“Yeah, of coursenot. You need…need blood. My blood.” He was looking more and morenervous.
“Only if youwant to give it.” I looked down at my hands. My fingers wereclenched together, the knuckles white. My throat felt like it waslined with barbed wire and my gut twisted with need.Please, I thought. Oh please…ohplease…
“Fine.” Victorseemed to come to a sudden decision. He leaned back against thekitchen counter, both hands braced on the countertop, and turnedhis head, baring his neck for me.
I approached him slowly, myheart suddenly pounding. His big body was tense, the musclesstanding out hard under his thin white shirt. Under his olive skin,I could see a steady pulse beating in the strong column of histhroat.
The closer Igot, the more intimidating I found him. He was so massive,so alive—his muscular body pulsing with animal energy. Eventhough as vampire, I’m supernaturally strong, I sensed he wasstronger—muchstronger. He could crush me in aheartbeat if he wanted to. I could feel his heat, could almosttaste his wild scent on the tip of my tongue…
He’s sobig…too big. I wanted hisblood desperately—my fangs were fully extended and aching to piercehis warm olive skin. But to get close enough to feed, I would alsohave to be close enough for him to grab me—hurt me. My time withRoderick rose before my eyes and I pushed it back down againquickly.
That’s over now—I won’t thinkabout it. And Victor promised not to hurt me. Corbin made him swearan oath. It’ll be okay. Everything is going to be fine…isn’tit?
Taking a deep breath, I forcedmyself to go right up beside him. But even hunched down as he was,his throat was still far out of reach. I began to wish I had wornheels instead of my sensible black flats—the four inch stilettosCeleste used to make me wear would have made getting to thetantalizing vein I saw in his neck a hell of a lot easier.
Standing on tiptoes, I touched hisarm lightly to brace myself as I tried to reach him. His bicepstensed rock hard under my fingertips and he twitched, reminding meof a stray dog uncertain how it feels about being stroked by astranger.
“Hurry the fuckup, will you?” he growled. “I never did like needles and this is adamn awkward position to be in.”
It was too much—he was too big,too threatening. I lost my nerve and stepped back.
“I can’t reachyou. Maybe…maybe you should just go.”
“No, damn it.”He straightened up and shook his head fiercely. “Just look atyou—now that I see you in the light I can tell you’re in a badway.”
“I’m fine.” Idrew myself up and crossed my arms over my chest protectively.“Just fine.”
“Hell no, you’renot,” he said, almost angrily. “You look like a stiff wind wouldblow you over. You need blood.”
He took a step toward me and Itook a step back. I didn’t like the way he loomed over me—it mademe feel small and trapped. It brought back memories I would ratherforget.
“I can waituntil you get back.” I swallowed and heard a dry click in mythroat. “Honestly.”
“No, you can’t.You need to get some now—I’m going out tonight and I don’t knowwhen I’ll be back.” He came toward me again—and again, I backedup.
“Why?” I mademyself ask, though my heart was pounding and my lips felt numb.“Are you, uh, planning a trip?”
He barked a short laugh.“Something like that. Sometimes when the moon calls me like she istonight, I…it takes me a little while to come…to come all the wayback.” He scowled. “I really can’t explain it more than that.”
“Oh,” Iwhispered. I took another step back and felt something hard hit myhip. Casting a glance over my shoulder, I saw that I was trappedwith the L-shaped kitchen counter at my back. I had literallybacked myself into a corner.
“Look,” hestarted, coming so close I could feel his heat radiating against myskin. He started to duck down, his face close to mine—too close.“What if I just—”
“Please,” Iwhispered, my throat tight, and turned my head away. I pressed mycheek to my shoulder and squeezed my eyes shut, gripping thecounter until the edge of it bit into my fingers. “Pleasedon’t.”
“What the hell?”Victor sounded genuinely uncertain. He straightened up and took astep back, putting some much needed space between us.
Immediately I felt like I couldbreathe again.
“Thank you.” Iforced myself to look up at him. “I just…it’s hard for me.You’re…so big.”
“Sorry.” Hisvoice was unexpectedly gentle. “Didn’t mean to uh, scareyou.”
“I’m notscared,” I said but the tremble in my voice gave away the lie.“Maybe this isn’t going to work. Maybe…maybe you should just go,” Imumbled.
He ran a hand through his hair andsighed impatiently.
“I told you Idon’t know when I’ll be back. The Moon is calling me—do you wantblood or not?”
“I do.I…I need it,” I heard myself confess. “But please…not fromyour neck.”
He frowned. “What’s wrong with myfucking neck? I don’t offer it to just anybody, you know. If anyother were saw me giving the sign of submission to a Goddamnvamp—”
“It’s too much.Too close.” I put a hand to my chest where I could feel my heartthumping. “Please…if I could just drink from your wrist? Would thatbe okay?”
He looked thoughtful. “Actually,that would probably be better. Not so hard to hide the markslater.” He gave me a quizzical glance. “Unless you can heal them upso nobody can tell you’ve been biting me?”
I thought of the ugly scars thathad marked Addison’s arms and wrists until Corbin had healed her.Scars that had been caused by my fangs. I shook my headregretfully.
“I’m afraid not.I’m not very, uh, old or experienced as vampires go. I was onlyborn to darkness six years ago.”
“All right,well, I guess we all have to start somewhere.” He sighed. “Wrist itis, then.” He held out his left wrist and then changed his mind andoffered me his right instead. “Left handed,” he explained when Ilooked at him questioningly.
“I see.” Ilooked at the strong wrist and muscular forearm he was holding outto me. His hands were large and well formed, the fingertips taperedlike those of an
