Page 16 of Bewitched By a Vampire

Her eyes danced between his, her heart accelerating in his ears as he bent his head towards her, as he balanced on the brink of doing something unforgivable.

Night made the mistake of lifting his gaze from her mouth.

He lost himself in her enchanting eyes, feeling like a moth drawn to a flame, aware it would end badly for him but unable to stop himself. She was too bright. Too warm. Too enticing.

He lowered his head, angling it at the same time, his breaths coming faster as his pulse rushed to match the tremulous beat of hers. Her breath washed over his lips, teasing him. Every fibre of his being sung in response, heated and vibrated with awareness of her and anticipation.

He ached right down to his soul.

Thirsted for her kiss as fiercely as he had ever thirsted for blood.

As if it could give him life and sustenance and strength more potent than that vital liquid could.

“Help me,” she whispered, shattering the spell he was under, and he growled as he reared back from her, anger flaring hot in his veins as his heart roared that she was using him, twisting him against his own flesh and blood. She seized the lapels of his jacket in both hands, holding him in place, her eyes wild and brow furrowed as she desperately added, “Please? I have to get away from here. There’s a house in the nearest village. My friend. I just need to go there for a while. I just need a moment away from this place. I need a moment to breathe. You can take me there if you want to keep an eye on me. I swear I’ll return with you.”

Night turned his cheek to her, his soul in agony as he ground his teeth and tried to weather her words, all his attempts to let them bounce off him failing. Each one struck their mark, another arrow in his heart.

“What you need to do is unhand me.” His tone was cold even to his own ears, the calmness of it surprising him given the turmoil exploding within him.

He slid his gaze towards her, aware of what he looked like, how obsidian would be invading his red irises, the sign of his bloodlust staining them, and his elliptical pupils would be little more than thin slits in their centres, and how his fangs would show between his lips with each word.

A monster.

“I said, unhand me,” he snarled.

She gasped and released him to stumble back a few steps as if he was one.

Her reaction pleased him, had the beast of his bloodlust rising as it realised he could frighten her. He could drive her deeper into that fear. Her blood would be sweeter then. He would show her the true face of the vampire she had mistakenly tried to turn against his own family, and once she was weak with terror, he would give her a kiss.

The bloodiest kind there was.

And when he was done with her, she would know first-hand the pain that pounded inside him with each unsteady beat of his heart.

Night gritted his teeth, his fangs slicing into his gums, and somehow found the strength to turn away from her. He stopped at the door but didn’t have the strength to look back at her as what she had done ran on repeat in his head, tormenting him.

“Do not leave this room again, unless you want to learn what I do to those who disobey me.”

He seized the door handle and dragged it closed behind him, but couldn’t stop himself from adding another warning before it clicked shut.

“And never touch me again.”

Chapter 5

Lilian checked her appearance in the full-length mirror hanging on the inside of her wardrobe door, smoothing her black dress and white apron and then fixing her hair. If things went to plan, she would blend in with the other servants working at the party tonight and she could escape without a hitch. Her heart pounded and she breathed slowly, calming it again as her fingertips tingled with magic. She needed to remain relaxed. If she remained relaxed, there was a chance her magic would behave itself and she wouldn’t end up losing control of it in close proximity to the two-dozen-plus vampires she had watched arrive over three hours ago.

By now, the party would be in full swing, the vampires caught up in their entertainment. It was the perfect time to slip out and call a taxi and go to talk with Gillian. Night would probably be occupied until dawn, and hopefully he wouldn’t check on her before she made it back.

And she was coming back.

She knew that deep in her heart. She couldn’t give up on this mission. She couldn’t be responsible for getting a potentially innocent vampire killed. She just wanted a few hours away from this place and the vampires, needed some space and some air. A talk with Gillian would help restore her courage and chase her doubts and fears away.

She pulled down a final steadying breath and hurried to her door. She was out of it before her nerve could fail her and hurrying along the corridor. In the time she had been at the house, she had noted there were three exits. The front door. The French doors in the main drawing room. And an exit near the kitchen in the basement. That servants’ entrance was the best option. She could blend with the other servants heading back there to get more refreshments for the vampires and then slip out into the night.

The staff had set up the main drawing room and the front drawing room for the party, so the vampires would all be in those rooms. The only danger would be making it down the hallway that separated the two rooms and ran towards the entrance to the basement. She would make sure the coast was clear before passing the drawing rooms’ doors.

It should be easy to slip out.

She reached the top of the staircase and stopped dead.

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