Page 37 of Blood Match

Darick’s arms encircle my waist, pulling me flush against him. I can feel the hard planes of his chest, the strength in his arms as he holds me. I rise up on my tiptoes, trying to get even closer.

The world around us fades away. There’s no sacred grove, no vampire-witch feud, no mysterious psychic connection. There’s just us, lost in this moment, in this kiss that’s shaking me to my very core.

Oh. My. God!

Part of me knows this is insane. He’s a vampire, for crying out loud! The enemy of my people, possibly involved in an attack on my family. But another part of me – an insane impulsive part – doesn’t want this to end.

But it has to end. Of course it does. Because clearly, I’ve lost my mind.

I break away from the kiss, gasping for air. My head spins, a whirlwind of emotions crashing over me. What just happened? How could I let this happen?

“You… you…” I stammer, my voice shaking. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Darick looks as stunned as I feel, his eyes wide with surprise. But I don’t give him a chance to respond.

“Is this some kind of trick?” I spit out, shoving hard against his chest. He barely moves, but I need to put distance between us. “You think you can just waltz in here and… and…”

I can’t even bring myself to say it. My lips still tingle from his kiss, and I hate myself for wanting more. But I do. I do want more, dammit!

Oh, dear God! This is unthinkable!

“Wait, I—” Darick starts, reaching out toward me.

“Don’t touch me!” I yell, stumbling backward. “Stay away from me, you…you bloodsucker!”

The insult feels childish on my tongue, but I’m too flustered to care. My heart is racing, my thoughts a jumbled mess. I need to get out of here. Now.

Without another word, I turn and run. I sprint through the trees, branches whipping at my face as I flee. I don’t care where I’m going, as long as it’s away from him, away from what just happened.

I run until my lungs burn and my legs ache, finally collapsing against a tree trunk. Tears sting my eyes as I try to catch my breath.

What have I done?

12

Chapter 12

Darick

Ican still taste her.

Her flavor lingers on my tongue, a maddening blend of sweetness and spice that defies description. It’s been several lifetimes since anything affected me this profoundly. As I stride through the halls of my mansion, my mind reels, unable to process the emotions coursing through me.

The kiss was electric, charged with an intensity I’ve never experienced before. The warmth of her lips, the softness of her skin – it all haunts me, refusing to fade from my senses. I find myself touching my lips absently, chasing the phantom sensation of her against me.

What the fuck just happened?

In all my existence, nothing has ever affected me this way. The irony isn’t lost on me. A vampire, enthralled by a witch. If the situation weren’t so damn serious, I might actually laugh.

But there’s nothing humorous about the hunger gnawing at my insides.

This isn’t the familiar thirst I’ve grown accustomed. This is something darker, more urgent. It pulses through my veins, refusing to be ignored.

I head to my study, my steps quickening. I need to think, to strategize. But my mind keeps circling back to the woman in the grove. The way she looked at me with those fierce green eyes, equal parts defiance and desire. The slight tremble in her voice as she hurled accusations at me. The softness of her body pressed against mine in that brief, mind-numbing moment.

Fuck.

I slam the door of my study behind me, welcoming the familiar surroundings. Books line the walls, pages that are familiar to me from countless hours I’ve spent poring over them. But right now, all that wisdom feels useless in the face of this—

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