Page 14 of Every Bite You Take
He replied with a sage nod. “Especially.” He sighed. “That’s something I wrestle with as a vampire. There’s a reason we get a reputation as being all dark and broody. When you realize you’re going to live forever while everyone around you is going to die one day, you can be a little melodramatic.” He motioned up to the sky. “Not to mention never seeing daylight.”
“Hold up,” I teased. “We better get you back into the comedy show to cheer you up—and I do say ‘comedy’ loosely.”
He chuckled again, his laughter deep and rich.
“I like hearing you laugh,” I admitted.
“Hard not to be in a good mood. I’m in great company with a beautiful woman.” He brushed my arm, stirring warm and tingly feelings inside me.
I turned to smile at him. Bad move. I wasn’t watching where I was going and tripped, letting out a high squeak as I stumbled forward. I flapped my arms like a dragon about to take flight while I struggled to keep my balance. Damien caught me before I hit the deck.
His eyes narrowed and nostrils flared. Then I felt the sting on my leg.
“No!” I gasped as blood trickled down my shin. I shuddered, hunching my shoulders as the heebie-jeebies crawled over my skin.
Damien had quite a different reaction. Fangs emerged from his lips as his eyes gleamed with a reddish hue and narrowed with hunger. A low gasp escaped me.
He slammed his hand over his mouth, and his eyes widened in horror. I sucked in a breath, feeling myself get lightheaded.
“Kylie, are you all right?” By the look of his conflicted expression, he appeared to be struggling for control.
I sat on the deck and clasped my knees. Rocking back and forth, I chanted, “I don’t want to faint. I don’t want to faint.”
“You won’t. I’m right here,” Damien assured me. “What can I do to help?”
“Stop the blood!” I urged. “Get a napkin or something.” I turned my head. “I can’t look at it. I hate the sight of it.”
Damien rushed away with vampire speed and returned with a stack of napkins. “I’m gonna touch you now, okay?” His voice was low and gentle.
I sucked in air through my teeth and nodded. “I’m ready.”
“Just breathe. In and out. Slow breaths.”
“Okay.” I followed his instructions.
When he pressed the cut with the napkins, I winced.
“You’re going to be fine,” he assured me. “The cut isn’t deep.”
As he tended to my wound, I braved a glance at his face. His body language was tense while a primal longing flickered in his eyes. “Damien, are you all right?”
He paused before replying. “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s my body’s natural response. But don’t worry—I won’t hurt you, Kylie. I’d never hurt you.”
“I know,” I replied, believing those words. I could see how he’d struggled against his nature out of concern for me.
The humor of the situation hit me, and I started giggling.
“What’s funny?” Damien raised his gaze to meet my eyes, his expression now confused.
“How ridiculous this situation is.” I raised my hand and dropped it to my side. “A woman who gets squeamish aboutblood hanging and a vampire who needs it to survive. What an odd couple.”
Couple? Maybe I shouldn’t have phrased it that way. It made it sound like we were together, which we were not. We were just…
That was a question I didn’t know how to answer.
The serious, strained expression vanished from Damien’s face as he grinned. “Strange indeed.” Then he nudged his chin up. “Maybe you should take a go at doing stand-up comedy.”
“Yeah. Anything’s better than what we saw tonight.” I snorted. Then I gave him a grateful smile. “I know that couldn’t be easy for you.”
