Bite Me by C. C. Wood Page A

the human world. They protect us from each other and from exposure. The Council makes the laws, oversees trials of those who break them, and metes out punishment. Currently there are six members of various ages and they are attempting to replace their seventh. She stepped down a month ago. After a century on the Council, she decided that it was time to let another take over her duties.”
    I sipped my wine. “So they asked you to replace her?”
    He nodded. “It’s a little more complicated than that. The Council has to agree on a candidate and then hold an open forum so that other vampires may speak on my behalf or against my joining. After the forum, the Council votes on my status as a member.”
    “That sounds very democratic.”
    Conner smirked. “I realize that the media portrays us as tyrannical, evil beings with no souls but in reality we discovered many, many years ago that the best way to run our society would be as a democracy. There is very little infighting but, just like human society, we occasionally have someone who desires power. Vanessa is one of those people.”
    “How does she intend to gain power by having you on the Council with her?”
    He cleared his throat and took another large drink from his glass. “Vanessa approached me a few weeks ago, before I met you, with the offer of a seat. She also included an attractive proposal of a more personal nature.”
    I managed to swallow back the bile that rose in my throat. “You slept with her?”
    He cursed and shook his head. “No, that’s not what I meant. Vampire culture isn’t completely like human culture. We do marry, though it is rare because our version of divorce is very difficult to obtain. Much more often, two vampires will enter a contracted relationship with a stipulated time span. If, at the end of that time, they wish to continue their relationship they may renew the contract. Vanessa offered me a contractual relationship for the time period of twenty years along with monetary incentive and a no-monogamy clause.”
    I couldn’t stop the look of disgust that crossed my face. “A ‘no-monogamy clause’?”
    Conner laughed a little. “I’m sure it’s not much different than a marriage of convenience.”
    He had a point but I still rolled my eyes. I thought marriages of convenience were bullshit anyway. Someone was always inconvenienced because their expectations were not in line with what they got.
    “Why didn’t you agree?” I asked.
    His face grew serious. “I met you.”
    “But, if she offered you a no-monogamy clause, why didn’t you accept her offer?”
    Conner’s eyebrows lowered. “I’m almost certain that you would never speak to me again if you discovered that, not only am I a vampire, but I was also involved with another woman.”
    I nodded.
    “That’s why I refused her.”
    “But you barely knew me, Conner.”
    He sighed and set his wineglass on the coffee table. “The first time I saw you, I was intrigued.” He trailed off.
    “And?” I prompted.
    “Then the night I saved you from those three men, I tasted your blood, and I knew.”
    He didn’t continue and my frustration exploded. It wasn’t like him to be hesitant, and it was freaking me out.
    “Dammit, Conner! Just tell me!”
    “To me, you taste different from any other human. Better. Sweeter. It’s a phenomenon among vampires. To a vampire, it’s a sign that we are meant to be together. With each taste of you, the less I want of others and I begin to crave only you and your blood. It’s very rare between vampires and humans.”
    I raised my hand. “Whoa. Hang on, are you saying that vampires drink human and vampire blood?”
    With his usual patience, Conner explained. “Blood is blood, Donna. Vampires usually need human blood to replenish their bodies, but we find biting to be an erotic experience. We can, and often do, drink blood from each other. Sometimes it’s part of ritual or legal proceedings, but most of the time it’s part of sex