Page 22 of First Bite
“I’m glad you told me that,” I said, feeling a little relieved that they were there merely to keep my vampires strong. “Although, once you guys trust what I already know, you can drink my blood, and I won’t have to deal with chick vamps getting off on the fact my guys need them,” I added with a shrug.
“We’re working on that too. Once we’re confident that feeding on you isn’t going to make us hate each other, kill you, or whatever else could go wrong, we’ll start using your blood instead.”
“Where’d you find those girls anyway? A vampire club?” I laughed, trying to have a normal conversation with Cole.
“Lucas’s ex-boyfriend, Roman, has a coven of vampires. This coven doesn’t know we have a Life Blood with us. We would have used some of the vampires from Lucas’s coven, but they’re still healing from the attack at the lodge.”
“Sounds fair. Okay, then. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Good night, Elle,” he said before he vamped down the hall in a blur and disappeared somewhere in the house.
“Well, at least I’m getting somewhere with him. Casual conversation! Score one point for Elle,” I said to myself, walking into my suite.
The room was spacious with windows and sliding doors that led out to the beach front. It had light tan walls, and shells framed in shadow boxes hung on both sides of the king-sized bed that I was sure I would sleep soundly in after my shower. Traveling across the world in a day had caught up to me in a major way.
If only I were right about falling sound asleep in my beach-themed room with the cozy and welcoming bed. Once again, I was wide awake by 2:30 a.m., and this time, there was no hope of trying to fall back asleep. I needed to know what was going on. This was all way too covert for my liking.
I slipped out of bed, wearing the oversized shirt I had fallen asleep in. I decided it was as good a time as any to take a look around the beach house, and if I were lucky, I’d find Cole awake and ready to give me answers.
As I stepped across the main living area, I heard mumbling coming from a room tucked in a back corner. It was surrounded by all glass, and when I strained my eyes to see, I saw Cole with his head in his hands, staring down at his laptop.
I knocked lightly on the glass wall, “Everything okay in here?”
Cole glanced up. His face was dark and constrained, and it almost took my attention off the fact he was sitting there in a pair of shorts, shirtless. God, he was perfect. They all were.
“You’re awake awfully early,” he said, shutting the laptop and leaning back in his chair. “I guess the question better question is areyouokay?”
“Oh, Cole Banner does have a heart,” I teased, prompting that stunning smiling of his to return for a split second. “He’s actually giving a shit about how I feel. I must be sleepwalking, and this is all a dream.” I smiled and sat to the right of where he was sitting at the head of the table.
“I know I’ve been an asshole—”
“To say theveryleast,” I crossed my arms on the table. “Are the guys okay? You seem upset.”
“The guys are fine. Frustrated too. I’m just not getting answers I want.” He ran both his hands through his hair and clasped them behind his head. “I’m not a very patient individual.” He glanced over at an ancient-looking leather-bound text that was lying on the table in front of me. “That fucking book must be missing pages. It’s driving me insane.”
“What are you reading?”
“I’m just trying to figure it all out,” he looked over at me, his emerald eyes darkened with sorrow. “Mainly for you, Elle.” He placed a hand over my fidgeting ones, “I’m just trying to find answers to all of this.”
For the first time in far too long, I didn’t seeassholeCole. He was business, but he was torn.
I turned my hands up and held his for the first time. I sensed grief when he clasped his large hands around mine. “I’m so sorry we fucked up your life. I’m sorry that you were destined for this life with us. I know this has to be messed up on so many levels for you.”
I ran my hand along his arm. “Youdoremember the shitty life I had before I met all of you, right?”
He sighed and leaned back in his chair, and I was instantly compelled to shove his book and laptop aside and sit on the table in front of my poor, stressed vampire.
He stared at my bare legs, and I almost jumped when his hands reached up and ran over my knee caps, moving along my outer thighs. His eyes followed his hands, and his forehead creased in pain.
“You are so perfect and beautiful,” he said, his thumbs caressing over my legs, pushing my t-shirt up further. “You are so innocent to this life you were tossed carelessly into.”
“I’m finding my way,” I said, feeling his grief. “Accepting all of it has certainly helped me.”
He glanced up and locked eyes with me. “I won’t drink from you,” he said. “It won’t work that way with you and me.”
“You’ve made that clear, I know.”
I had to play this one smart. If we wanted Cole to feed on me and complete our bond, I could tell that forcing it on him was the wrong way to go.
