the debit card?”
“Because they wouldn’t have looked twice at the ATM otherwise. You used it to withdraw cash for your little outing, correct?” At my nod, he gave a long suffering sigh. Grabbing my purse, he pulled out my wallet and flipped through it until he located my bank card. Holding it up so I could see, he crushed it in his hand. He didn’t even grimace either. Vampires were stronger than humans, I knew that, but it always chilled me to see it up close and personal. He’d thrown Samira out a skyscraper window like she weighed nothing and then the vampire had gotten up and walked off like nothing had happened. She’d only been allowed to live so she could tell her new master that I was a vampire. We were counting on that lie to keep me safe. If everyone believed I’d already been claimed, it made me less of a target. In theory at least.
He opened his hand to reveal my now crumpled debit card. “It’s just luck that you weren’t found. As it is, we’re going to have to move tonight. We can’t stay here now that they’ve traced us to this area. You took a big risk, Myra.” Kristos took the bag of pastries from me and opened it. He wrinkled his nose at the sugary scent that rose in the air. “Is this worth it?”
I thought of the chocolate brownie with its luscious ganache icing and gave a half shrug. In an attempt at levity, I said, “Asks the man who was born before chocolate was invented.”
“No, asks the man who is trying to save your life. At great personal cost, I might add.” He was irritated now and fisted his hands in my hair, pulling me in for a stern, admonishing kiss. While he kissed me, he took my purse and dropped it to the floor. The bakery bag followed suit and he paused just long enough to give me a look.
“What? I was hungry.” I did my best to look innocent and my stomach growled on cue.
He bared his fangs at me, but smiled as he did so. “You left me with nothing to eat.”
“I came back, didn’t I?”
“You were never supposed to go out in the first place.” His eyes narrowed. “You realize both our lives are at stake?”
I evaded his gaze. One, he could play mind tricks on me if I looked at him too long, and two, I didn’t want him to see that I felt guilty. “I was going crazy in the apartment.”
“Go crazy or go dead, your choice, love. Just try not to take me with you.” He kissed me again and pulled my coat off my shoulders, using it to pin my arms behind my back. “You smell delicious, by the way. What did you eat?”
“Just a caramel latte.” I lifted my head to look up at him, aware that the small movement exposed my throat.
He sniffed the nape of my neck, burying his nose there, his fangs just pricking my skin. “The contrast between bitter and sweet is tantalizing.”
“Mmm,” I moaned as I pressed up against his fangs, wanting them to break my skin. I welcomed the pain; it meant I was still alive. Also, the things he did to me while feeding were pretty spectacular.
He refused to bite and pulled back, releasing me as he did so. “I could have sent someone out for your latte.”
I shook my head and removed my coat, draping it over a dining room chair. The compact apartment layout had the dining room just inside the entrance. “It’s not the same.” I’d wanted the freedom to pretend everything was normal. ‘Pretend’ being the key word. I was probably in the denial phase of my life going to hell.
“A bullet to the head isn’t any fun either.” He made a gun with his finger and aimed it at me. “They’ll either shoot bury you or make you rise to their bidding like a slave. Is that what you want?”
I sighed. “It’s just the suspense is killing me. Sitting here feels like a mistake.”
His expression became serious. “I can turn you tonight.”
I gulped, the offer making my blood run cold. To his credit, Kristos was giving me a lot of space and time to try and process the inevitable. He’d also set my mom up with
“Because they wouldn’t have looked twice at the ATM otherwise. You used it to withdraw cash for your little outing, correct?” At my nod, he gave a long suffering sigh. Grabbing my purse, he pulled out my wallet and flipped through it until he located my bank card. Holding it up so I could see, he crushed it in his hand. He didn’t even grimace either. Vampires were stronger than humans, I knew that, but it always chilled me to see it up close and personal. He’d thrown Samira out a skyscraper window like she weighed nothing and then the vampire had gotten up and walked off like nothing had happened. She’d only been allowed to live so she could tell her new master that I was a vampire. We were counting on that lie to keep me safe. If everyone believed I’d already been claimed, it made me less of a target. In theory at least.
He opened his hand to reveal my now crumpled debit card. “It’s just luck that you weren’t found. As it is, we’re going to have to move tonight. We can’t stay here now that they’ve traced us to this area. You took a big risk, Myra.” Kristos took the bag of pastries from me and opened it. He wrinkled his nose at the sugary scent that rose in the air. “Is this worth it?”
I thought of the chocolate brownie with its luscious ganache icing and gave a half shrug. In an attempt at levity, I said, “Asks the man who was born before chocolate was invented.”
“No, asks the man who is trying to save your life. At great personal cost, I might add.” He was irritated now and fisted his hands in my hair, pulling me in for a stern, admonishing kiss. While he kissed me, he took my purse and dropped it to the floor. The bakery bag followed suit and he paused just long enough to give me a look.
“What? I was hungry.” I did my best to look innocent and my stomach growled on cue.
He bared his fangs at me, but smiled as he did so. “You left me with nothing to eat.”
“I came back, didn’t I?”
“You were never supposed to go out in the first place.” His eyes narrowed. “You realize both our lives are at stake?”
I evaded his gaze. One, he could play mind tricks on me if I looked at him too long, and two, I didn’t want him to see that I felt guilty. “I was going crazy in the apartment.”
“Go crazy or go dead, your choice, love. Just try not to take me with you.” He kissed me again and pulled my coat off my shoulders, using it to pin my arms behind my back. “You smell delicious, by the way. What did you eat?”
“Just a caramel latte.” I lifted my head to look up at him, aware that the small movement exposed my throat.
He sniffed the nape of my neck, burying his nose there, his fangs just pricking my skin. “The contrast between bitter and sweet is tantalizing.”
“Mmm,” I moaned as I pressed up against his fangs, wanting them to break my skin. I welcomed the pain; it meant I was still alive. Also, the things he did to me while feeding were pretty spectacular.
He refused to bite and pulled back, releasing me as he did so. “I could have sent someone out for your latte.”
I shook my head and removed my coat, draping it over a dining room chair. The compact apartment layout had the dining room just inside the entrance. “It’s not the same.” I’d wanted the freedom to pretend everything was normal. ‘Pretend’ being the key word. I was probably in the denial phase of my life going to hell.
“A bullet to the head isn’t any fun either.” He made a gun with his finger and aimed it at me. “They’ll either shoot bury you or make you rise to their bidding like a slave. Is that what you want?”
I sighed. “It’s just the suspense is killing me. Sitting here feels like a mistake.”
His expression became serious. “I can turn you tonight.”
I gulped, the offer making my blood run cold. To his credit, Kristos was giving me a lot of space and time to try and process the inevitable. He’d also set my mom up with
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