight to every nerve ending in her body. “I would drink from you, but you’ve been weakened enough by that attack.”

As she watched, his eyes grew golden again, and he smiled. “You are an adventure for me. I like it.”

“I’m an adventure how?”

“You surprise me. You engage me in ways few do. You don’t give in easily to restrictions, yet you enforce restrictions in your job. An interesting mix.”

“There are laws, and then there are other restrictions.”

“True,” he agreed. “But I sense a free spirit behind the uniform and badge. You don’t have to keep it cooped up all the time.”

“What do you mean by free spirit?” Although she liked the sound of it, she wasn’t sure what he meant.

“There’s a person inside who’d like to come out more often. I see glimpses of her. She’s a person who can desire a vampire, consider performing a ritual that scares her, that even wanted to be drunk from just to find out what it was like. The same person who took a dangerous walk today.”

“Maybe not so smart.”

“There’s a wealth of experience to be had by those willing to take the risks. I think you know that. Your job isn’t without its own set of risks.”

That was true. Every day that she put on her uniform, she never knew what she might face. Of one thing she was sure: her job seldom bored her. Maybe that was part of the reason she had chosen it. Not just as a reaction to what her grandmother tried to teach her, not as a reaction to a worldview that hadn’t been able to save her parents.

“I never thought of myself as an adrenaline addict.” But maybe she was.

“I wouldn’t call it that. But I think you like new experiences. You’re curious, and you want to taste a variety of fruit. So let yourself.”

Then he took her by surprise, sliding down the couch a bit and drawing her over until her head rested on his