Page 9 of Rescued By the Vexed Vampire

“Do you want to come back to my place?” I asked before I could stop myself.

Drake raised an eyebrow, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Nope,” I said with a tremulous laugh. “But I’m inviting you anyway.”

He smiled again, that slow, almost dangerous smile, and nodded. “Lead the way.”

The walk back to my place was a blur—half giggles, half flirtation—our steps quick as if we were both being pulled toward the same inevitable conclusion. Every glance, every touch, felt charged with electricity, and by the time we stumbled through the door, I had forgotten every reason why this was a bad idea.

I barely had time to close the door before Drake’s lips were on mine, his kiss hungry and urgent, the warmth of his body pressing against mine. My back hit the wall, and I gasped, the sound muffled as his mouth claimed mine again. His hands roamed, tracing over my curves, pulling me closer. The world around us disappeared. There was only him—his touch, his heat, and the way my body responded to him as though we were two magnets drawn together by some invisible force.

I couldn’t think. Couldn’t breathe. I didn’t want it to stop. All I wanted was more.

We stumbled into the kitchen, my heart pounding in my chest as we crashed into the counter, his lips trailing down my neck, igniting fire everywhere he touched. My skin was alive with sensation, every nerve ending buzzing with the anticipation of what was to come. His fingers brushed the small of my back, sending shivers down my spine as he lifted me onto the counter.

I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him closer as he leaned into me, his lips never leaving mine. There was a sense of urgency between us, like neither of us could wait a second longer. I tangled my fingers in his hair, feeling the smooth strands between my fingers, and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss.

"Bethany," he murmured against my lips, his voice low and rough, sending a thrill down my spine.

I didn’t respond with words. Instead, I let my actions speak, pulling him even closer, my hands roaming over his back as I drank him in. He tasted like danger, like temptation, like everything I knew I shouldn’t want but couldn’t resist.

Before I knew it, we were tangled up in the sheets of my bedroom, our clothing discarded on the floor. His touch was like fire, burning me up from the inside, and I couldn’t get enough of him. When he entered me, I groaned with pleasure. There was something primal about the way we moved, something that felt so right and yet so dangerously out of control.

I could feel the intensity building between us, the tension rising with every breath, every kiss, every touch. His lips found my neck, teasing the sensitive skin there, sending sparks through me. My heart raced, my breath quickened, and I feltlike I was on the edge of something far beyond what I’d ever experienced before.

And then, in the midst of it all, I felt the sharp sting.

His teeth grazed my neck, just as the intensity of the moment peaked, and for a split second, I felt a jolt of pain. But almost immediately, it morphed into something else—something intoxicating. The pain faded, replaced by a strange, overwhelming warmth that flooded through my body, making me feel light, weightless, like I was floating above the bed, wrapped in a cloud of pure ecstasy.

I gasped, my fingers tightening on the sheets as the sensation rolled over me. It was unlike anything I’d ever felt before. I should have been afraid, should have pushed him away, but instead, I found myself leaning into him, my breath coming in shallow gasps as the warmth spread through me, making everything feel brighter, sharper, more vivid.

His lips pressed against the spot where his teeth had grazed, and a small shiver ran down my spine. I felt an odd sense of completion, like we had crossed some invisible line together, something I couldn’t quite explain but felt deep within me.

I opened my eyes, my vision hazy, and saw him watching me, his eyes dark and filled with something intense, something that made my heart skip a beat.

But instead of fear, all I felt was peace, a deep, overwhelming sense of peace that settled over me like a warm blanket. My eyelids grew heavy, my body sinking deeper into the bed as the warmth wrapped around me, pulling me into a soft, dreamlike state.

I could still feel his presence beside me, could feel his lips brushing against my skin one last time before everything fadedinto darkness, the sensation of his bite lingering like a sweet, intoxicating memory.

When I woke up, everything felt...wrong. My head was pounding, my body heavy, and my mouth dry. I groaned as I rolled over, blinking blearily at the grey autumn light streaming through the curtains.

How much had I had to drink last night? I remembered the party, the dancing, the man in the mask...and then Drake. And the bedroom. But after that, everything was a blur.

I sat up slowly, wincing as my head protested. I hadn’t had that much to drink, had I? This wasn’t just a hangover—something was different. Off. I felt...strange. Like I was weighed down by something.

Frowning, I reached for my phone on the bedside table, blinking as the screen lit up.

And then my stomach dropped.

I had been asleep for over 24 hours. It was Monday morning, and I was seriously late for work.

“Crap!” I bolted out of bed, my heart racing as I scrambled to make sense of the time. I’d never overslept this badly in my life. What the hell had happened?

Just as I was about to call Alice to explain, a message popped up from her.

New boss is here. You missed the meeting.

I cursed under my breath, typing a quick apology and telling her I’d be there as fast as I could.

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