“Uh-uh—don’t think so. I’m reallyclaustrophobic.”
“The passage opens up after a few hundredfeet.” He gestured again at the dark, shadowy staircase leadingdown. I felt my heart leap into my throat.
“No, I’m not going down there.”
I suppose he could have grabbed my arm andforced me down the steps but instead he sighed and looked me in theeyes. “Why?”
“What do you mean, ‘why?’ Why do you think?Just look at that—it’s like a set for a horror movie. The kindwhere you keep wanting to shout at the clueless girl not to go downin the basement but she goes anyway.”
A faint smile tugged at the corner of hismouth. “I know the movies you speak of. I find them mostentertaining.”
“Well, I find them frightening and I’m notabout to be the stupid airhead who goes down into the dark lookingfor the monster.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Is thatwhat you think of me? That I am a monster?”
“You’re about five hundred times strongerand faster than me and you live on blood. What do you think?”
“So again, you fear my strength. You fearthat I will, what—lose control and hurt you?”
“Hurt me or kill me.” I shook my head. “Ifyou only knew the things I’ve seen. Do you know what happens when avampire tries to have sex with a human?”
Corbin got a sober expression on his face.“Indeed, I have seen such scenes as you describe. They are notpretty.”
“Right. So you’ll forgive me if I don’t wantto end up looking like a pet puppy some careless toddler ‘loved’ todeath.”
“Haven’t I explained that this is not aproblem with older vampires who have learned control? The secret isall in keeping the urge for sex separate from the urge forblood.”
“Oh yeah? Well then, why did Roderick ask ifyou could…could fuck me without breaking me?” My cheeks were hot asI spoke the words.
He sighed again. “Therein lies the caveat.Roderick, in all his centuries, has never cared enough to learn tocontrol himself with a fragile lover.”
“And you have?”
Corbin got a distant look in his silver-blueeyes. “There was one in my past. I will not speak of her now, butyes, I cared enough for her to learn control.”
I was interested despite myself. “And whathappened to her?”
He looked away. “She died anyway.” I noticedhe didn’t say how she died or if he or someone else hadkilled her but the expression on his face was such that I didn’tdare ask.
“I’m sorry,” I said awkwardly.
Corbin shook his head. “Don’t be. It wasmany lifetimes ago—your ancestors had not even been born when ithappened.” He seemed to shake himself, throwing off the melancholymood that had gripped him. “So you fear to go down to my restingplace with me because you think I will want to make love to you andthen lose control.”
“That about sums it up, yes.”
“But I have told you before that I am notinterested in an unwilling bed partner. And you are most certainlystill unwilling,” he pointed out. “What if I promised that I wouldnot try to have sex with you tonight?”
“Really?” I was beginning to wonder whatform this punishment was going to take. If spanking was out and sexwas out, what was Corbin going to do with me?
“Yes, really.” He nodded. “In fact, I willbarely touch you tonight.”
“Honestly?”
“On my word of honor.” He nodded gravely andthen reached out to cup my cheek. “Addison, I do not like to be atodds with you.”
“Then let me go home,” I said at once.
He got an almost regretful look on his face.“I am afraid I cannot do that. But though I cannot let you go, Iwill not hurt you either. Can you at least trust me enough tobelieve that?”
I looked into his eyes—those silvery-bluedepths that always seemed to conceal hidden monsters—and saw onlysincerity. He means it. He really means it.
“I…believe you,” I said slowly. “I don’tknow why but I do.”
Corbin smiled, flashing some fang. “That isthe first sensible thing you’ve said all night. Now come.” Hegestured to the stone stairs again and this time I went withhim.
He was right—the passage did open up after afew hundred feet. It led to a small antechamber with a computerscreen and door that looked like it belonged on the outside of abank vault.
“This is one of my daytime resting places.”Corbin placed his hand on the flat screen and each one of hisfingers was briefly outlined in light, one after the other.“Consider yourself lucky,” he said when the vault-like door emitteda hissing sound as though it was depressurizing. “I have neverbrought a human down here before.”
“Not even to fuck?” I asked tartly.
Corbin gave me a long look. “Lest you getthe wrong idea about me, fucking humans isn’t something I do allthe time. It takes a great amount of control and I have to carevery much to want to expend the effort. I haven’t cared that muchin years.”
Great—he kept going on and on about howcareful he could be but he’d basically just admitted that he wasway out of practice at vampire/human sex. Of course, maybe it waslike riding a bicycle—now there was a mental image thatbrought a blush to my cheeks. And speaking of being out ofpractice, it had been so long since I’d slept with anyone I waspractically a virgin again. Not that I wanted a four hundred yearold vampire to break my dry spell. I was definitely notgoing to volunteer to help Corbin test his much vauntedcontrol.
“After you.” He swung the door open andgestured as he had at the top of the steps. And I hesitated again,just as I had earlier. Was I really going to do this? Lock myselfinto what amounted to a bank vault with a creature who could killme as easily as I could swat a fly? But really, what choice did Ihave? I couldn’t let Corbin send Taylor back to Celeste. He hadkept his end of the contract—my best friend was safe somewhere,hidden away from the sick assholes who had tormented and torturedher. Maybe now she could start enjoying what was left of her lifeand I could stop feeling so guilty for leaving her alone that nightand
