Page 65 of Heartbeat Girl

“Open your mouth,” I instructed Jayne.

Her small lips parted. Raising my arm, I bit into my wrist. The flow of blood caught the edge of my lips as I pulled away. I healed fast, so I had to be quick. The first few drops fell against her skin, and despite the situation, my body still reacted to the sight of the frail human taking something so sacred from me. She blinked every time blood hit her chin until the first drop spilled into her mouth, reddening her tongue. She closed her eyes. A slight vibration drifted through the room. It took several seconds to realize the noise came from me. I hummed for her, wanting to give her the sweetest sounds.

Heartbeat Girl would be the first to drink my blood other than Marilyn, which had never been a choice. This moment with her marked the first time I gave my essence freely. I was unprepared for the sweltering passion emerging inside me. Starting at my chest, the electric pulses spread down my body, enticing me in ways it shouldn’t.

I pushed my wrist against her mouth. “Hurry and drink. The skin will close quickly.”

With a tiny whimper, her tongue swept out against my skin and sucked. Ecstasy lit across my flesh. I felt my eyes shift, darkening to match the space where my soul should have been. Pulling her closer, I hugged her against my chest as her hand reached up and latched onto my wrist. She sucked with vigor now, and I didn’t bother to hide the groan. She wasn’t a vampire. Her instinct wasn’t to bite, but to suction with her mouth and tongue. She stole enough of my essence before the bite wounds closed. When they healed, she protested, licking my flesh and whined.

Jayne’s sensualness made me tip her face up. I was seconds away from smashing my lips against hers when I opened my eyes.What the fuck am I doing?Her eyes were closed, mouth parted, but I watched as the bruise slowly faded from her face.

Gripping my arm tighter, she leaned forward and swiped her tongue across my neck. “More,” she whined.

The sudden need to obey had me trembling. I was ready to cut my neck wide open for her when Steve walked over and rubbed her forehead.

“Now, now. That’s enough,” he said with a bit of awe in his voice. Looking at me, he asked, “You good?”

The way I shook it was a valid question. Something made my body run hot. “I don’t—”

I shuddered as Jayne’s breath heated my flesh.Fuck.

“I don’t remember you or me acting this way to Marilyn’s blood,” he admitted.

Neither did I.

“So, our blood has the same effect on humans as our bite does?” He did a double take when I didn’t speak. “How is it influencing you, too?”

I rubbed my face and put some safe distance between Jayne and me. “Jayne,” I groaned as she tried getting close again.

God, help me. I’m about to steal one of your humans if I don’t regain some control.

“All right. That’s enough,” I said.

I pushed her brown hair out of her eyes and smiled. Her round face was healed and lovely. She was beautiful, young in appearance. But if she dated a doctor, I guessed her to be in her twenties at least.

“Look at you. All healed.”

She leaned her cheek against my palm. When she closed her eyes and sighed contently, another piece of me fell to the floor.

“You remember no pain. All you remember was— What’s your ex-boyfriend’s name?” I asked.

“Dean,” she answered.

“Dean was the piece of shit that cheated on you. But this is good news. Now you’ll find yourself and be happy, right?”

She nodded.

The door jiggled. Dean tried to open it from the other side, but I still had Jayne pressed against it. “Who’s blocking the door?” Dean yelled.

“Close your eyes,” I said, although she wouldn’t remember any of it.

+++

We didn’t kill Dean right away. We put him in a trance and then he followed us outside. I had already broken his wrist and blackened his eye. Once we delivered Jayne to the apartment safely, I’d release him from the compulsion and let him feel the pain.

Pete went to Jayne’s old apartment to grab her things. It was tedious, but no one complained. For whatever reason, Pete and Steve were all too willing to help Jayne. Pete even made me swear to wait on him before we finished Dean.

Once Steve and I walked Jayne to her new apartment, I frowned as she waited for me to tell her what to do next. I hated this, but I also knew it was the only way. At least I knew where she was and could find her again.

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