Page 121 of Witch Queens: Tales from Oz

“A man needs to diversify his skill set,” Steele’s rich voice washed over me, sending tingles of awareness up my spine.

“Why are you here, Steele?”

I sighed as he walked around the bed and sat beside me.

“You are beautiful in the moonlight,” his voice was like a caress. “Did you know that?”

I could feel the heat radiating from his body.

“Why are you so warm?” I blurted out, “I thought Vampires were supposed to be cold.”

He raised a brow, “Because television and books told you so?”

“Erm, well yes. Something about you not having a beating heart and being dead and all.”

I was rambling, but he had leaned closer to me, so his lips were a hair's breadth away from mine.

“Do I feel dead to you, El?”

I swallowed nervously, “No?”

“You can’t believe everything you hear,” he continued as his hands trailed lightly up my bare arms. “Some call my kind vampire, others demon, or live blood taker. None of which are strictly true. I am a descendant of Vlad the Impaler. It was a bloody time in history. Vlad launched a military campaign against the Ottoman in the 1400’s. He went on to Moldavia, Hungry, and Wallachian. He massacred tens of thousands of Turks and Bulgarians, impaling many of their bodies, the blood ran through the streets.”

“Why are you telling me this?” I searched his face.

“Because you are making decisions based on what you think you know about me,” his hands tightened on my wrists so that he could bring my arms above my head.

“What are you trying to say?” I scoffed, “That all Vampires are kind creatures who have been misunderstood?”

His eyes flashed a deep red, “Vampires are the deadliest creatures in the world. I would no sooner allow one near you, then I would cut off my arm. We are said to be cold, calculating murders without hearts or a conscience.”

I wanted to scream or cry, perhaps both. “Steele, how is this supposed to make me feel better?”

“You deserve the truth, El. I was born of monsters who cared as little for me as I did for them. I lived centuries doing as I was told and expecting to be destroyed at any moment. Vlad made a deal with the devil. He owns the souls of every member of my family. But he doesn’t own me. I don’t have to choose to live that way. It took me years to realize it, but I finally broke free. I was cast off and told never to return.”

“Your family disowned you?” I could hardly believe they would do such a thing.

“I am dead to them,” his eyes held a shadow of sadness. “But that wasn’t living, death and destruction at every turn, it was a nightmare.”

“How did you end up in Oz?” I couldn’t help but ask. We didn’t have Vampires, Steele was the only one I knew of.

“Scarecrow,” a ghost of a smile crossed his face. “You can imagine why it hurt me so much when you chose him to make me jealous.”

I hadn’t known—couldn’t have known.

“I don’t suck blood, El. That is make-believe. I am ruthless in a fight and chances are on my side that I will win. I was raised to plunder and tear my enemies apart. My hands are bloody. I have killed more than I could possibly count. I know that I am not a good bet. I don’t know what the future holds for me, but I swear to you, with everything that is in me, that I love you.”

I couldn’t hold him because he still held my arms above my head, but I could kiss him.

Leaning up, I captured his lips. He was hesitant at first, almost as if he couldn’t believe it was happening.

I licked the seam of his lips, wanting his taste, his touch, wanting all of him.

Steele groaned low in his throat and sank into me. His body was deliciously heavy against mine. Smashing my breasts against his chest, I strained to kiss him as deeply and as fiercely as I could. I hated him thinking that he wasn’t good enough for me.

I hated that his soul was already stolen before he was ever born.

I hated that he hadn’t known love or friendship most of his life.

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