‘Depends if you’re ready to listen.’ I gently lift her top lip and see fangs protruding. ‘Hmmm, I don’t want these puppies in my neck ... again.’
There’s a weighted silence.
‘I know who you are,’ she says quietly.
‘Was it the murderous look in my eyes that did it?’
She nods, then speaks quickly, averting her gaze from said murderous eyes.
‘I ... I thought… Darius told me he’d ... taken care of you. I can’t believe this is happening. That you’re alive!’
‘I’m not alive!’ I growl. ‘Because of you, I’m very much undead. And I’ve been wanting to do this for a very long time.’
Before I can think twice about it, I tilt her chin and press my lips to hers.
A kiss by any other name has never tasted so sweet.
Chapter 21
Hester | London, present day
Will’s lips devour mine, and my knees buckle as pleasure shoots through my body. He eases me backwards slowly until I’m lying on the bed, and he’s on top of me, dipping his tongue into my mouth. I open to him eagerly, welcoming it.
I’m vaguely aware that I should be fighting this a little more. Will’s a vampire—a vampire that I created, for fuck’s sake. But he doesn’t seem to want to harm me like I initially thought, and I can’t help myself. Two years of lusting after him and the arousal he flooded my system with at the rehearsal have weakened my defences. If he does kill me, it will be poetic justice for what I did to him. But damn, he’s a good kisser; desire is skittering up and down my spine like sensual spidery fingers.
I slide my tongue around the tips of his fangs and slip both hands down the back of his jeans. Will grunts in my mouth as I grasp smooth buttocks, rocking his hips intomine. This feels so right ... But a bit weird. OK, it’s very weird ... I’ve felt his ass before. I even slapped it ... Oh god, I can’t do this. It’s reminding me of what happened. I yank my hands out like he’s got a mousetrap in there.
‘I’m sorry,’ I gasp, turning my head away in shame. ‘I’m so sorry. I was a new vampire. I couldn’t control my urges ... and you were somouth-watering.’
‘What’s done is done,’ Will says in a strained voice. ‘You can’t change the past.’
I turn back and look at him. His face seems odd; the skin is leathery and puckered at his temples. ‘Are you OK...?’ I stroke his cheek, worried that he’s having a mental meltdown from having kissed his sire. His cool hand grasps my wrist.
‘Don’t ... touch ... me. Just ... get out.’
‘What?’
‘I ... mean it ... I—’
Before I can move, his face collapses in on itself, and a green snake’s head punches through. Glittering brown eyes stare at me, and its mouth grins wide, baring white needle-like fangs. I’m too shocked to cry out. There’s no human-like body lying next to me anymore, only a slithering scaled form that begins to wind itself round me, squeezing tightly.
Will!I cry out to the mind inside the serpent.
Change. Now. Or I’m going to crush your windpipe!hewarns. The snake’s tail wraps around my throat, and I choke out the spell. The room warps; and I’m four-pawed, black, and furry, wriggling out of the snake’s grasp. With a yowl, I sink my claws into its scales and bound off the bed, looking around frantically for an escape. The snake slithers off the bed onto the floor with a soft hiss.If I catch you, kitty, you’re going to be a bulge in my belly!
In desperation, I leap onto the desk, scrabbling for purchase on the veneer surface, then awkwardly leap onto the chair and scramble up its back, ripping the material to shreds in the process with my claws. Shit, Will’s going to be pissed if he has to pay for the repair work. But too bad, my only thought right now is to escape the coil of scales below, the flicking tongue, and the knowing eyes.
I miaow pitifully.How am I going to get out?
The door!Will instructs.Leap onto the handle, and it should open. But you have only one chance, or I’ll get you!
The snake gives a hissing chuckle below the chair. This is so fucking weird. Will’s trying to kill me and save me at the same time.
Can’t you change back?
No, it doesn’t work like that. I can’t control it.
Fucking hell!Narrowing my eyes, I judge the distance between the chair and metal door handle. If he’s right, I can hang on to it with my paws, and my weight should turn it. If I miss, I’m going to fall right onto the snake, and I’m notwilling to trust that it won’t squeeze my little kitty body to death.
