I walked around to the other side and my jaw slackened when I found Christian squatting on the ground. “You can’t lift this thing. Vamps aren’t that strong.”
“I’ll thank you not to use that word again.”
“Which one? Vamp or can’t?”
Shepherd moseyed around. “Need help?”
“Unless you want to know what it feels like to be roadkill, stand aside and give me room.” Christian cupped his hand around his mouth and shouted to the other side. “All clear?”
“Yeah!” Blue yelled back.
Christian anchored one knee on the ground and lifted the trailer with a Herculean effort. Veins I’d never seen were protruding from his forehead as the RV began to rise up off the concrete.
“Better hurry,” Shepherd said. “Someone might see you.”
“It’s dark, you eejit,” he grunted out, his arms trembling as he tried to push it over. When it reached the height of his elbows, it began lowering. Christian jumped back as it hit the concrete.
I folded my arms. “What did I tell you?”
He bent over, hands on his knees. “I just needed to test how heavy it was.”
I patted Shepherd on the arm. “Can you give us a minute alone? Make sure nobody slows down to help. I doubt they will, but if they see the kids they might have a bleeding-heart moment or something.”
Shepherd shrugged and headed off.
“Don’t let your ego kill us all,” I said to Christian. “You can’t lift a trailer. Don’t waste Viktor’s time—he needs to make other plans.”
Christian shot me a baleful look. “I don’t have time to dillydally around. I’ll get this fecking thing upright if it kills me.”
I gripped his shoulders until he stood up straight. “There’s another way.”
“And what idea could be weaving in that spinning wheel of yours?”
“I know a thing or two about a thing or two.” I traced my finger along his jugular until his fangs elongated.
He shook his head. “We can’t. A wee drop is one thing, but you’re asking for too much.”
I tucked my hands inside his coat and wrapped my arms around his warm body. “Lives are at stake. I can help, and you know it.” I rose up on tiptoes, my lips to his neck. “Let me have a drink.”
He growled low and cradled my head in his hands. “You shouldn’t tempt me.”
I leaned back and tipped my head to the side. “We don’t have much time to fix this situation before someone calls the police and they send out a tow truck. Viktor’s on a tight schedule, so we can either play this game of cat and mouse”—I leaned in and ran my fangs along his neck—“or we can lift this damn trailer and get the hell out of here. What’ll it be, Mr. Poe?”
Christian didn’t like the idea of making this a regular habit, especially given his history with Lenore and the control she’d had over him. But as decadent as his blood was, it had no influence over me. Not that I could tell.
Still, I wasn’t going to take without asking.
“Can I drink from you?” I whispered.
He staggered forward and gave me a roguish grin. “Aye, Precious. Take all you need.”
My fangs sank into his neck, deep enough to puncture the vein. Warm blood flooded my mouth, and my Vampire nature took over. I pulled hard and drank as much as he would allow. I’d forgotten how invigorating it was, how delightfully sinful. The adrenaline sharpened on my tongue, and the more I drank, the more I felt the connection between us growing. It was as if his blood was binding with my own. My sore shoulder no longer bothered me, and my cheeks flushed with the rejuvenating quality of his power. Beneath his lust, I picked up on other emotions I hadn’t expected to find. Like worry.
His erection stirred against my lower belly as he gripped my hair in a loose fist.
“Gross,” I heard Adam say. “They’re making out.”
When I leaned back, Christian locked eyes with me. The connection lingered, and it was as if we shared one mind. I licked my lips, and his eyes followed the movement of my tongue.
