Kissing Phoenix by Shona Husk Page A

worse than anything he could tell her. His lips brushed her cheek and tasted the sensitive piece of skin below her ear. She leaned back in his arms as his tongue swept over her pulse. Her heartbeat was fast, but not from lust. The beat was heavy instead of light. He drew in a breath. Beneath the sweet scent of Lil’s skin and the cooling curry there was fear.
    Aidan drew back. “What’s up, Lil?” He forced light into his voice when all he felt was dark. As if night were closing in, rapidly and permanently.
    Something wasn’t right. Her smile was hollow and her desire was forced, as if she didn’t really want his arms around her. He’d stayed out all night before and she’d never cared.
    “Nothing. I just want to spend some time with you.” Her fingers rubbed against his shirt as if she was afraid of letting go.
    “We’ve got plenty of time to be together.” Longer than she knew.
    Her gaze lowered and she stepped back as if touching him hurt. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
    The temperature in the house dropped as his stomach unraveled. That was supposed to be his line. A frown creased his forehead. There was nothing non-human about Lil. He would’ve sensed it—hell, if she wasn’t human she would have known what he was and he wouldn’t have spent the week wondering how to start The Conversation . The one that went along the lines of, Hi sweetheart, I’m a Vampire.
    “What’s going on?” He scrubbed a hand over his face as the lack of sleep caught up with him and jumped on his back, digging its claws into his shoulders and dragging him down.
    Aidan was sure everything was good between them. Had he misread every sign? Every smile? Every sigh? Had she met someone else? Someone with an easier dream, one that didn’t swallow up nights and spit them out as days? Someone who didn’t hide fangs and a desire to sink them into her every time they made love?
    He moved silently over the carpet toward her. If she couldn’t look him in the eye, what reason could she give that would satisfy?
    “Another all-nighter.” She shook her head and her chocolaty-brown hair shimmied over her back.
    He loved to bury his face against her neck and feel her hair tickling his skin as he imagined being able to bite her. His fangs ached at the thought, but he pushed the longing aside. He wouldn’t bite without invitation, even though it had been a long time since he’d enjoyed both a woman’s body and blood.
    He wanted Lil. But she no longer wanted him. The pink diamond ring might as well be a lump of coal. He wasn’t going to get a chance to use it, or tell her what he was. The dream he’d been holding onto began to fray.
    “You work six days at your veterinary practice,” he countered. They both worked long, often strange hours, yet it had never mattered because the time they did spend together was magic.
    Lil turned, her arms crossed just under her breasts. Her face was set in a scowl that was betrayed by her sad eyes. “At least I work.” She swept her hand over the room. “You, you play at being rock star and live on your inheritance. Have you ever lived in the real world?”
    Aidan flinched, but didn’t retreat. His inheritance had been accumulated over nearly two hundred years of blood, sweat and battle. He’d earned every damn shilling. He was entitled to take time out to do what he enjoyed.
    “You don’t know everything about me.” His gaze flicked to the framed nineteenth century posters. Promo for the William Black Quartet . Life had been simpler back then. And while they’d played together for over a decade, the good times had ended. Spending too long in the spotlight drew too many damaging whispers and none of them wanted to be responsible for the next witch hunt. Unlike the other Vampires that had been part of the William Black Quartet, his history was on display. He didn’t hide it, but he didn’t discuss it either. He let people draw their own conclusions. But this wasn’t about him