Page 19 of Eternally Yours

Chapter Eight

Loren

As soon as I closed the door, I leaned my back against it, blowing out a slow and steadying breath. I could still sense him outside. Waiting. I had no idea why, but it was as if a part of him couldn’t break away. Truth was, a part of me couldn’t either. For a brief moment when he’d said he was going to grab some shuteye, I’d thought maybe he’d planned to come in and share the bed with me. I would’ve let him.

I’d tried to play things cool, but inside, my body was a raging furnace. What we’d done in the kitchen, that was batshit crazy. There was no other way to describe it. It was certifiably insane. My self-control? Nonexistent.

Sure, that man... er... vampire was sex on steroids, but I’d never thrown myself at a complete stranger before, regardless of their studliness. If he hadn’t ripped me off his body, I would’ve sucked him dry. And probably fucked him, too.

Oh, no. Definitely fucked him.

I shook my head and wiggled my arms, trying to calm the sexual energy still vibrating through me, but nothing seemed to soothe the need kindling inside. We hadn’t even kissed, but we didn’t need to. Biting into his flesh and taking his blood was more intimate than I could’ve ever imagined. More than a kiss.

And when he plucked me off the counter and held me in those huge arms, I forgot I didn’t know him. I gave in to the pleasure—that raw desire to...

Mate?

I didn’t know why that word popped into my head, but it felt exactly how it sounded. Instinctual. A basal need to fuck. And lord did I want to. When my center rubbed against his erection, I wished he’d lowered his zipper and taken out his cock. He’d growled at me when I wouldn’t unlatch my mouth from his neck and the sound almost made me come right then.

Worse yet, I wouldn’t have cared.

It was as if I’d lost all sense of shame. I wanted his sweet blood, and I wanted his hard cock, and God knows I was damn close to ripping that door right off its hinges and taking what I wanted.

But that wasn’t who I was. I didn’t hook up with strangers.

I needed to get out of there. His scent was impregnated on my skin, and being in his succulent, sex-inviting bedroom didn’t make things any easier. Everywhere I looked I saw evidence of old-world-vampire meets modern-world-vampire. Antique paintings with ornate, engraved frames hung above modern furniture with sleek lines, the dark colors softened by rich fabrics.

If his room didn’t scream fuck-me-in-here, nothing did.

Needing to get his intoxicating scent off me, I rushed to the en suite and showered. The scalding water did its trick to alleviate my wired nerves, allowing me to crawl under his sheets without bursting into sexual flames.

Sleep should’ve been the furthest thing from my mind, but he hadn’t been wrong about me feeling exceptionally tired. Thankfully, I’d always been a light sleeper, and I prayed nothing had changed with my transformation. I needed to wake up before he did so I could sneak out.

The next time I opened my eyes, the apartment was completely silent, and whatever scent Nicholas had been giving off had dissipated. I couldn’t thank my lucky stars enough for the small reprieve. Realizing I was still in Nic’s oversized robe, I went to the closest dresser and rummaged through his neatly folded clothes.

I found a pair of gray sweatpants and a matching sweatshirt in the bottom drawer. Workout clothes. Great. As if I needed that visual. Knocking the sweaty, muscled body images from my mind, I got dressed. Although too big for me, all I had to do was roll the waist and pull the string tight. At least I wouldn’t be walking around half-naked anymore.

Now, to find my escape.

Gently turning the knob, I pried the door open and slinked out of the room with as little noise as possible. The apartment was eerily quiet. A dim light shone from inside a glass cabinet. As I approached the display, my eyes widened at the collection of antique-looking swords and daggers, all of them as beautiful as they were deadly. The magnitude of who this man truly was arrowed into me. Was he really as old as he claimed? I padded toward the kitchen and froze when I spotted him lying on his black leather sectional. Waiting a few seconds to make sure he hadn’t heard me, I drew closer and tiptoed around the furniture like a ninja.

A woman would never tire of gazing at a man who looked like him. His beauty was majestic, like he belonged on a fifteenth-century tapestry. Chestnut colored hair, thick eyebrows, and lashes that went on forever. His jaw was so chiseled, you could argue it had been carved out of marble.

All I’d ever known about the mythical creatures was what you read about in books or saw in movies. According to folklore, vampires were supposed to be creatures risen from the dead. Nic looked far from. I watched as his massive chest rose and fell with every breath. Vampires weren’t corpses. They were warm-blooded. They had heartbeats. They were impossibly beautiful and smelled…

Delectable.

The temptation to crawl onto him and finish what we'd started in the kitchen tugged at my self-control. But I remembered my father and how worried he must’ve been. I needed to get out of there while Nic slept or he’d never let me leave. A part of me wondered if he was actually sleeping or if he was pretending—toying with me to see if I’d listen and stay put.

But the man didn’t flinch. He seemed to be in deep sleep. At least I prayed he was.

As much as I needed to see my father, a part of me felt guilty for leaving Nic. He’d been kind and seemed genuinely concerned for my safety.

Dammit. Why was I so torn? I’d just met him, and in the worst possible circumstances. He’d turned my whole world on its axis. If everything he’d told me was true, my life was over. The person I was and everything I cared about had been stolen from me.

I shook the guilt right out of my head. I couldn’t stay. I needed to see my dad, and no one would get in my way of at least saying goodbye. Bidding Nic a silent goodbye, I padded softly to the front entrance and sighed in relief when I spotted the sport sandals by the door. They were too big for my feet, but I couldn’t go out barefoot. There was a bit of comfort knowing that aside from the blood drinking and deadly sunlight issues, vampires lived like us. Maybe. To some extent.

I rushed out the door before I could change my mind. Taking the elevator down several stories, I blew a sigh of relief when I stepped out into the lobby and the doorman didn’t ask any questions. Outside, the night was heavy with the lingering heat of the day, but the breeze was a blessing against my skin. My new vampire eyes afforded me clearer vision. Everything was brighter. More beautiful. The smells of the city were more intense, too. Not necessarily a good thing.

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