Page 24 of Claiming Her Vampire

“Now, we get you settled. I have a spare bedroom for you to use. I will keep you safe. I’ll drive you to and from work.” He picks up my bag. “Follow me.”

I follow him up the stairs, trying not to stare at his ass, but it’s hard not to. It’s right in front of my face, practically begging me to look. Feel. Take a bite.

Where the hell did that thought come from?

At the top of the stairs, there are three doors. To the left, the balcony continues to an open room. I strain my neck to look at it, curious.

Ryker opens the door closest to the open room. He allows me to enter first. The room is sparsely decorated with only a large bed in the center, an end table on the right side, and a dresser. It is bright and airy, with a big window on the left side of the bed with a lovely window seat.

“I hope this will work for you?” He sits my bag on the bed.

“It’s nice, thank you.” I smile at him.

“The dresser is empty. You can unpack if you want. Are you hungry? I can fix you something to eat.”

“I will unpack, and food would be nice,” I say. Hopefully, a full stomach will calm my nerves. My body trusts him, but my mind is cautious.

“I’ll let you know when it’s done.” He walks to the door.

Before he walks through, I blurt out, “Is it true we are mates?” I know he said it before, but I need more confirmation.

He stops and turns, his eyes locked on me. “Yes, it’s true.” He slowly walks over to stand in front of me. “When a vampire finds his mate, his eyes change, his world. Before you came to the club, my eyes were blue, and after the white appeared around them. I will never look at another, be with another woman. I live to serve you now. I am responsible for your safety and your happiness. I plan to fulfill every desire and want. You belong to me now as I belong to you.” He slowly raises his hand, his fingers tracing my face reverently. Chills race over my skin, not only from his words but his soft touch. “For the rest of your life, worry doesn’t exist for you. I will take care of everything. Whatever monsters were in your past no longer matter.” He bends down and breathes his following words over my lips, “I am the real monster. Fortunately, I am your monster.” He doesn’t move as our breath mingles and we stare into each other's eyes. My heart is thumping almost painfully in my chest.

He jerks back just as I think he will eliminate the space between us and blurs out the door. I stand frozen where he left me, staring at the door in wonder. He barely touched me, but his soft touch was very effective in bringing my body back to life. All the time I was with Tom, all the kisses we shared never left me aching with need the way Ryker’s presence did.

I snap out of the spell he put me in and decide to unpack my bag. I don’t know how long I will be staying here, but I have a feeling Ryker will do his best to keep me. The little thrill that travels through me gives me hope for the first time in years. Why am I not freaking the fuck out?

I empty my bag, arranging my clothes into the drawers. The bathroom is in the same light colors as the bedroom. The shower is beautiful and extensive, with multiple shower heads, making me excited to try it out later. After putting my things away, I wander downstairs, too jittery to sit by myself.

Ryker is in front of the stove. He rolled up his sleeves, but he is still wearing the knives on his body. I’ve never seen someone wear weapons on their chest.

“Is there something special about the blades you wear?” He doesn’t turn around as I sit at the bar.

“Yes, they kill. They protect those that I choose to.” He looks at me over his shoulder. “Do they bother you?”

“No. Just curious. Every time I’ve seen you, you have them on.” I shrug.

“The one time I took them off, someone almost died.” Regret colors his voice.

“So you leave them on. Even here in your home?” I ask.

“Usually, I take them off here, but until I know you are safe, I won’t risk it.” He turns off the burner and dishes out two plates.

“You believe whoever this is will come after me?”

“Yes. I have a target on my back. Normally it wouldn’t bother me. Now that I have you, I will kill them and protect you from harm.” He sets a plate in front of me.

“This smells wonderful. You can cook?”

“Surprised?” He comes around the counter to sit beside me with his plate.

“A little. When I thought of vampires in the past—fictional, of course—I never imagined they ate food, so cooking didn’t cross my mind.”

“It would be boring without food. Finding new flavors and types of food is a pastime of mine. I’ve had many years to perfect recipes.”

I taste it and have to bite back a moan. The explosion of flavor on my tongue is intense. It’s a type of stir-fry filled with chicken and vegetables. “It’s amazing.”

“I can cook for you whenever you’d like,” he says softly.

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