Page 12 of Prey

The pressure of Tessa’s hand settled on my head and although the hesitation was there, I felt her need to comfort me. The human span of emotion was baffling. I’d been a human once, but from what I remembered of my past, no one ever helped me out. There was no act of kindness given to me by anyone else. Yet, I’d repeatedly made it clear that I meant to kill her and here she was, stroking my hair. Perhaps I didn’t need to try to force the bond that would never be. Could she already be feeling what I wanted her to? Not love yet, but something bordering it.

Footsteps pulled me from the moment and I tried to ignore Hunter in the distance.

“You’re lonely.”

My head snapped up and my lips peeled back in distaste. “I beg your pardon?”

“You’re…back. That tells me you have nothing or anyone else to go to. You’re like a lost a puppy, albeit a rabid one. But I think you’re in need of company. Of attention.”

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. I should kill you right now for comparing me to…” I pushed to my feet, crossing my arms over my chest.

“A rabid dog? You have to admit, you sort of resemble one with the whole bite thing.”

I scowled. With every step I took forward, she took one back. “Maybe you’re right, since the only reason I’m here is to finish my meal.”

Her eyes dropped and the fear came back. My pulse thumped and I closed my lids, taking a deep breath and focusing on bringing it back down.

“Will you kill me tonight?”

“Probably.”

Annoyance quickly took over the creation, the one heartbeat I’d been so proud of. I pushed my palm into my chest. “Fine. No, I won’t kill you yet. Tonight, I just want you.”

Tessa glanced at the bed. “You can’t have me that way. I’d prefer you just killed me, if that’s the case.”

Anger was quickly taking over the nice behavior I’d been forcing myself to show. “You have no say. You will give yourself to me and you’ll damn well enjoy it.”

“Will I?”

My eyes tore from the wetness surrounding the light stain on the mattress and I lunged forward, yanking her into my body. “You looked to be enjoying it just fine before.”

“That was from your blood. Not you.”

Our eyes held and I wasn’t sure whether it was her fear or my anger causing me to shake at our racing pulse. “Perhaps I should get you to drink it again.”

Even as I spoke the words, they sounded unsure. Weak. I didn’t want to have to exchange again and definitely not this soon. At the rate I was going, I was going to be in over my head before the sun set tomorrow.

“If I give myself to you, will you leave me alone? Let me live?”

My head shook and my subconscious answered before I could. “Death will find you. There may be an illumination, but there’s no light at the end of the tunnel…not for you, mon chaton. Not for anyone.”

Tessa’s lashes lowered as she seemed to go into her thoughts. I let go as her head bowed. Our disconnection had her turning and walking to the dresser. As her eyes came up and she looked at me through the reflection, I felt rooted. Green kept me trapped as her hands messed with something on the top. And like that, she dipped her head, and I blinked past the confusion. I knew she had no special powers. It was our blood. It was bringing us closer. Even so soon.

Pale skin became exposed as she began unbuttoning the top of her nightgown, but I barely noticed as she turned to face me. The thickness of her lips thinned into a smile and it seemed genuine. It made no sense.

“Well?”

My gaze traveled down past her neck, to the cleavage of her breasts, stopping at the rosary. I swallowed hard, looking back up to her face. I waited for the urge to distance myself and met her smile when it didn’t come.

“I think you may have beautiful breasts, but I can’t see them.” Her expression melted and she reached for the material, hugging it closely as I came to stand before her. I pushed past her hands, grabbing the necklace and twisting the beads around her neck tightly. “Now, I do believe I’ll partake in what you were so enthusiastically offering. First, a word of advice,” I said, lowering to whisper in her ear, “never use anything holy against a vampire. You’re only going to piss it off. As you can see…it doesn’t work.” With my jerk, I broke not only the rosary, but the damn heart chain she had fastened around her neck. I tossed them to the ground, crushing my lips into hers.

“I hate you,” she whispered, breaking away. “Someday, I’m going to kill you.”

I laughed, leaning back and cupping her cheeks. “That makes both of us. But in the meantime, we fall in love.”

“I could never love you.”

The phrase had all amusement leaving and it was partly because I believed her.

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