At first Snod could only stare, surprised at how much it hurt. The rejection was a knife in his gut,
twisting uncomfortably as he tried to understand. “Why?”
“I’m taking advantage of you,” Frankie replied. “The blood, your situation... it’s not fair.”
“My situation?” Snod wasn’t hungry anymore, dropping his fork with a clatter.
“Yes,” Frankie said with a frown. “Less than two days ago, you were a virgin. You hadn’t even kissed
another person before. Please understand. I don’t want to hurt you, Obe.”
Too late, Snod thought angrily, forgetting that the vampire could probably hear him.
“I’m sorry.” Frankie moved to sit beside him at the table, gently resting his hand on Snod’s arm.
Snod jerked away, glaring furiously.
“It’s very easy to get your emotions mixed up, especially when sex is involved,” Frankie pleaded.
“The last thing I want to do is to lead you on thinking this is something that it’s not.”
Oh, Snod hated how much this hurt, the pain opening up a fresh well of shame. How could he have
been so foolish?
“I should have known you’d throw me away the second you were done with me,” he snarled, too
vulnerable, too raw. He moved to stand, not sure where he was going, but desperately wanting space.
“This was a fucking mistake.”
Frankie flickered to appear right in front of him, firmly grabbing his arms as he said, “I am not
throwing you away! Listen to me.”
Snod struggled, but he was no match for the vampire’s strength.
“I know how intoxicating the blood can be,” Frankie explained quickly. “When we’re together, I want
to make sure it’s because you want to be with me. Not because I took your virginity and not because
of our bond. You need to know that there are other people out there! You don’t have to be with the
first person that comes along.”
Refusing to meet his eye, Snod stubbornly looked down at the floor.
Frankie gently touched his face, saying quietly, “My Maker didn’t give me a choice. I want to make
sure you have one.”
There was something warm in the bond, so deep and endless that it took Snod’s breath away. He
looked back up at Frankie and for a split second he swore he felt his heart beating. It was pounding in
time with his own, their pulses synchronized beautifully, and he was not sure how or why he was
experiencing this phenomenon.
