She hesitated.“I… I want to.”
“Give me asecond chance, Harper. Let me prove to you I won’t bite you.”
She licked herlips, nervous maybe, but didn’t remove her hand.
He turned herpalm upwards. Inch by inch, he brought her wrist towards his lips,his gaze never leaving hers.
Her heartbeataccelerated, pumping blood to every part of her body.
His lips meremillimetres from her pale flesh, Damon breathed her in. Her subtlefloral scent intoxicated him, her skin so warm.
Slowly,tentatively, he kissed her wrist. He flicked out the tip of histongue, ran it along her skin.
The taste ofher flipped something inside.
His fangsthrobbed, aching for release. No, no!
Powerless tostop himself, he broke eye contact and fixated on a tiny cut besidethe bluish vein on the inside of her wrist, the blood pumpingbeneath the surface.
How could he beso naïve to think he could do this? The bloodlust called to him, afundamental need he tried to fight, but he didn’t have the strengthto resist.
He still heldher hand, his grip so light she could have easily pulled her handaway.
She could stopthis, stop him, but she didn’t.
With a cat-likehiss, his fangs elongated. He salivated, surrendering to theanticipation, the thrill of the bite, the sweet taste of herblood…
“Damon…”Harper’s raspy voice forced him to look at her.
He gasped. Hereyes gleamed with desire.
She wanted thisas much as he did.
ChapterSeven
Harper’s heartpounded in her chest.
“Damon…” Herbreath caught in her throat. Mesmerised by his soft, sensual lips,and the tip of his tongue on her skin, the anticipation of his bitewas the most exquisite, erotic sensation she’d ever experienced.Her womanly parts throbbed, and she hadn’t even got her kit offyet.
What was a vampreally like in bed? There were rumours, of how their skills betweenthe sheets were exemplary, and how their bite before sex couldheighten the pleasure…
Her thighsjerked together of their own accord.
Bite me,Damon. I want you to bite me.
But no matterhow much she wanted this, craved to know the touch of his fangs asthey pierced her flesh, she couldn’t bring herself to say the wordsout loud. Maybe she wasn’t ready to admit to the need he evoked inher; after all, they hardly knew each other, but there wassomething different about Damon, and different scared her.
Scared not ofhim, but of how her heart beat a little faster, and how he made hergiddy with something akin to…
Her eyeswidened. Love…? No, it can’t be…
Damon steppedback and dropped her hand like it was on fire. His fangs retractedas he shook his head. “Please forgive me, Harper. That was not myintention, I swear. I thought I could control the bloodlust, but Ican’t…” A muscle in his jaw flexed repeatedly.
Clearly hestruggled to keep his vampiric instincts in check, but his honestyonly served to make her want him more. She touched his arm. “Youcan. You just did.”
“But—”
She pressed herfinger to his lips. “I trust you, Damon.”
Surprise sweptacross his handsome face. “But… I nearly…”
Harper edgedcloser. “Believe me, you have it under control.” She lowered hervoice. “I’m not sure I do, though.”
She kissed him,no more than a gentle brush against his lips.
He pulled backa fraction, searched her face.
Call me acrazy fool, but I think I’m falling for you, Damon. Harperkissed him again.
This time hekissed her back, tentatively, as though afraid he might go too faragain, but she knew he wouldn’t. Yep, I’m a crazy fool.
“I’ve never metanyone like you, Harper. You’re incredible.”
She grinned andpeeled herself away from him. “You better believe it, vampire.” Shepecked his cheek and headed down the corridor to Conner Mitchel’sflat. “Who wants a first bite from a vampire in a skanky corridoranyway?” she said over her shoulder. “Not exactly romantic.”
He halffrowned. “You want romantic?”
“Maybe I do,maybe I don’t.” It wouldn’t hurt to keep him guessing for a while.“Take me on a date and you might find out.”
He caught upwith her, a wide grin on his face now. “You’re on, witch.”
“First, I wantto ask your brother if we can rearrange our appointment.” Harperknocked on the door.
Damon stoodbeside her. “Not on your own, you’re not.”
“I can handlemyself.” Could she, though? She’d barely controlled herself whenDamon had gone vamp a few minutes ago. The sight of his fangsglistening in the light… so dangerous and so damn sexy too. She hadto face it, Damon aroused an inner darkness she could notignore.
“I don’t doubtthat for a second, but I don’t know what to expect from Conner. Hismoods are erratic at the best of times.”
“You saideveryone deserves a second chance, and if he can help to get mydating agency into the twenty-first century, I’d be stupid not toat least try. If I haven’t ruined my chances by missing ourmeeting.”
Damon stilllooked uncertain. “Are you sure? He’s a vampire too, and it mightnot be safe.”
His concern forher safety gave her a warm, fuzzy feeling in her belly. She hookedout her necklace from inside her blouse and dangled the tiny vialin front of him. “I know he’s a vampire. I came prepared—spelledsleeping powder. This baby can knock out vamps, demons, werewolves,you name it.”
He raised aneyebrow. “You were wearing that the whole time?”
She nodded.
“So, youweren’t in any danger from me, even when I lost it for a secondback there?”
“Not exactly.”No, no danger, except for needing to get jiggly with a hot newbievamp who told terrible jokes. “It’s my mother’s recipe, but I madeit, and given my track record, there’s no telling if it will sendsomeone to sleep, blow them to smithereens, or—”
“Turn them intoa frog?” he suggested.
She laughed.“Possibly, but I kind of like frogs, so that would defeat theobject.” Harper tucked the necklace back inside her blouse.
The sound oflocks being undone came from behind the door.
Harper smoothedher fingers through her curls—not that it ever did much to tame themane—and squared her shoulders.
“Wait, your…err, button is undone,” Damon told her, pointing to her blouse,then looking away.
Her eyeswidened. Her boobs were practically falling out. She hastily did upthe button. “How long has it been undone?” She dreaded tothink.
He didn’t havetime to answer; the door opened.
Conner took onelook at Damon and went to slam the door.
Damon
