Page 6 of Blood Lust

It is also lonely.

Days bleed into months, bleed into years, bleed into centuries. Time moves so slowly when you have an infinite amount of it. Even slower when you’re alone. I have my family, but no one to call mine.

Our home in the Catskills is usually tranquil. The odd traveler here and there, but we are deep enough that tourists wouldn’t be camping that far out, and the locals are so spread out from us it is easy to be ourselves. When we stay in Callery, we have to be careful not to draw too much attention.

So I lurk, hovering by the cereal, watching the human woman search for her preference. The shelf between us hides my movements as they shadow hers, the boxes of cereal themselves blocking my face from view.

I want to hunt her, feed from her, bed her.

I have no idea why this pull to her is so strong, only that I have no desire to fight it.

A low growl is rasping in my throat at the thought of taking her in my arms and sinking my fangs into her sweet neck. I feel my body respond to the idea of being pressed against hers.

The unexpected shifting of a box reveals her glorious gray eyes to me. We are face-to-face.

She drops the box with a little yelp. Before I can stop myself, and faster than I should have in public, I am around the shelf, picking up her item and presenting it to her.

Waves of electricity pass between us, and I return the favor as she drinks me in. Her sleight frame is delicate and begging to be thrown around by me. There is a gentle curve to her slender hips, and I can only guess beneath her sweater is a pair of small perky breasts that would each fit entirely in my mouth.

She tries to apologize, her voice breathy and frightened. Not because I am a predator, but because she wants me. I offer an apology of my own for startling her, only for her to protest that she is ‘fine.’ The scent of arousal blooms as her eyes lock on mine, and I resist the urge to compel her to leave with me. Our skin grazes as she takes her item in hand.

It is like a flame engulfs me, forging a new man, bound to this human woman. I want to steal her, change, and keep her. I’ve never in my centuries of life felt this drawn to anyone before, human or vampire.

Impossible.

Have I found my mate in the general store? Have I truly felt the bond form as I hand her a box of frosted mini-wheats?

I reach for her, yearning to feel more of the heat from her skin. My arousal is plainly evident. If I could hold her close, steal her away, and be alone with her for just a moment, I can seal the bond, and she will be mine.

Forever.

A God-awful stench ruins the moment.

Her male.

He screams her name in rage.

Wren.

A little bird making sweet music for the world.

My little bird.

The name stitches itself on my heart, branding me as hers for all eternity.

Wren.

I could fall to my knees before her and swear myself to her service. I could beg for her favor. I could place my heart in her palms for her to do with as she wishes.

I could also tear him limb from limb for screaming at her. If I could take my eyes off her, that is.

Especially when he dares place his hand on her.

I want to rip him, shred him when I see the grasp he has on her. My hand is on him before I know what I’m doing, and when I speak, my voice comes out in a dangerous rasp. “It would be wise for you to let her go.” The male meets my gaze for just a moment, his courage faltering under the stare of a true predator. He releases my little bird and retreats after spitting out his insults.

She turns to run from me, even though I ask her to stay. I resist the urge to put compulsion behind my words, but barely. I feel my mind try to pull hers into mine, to take her will. Now though, she is triggering every instinct I have to chase her down, but I steel myself and instead move to the front of the store to better watch the events unfold.

Her human is in his car, and if I could compel him to leave her here alone, I would. Proximity is key. The most I can do is make the hairs on his neck stand up so he will look at me. I do, and I'm not ashamed to say I enjoy the fear I see within him. He does the first smart thing since they arrived at the store. He unlocks the car and lets her in. Their carts are to my right, and the smell of honeysuckle wafts over to me.

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