The Vampire’s Kiss(3)
Author: Cynthia Eden

«You were a man once,” she agreed. “But you’re not any longer. You stopped being just a man almost a thousand years ago.»

He turned and lunged toward her in a blur of speed. His right hand locked around the slender column of her throat. Her pulse pounded furiously beneath the cool touch of his fingers.

She spoke quickly, knowing she had not a moment to lose. The beast had been roused. “In 1038, you were born William de Montfort. In battle, you earned the name William the Dark. It was said that you earned that name because of your love for the dark arts. It was the evil magic you used then that made you into what you are now.»

His fingers eased their tight hold and began to tenderly stroke the sensitive skin of her throat. “And what am I, Ms. Daniels?»

Her lashes lowered slowly and then lifted to meet his burning stare. His blood red stare. “You’re a vampire.»

His incisors extended, long and deadly. His eyes, those burning eyes, held her captive. His hand continued to stroke the column of her neck. “And you are a fool.»

His head lowered, and she realized with numb shock that he was going to bite her. He was going to take her blood. Eagerly, she tilted her head back, offering herself to him.

His breath was hot against the tender skin of her throat. She waited, desperate to feel the plunge of his teeth as he drank from her. She just hoped that it didn’t hurt too much…

She expected to feel the slashing cut of his teeth against her. Instead, she felt the rough velvet of his tongue as he licked her throbbing pulse. Slowly. Once. Twice. Her breathing hitched, and she heard herself moan.

His teeth scraped lightly against her skin. His tongue licked.

His scent surrounded her. Strong. Dark. The scent of the night.

You want this, don’t you, little one? His voice purred seductively, although his lips did not move. You came here for this, didn’t you? He began to gently suckle on her neck.

«Yes,” she whispered, as her arms lifted to clutch his shoulders and pull him closer to her body. Her eyes were tightly closed.

William drew back slowly, wondering about the woman’s motives, about her willingness to surrender to a monster.

Then he remembered what she’d said. “You wanted me to kill someone for you.” It was a statement. What he had taken as a jest before suddenly seemed very serious. Who was this woman? And why did she seek the Angel of Death?

«Yes,” she whispered again, refusing to open her eyes.

Look at me. The command came unbidden. The full force of his will was behind the order. He would know what the woman in his arms wanted, what dangers she presented to him. Then he would deal with her.

«Who do you want me to kill?»

Her lashes lifted slowly, languorously. Her breathing was ragged. Her chest rose and fell jerkily. “Me. I want you to kill me.” Then her hands lifted and she buried them in his hair. She tightened her hold, silently urging his mouth back to her neck. Back to the place where her pulse pounded so frantically.

His eyes widened in shock. He, who had seen countless wars and deaths, was shocked by her statement. By her invitation.

Yet what shocked him more was how much he was tempted. For he desperately wanted to take the little fairy up on her offer. He wanted to take her blood … and her life.

With an effort, he forced himself to step back, to release her from his embrace. He stared at her, wondering why one so young and full of life would possibly want to surrender to the darkness. What demon had driven her to seek him out? “Why?” He asked as he moved back into the shadows of the room. “Why do you seek death?»

Her hands clenched and frustration flashed across her delicate features. “My motives shouldn’t matter to you.»

He cocked a dark brow. “They do.” He’d never had someone just come to him, without compulsion, and offer blood. Offer life. He’d found that humans valued life too much to want to just give it away to a beast.

Her jaw clenched. “I want you to bite me.»

«Yes.” He nodded. “But I am not going to do it.” He’d learned long ago to control his dark urges. And, even though she had come to him looking for death, he would not give it to her. The tattered remains of his conscience would not let him.

«You should leave now.” He motioned toward the door.

She shook her head, sending her dark red curls flying. “I’m not leaving. I didn’t come all this way just to have you refuse me.” Her face seemed unnaturally pale in the flickering firelight. “I can’t let you refuse me. I told you, I need your help.»

«And I told you no. Now, it is time for you to leave.»

Her chest rose and fell jerkily. “You have to help to me. If you don’t, I’ll tell everyone about you. I’ll go to all the papers, all the news channels—»

He laughed softly, mockingly. “Come now. Do you really think they will believe you?” He shook his dark head. “If you go to them and say that I’m a vampire, they’ll laugh at you.” And quite possibly lock her up.

Her chin lifted. “They will believe me if I have proof.»

«And what proof do you have?” he scoffed.

She smiled, showing even white teeth. “I have your brother’s diary. Henry’s diary. I translated it.»

He tensed. The beast within him snarled in rage. “And where…” He clenched his back teeth and felt his incisors burn and lengthen. “…did you get that little prize?»

«It doesn’t matter, does it?” She walked toward him. “I have his diary, and I’ll show it to everyone that I can. Everyone. Eventually, someone will believe me. Your secret will be out.” She stopped a foot away from him. “And, then, Mr. Dark, after hunting prey for a millennium, you’ll be the one who is hunted.»

«You really want death, don’t you?” he asked, wonder in his voice.

«Death is just a means to an end,” she replied, the expression in her eyes secretive.

He grabbed her shoulders roughly. “I don’t like blackmail,” he growled. He was so close to her that he could hear her heartbeat, that he could feel its desperate rhythm shaking through her body. And he could almost taste her.

«Neither do I.” Genuine regret seemed to lace her words. “But I don’t have a choice.»

«Yes, you do. Leave now.»

«No.»

He looked deeply into her emerald gaze and saw both determination and fear. He tried to play on the fear. “If I do as you ask, you will feel pain like you can’t imagine. Fear like you’ve never known. I will drain all of the blood from your beautiful body. I will drink from you until there is nothing left.” He touched her cheek gently. “And then I will throw away your rotting corpse.” His smile was chilling.