spell.
The brief hesitation cost him. The hooded woman nailed him with a heavy boot to his ribcage. He rocked back and shifted as the gleam of a knife came far too close for comfort. What would have been a direct hit to his heart, instead sliced open his shirt and grazed his skin. The wound burned for the half second it took to heal.
Whoever she was, whatever she was, she wasn’t playing around. Keller couldn’t get a read on her and that troubled him.
He faked a turn, then swung his leg and clipped her behind the knees. She stumbled and fell, catching herself with her palms before she kissed the ground. He nearly laughed in victory. If only he could see her face to know who he was laughing at. She smelled like any other human, but her strength...
Maybe a witch. But Keller could smell a witch’s magick from a mile away. It didn’t make sense. She didn’t make sense. And why was he playing around when he could end this by simply teleporting across town?
Because, for the first time in a very long time, he was enjoying himself and wanted to prolong this dance. More importantly, he wanted to know how and why she stirred his slumbering heart.
Could it be?
Keller reached out to pull the hood off of the female who’d bewitched him. The moment his hand would have touched the silky fabric, she threw a punch that landed a direct shot to his balls. He doubled over. She shoved him hard enough for his ass to meet asphalt. Her combat boot connected with his chest. Leaning forward, she used all her weight to hold him in place.
Keller let her believe she was the stronger being here while he tried to wrap his mind around the impossibility of one single word that refused to leave his thoughts. Mate .
“I don’t know who you are, but I saw what you did.” She moved in. As she leaned closer, Keller strained to see more of her face. He was certain she was mortal, but again, the thought confused him. As did his stammering heart. He had to taste her—had to know. Would fate be so cruel as to tease him?
“Consider this your only warning.”
Keller marveled at her bravado. No one warned him and lived to back up the threat. Still, he didn’t move.
“Get your fanged ass out of my city.”
She kicked him once more and then ran off down an alley. Stunned, Keller watched her long cloak drifting behind her like a shimmering eel. He could have given chase, but his body was rooted in disbelief and…hope.
A few minutes in Nashville had changed the course of Keller’s life.
***
Thump, thump, thump .
The beat of the bass drum mimicked the sound of blood pumping through the veins of the patrons. What had his sister called this bar? Didn’t matter. Keller squeezed the back of his neck trying to ease the building tension that would ultimately escalate until he was on his knees screaming for relief. Relief he refused. Last night, he’d nearly gone too far. I will not kill for sustenance. Nor would he sire another creature of the night no matter how much Death goaded him to murder and destroy. But he’d come so close. Would he have the willpower to stop next time?
For that reason, he hadn’t fed today. Some vampires could go several days between feedings. Not Keller. He burned through the energy faster than he should, faster than what was deemed normal by vampire standards.
He shouldn’t have come to this place hungry.
He should be on the streets searching for his salvation.
Peels of feminine laughter couldn’t drown the steady rhythm of the liquid rushing through the bodies, excited and strong, as men led their dance partners across the wooden planks of the floor, twirling and dipping until the women squealed.
Thump, thump, thump.
Saliva gathered in Keller’s mouth. He swallowed carefully. Concentrating on that one action did little to abate the cravings. A deep need settled in his cold bones, refusing to be denied. All he’d learned back at the Colony hadn’t been enough. He’d gone through the motions of detox,
The brief hesitation cost him. The hooded woman nailed him with a heavy boot to his ribcage. He rocked back and shifted as the gleam of a knife came far too close for comfort. What would have been a direct hit to his heart, instead sliced open his shirt and grazed his skin. The wound burned for the half second it took to heal.
Whoever she was, whatever she was, she wasn’t playing around. Keller couldn’t get a read on her and that troubled him.
He faked a turn, then swung his leg and clipped her behind the knees. She stumbled and fell, catching herself with her palms before she kissed the ground. He nearly laughed in victory. If only he could see her face to know who he was laughing at. She smelled like any other human, but her strength...
Maybe a witch. But Keller could smell a witch’s magick from a mile away. It didn’t make sense. She didn’t make sense. And why was he playing around when he could end this by simply teleporting across town?
Because, for the first time in a very long time, he was enjoying himself and wanted to prolong this dance. More importantly, he wanted to know how and why she stirred his slumbering heart.
Could it be?
Keller reached out to pull the hood off of the female who’d bewitched him. The moment his hand would have touched the silky fabric, she threw a punch that landed a direct shot to his balls. He doubled over. She shoved him hard enough for his ass to meet asphalt. Her combat boot connected with his chest. Leaning forward, she used all her weight to hold him in place.
Keller let her believe she was the stronger being here while he tried to wrap his mind around the impossibility of one single word that refused to leave his thoughts. Mate .
“I don’t know who you are, but I saw what you did.” She moved in. As she leaned closer, Keller strained to see more of her face. He was certain she was mortal, but again, the thought confused him. As did his stammering heart. He had to taste her—had to know. Would fate be so cruel as to tease him?
“Consider this your only warning.”
Keller marveled at her bravado. No one warned him and lived to back up the threat. Still, he didn’t move.
“Get your fanged ass out of my city.”
She kicked him once more and then ran off down an alley. Stunned, Keller watched her long cloak drifting behind her like a shimmering eel. He could have given chase, but his body was rooted in disbelief and…hope.
A few minutes in Nashville had changed the course of Keller’s life.
***
Thump, thump, thump .
The beat of the bass drum mimicked the sound of blood pumping through the veins of the patrons. What had his sister called this bar? Didn’t matter. Keller squeezed the back of his neck trying to ease the building tension that would ultimately escalate until he was on his knees screaming for relief. Relief he refused. Last night, he’d nearly gone too far. I will not kill for sustenance. Nor would he sire another creature of the night no matter how much Death goaded him to murder and destroy. But he’d come so close. Would he have the willpower to stop next time?
For that reason, he hadn’t fed today. Some vampires could go several days between feedings. Not Keller. He burned through the energy faster than he should, faster than what was deemed normal by vampire standards.
He shouldn’t have come to this place hungry.
He should be on the streets searching for his salvation.
Peels of feminine laughter couldn’t drown the steady rhythm of the liquid rushing through the bodies, excited and strong, as men led their dance partners across the wooden planks of the floor, twirling and dipping until the women squealed.
Thump, thump, thump.
Saliva gathered in Keller’s mouth. He swallowed carefully. Concentrating on that one action did little to abate the cravings. A deep need settled in his cold bones, refusing to be denied. All he’d learned back at the Colony hadn’t been enough. He’d gone through the motions of detox,
Similar Books
