Wicked Soul (Ancient Blood #1)(3)
I spent the entire time pressing my body up against the bars and quivering like a leaf, I don’t want to die! running on repeat in my panicked brain while I stared at my dark-haired killer-to-be.
It was both the longest and the shortest two hours of my life.
When the vampire’s dark eyes opened once again, there was a different sort of awareness in his gaze than when I’d forced him awake earlier in the day. Probably the difference between a vampire before and after dark.
Neat. I get exciting, anthropological knowledge of vampires before I die! I didn’t manage to clamp down on the hysterical giggle before it bubbled out between my lips, shattering the silence between us.
The vampire raised a single, dark eyebrow in question.
I made a vague gesture between us, inexplicably compelled to explain my behavior. He was probably more familiar with uncontrollable sobbing. “S-sorry, it’s just… Everyone always want to know more about vampires, and here I am, getting some quality one-on-one time. I’ll be the envy of the entire Internet!” Another shrill giggle escaped me.
“You’re an odd one, aren’t you?” His face never changed from the blank expression, but his tone was tinged with curiosity.
I flailed a hand in the empty space between us again, offense taking over my hysteria. “Well, excuse me for not knowing the right etiquette for getting eaten alive. It’s not exactly something I do every other Saturday.”
He sighed, seemingly losing interest in me as he swiveled around to stare blankly into the room behind the bars without getting up from his seated position. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Oh.” I blinked. “Aren’t you hungry?”
The vampire turned his head to give me an incredulous stare.
“I mean, I’m not offering!” I quickly amended. “I’m just pretty sure I’ve not been tossed in here to be your Bridge partner, is all.”
He gave a snort of amusement, the faintest hint of a smile touching his lips. “Nevertheless… I will not harm you, little one.”
“So... You’ve eaten recently? Do they toss women in here often then?” Oh my goddess, why are you still talking? You don’t want to know about his diet, for crying out loud! Shut up!
“They do not.” His tone was flat, but he didn’t turn back around to stare at the basement again, his eyes taking in my still-quivering form with something akin to curiosity. “You are the first. May I ask why?”
I blinked. “You’re asking me why I got kidnapped and used as a vampire snack?”
He gave a single nod, a patient expression on his solemn face.
I opened my mouth to explain how I’d been minding my own business, reading a book, when the oafs took offense to my choice of literature, but managed to stop myself in time. Suddenly, when faced with an actual nightwalker, confessing to enjoying the occasional smutty vampire romance seemed more than a little embarrassing.
“Well, why’d they capture you?” I asked.
“They don’t like vampires,” he answered, even though we both knew my question was pretty ridiculous. The stakes on the walls made it obvious they fancied themselves some sort of delusional vampire slayers. I’d heard rumors about people like that—people who took on the night creatures, vigilante-style—but I’d never thought they’d actually ever capture any of them. The people who made YouTube videos about how to “capture vamps” tended to look like they’d have trouble putting on pants in the morning.
“But how?” I pried, my initial fear of him waning now that it didn’t look like I was going to end up as dinner. “Aren’t you supposed to be super strong and fast?”
His eyebrow quirked again, and I had the good grace to blush when I realized how rude that must have sounded.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to imply you’re a failure of a vampire or anything. Just…” My voice died at his stare. “Sorry.”
“You ask a lot of questions for a human who thinks I’m going to eat her,” he said.
“Excuse me for trying to make the most of a shitty situation,” I snapped in reply.
He softened his tone. “I apologize. I did not mean to offend.” Still, a ghost of a smile lurked at the corner of his mouth.
“You’re an odd one too,” I said, frowning at his youthful face. “You don’t want to eat me, and you apologize for offending me. No offense, but you’re not at all what I’d imagined vampires to be like.”
His expression didn’t change, but with another sigh, he turned all the way back around toward me. “Let me guess—you imagined a beast who would break your neck and slake his thirst with your lifeblood?”
I felt another blush heat up my face. “Well, yeah. That or… you know. The other kind.”
He frowned. “The other kind?”
“Er…” Flashes from my book appeared before my mind’s eye—the kind containing breathy moans, heaving breasts, and a lot of neck sucking. “Never mind. Look, please don’t take this the wrong way—I’m very happy you don’t want to eat me and all, but… why not? I’ve always heard vampires are insatiable. Do I… do I not smell appetizing?”
This time, he laughed. It was deep and rumbly, and surprisingly pleasant to listen to for the few seconds it rang through the basement.