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Dishes clinked in the background and although she wasn’t singing loudly, the power she held was a force all of its own. Hadn’t Hunter mentioned something about having her sing for him? Ah. New York.

  My fist connected with the wooden barrier at the thought and I breathed through the sudden anger of them having anything to do with each other. The following raps were slower. Lighter. Composure settled over me and a smile pulled at the corner of my mouth as the curtain pulled back, only to swing as she let it go.

  “Yes?”

  The door remained shut and I cursed in French under my breath. “I’m sorry, I’m in a bit of trouble. You wouldn’t happen to have a phone I could borrow, do you?”

  Shuffling had my eyes flickering.

  “I saw you last night.”

  My smile returned. “Yes, I just moved in down the street. I’m afraid my power is out and I don’t have any candles or a phone to call for help.”

  The door cracked and green eyes studied me suspiciously. “Your power?” She opened it even more, glancing around the surrounding houses.

  “Everyone’s seems to be working okay.”

  I shrugged, turning to look behind me. “I’m not sure why mine is acting up. You see, I just moved to this country and I’m afraid I’m not really sure who to contact concerning certain things. I’m sort of…lost.”

  When I faced her, she was finally looking toward me. My excuse was shit, but I got what I wanted—her attention. I locked stares with her and watched her shoulders soften almost instantly.

  “Would you mind inviting me in? I could really use your help.”

  “Invite you in?” Her words were slightly slurred, drawn out while she stayed trapped in my gaze.

  My cock hardened and I stepped in closer. “Yes. I’d really like to come in. If you approve, of course.”

  Tessa blinked heavily, shaking her head. My lips separated in surprise. I felt floored. Not many women could break through my powers. I didn’t like that she could. It made me feel weak. Something I knew I wasn’t.

  “You said you needed candles, right? Hold on.” She threw me a smile, shutting the door in my face. More shock registered and my jaw tightened as anger surfaced. Seconds later, she reopened the door, holding two small candles and a phone in her palm. “There you go.”

  “Bathroom?” I took what she held, waiting. If she denied me this, I was in trouble. I couldn’t keep coming over every night with a fucking excuse.

  Tessa glanced behind her, toward the right, and turned back to me. “I don’t know.”

  I turned up the charm, trying to drown out any warning she may have felt. “It won’t take long. I promise.”

  “I don’t usually let strangers in my home.”

  I cleared my throat, trying to get her to look back in my eyes, but she resisted. “Oh, but mon chaton, I’m no stranger. We met last night. Besides, I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot of each other. You have nothing to fear from me.”

  Dark hair fell over her shoulder and I could see her nervousness. “You promise to make it quick?”

  “Absolutely,” I reassured.

  “Okay. Come in.” The smile she gave was so forced, it made mine grow as I looked down at the threshold and stepped through. There was no going back now. I’d forever have access into her home, no matter whether she wanted it or not. My instincts flared and a voice within taunted me to attack. To pin her down and fuck her right there on the floor while I sucked the very life from her body. Something unknown had me following the direction of her finger.

  “Down that hallway. First door on the right.”

  “Thank you.”

  Light flooded the room as I flipped the switch and enclosed myself inside. The blue and white flowered shower curtain wasn’t what I had expected. I pulled it back, peeking inside. A bottle of shampoo rested on the edge and I picked it up, opening the cap to inhale the scent. The smell I associated with her rushed back. My fangs immediately came out and I bit at my bottom lip, ready to tear out of there to get to her. Instead, I placed the bottle back, walked over, and flushed the toilet.

  As I washed my hands, I stared at my reflection. Dark hair was windblown and I raised my hand, fixing the piece that escaped and hung over my forehead. My brown eyes darkened for the smallest moment, only to go back to normal. I turned off the water, leaving me in silence except for the piano piece that still played in the background. My eyes closed and I could so easily hear her pacing. I took a few seconds, not caring about time or whether Hunter would come back. Tessa’s scent surrounded me and I tuned into the fast beats pulsing in her chest. With the piano, I could have listened forever. At the small sound of anxiety she made, my lids lifted and I walked out. Whether it was relief or fear I was faced with, I wasn’t sure.

  “Good, you’re done.” Her feet shifted and she glanced toward the candles and phone on the coffee table. I studied the blue couch positioned by the wall next to it. It was old, but in fairly good shape. As I looked around even more, I noticed she seemed to like the color blue. Artwork hung on the walls…shades of the color in swirls with random lines shooting through them. My interest piqued even more as small wooden figures became visible on the shelf at the far corner. They weren’t beautiful. More…rugged and old. Who was this woman to collect such odd things? I couldn’t believe I even wanted to know. She was a human, nothing more.

  “You sing?”

  Tessa’s lips parted and a blush came to her cheeks. Innocent. Sweet. Blood. I stepped closer and she immediately took a step back. Wariness had her hand coming to her chest and I knew she was feeling me at my worst. I wanted her so fucking badly, I couldn’t control myself. I didn’t want to. I was tired of the questions and interest in what I knew was nothing but a fucking meal.

  “I…” She took another step back. No, this wasn’t going to end well for her. Not like I teased when I refrained from attacking her to begin with.

  Her mouth opened again, as if she were going to stay something. My head shook slowly and I tilted my face, forcing her to look back into my eyes while I closed the distance between us. Her body language said it all. I had her.

  “So beautiful,” I whispered, trailing the backs of my fingers down her cheek toward her lips. “Would you like to show me your room, Tessa? I think I’d like to see it.”

  “My room?” The repetition was common. I knew her mind was trying to process an answer, but she’d have nothing register except what I commanded.

  Tessa took a step to the side of me, and another. I grabbed her hand, making sure not to break our connection. Slowly, I walked with her down the hall, all the while basking in the way she stared into my depths. Here, I could make her do anything I wanted. The possibilities were endless.

  The doorknob connected with my palm and I twisted, pushing it open. The light was on and I left it alone, not wanting to miss a thing. The moment we stepped through, her scent surrounded me. It was the strongest I’d ever experienced from a human. Her domain was like a treat all on its own and I suddenly didn’t ever want to leave. To smell that year after year would have been the closest to heaven I would ever get.

  My legs connected with the bed and I sat down on the edge, pulling the back of her thighs so she could stand between mine. “Tonight, I’m going to make you fall in love with me, mon chaton. Then, in a few weeks, when you feel you can’t live your life without me, I’m going to kill you.”

  I pulled against her hand, making her lower the top part of her body until she was at my height. “Now, kiss me.” My hand cupped her cheek and I drew her closer, brushing my lips against hers. To wait for her was pure torture. As my tongue slid over her lips, I quickly learned the true meaning. A moan left me and I crushed into her hard, unable to wait a second longer. I never broke our stare as I sucked against her tongue. My fingers buried in her long hair and I deepened our kiss, feeling myself get lost in her flavor. I could have gone a million years without food and never been hungrier than I was in this moment.

  “God, you taste so good. I can’t wait to taste you everywhere.” I reached down, sliding my hand under her shirt. Smoothness, so hot it stung my cool skin, met my fingertips and I closed my eyes, savoring her heat. So easily, I could imagine my cock buried within her. She’d burn me everywhere and I was looking forward to it.

  Whack!

  The hit across my cheek left me in a surprise stupor, triggering the rage I kept bottled inside. It was enough to break the spell she’d put me under. And how was that even possible? She should have been under my control. Not the other way around.

  Movement showed her lunging to the top side of her mattress and I grabbed her body, spinning it to slam on the bed. I dove forward, feeling pain burst into my shoulder. I looked down at the small kitchen knife she’d stabbed me with. Pink lips separated and I groaned as I lifted, pulling the blade out and dropping it to the floor.

  “Big mistake, mon chaton. Big.” My knees pushed her legs apart and my fangs came down. I didn’t wait. Couldn’t.

  Chapter 4

  Tessa

  Had I ever known pain? I wasn’t so sure as something sharp pierced my neck and what resembled fire began to seep its way into my body. My mouth opened to scream, but nothing would come except the thrashing while I fought to find air. A deep sound sent vibrations down every inch of my limbs and the stranger on top of me hooked his arm behind my knee, pulling my leg up as he moved against my most private area. Sensations shot throughout me and the pleasure mixed with the pain, leaving me fighting to decipher what I was feeling.

  How did I make it stop? How did I get free?

  Sucking was combined with a caress of his tongue and he arched me even more, pushing us deeper into the bed. I heard myself moan before I could process that I had. My arms shot out to the sides of me and my back bowed off t
he mattress until all my weight felt to be on my head. As he stole my blood to become one with his own, I didn’t have to question what was happening. Information began to filter through, leaving me crying out in agonizing noises at what I knew was feeding from me. It didn’t seem real. Or possible.

  A gasp filled the room and he nuzzled into my neck, rubbing his face back and forth against me. The small sob that escaped had the creature’s head lifting. Blood was smeared across his chin and cheek. Only then did tears began to flow.

  “I’m not done,” he said, lowly. “Not even close. But it doesn’t have to be like this. It can be good…for now.”

  He licked his lips and glanced down at where I’d stabbed him. My hands curled into fists while I tried to stop the tears. At the fangs coming into view, my strangled denial filled the room. Anxiety had me frozen. I battled, trying to push him off or attempting to attack him again. Would he kill me? Words came rushing through and I recalled him saying he was going to—in a few weeks.

  My hands shot up against his chest just as he sliced his bottom lip with his sharp fang. Blood dripped onto my chest while I fought to squirm from under his large body.

  “Once I give this gift to you, you’re going to want me all the time. More so than what you would have felt from the bite alone. It’ll be better for both of us.”

  I shook my head frantically.

  “You don’t have a choice,” he growled. “Bend to me. Enjoy what I want to give you.”

  Fingers sunk into my hair at the crown of my head while he cut his lip even more. His other hand latched to my face, holding me completely still. The steady stream that started flowing over my neck left me fighting with everything I had, but the force was immoveable. I opened my mouth to scream just as his lips massaged into mine. Blood washed over my tongue, leaving behind a metallic taste that made me ill. My teeth slammed shut, barely missing his lip, but still, he held. Pain pushed into my cheek and I tried with every ounce of strength not to cry out like I wanted. It didn’t work. I choked at the amount and texture that caught in the back of my throat.

  “Swallow,” he snapped, clamping his hand over my mouth. My head turned to the side and I could feel the warmth flow down my throat. Like an electrical current, something almost alive rushed through my insides, jolting me with every zap.

  “Oh….yes. Already I can feel you,” he whispered. “And soon, you’re going to know nothing but me. You’re going to love me, Tessa.”

  My head was finally able to move and I turned it to the side, trying my best to throw up. It didn’t work as whatever was happening sent my body into spasms. Sensitivity heightened to almost painful portions and I felt my eyes widening as a bloodcurdling scream left my mouth. If it was from the fear or an involuntary action, I didn’t know. Suddenly, I was starting not to care.

  Heat formed in the pit of my belly, growing and expanding outward with every breath I took. My gaze turned to the vampire hovering above as deep pants left me. He was attractive. More so now than I remembered before. I faded deeper into a blissful state, caught up in his full lips, now healed. Adoration had me taking in every expression he made. The sexy smile. The way he stared at me like I was the only woman he’d ever wanted.

  His hand came down and his fingertips turned my face. I couldn’t stop myself from moving into his touch. A lick over where he’d bitten had me moaning and my hand blindly reached for him. How was this okay? His breaths brushed against my skin and I felt my eyes roll at the ecstasy of something so small. This was wrong…yet, my body, and now my mind, started to believe it was right.

  “Yes,” he said, grabbing my wrist and pulling me to sit up. “Touch me, mon chaton. Let me feel your hands on me.”

  Need surged as the fear disappeared. Had he just been looking at me fascinated? I felt in awe of the power beating against my insides. Impatiently, he shrugged off his jacket and I reached for the buttons on his shirt. With each one giving beneath my fingers, he watched me even harder. I kept eye contact, unable to break away. Not because it was like before, but because I couldn’t dare turn from him. I let the last button slide free and rose to my knees, pushing back the bloody torn material until his chest became exposed. My fingers immediately traced over where I had stabbed him. Nothing. He didn’t bear a single mark. Thoughts wouldn’t come, only actions as I slid my palm up to cup his neck.

  Somewhere deep within, something off began to push through, but I continued, leaning forward. Our lips met and I felt his arm come around my waist, bringing me in closer. The need that consumed me had never been this strong before with a human.

  As if he picked up on my thoughts, he smiled. “It’s my blood in you. Our connection is unbreakable now. Even after I leave, you’ll yearn for me.”

  The words were of little importance when all I wanted to do was feel. Tingling began to take over the outside of my body and I ran my fingers up, burying them in the length of his hair. I could feel myself growing so wet. I craved touch. Wanted nothing more than to have him explore every inch of my body.

  As if he’d read my mind again, he pulled at the hem of my shirt, easing it up until he joined me on his knees and pulled it off. White material blurred in my peripheral vision as he threw it to the floor and I felt a fog move in. I tried to blink it away as I stared up at the man who towered over me. He tightened in my hair, tugging it back as he bent down to kiss my exposed neck. I couldn’t stop myself from reaching for his shoulders to pull him in even more as he paused over my pulse point.

  “Oh God,” I moaned. “Please.” I longed for his bite. Knew nothing but what it could bring.

  The grip tightened even more in my hair. “I want to drink every drop of your blood, Tessa. To have you nearly lifeless in my arms.” He groaned, slamming me to the bed and meeting my mouth with a brutality I couldn’t have cared less about. I could taste blood. The flavor was suddenly so different from before and it didn’t matter if it was mine or his.

  My nails raked along his back, the desperation within me heightening to proportions so extreme, I begged for something I didn’t even know. I liked this. Even wondered why he hadn’t found me sooner.

  The hardness of his erection pushed in between my legs and I cried out, tearing at his back with a force I almost couldn’t believe.

  “I’m going to make your death the sweetest of them all. God, I see it. I wish I could show you.” Dark hair fell forward as his head lifted. A battle seemed to play across his features and he gave a hard jerk, as if to make whatever he was thinking disappear.

  “I need…” My hips arched and my head turned back and forth.

  “Your body wants my bite, but all you’re getting right now is my cock.”

  With a pull, the button on my jeans popped free and my zipper broke. I felt my hand fly up unexpectedly. Tightly, I grasped his wrist, holding it with all the strength I possessed. The vampire stopped, his eyes narrowing as he looked at me.

  “Impossible.” The one word sent my eyelids fluttering. He let go, covering me with his weight. “Stop thinking. Kiss me. Let me taste you.”

  A warning echoed through and I didn’t understand it. I hesitantly lifted my head, meeting his lips. At the taste of his tongue, I momentarily forgot everything. I could feel my pants being pulled down and off. And then…his. He began to position above me while I took in both of us wearing our undergarments. Regardless of the fact that I wanted him, uneasiness surfaced once again. My shoulders shifted and my eyebrows drew in, confused. The man above paused.

  “What the fuck?” French broke through and somehow, I knew what he’d meant without ever learning the language. “Mon chaton, look at me.” Pressure latched onto my chin, pulling up so I had to face him. Pain registered at the force and I glared at the unexpected feeling. What had happened? I’d been so blissful. So…

  “That hurt,” I ground out.

  “God dammit.” More French. As I began to sit, he dove forward, locking his hand around my throat. “Perhaps the fight would be better than seduction. Thing is, Tessa,” he said, hissing my name, “if I take you that way, I’ll rip out your throat before the real fun can even begin. Do you want that? Do you want to die tonight?”

  Did I want to die?

  “Who are you?” The question was out before I even knew I’d thought it. It was enough to have his shoulders drawing in. Fingers wove through his hair and he pushed from the bed, grabbing his clothes. There was anger, but something else.