Page 54 of Heathens

“So you know the rules, and you still didn’t knock? You must be extremely confident tonight, Mr. Duncan.” She glances at the small bar that’s tucked toward the side of the room. “You want a drink?”

I cross the room and take a seat beside her, draping my arm across the back of the couch. My fingers brush lightly against her neck, watching goosebumps appear like magic. She looks like she’s never done this before, big doe eyes darting around as she draws in a deep breath.

“I’ll take a bourbon for now,” I hum, studying the way her chest rises and falls. I can smell her blood and hear her heart thrumming against her ribs like a drum.

She pushes herself up off of the couch and struts toward the bar, hips swaying with each step. She’s got a great ass; gorgeous legs with firm muscles I want to sink my teeth into.

There’s less confidence in her bartending skills tonight. Her hand trembles a little as she pours the drink. Is it the fact that we’re alone that’s making her nervous? This is her territory. She should be comfortable here – own it, even.

She takes a tentative step toward me, thrusting out the glass a little too roughly. When our eyes meet a rush pulses through me like an electrical current.

“You can relax, you know.”

“Is this the part where you tell me you don’t bite?” She teases.

“I’d never lie to you, Sofie.” I take the glass as she sits back down. “So, is this a new thing for you? How often do you do this?”

“Only a select few weekends,” she replies. “Ruby and I mostly just rotate in to give people a break.” She plays with the rim of her glass, looking at me sideways. “Is that really how you want to spend your time, playing 20 questions?”

“I just want to know why you look so afraid.”

Sofie snorts as she takes a quick swig of her drink. It’s the first sign of attitude I’ve seen from her all night. I like it.

“Try not to drink too much of that,” I tell her with a smile.

Alcohol is a blood thinner, and I doubt I’m going to be showing much restraint tonight.

She turns, staring me right in the eyes and drains the rest of her glass in one go. Her insubordination gives me a rush of adrenaline, and I toss back my drink in an instant and pull her closer to me. She squeaks a little, and I dip my head to nuzzle in the crook of her neck. The smell of the blood in her veins and the alcohol on her breath force my lips to part.

I’m starving, craving her.

“You never answered my question,” I purr, reaching for the glass in her hand and tossing it to the floor. “What are you afraid of?”

She gasps as I drag the tip of my nose along her pulse point, feeling it thrum so close to my bared fangs.

“I’m not going to hurt you. No one will while I’m around.”

She’s shivering beneath my touch, sparks shooting off of her skin. I wonder how many vampires she’s let kiss her before they drink from her, how many of them she’s fucked. I want to be better than them; I have to be the only thing she thinks about when she goes home in the morning.

I want her to lie in bed struggling to sleep while she thinks about me and only me.

“Nothing scares me, Dominic, least of all you.” She parts her thighs, flashing me a confident smile. “Besides, I don’t think you could hurt me if you tried.”

I love a woman who knows what she wants. I slip my hand between her legs, relishing the heat radiating from her skin.

“Well, it’s your territory, so you make the rules. Is that something you want? Would you like me to hurt you?”

“I don’t know,” she whispers.“It all depends on you.”

My eyes dance around her features, her pretty plump red lips parting as she wets them with her tongue. I want them colliding with mine. I want them around my cock.

“I want to drink from you,” I whisper as she leans into my touch. “It’ll only hurt if you want it to, but–”

Her mouth flickers into a smile. My cock throbs and aches, and all I can think about is feeding, fucking, or both.

“I can take it,” she purrs.

I grin.

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