Page 91 of Bewitched By a Vampire

She hurried towards the stairs.

Night beat her to them, coming to a halt in front of her and blocking her path.

Her laughter as she collided with him died suddenly and she looked up at him, worry creasing her brow. “Are you mad at me? There might be a way to undo the master-servant bond.”

“I’m not.” He shook his head, a small part of him feeling he should be but the rest overruling it. He stooped and gathered her into his arms, and straightened, lifting her feet from the floor and holding her under her backside so she was taller than he was. He gazed up at her, warmed from head to toe by just the sight of her and the feel of her in his arms. He husked, “Part of me likes the bond, because now I know no vampire can touch you. Now I know you’re all mine.”

She stroked his shoulders, her caramel-coloured eyes soft. “I was always yours, Night.”

He groaned and lowered her, and as soon as she was close enough, he captured her lips in a kiss.

It ended on a sigh.

“I know I’m being selfish.” He leaned back and looked at her. “I know we have to break this bond.”

“Why?” She looked hurt, and she felt it too, as if he was breaking her heart by saying that.

“I’m worried that another vampire might touch you, even accidentally, and it will hurt you too. I don’t want you to have to live in constant fear of a vampire other than me touching you. I can’t do that to you.” He gathered her to him and kissed her again, a brief one that held all the love he had for her in it. “We’ll talk to Elissa and see if she knows a spell that can undo this or can help you find one… but… even when it’s gone, you’re still mine. You’ll always be mine, Lilian.”

She rested her forehead against his. “And you’ll always be mine.”

Gods, that warmed his heart.

He kissed her again, unable to resist her lips and the need to let her know how much her words had meant to him. She smiled against his mouth and nipped his lower lip, threatening to get him going again and filling his head with a vision of twisting and pinning her to the wall and pulling her ankle-length black dress up so she could wrap her legs around his waist.

She stiffened.

Night sensed it too.

He broke away from her lips and looked at the silver-haired witch to his left. “Just the woman we were looking for.”

Elissa pointed at herself, right at the cleavage made by her starry blue halter-top, which Night diligently kept his eyes away from as Lilian’s gaze seared his profile. He didn’t want anyone other than her. He glanced at her and caught her blushing hard as she stared at him. She had no reason to be embarrassed. They had only been kissing. This theatre showed a hell of a lot more than that on the stage most nights of the week, and he could almost guarantee that Payne liked watching the performers practicing and that his little witch accompanied him.

Elissa had probably seen all manner of wicked things in her time here.

A couple kissing was hardly going to shock her.

Lilian pushed out of his arms, her blush fading as she smoothed her dress down, fixing her appearance. “I took Night’s blood. I needed to see his memories so I could clear his name. The problem is, by taking it, I bound us as master and servant. I’m not worried, but Night is. Do you think there’s any way to break this bond?”

Elissa pulled a thoughtful face. “Maybe. We can get to work on it. It might take some time. You should probably warn the others so they don’t touch you.”

Night made a mental note to do that as soon as possible.

“Come with me and we can get started.” Elissa held her hand out to Lilian.

Lilian hesitated. “You go on ahead. I have to talk to Night about something else.”

That didn’t sound good.

What else did she need to tell him?

Elissa slipped past them to head upstairs and Lilian fidgeted, drawing out his agony until the witch was well beyond the sphere of Night’s senses.

“Spit it out.” He wasn’t sure he could wait any longer. Her fear hit him hard and he reached for her, and she didn’t pull away. She seized his hand instead, clutching it tightly, and every instinct he possessed said something was wrong. Something had shaken her up. There was only one thing he knew that could have done that. “Your coven contacted you.”

“I told them I have proof and… they want to meet.”

Night shook his head. “No, Lilian. It’s too dangerous. They tried to kill you. There has to be another way.”

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