Page 63 of Tempting the Dhampir

Sadie nods blankly as I take her bag and drop it on a table with my cell phone. Lacing our fingers, she allows me to lead her to the main bedroom, which has an unobstructed view all the way to the Strip. It’s not that visible in the daytime, but once the sun starts setting, it’s clear to see.

“Wow. I wish I could give words to everything I’m feeling, seeing. I guess… spectacular. Yeah, that’s it. This is spectacular.” Sadie stands in front of the bed and gazes toward Vegas in the distance.

Her outfit choice blends perfectly into the monochrome bedroom. It would almost seem intentional if she had seen pictures of the place, which I know is impossible since I don’t have any uploaded anywhere.

I gesture to the balcony that juts out from the large dressing room to the left. “I thought we could have dinner out here later once the temperature starts cooling a bit. Watching the Strip light up at sunset is quite a spellbinding sight.”

Sadie turns her gaze to me for a second and gives me a dazzling smile. “That sounds perfect.”

When Sadie’s focus returns to the desert view stretching out in front of us, I slip away to the walk-in closet and place the box on the glass top of the closet island.

I zoom back to the bedroom, scared she would notice I was gone, only to find her standing in the exact same spot, with a glazed look in her eyes and a wistful smile in place.

I knew I wanted her before, but this settles something in my chest.

“Can we play rapid-fire questions again?” I interrupt her daydreaming.

“Yup. I’ll go first.”

“Only fair, but let’s make the questions harder this time.” I want to seize every moment of this date with her to get to know her on a deeper level. To dig deep into her psyche and open myself up to her probing questions too.

“Why don’t you want me to meet your dad?” The question comes immediately.

It’s obviously been on her mind and has bothered her ever since I said it. She deserves an honest answer, even if it’s uncomfortable to talk about.

“My father is a very old vampire, like around four hundred years old. We’re not close, so I’m not too sure about his actual age, nor do I care. He’s from old vampire stock in Eastern Europe.

“When the Strip started building casinos, it intrigued him and his close friends because they get horribly burned in sunlight. Vegas is very nocturnal and provides a great cover for them.”

Sadie’s unwavering attention is fixed on me as I speak, her head cocked to the side as she listens and nods along, seemingly taking in every word I’m saying.

I continue, “He met my human mother at a party when he was on a trip back to Eastern Europe, she was Estonian. My father apparently took some weird tonic he thought would make the night more ‘exhilarating.’” I cringe just thinking about it. “Turns out his usually nonexistent vampiric sperm was exhilarated too.”

I give Sadie a bland smile as I pause and take a breath. Always great to think about what a mistake I was to him and how I shouldn’t even exist.

Sadie reaches forward, taking my hand in a gesture of comfort, her thumb moving reassuringly across my knuckles.

“It was only meant to be a one-night stand, but she miraculously got pregnant that night and died shortly after I was born due to birth complications. Since my existence is so rare, he came to collect me in the hopes that I had vampiric traits, but I’ve been a disappointment to him with my mostly human nature.”

My lips turn down in a frown, and I shake my head, recalling all the demeaning insults he’s spewed at me over the years. I’ve chosen to take the high road, to be kind to those around me, loyal, and get back at him by making a success of myself.

Taking a shuddering inhale, I go on. “I was raised by nannies and drivers and sent to Alberad as early as they allowed entry to the school. Which is around ten. Spent many vacations at friends’ houses around the world instead of coming back to Vegas. Only returning if he had summoned me to bemoan my grades or curse me for something else I’d not done well enough.

“He looks down on any and all humans, no matter their status or wealth. As a fuck you to him, I changed my name as soon as I was of legal age. Then I moved to Vegas and opened my own hotel, and it’s currently doing better than his. He’s not been very amused by all of this.”

Sadie smiles, taking obvious joy in me besting my father, but she remains silent so I can say everything I want to.

“Now, to get to your question. I can’t let you meet him because you are too precious to me. He finds fault with everything I am, everything I do, but that’s my burden to bear. I do not want you to be hurt by whatever he would most likely throw at you,” I explain, clarifying the comment about meeting my father I made in the elevator last night, the one I’m sure made her flinch and her eyes fill with unspoken hurt.

“He sounds like a horrible male.”

“He is. I really don’t want you to cross paths or for you to come in contact with his snobbish ways.”

Sadie’s eyes widen in realization. “You were trying to protect me.”

“Since the first moment I saw your electric-blue eyes,” I admit, reaching forward and gently brushing one of the shorter strands of light blonde hair out of Sadie’s face.

Her grip on my hand tightens as she admits in her straightforward way, “I want to kiss you. But if we start now, then we’re not leaving until your cum is dripping out of me. Let’s keep asking our questions before we get distracted.”

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