Bleed For Me (Loved By Gods #1)(4)
Author: Cynthia Eden

His lashes lifted, and he stared at Terese’s beautiful, but slightly worried face. “What did you do to me?”

She flinched and jumped from the bed.

“Terese…” What was happening? Why wasn’t she still in bed with him, her lush body pressed against him? He knew she’d enjoyed the sex as much as he had. He’d felt her climax—first against his mouth and then around his cock.

She yanked on the leather dress. “I-I have to go—” She stumbled back and nearly tripped over her discarded heels.

His hand waved toward the door. Not going anywhere. He’d just found her, and he wasn’t ready to let her out of his life yet.

Her hand clenched around the doorknob and she twisted it. Nothing happened.

Apollo rose from the bed and stretched slowly. He pulled his jeans on, but didn’t bother to button them. If he had his way, he’d be removing the jeans soon anyway.

Her knuckles whitened, and she jerked—

The doorknob popped off in her hand.

Apollo sauntered toward her. “Why are you trying to leave?” He asked, bending to inhale the sweet scent of her body.

Terese froze, then glanced back at him. “I-I just…need to go.” Her lips looked even fuller and redder than before.

There was something wet, something dark, glistening on the corner of her mouth. Something that looked almost like…blood.

He frowned as he remembered the feel of her mouth on his throat.

Her fist slammed against the wooden door. “Why won’t the damn thing open?”

He shrugged. “What’s the rush?” His fingers caressed her arm. “Stay with me. It’s almost dawn, we can—”

“Dawn?” Her eyes widened in horror and she glanced toward the small, square window in the makeshift kitchen. An orange- tinted glow spilled though the dusty glass. “I’ve got to get out of here,” she said. “Now.”

His shoulders stiffened. Apparently his little mortal was the kiss and run type.

Too bad. He wasn’t done with her, not by a long shot. He’d had a taste, but he wanted more, so much more and—

Terese turned back to the door, lifted her heel and rammed her foot into the wooden frame.

The door crumbled beneath the blow. Chunks of wood sagged inward and littered the floor.

His mouth fell open. Hera’s guard, how had a mortal done—

She jumped over the shattered remains and raced down the stairs.

“Terese? Terese!” She was leaving. Actually running from him. Women didn’t run from him. They ran to him.

The slam of the metallic door echoed up the stairs.

Oh, this wouldn’t do. It wouldn’t do at all.

An unfamiliar, hot rage filled him.

Apollo waved his hand and disappeared.

* * *

Shit. Terese rushed across the bar and shoved her way past the few stragglers who were still moving on the dance floor.

She was about to be seriously screwed. And not in the nice, fun way that she’d been with Apollo.

How could the hours have passed so quickly? She’d known that she’d pissed away too much time in the parking lot, but she’d had to work up her courage before she’d entered Hades. But she’d still thought she had plenty of time to find prey and then get safely back to her home.

Guess I thought wrong.

She was so not good at this whole vampire thing.

“Hey, babe, do you wanna—”

“Not now,” she snapped at the drunken idiot who’d stepped into her path. She shoved him, and he stumbled back. The guy hit the floor and took two other dancers down with him.

The bar’s entrance was only a few feet away. So close—

Apollo appeared in front of her, his face tight with anger.

Terese screamed. Where the hell had he come from? She’d left him upstairs. How’d he gotten—

“We are not done yet,” he told her. He reached for her arm.

She leapt into the air, clearing his head by a foot and landing behind him, blessedly close to the door. “Holy shit,” she whispered, her knees trembling. She’d never done that before!

But she didn’t have time to be thrilled with her new skill. Terese yanked open the door and ran outside. Her car was close by—her car with the lovely tinted windows. She could get to her vehicle, and then—

Apollo tackled her and she knocked into the ground. He flipped her over, forcing her onto her back, then pinned her there, trapping her beneath his body. “What are you?” His blue eyes were narrowed in fury.

This couldn’t be happening! She twisted, squirming and shoving against him.

But he didn’t move. Not an inch.

The dank scent of the earth surrounded her. And the faint orange light from the approaching dawn streaked overhead.

Sonofa—

“Answer me!” His fingers tightened around her wrists. “What are you, Terese?”

What are you…not who, but what. Pain lanced through her. They’d made love. He’d held her in his arms, and now—

Now he glared down at her with rage stamped on his face. “Let me go!” She wasn’t going to tell him the truth. He wouldn’t be able to handle her truth. Her nightmare.

“Are you a fairy? A nymph?”

What was he talking about? Her eyes narrowed. Had he just called her a nympho? Sure, they’d had some really spectacular, oh-my-God-that’s-the-best-orgasm-of-my-life sex, but that didn’t mean she was a nympho.

“You aren’t a goddess.” His tone was definite.

Well, hell, he wasn’t exactly the prize of the century, either! Yeah, he was good-looking, and he’d had her nearly begging back at the bar, but now he was in a Neanderthal mode that was really pissing her off.

“Get off me,” she ordered.

“No.”

“Don’t make me hurt you.” She really, really didn’t want to hurt him. She’d enjoyed being with him. He’d made her feel alive, almost normal, if only for a short time.

But the sun was about to rise, and if he didn’t move, she wasn’t going to have a choice. She’d kick his ass.

“Hurt me? Hurt me?” He actually laughed at her.

She gritted her teeth. “Fine. Have it your way.” Her nails lengthened and turned into razor-sharp claws. She barred her teeth at him and knew that he’d see her canines lengthening as they stretched into perfect fangs.

“Hera’s guard…” He stared down at her in amazement. But the jerk still didn’t have the good sense to move off her.

Terese gathered her strength and lunged upward with a fierce yell.