Page 9 of Eternal Kiss

“One of my houses. Do you remember what happened after you left our table at the restaurant?”

She stared unseeing over my shoulder. “Dinner with you.” She turned her eyes to mine. I nodded. “You and Laurent. Talking about Ancients and Lillith creating you. You said…” She retreated to the other side of the room.

“I said?”

“I went to the bathroom. Called for a ride. When I went out the back, a monster grabbed me. Ran really fast. Took me to some blonde bitch who killed me. I died, Luke. But now I’m, what? Like them? Like you? A… vampire?”

“Yes. I never wanted this for you, but I was selfish. It was the only way I could save you. You were too close to being taken from me, and I couldn’t stand the thought of losing you so soon. I just found you, Dinah.”

“But at the restaurant, you told Laurent I was nothing more than the owner of the club. Your words cut me deep. It’s why I excused myself to the restroom. I had to get out of there before I made a bigger fool of myself.”

As glad as I was that she was coming back to herself, that was one part of the conversation I wish she hadn’t remembered. “If anyone knew what you truly meant to me, they would use you as a pawn, the way they did your father. Then again, they used you anyway. I’m so sorry.”

I looked away, sighing. Before I knew what was happening, she crossed the room, grabbed my shirt with both hands, and slammed her mouth to mine. I jerked back. “Mindful of the fangs, Sweetheart.”

“Fuck. I thought they were put away.” Her fangs disappeared into her gums, and I stared at her in amazement.

“How did you do that?” It took newbies a long time to get their fangs and claws under control, but Dinah retracted hers easily.

She tilted her head to the side. “Just thought they needed to go back into hiding. Can I kiss you now? Or is blood breath a thing?”

I couldn’t help but grin. “Considering I’m a vampire, I couldn’t care less about blood breath. And as much as I would love to kiss you, we need to talk.” And yes, I was an idiot for stopping my vixen from kissing me, but this shit was important.Once I figured out who the blonde bitch was and dispensed of her, there would be kissing and so much more.

“No,” she whined. “Those four words are the kiss of death. Well, I guess there’s another type of kiss that can kill you. One with fangs.”

“Who kissed you?” I growled.

“The woman who tried to kill me. Said my father was a sucker for a pretty face and so was she.” And now I had more reason to end this woman. No one touched what was mine.

Dinah ran her thumb across my bottom lip. “Did I hurt you?”

“No, Sweetheart. You can’t hurt me. Not physically, anyway.”

“You think I’d hurt you emotionally?”

“Only if you don’t return my feelings. Dinah, I felt drawn to you the first moment I spotted you outside The Limelight. And now I know why. You are my beloved, the one creature specifically created to be mine.”

“How do you know?”

I reached out and grasped one of her hands, cradling it between both of mine, thankful she didn’t pull away. “Compulsion doesn’t work on you. That should have clued me in that you were more special than I imagined. I tried it earlier when I told you that you should sell the club to me. And then Laurent compelled you to forget our conversation, only it didn’t work. But what convinced me was when I tasted your blood. It was like taking a breath after holding it until I was going to pass out.” I needed to tell her about Doug, but now I needed to know more about the female who tried to kill Dinah. My phone rang, but I ignored it. This was too important. “Can you tell me what the woman looked like?”

“Long blonde hair. Really sharp nails, and eyes that glowed. She must have been really pissed at you to kill me and my father.”

Dinah’s eyes snapped toward the door at the same time I heard the glass break. I rushed down the stairs with Dinah right behind me. Constantine’s former second swung a sword in a figure eight.

“Darius.” I was surprised he would risk coming back into my territory after I banished him.

Darius smirked. “Lukas.”

Dinah lunged for Darius, but I grabbed her around the waist. “Easy.”

Darius smirked, but there was also uncertainty in his eyes. Dinah’s strength was a wild card, one Darius hadn’t planned on.

“He’s the one who abducted me,” Dinah seethed. Another reason to end him permanently.

“Who are you working for?” I asked, doubting he would give up their name.

“What makes you think I’m working with someone?” He slid his finger along the edge of the blade, drawing blood.

---