Moonlight's Ambassador (Aileen Travers Book 3)(21)

It took some willpower to drag myself out of the shower and not just stand under the sprayer for the rest of my life. Dried off, my brown hair tied back in a bun to keep my clothes from getting wet, I cleared a spot in the fogged-up mirror and grabbed a toothbrush that had been sitting wrapped on the counter. My grayish blue eyes looked back at me from pale skin made even paler by the fact that I hadn't been outside in over two years. I was tall, five feet seven inches, and made lean from my work as a bike messenger for Hermes. It probably helped that although I could eat a small amount of food, it lacked the nutrients my body could process. As a result, I didn't gain weight no matter how many bowls of black raspberry ice cream I consumed.

I'd chosen a black t-shirt and a faded pair of jeans that fit me well but were loose enough that I could move if I had to. While the jeans would be a little warm for June, they would protect my legs if I ended up on my bike again.

Ready, I stepped out of the bathroom and froze at the sight of a pair of long legs attached to a lean body whose owner's head rested on my pillow. Liam turned from his perusal of the ceiling and gave me a lazy smile.

"You shouldn't have bothered with the shower. You're just going to get all sweaty again," he said.

I frowned at him. "What are you doing in my bedroom?"

His smile widened to hold a wicked edge. "Where do you think I stayed during the day?"

"Your own bedroom."

His expression turned amused. "And leave you with the opportunity to sneak out if you woke sooner than expected?"

Damn.

He let out a laugh, the warm sound brushing against me and sending tingles down my spine. He would be handsome if I didn't want to stab him in the eye half the time.

"I'm surprised you're here yourself given how busy you are,” I said. "Where are your minions?"

He managed to turn his shrug into a thing of elegance. "They're all busy. I had a bit of time today and thought we could spend it together."

"You assume I want to spend time with you," I returned.

He didn't let my statement deter him. He sat up and swung his legs off the bed, standing in a graceful movement. "I suggest you put on clothes you can exercise in. I've decided to give you a little training this evening."

"I think I'm good. I have work anyways."

"Your first run isn't until one. You have a little time." He walked out of the room, leaving me to trail behind him like a lost little lamb.

"How do you know that?" I narrowed my eyes at him. "Did you call Jerry?"

Jerry was the owner of Hermes, and I had a hard time believing he would tell Liam anything. Jerry wasn't exactly the biggest fan of vampires. He only tolerated me because I was practically a newborn in vampire terms, and he owed my old captain a huge favor.

He tossed my phone over his shoulder. I caught it and looked down at it with a suspicious glance. It was unlocked, and my calendar was open. How did he unlock it? And what else had he stuck his nose into?

"Get changed, or you'll be training in what you're wearing," he called from the other room, his voice making it clear he was serious.

"I didn't bring any exercise gear," I shouted, trying one last time to get out of what was sure to be an embarrassing and painful experience.

"You've no doubt noticed by now that the room has been stocked with clothes in your size. Quit wasting time."

Yeah, and we'd be having a talk about how he'd got my sizes.

I stuck my tongue out at the door and headed for the dresser, grabbing the first pair of yoga pants I found. Pairing it with a sports bra and workout tank, I was ready in very little time. He was right; everything fit.

I appeared in the next room to find Liam standing in front of the fridge with a grimace of distaste as he held a bottle of blood up.

Seeing me, he closed the fridge and grabbed a glass from the cabinet. "Good, you listened."

"Like you gave me a choice."

"I’ve told you before. We always have a choice. It's just that some of those choices are acceptable and some not. You chose the one that allowed you to keep your dignity. This time." He slid the glass containing the blood towards me. "Since you listened, I won't force you to take blood from a live donor."

"Mighty big of you," I said in a dry voice.

He met my eyes with a serious gaze. "Make no mistake, Aileen, there will come a time when I force the issue. You need to learn how to drink blood from the source. Not only for your safety but for the safety of those around you."

I gave him my best stubborn look, the one that my mom used to get when she tried to make me eat my vegetables.

His gaze softened. "We both know it wouldn't take much for your will to break."

My look turned dirty. He was referencing the time when I'd been forced to take blood from him. One little cut on his neck and I'd latched on like a damn leech.

"I might surprise you," I said. Not the most original come back, but it was all I had.

He gave me a dark smile. "You just might." He walked around the counter. "Now, drink up. You're going to need the blood for what I have in store for you."

I grumbled but drained the glass as quickly as I could. My stomach tried to revolt against it as it oozed down my throat. My gag reflex nearly kicked in, and it was only through sheer will power that I managed to keep it down. Gone was the electric feeling of life that used to be there when I had a glass of the red stuff. Now, it was like ten-day old roadkill. It might technically have what you need, but it wasn't going to go down easy.