“Human was a couple of months ago. Vampire was…” I pause. “Seraphine.” I say her name instead of the time span.
Cain winces and shakes his head. “Why would you play that dangerous game, my brother?”
Seraphine and I have courted on and off for the past hundred years. She believes we’re mates, that I am her beloved. For her, that might be true. I love her, care for her, but just not in the way she wants me to.
“I know, but her beauty…” I run a hand through my hair. “And she can satisfy me in a way no human can.”
Cain shakes his head. “There are other females out there.”
“Where?” I demand, gesturing around us. “We reside in a small town. The only women here are locals. And before you say it, Lilith is a no-go, and you know that. Even if we go into the next town or city, we’ve yet to come across another of our kind. It’s not like there are advertisements.”
“That may be why Anathema hasn’t found you yet, because you’re all vampire-pussy deprived,” he jokes.
I grin. “Fuck you.”
Cain hands me the bottle. “They’ve never found you,” I state.
The smile vanishes from his face. “I never said they hadn’t.”
My gaze fixes on the brutal scar above his eye. “That’s how you got that?” I ask.
There aren’t many things that can leave a mark on us. We heal almost anything. I’ve seen severed limbs regrow, so it’s rare for a vampire to carry scars, especially from what looks like a simple flesh wound.
He gives me a tight nod, then shifts in his seat. “So, when am I going to meet this mortal who has you tied up in knots?” he asks, swiftly changing the subject.
I take one last swig and stand, placing the bottle on the table beside him. “You’re not. She doesn’t know about our kind, and if she meets you, I think you’ll give the fucking game away.”
“Because I’m so fucking handsome?” He grins.
“Because you have hair darker than the night itself, and your eyes burn blood-red whenever there’s a human present.”
“So? We can say they’re contacts. You can’t keepher hidden in your room forever. At some point, you need to make a decision. That is the law,” he reminds me.
“I fucking know the laws. I was there when they were made, remember?” I bite out, turning away. “Get some rest. I’ll see you at sundown,” I add over my shoulder.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
EVELYNN
He was angry.I could feel it as soon as he entered my room. The way he cradled me in his arms was like I was something delicate. Precious. Feeding me and taking care of me. All of it was a mind-fuck.
He’d been gone for hours. I hadn’t dared move from his bed for fear he would return angry. I’d felt it before; I did not want to be on the receiving end of it again. No matter how hard I tried to fight it, my bladder persistently protested. I couldn’t wait a moment longer.
I climbed out of his bed, my legs weak and shaking. I had to hold on to the bedframe for support. Eachstep was a struggle, a challenge. My body was still incredibly weak, but thankfully, I managed to make it to the bathroom and relieve myself without any accidents.
As I’m washing my hands, I hear the bedroom door open.
“Evelynn?” he calls out. “Fuck!” he roars, making me jump.
I make my way to the bathroom door and open it. He spins around at the sound, amber eyes flaring, hands clenched tight at his sides. His gaze rakes over me, as if making sure I’m really here.
“I thought you had gone,” he rasps.
“I had to pee,” I say softly as I begin to make my way down the steps. My eyes stay fixed on my footing, forcing every muscle in my body to hold me steady.
I feel his hand glide around my waist as he bends down, scooping me up in his arms. My hands clutch his shoulders, and a sudden gasp escapes my lips.
“I can walk, you know,” I inform him, taking in the details of his face: sharp jaw, dark hair, that mouth. Everything about him is perfect, as if the gods had created him by hand.
