Page 25 of Bite
James gestures for me to lead the way, the back of my neck prickling as I feel him following closely behind. Subconsciously, I register his presence as a threat– but consciously, I’m so drawn to him that it overrides my base instincts. I flick a glance his way as I ease down onto the chaise, not even flinching when he sinks down right beside me. We nurse our drinks in silence for a moment, the burn of the whiskey warming my throat and loosening the knots in my belly.
“I heard you never feed from the same donor twice,” I say, glancing over at him.
He lowers his tumbler to rest atop his knee, eyes twinkling with amusement. “True.”
“So, what changed?” I probe, cocking my head.
He shifts his weight as he leans back, his thigh brushing mine. “You did.”
My breath hitches, pulse taking off like a rocket.
He watches me for a beat longer, expression unreadable, then reaches over to the side table and sets his glass down gently.“I’ve sampled every blood type, every variation,” he murmurs. “I’ve fed from royalty and rebels, saints and sociopaths. But you?” He tilts his head as he leans in, a rogue strand of white-blond hair catching in his eyelashes. “You’re uniquely delicious,mea dulcis. A rare find.”
Heat licks up my spine, cheeks flaming. “So my blood… tastes good?” I stammer, voice pitched too high.
A slow smile curves his lips. “Not just good,” he states, reaching up to trail his fingertips over the pulse point in my neck. “You taste dangerous. Like something I could get addicted to.”
My whole body tightens, a treacherous throb pulsing between my thighs. As I stare into his eyes, there’s no denying the pull I feel toward James Devereaux. It’s magnetic, inevitable– like jumping off a cliff without looking down.
He doesn’t ask permission this time. Just watches me for a beat longer, then slides right into my space, fingers grazing my throat. His touch is startlingly gentle, almost reverent as he brushes my hair aside and leans in.
The bite comes fast, the ache that follows blooming instantly. It’s deep and warm, heady and intoxicating. I clutch at his shirt in a feeble attempt to stay grounded, but it feels like the room tilts anyway, everything blurring until only the two of us remain. His lips seal over my skin as he feeds, each pull sending pulses of heat through my body. His hand lands on my hip like an anchor, fingers flexing as he adjusts his grip.
I want his hand to stay there.
No, I want it tomove. Under my dress, between my thighs…
He slowly withdraws his fangs from my flesh, but doesn’t pull away entirely. His tongue traces over the wound, then travels lower to lick a drop from the curve of my neck, breath ghosting over my skin.
“Your profile says blood only,” he murmurs as he draws back to meet my eyes, fingers grazing up the curve of my waist.
I nod stiffly, pulse skipping. “It does.”
He cocks a brow. “Can I change your mind?”
My lips part, but no words come out. I should say something.Anything.But my tongue is suddenly too heavy in my mouth, my thoughts a blur of heat and want as he lets the moment hang between us like a held breath.
“No rush,” he says, lips quirking into a wicked smirk. “Think on it.”
Then, like nothing happened, he rises to stand, offering me his hand.
I take it, legs wobbling slightly as he pulls me to my feet. I start to sway, but his large hand clamps down on the side of my waist to steady me, those piercing blue eyes locked on mine.
Once I’m steady, James walks me to the front door like a perfect gentleman, silent but still overwhelming. He pauses at the threshold, turning to face me.
“Until next time, darling,” he murmurs, raising my hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it.
My cheeks heat as I nod back at him, then step out into the night, the air cold against my flushed skin. My heels click against the stone as I descend the steps to the black car idling at the curb, and as I approach the back door, I can’t stop myself from glancing over my shoulder.
He’s still there, standing on the grand steps. Watching me like he already knows I’ll return.
And I hate that he might be right.
Chapter
Nine
Twelve hours ago, I was sitting in an opulent mansion, dressed to the nines and sipping whiskey from a crystal glass while letting a vampire king bite me.
