The Way You Bite(33)

He brushed hair off her face. “You need blood.”

“I’m pretty sure you don’t have a few bags of Type-O in the frig.” Even to herself her voice sounded slurred.

“Probably not.”

“Let me go home. There’s a convenience store nearby…just tired.” She struggled not to fall asleep.

The soft pads of his fingers touched her throat over her jugular. “Do you find human blood unfulfilling? That it doesn’t sustain you long? That you’re different than other vamps?”

She nodded, startled by his question. She’d kept the odd defect secret. Others could drink one liter of human blood or a sip from a fellow vamp and it’d last them a day or two. She needed one or two liters of human blood to get through twelve hours.

“Can you drink vampire blood?”

She shook her head, which made the world around her go to doubles.

“Dominic forbade anyone in the States to drink from a source, even a vampire source, unless the two are married. Even so, I did try it once with a vampire. Makes me sick.” One sip long ago from a friend made her puke for twenty-four hours.

“I think you need wolf blood.” He continued to stroke her throat.

Adrenaline fear eclipsed lethargy. She wiggled to get out of his grip and pushed away from him. “You want to poison me? I’ll die.”

“I’m pretty sure you won’t have a problem.”

“I’ve seen a vamp poisoned by wolf blood before. It’s one of Dominic’s favorite ways to execute traitors. Not pretty.” Capillaries ruptured, orifices bled, and eventually the vamp would die puking blood until he aspirated on it. She always figured it was some sort of species preservation thing.

Still, she couldn’t help speculating on the life source pulsating through the thick vein in Lexan’s throat. His neck muscles corded down to the junction of his clavicle, peeking out of a dark shirt. Sexual heat swelled her core to preheat. Others liked to bite during sex with vamps or humans. She’d never been tempted. The thought of Lexan pounding into her and then her taking his neck—she wanted it. Now. She had to physically shake her head to clear the intoxicating vision.

“It’s poison.” Good Lord, she couldn’t quit staring at the pulsing vein in his neck and wondering.

“You’re half wolf. My blood won’t hurt you. You already had some earlier, when you were half passed out.”

“What? I don’t believe you.”

“It happened, and you seem to be fine.”

She involuntarily licked her lips as she stared transfixed on his jugular.

“I need you healthy.” You’ll die going into the transition this weak. I won’t let you die.

“What transition?” She watched shock transform into a smile of comprehension. Well, screw it to Sunday, that’d been dumb. Never had she been careless with her ability to read thoughts.

“You are full of surprises, Vee. A mind reader. Rare. Terrifying to all species. Makes sense, though. Both your father and mother were known for remarkable mental capabilities.”

“Can’t you read minds?”

“I can communicate with others mentally, but not read minds. I’d give anything to know what you’re thinking right now.” His eyes smoldered as his gaze dropped to her lips. His finger touched one of her elongated, hypersensitive fangs.

She suppressed a groan. “Why, do you think I’m dying?”

“You’re a hybrid. A demisang. If you don’t accept both parts of yourself, you’ll die. Probably within the next forty-eight hours when your inner wolf starts to want out. You need wolf blood to help you through the transition. With the full moon almost at hand—”

“If there is a wolf part of me, it’s just going to have to suck it up and stay in the backseat right now. I’ve got enough to deal with being vampire. This is going to take my life to a whole new level of crazy. Can you please take me home?” She fell back against the sofa and put an arm over her eyes.

Lexan whipped out a small knife.

She cringed away from him. Maybe he lured her here for this end. Logic kicked in. He’d had too many opportunities to hurt her. He’d been super pissed when others had hurt her. Her murder wasn’t his objective.

Much to her shock, Lexan nicked his wrist. The smell of his blood tickled her nostrils. Her mouth watered. She tracked the small red stream as it flowed to his hand. Instinct clamored for her to lick it before it dripped. Before any was wasted. “I don’t drink from the source. It’s usually disgusting.”

He moved his hand close to her mouth. “Just have a small taste. It won’t hurt you.”

The coppery smell tempted. It taunted. She was just too hungry to resist. Why not? She’d rather die than be married to Ambrose or forced to undergo the treatment.

Her mouth watered. “If I die, please don’t give my body back to Dominic. Burn it.”

He allowed a drop of his blood to fall onto her lips. “You won’t die.”

The first taste was…a revelation. His blood blazed down her throat, igniting in her stomach and spreading through her body, but not pain. She grabbed his wrist and licked off more. There was rejuvenation followed closely by white-hot desire. And recognition.

Her eyes snapped to his. “You fed me before, didn’t you?”