Once Bitten (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #1)(58)

“It certainly did that. The wearer was a vampire. She’s dust now,” I said.

“Then it can be charmed again for another purpose. It’s quite simple really.”

“By all means, it’s yours,” I said. I still had the charm she’d given me last week and had little use for more.

She smiled broadly. “I can always use another charm.” The phone rang from the kitchen, and she excused herself to take the call.

I forced myself to down the rest of the tea. The cogs and pulleys in my brain worked overtime, as I tried to piece together how I’d live with a constant tie to Arys.

“Did you catch the bottom line? She said this could make us a power house.” Arys winked at me, his voice low. Go figure that would mean more to him than anything else.

“Is that all you think about?” I hissed. I could hear Lena in the other room talking in low tones.

“Baby, you know that’s not all I think about.” His smoldering gaze swept over me. My breath caught. “In fact, you’ve already got me thinking along other lines.”

I blew a stray hair out of my face and flashed him a dirty look. “You are so inappropriate.”

He considered me with a self-satisfied smile. “And, yet you love it. I’d be willing to bet that you’re ready for me right now.” He raised an eyebrow and shot me a look that oozed sexuality. A heat swept through my body that nearly knocked me breathless.

If I hadn’t been done with my tea, I would have gagged on it. The energy rose between us, and I knew, if we touched, I would lose control.

I hungered in more ways than I’d ever known before that night with Arys. I could smell his blood rushing hot beneath the surface of his skin, and I longed to taste it.

When Lena hung up the phone with a small clatter, I realized I’d been leaning toward Arys as if I would have crawled out of my skin to get to him.

“Sorry about that.” Lena returned to the living room, noting my empty cup immediately. “Would you care for more tea, dear?”

“No, thank you. I probably have more caffeine in my veins than anything else.”

I helped her clean up the dessert trays, but the time grew late. “We’ll get out of your hair now. I’m sure you’d much rather be in bed.” Arys took my lead and ambled to the doorway.

I drew Lena into a quick hug, but I could smell the blood in her veins. Hunger soared ravenously, and I sent a panicked look over her shoulder to Arys.

“Thank you, again, for all of your help,” he called from the entryway. The heady swoon of bloodlust shattered, and I stepped away from her before it hit me again.

“I don’t know how much help I was, but I’ll do some digging and see what I can come up with.”

I slipped into my shoes and thanked her again. We turned to go. I’d been holding my breath. The hallway was empty and unnaturally quiet. I stumbled and fell against the wall, but Arys steadied me.

“Are you alright?” His gaze searched me.

I had to think about my words. The bloodlust picked away at me, but I shoved away from him to hit the elevator down button. When I heard the mechanics engage, I turned to face him. A light sheen of perspiration broke out on my brow, and I wiped it away with the back of my hand.

“I am not alright. Why didn’t you feed tonight?” I gulped the stale hallway air and longed for the fresh outdoor breeze.

“I didn’t think I needed to.” He eyed me carefully as I slumped against the wall.

I held tightly to my stomach as it cramped and growled. The hunger was intense; much like it had been the previous night when I’d lost control. A mix of emotions stormed my system.

I smiled wickedly and crooked my finger in invitation. The elevator arrived with a ding, and the doors slid open. Arys grabbed my hand and pulled me in after him. He eyed me carefully, as if I were the unpredictable one.

“I wonder if feeding would have kept this from happening to you,” he said thoughtfully.

“And me shifting will alleviate your need.” I felt giddy, as if I’d had too much wine.

“Possibly.” He appeared thoughtful but was easily distracted when I licked my lips in obvious invitation. “You’re a dangerous woman, Alexa. I don’t think you know how powerful your allure is.”

“Well, it’s not my allure that has me itching to feel you.”

I reached for him, the contact of our skin producing an electric tingle throughout my body. A gasp escaped me when a jolt filled me with pleasure. He sighed. All resistance left him as he grabbed me tightly in a bruising kiss.

The elevator slammed to a stop, and I startled until I realized he had stopped it. I wasn’t keen on the locale, but with the silky softness of Arys’s skin beneath my fingers, I could make do.

Where our skin made contact, the sparks burned. My fingers pushed under his t-shirt, and ten steady streams of energy hummed against his bare skin.

The warmth of his mouth found what remained of the previous bite wound above my collarbone. My pulse beat hard beneath the surface. He lingered there, and I froze. I remembered what his fangs felt like buried in my flesh. The matching scar on my left breast throbbed in time with the other. Pressed tight against him, I still didn’t feel close enough.

His hands were low on my hips. They brushed the sensitive patch of skin just below my bellybutton. If I were a werecat, I would’ve purred right then.