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“What?”
Something told him he couldn’t let this go. If he wanted a chance with her, he’d do best to find out what she wanted to know.
“You seem so . . . human.”
Ahhh, that.
“You’ve been around us long enough to know we’re able to mask our abilities well.”
“Right. Alessandra is doing the same—”
“People tend to get a bit panicked when they learn the truth.”
“I never did.”
“Then you’re the exception.”
He wanted to kiss her again.
No, he wanted to tear every article of clothing from her body, carry her to the bed behind them, and show her some of his unique abilities right now.
Luckily, he’d learned restraint long, long ago.
“But I do wonder . . .” she began.
Toni was embarrassed. It wasn’t a sight he’d ever expected to see, though he quite liked that slight flush in her cheeks.
“Ask away.”
They’d moved further apart as they spoke, as if by mutual agreement, and the banter that had come so easily to them outside on the balcony felt strained now.
“Your fangs. I mean, I know you don’t need to feed often—”
“Less than most on account of my age and self-control—”
“But you . . . do. Feed.”
“Yes. I can get blood to drink from animals or blood banks. Periodically, I do. But nothing compares to a living, breathing—”
“Human.”
“Right.”
“And Kenton feeds from Alessandra,” she said, her fingers drifting up to her neck.
Did she intend to kill him? He forced himself to look away from that long, slender neck. It had been a long time since he’d fed from someone there, the intimacy and vulnerability of such an act reserved only for very specific situations.
“I feed here.” He grabbed her wrist and ran his thumb along her ulnar artery.
“Because it’s less erotic.”
That she’d said it matter-of-factly didn’t help.
“Yes.”
“From whom?”
“Why do you ask, Toni?” He didn’t release her wrist. His thumb continued to caress the sensitive skin there even as his mind ordered it to stop.
