You turn slowly, and his face breaks into a triumphant smile, like he knows he’s got you exactly where he wants.
“What exactly are theseservicesyou’re asking for?”
“Your blood, of course,” he says simply, and you suppose you could have guessed that. “I can sense great power in you, sorceress, power that many would pay a high price to taste.”
You gulp, swallowing hard.
This feels like a bad idea.
Like a very bad idea.
For some reason, you feel like a little bug caught in a spider’s web.
And yet…
Yet you find yourself letting go of the door handle, taking a step back toward the seating area.
Malcolm’s smile deepens as you approach. “I sense that the one you’re searching for is theveryjealous type.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means…” his expression slackens, eyes going distant. As if he’s seeing something only he can. “I sense you have a deep bond. A blood bond. A bond of magic and love…but he left you, and you feel betrayed. You want him back, but don’t know how to find him.”
He’s right, but you only processed about half of what he said.
Your brain is stuck on one word: love.
Love!?
You can’t help but remember the heat of the moment.
And you blush, realizing you were moments from saying you love him.
But you’d stopped yourself.
And now…now Ziros is gone.
There’s no way he could possibly feel the same way, is there?
Malcolm smiles triumphantly, as if he can read on your face exactly how correct his words were.
“You see, once such a deep blood bond has been established, if you allow yourself to be bitten by another…” he trails off, watching your face or perhaps reading you in some other way—sensingthings no normal person can.
“Are you trying to imply I can make him jealous?”
Malcolm leans back in his chair. “So I was correct. There is ahe.”
“Yes,” you mumble, blushing.
“Very good. Then I have an offer for you. Would youliketo make him jealous?” He leans forward again, folding his hands in his lap. “Because I can help you get him back, help you find him,andI can offer you whatever price you require. All I require as payment is that you return tomorrow at midnight. And I will have a customer for you.”
You swallow hard.
Are you seriously considering going through with this?
Do you evenwantto make Ziros jealous? You can’t help but imagine him bursting in and throwing some other vampire off you, hauling you out in his arms with all the fury of a protective book boyfriend.
Okay, so maybe that’s oddly a little hot…
