Marius blinked slowly. She could pretend it didn’t mean anything, but he’d lived among vampires long enough to know that creatures of the night didn’t share their blood. At least, not unless there were extenuating circumstances.
It was one thing for vampires to drink from their Sources. After all, that was how they remained alive. It was another matter entirely for them to willingly give their healing blood to someone else.
Wars had been fought over far less.
But based on the look in Vivienne’s eyes, this wasn’t the moment to press the issue. Instead, he dipped his head.
“Thank you for saving my life.” Pushing to his elbows, he ignored the pain in his head. “The First?—”
“Is gone.” Vivienne scowled. “I wounded it, and it left.”
For now.
Her unspoken words echoed around him, and he shuddered.
“Thank you.” The words were painfully inadequate, but still, he needed to say them. Twice now, the vampire had saved his life.
“I was just doing my job.”
She kept saying that, but none of his other guards had ever given him their blood.
Job or not, he had to thank her properly. Ignoring the pain the movements caused, he sat up. Reaching out, he took her hand, the touch sending a jolt through him.
Barriers existed between them, and there were a plethora of reasons why touching her was a bad idea, but it was hard to remember them when this felt so… right.
For all her vampiric strength and grace, Vivienne’s hand was so much smaller than his. Her long fingers were smooth, lacking thecallouses and scars that most soldiers who trained with weapons, including Marius, bore on their hands. Her skin was cold—not like the snow beneath them, but not nearly as warm as his—yet it wasn’t unpleasant.
Something swirled deep within him, originating from the point of contact. It was far more potent than when they had brushed fingers exchanging the reins the other day, and it nearly took his breath away.
Even though he’d had some romantic entanglements before, none of them had ever made him feel like this. It was like his entire body might burst into flames if they kept touching. He didn’t mind, though. Not when it felt this good.
He was starting to think that he would gladly burn for her. For them. If there could ever be a “them.”
Vivienne hitched a breath, and her brows rose. Her gaze crawled to where their hands were joined. She inhaled, her fingers twitching in his. “I?—”
He gripped her fingers tighter, refusing to let her pull away.
“You saved my life.” His voice was deeper than usual, and he waited until she was looking at him again, needing her to hear him. “I appreciate it more than you know.”
He wasn’t ready to die. Not even close. He had so much left to do, so much life left to live.
The moment seemed to stretch on forever before Vivienne exhaled. “Okay.”
Their hands were still joined, and he swept his thumb across the back of her smooth flesh. She shivered, her mouth opening slightly as her gaze dipped to their fingers.
A foot separated them. It was both far too much space and not nearly enough.
The longer Marius held Vivienne’s hand, the longer he looked at her,the more the rest of their surroundings faded away. He couldn’t pull his gaze from her, even if he tried.
She was gods-damned beautiful, this vampire duty-bound to guard him.
Her burning locks gleamed in the moon’s silver glow. Her lips were as red as cherries, her skin as pale as snow.
Strength lay beneath her beauty. It was more than just the otherworldliness that all vampires had. She was equally powerful and captivating. Each time he studied her, he found something new to appreciate.
Her gaze rose to meet his.
There was a darkness in the black depths of her eyes that threatened to swallow him whole. It ensnared him, and he couldn’t look away.
