Page 20 of Taken By The Vampire King

“See! I told you I’ve still got it.”

I laughed. “I don’t know what you think you lost, but it’s certainly not the ability to cook.” I tried to stifle a yawn but ended up hiding my face behind my hands as it took control. “I’m sorry. I have no idea why I’m so tired.”

Dusk had fallen outside, but it was nowhere near late. Something about being at Dupont’s house seemed to have let my body know I no longer needed to stay up until hella late o’clock working, and exhaustion raced through my veins, relaxing my muscles and fogging my thoughts.

“Would you like me to show you to your room?” Emma paused in her removal of the plates from the table.

I smiled at her. “No, thank you. Mr. Baldwin already showed me. West wing, right?”

“East.” She made the correction sharply and fast. “I mean, the west wing is off limits.”

“Shoot. Yeah. Sorry. I meant east.” I tapped my forehead. “I’m just tired.”

I gazed at the closed west wing doors as I climbed the stairs. If it wasn’t a criminal mastermind headquarters, I had no idea what could be behind there that Dupont was so protective of, but I hadn’t been lying about being tired. Knowing what Dupont kept in the rooms I wasn’t allowed in would keep until at least tomorrow.

But those rooms were likely my key to leaving.

As I walked toward my room, the shadows moved, and I sucked in a harsh breath.

Nicolas Dupont’s low chuckle brushed over my skin as he stepped away from the wall. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Oh!” The sound flew from my mouth. I hadn’t expected… I narrowed my eyes a little. What was he doing here? Waiting to make a move? I straightened my shoulders, trying to project confidence. “You didn’t startle me.”

Dupont remained quiet, his left hand forming a loose fist at his side as he watched me. His pupils dilated as an unexpected rush of desire flooded me, and his chest heaved as he breathed in.

I backed up a little, and my ass grazed the door behind me. “We had a deal, remember. I’m here to settle a debt. I said no sex.”

He hummed, the sound a mild disagreement. “Nope. You said no sleeping with me. I can almost guarantee there’d be no sleeping involved if you were to spend the night in my bed.” He stepped closer and took a lock of my hair between his finger and thumb, watching the strands as he rubbed them gently. “And I can definitely guarantee your satisfaction.”

He met my eyes, and his seemed to swirl with a beautiful oncoming storm.

“No.” I jerked back. “I’ve told you I don’t want you, and for you to continue after I’ve told you that would be rape.”

His eyes flashed then. The storm had arrived, and I’d been wrong about beauty. It was a wicked, wicked storm.

“Rape?” His voice was a low growl. “I would never rape.” He stepped away from me, putting the illusion of distance between us before leaning almost close enough that his lips grazed my ear. “When we have sex, Miss Boucher—which is definitely a when, not an if—it will be because you’re begging me for what you want.”

Then he pivoted and strode away down the hall, leaving his now familiar scent and confusion swirling around me as my body and mind warred about what they wanted.

I glared at his retreating back, watching him the whole way down the corridor, my gaze so heavy he should have combusted under the weight and anger I tried to channel. Even when he was out of sight, he still remained in my head.

That fucking guy.

Chapter 6

Nic

My fangs descended as I walked away, and I couldn’t glance back, although the weight of Leia’s gaze was heavy on my back. I knew what I’d see. She wanted me, but she also felt that she needed to reject me. But if I saw too much of her desire, maybe I wouldn’t be strong enough to walk away.

And I meant what I’d told her. I wanted her to beg. Fuck, I wanted her to beg. My dick jerked with awareness as I inhaled a lungful of her scent, still so potent even as the distance grew between us. Goddammit. She was all over my house already.

I threw the doors to my private wing open then secured them behind me, trying to find relief in isolation. Perhaps I just needed to feed and to bathe. Relax.

I heated a bag of blood, although Leia’s heartbeat was like a pulse inside me, even with her half the house away. My awareness of her would drive me crazy. And I didn’t even fucking drink from humans. Control in all things, that was what drove me through all of these decades. Control and power.

But I’d never wanted anything more than I wanted to claim Leia. I wanted to pierce her fragile skin with my fangs and draw on her, filling my mouth with blood that smelled like honey.

My cock hardened but I ignored it and stepped into my bath, groaning as I submerged my body below the water. My muscles were so tight. I wanted Leia’s touch on me to relax them. I wanted Leia’s touch fucking everywhere.

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