He couldn’tdeny it. “Yes. That’s why I lost control with poor Melanie inthere. I thought it was Harper’s blood.”
Nerissasqueezed his arm and smiled. “This witch, Harper, she is your mate,your soulmate.”
Damon snorted.“I doubt that very much. She hates me. I saw it in her eyes, therepulsion, the mistrust. The witch isn’t interested in me, and evenif she was, I can never see her again.”
“You must seeher.”
He frowned.“No, I can’t. What if I hurt her… or worse?”
“Damon, you’reso young. You have much to learn about how we vampires have managedto survive over the centuries, but as your maker, I can only do somuch. This witch can help you too.”
“How?”
“You said shestopped you from biting her, right?”
He nodded.
“Then she isthe one who will help you control the bloodlust.”
He shook hishead again. “Not happening. I won’t risk going anywhere near her.In fact, she’s probably cast some hex on me to keep me away. Ormaybe she hexed the bloodlust on me. You said it rarely happens infledglings.”
To hisconfusion, Nerissa chuckled. “She hasn’t cast any spell on you, mycynical fledgling, except for the first, magical sprinklings oflove.”
“Stop with theridiculous notions of love at first sight, Nerissa. It doesn’texist. It can’t.”
But what if itdoes?
What if theinstant connection he felt towards Harper—his craving for the tasteof her blood aside—could be the beginning of something magical?
What if Harpercraves my bite too?
Nerissa smiled.“If it’s meant to be, Damon, the Fates will find a way.”
ChapterFive
Harper steppedinto the filthy lift of the council-owned block of flats, doubtingit would even work, but with her wearing heels she could barelywalk in, she didn’t fancy taking the concrete stairs. Plus, she’dspotted some unsavoury characters loitering by the stairs, and withher huge handbag slung over one shoulder, and the paperwork andbusiness plan for her meeting with the website designer in anotherlaptop-type bag, she feared she might get mugged.
She’d suggestedmeeting the vampire in a café, but he’d insisted she come to hisflat, something about all his computer equipment being set upthere. Harper checked her necklace for the vial of sleeping powder,because it didn’t hurt a witch to take precautions after whathappened with Damon last week.
Her nosewrinkled at the stench of stale urine as she pressed the liftbutton. The door remained open. Graffiti marked the walls, and thefloor was littered with crisp packets, cigarette ends, a screwed-uptissue, and… Eww, is that a used condom?
She averted hereyes and pressed the button again.
Harper checkedher blouse, the most respectable one she owned, but the buttonstended to come undone, especially the one between her boobs, givinganyone an eyeful if they cared to look. Nope, all good. Shesmoothed her smart trousers and made sure she wasn’t standing inanything gross.
Harper checkedher trouser pocket for her keys, a nervous habit of hers. She’dlost her keys so many times, and searching for them amongst themany contents of her handbag always took far too long, so shealways tried to wear something with pockets. Yes, they were stillthere.
This meetingbetter be worth it.
The lift doorfinally shuddered into life, its metallic screech not inspiringconfidence.
“Wait, hold thelift, please.”
Harper froze.She’d recognise that deep voice anywhere, the well-spoken Britishaccent with the underlying French lilt, and the confident tone witha hint of cheekiness.
A large handappeared in the closing gap of the door.
With anotherscreech, the doors opened again, and Damon Vertefeuille entered thelift.
The vampire’ssteps faltered. “Harper…?”
A week had goneby since their dinner date, and not one day passed without herthinking of those gorgeous, chocolate-brown eyes, and his intenselyhypnotic gaze that made her weak at the knees.
No, no, no!
She tightenedher grip on her handbag. It was a gaze that had turned menacing anddangerous as he’d ogled her neck like the juicy, rare steak he’dordered on their date.
“Yeah, it’s me.The person you tried to sink your fangs into, without mypermission,” she sneered.
He regardedher, his chiselled jaw tightening.
Uh-oh, hisintense expression was doing it for her all over again. Damnhim.
“I… I shouldtake the stairs,” he mumbled. Spinning on his heels, he went toleave the lift, but the doors closed, inches from his face.
He stabbed thebutton on the control panel, but the doors stayed shut. The liftshuddered into action and began its ascent.
Damon cursed.His shoulders tensed, clad in another beautifully cut suit thatfitted his broad back and skimmed across his biceps. The guyseriously rocked the smart suit thing, but what on earth wassomeone like him doing in a dive like this?
“What’s up?”she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Can’t stand to be in alift with me, or can’t you control your bloodlust? I thought newbievamps weren’t supposed to be dangerous.” Harper cringed. Way togo, girl, antagonise the unstable vamp. What if he couldn’tcontrol it? What if he tried to bite her right here in thelift?
The thoughtexcited her more than it should.
He spun aroundto face her, an odd combination of surprise and confusion sweepingacross his handsome face. Then his eyes narrowed, gleaming withsomething she couldn’t fathom. Anger?
Her mouthdried.
No… desire.Lust?
She’d done itnow. He was going to bite her, force her against the lift wall andsuck the blood from her veins. Or maybe he wanted to kiss her.Right at that moment, either worked for her.
Stop it.
“Does yourmaker know what an unhinged, narcissistic moron you are?” sheblundered on regardless.
“Nerissa isfully aware of my… mistake,” he said through gritted teeth. Hisexpression hardened, leaving her in no doubt that their date, andthe kiss they’d shared, meant nothing to him. Clearly she was a‘mistake’ he’d rather forget.
Harper ignoredthe disappointment niggling inside her belly.
The lift made aweird sound, like metal scraping on concrete, then jolted to astop.
Damon pressedthe button. Nothing. The fluorescent light above flickered.
“Let me try.”She edged past him carefully, making it obvious she was avoidingany physical contact. If he thought she was a mistake, then twocould play at that game.
Harper pressedthe button again. The lift didn’t move. She pressed several morebuttons to different floors. “Looks like the lift has brokendown.”
“No shit,Sherlock,” he snapped.
She pressed thebutton with a picture of a bell. Nothing happened. It seemed therewas no ringing the maintenance people for help
