Red by Kate Serine Page A

later.
    And there you had it. We were addicted to one another. And that addiction was just as toxic as any drug on the street. Part of any rehabilitation process was staying out of situations where you’d be tempted to backslide. Yet here I was right back where I knew I shouldn’t be.
    I made my way to the top floor of the high-rise where Vlad kept his private office, preparing myself for the onslaught of sexy I knew I’d be facing down. So when the glass doors opened to admit me into the main lobby, I was a little surprised to see a new girl sitting at the reception desk instead of the matronly assistant Vlad had employed for over twenty years. The new receptionist looked very young—maybe just out of high school. In fact, her blond hair still looked natural. And I could tell at a glance she was an Ordinary.
    The girl offered me a genuinely friendly smile as I approached. “Hi,” she said cheerfully. “Do you have an appointment?”
    “Not on your books,” I told her, eyeing her cautiously. “But he’s expecting me. I’m Tess Little.”
    “I’ll let the Count know you’re here.” She hopped up and came around the desk, extending her hand. “Can I take your coat?”
    I took a step back, clutching my trench close to my body. “No. No, thanks.”
    She gave me an indifferent bob of her head. “Okay.”
    I gestured toward Vlad’s office door. “Is he in there?”
    She shook her head. “No, he’s, uh . . . in a meeting at the moment.” Her eyes drifted toward a room down the hall where Vlad often took his long lunches.
    I lifted my brows in understanding. “Ah. Got it. So, I’ll just wait in his office then?”
    She glanced down toward the room again, her hand subconsciously going to her throat where I’m guessing a rather fresh bite mark was hidden beneath her turtleneck. Based on the look of longing in her eyes, I’d say she was probably breakfast and was a little hurt not to be asked to lunch.
    “Yes,” she said, her smile a little less cheerful this time, but just as friendly. “Please make yourself comfortable. I imagine he’ll be finished soon.”
    As I shut myself in Vlad’s office and took a seat behind his desk to wait for his grand entrance, I couldn’t help but feel for his new receptionist. She seemed like a nice girl. Maybe she even could be someone Vlad actually cared about, for all I knew. Unfortunately, monogamy wasn’t his thing. Not that he could really help it. I knew from experience that he couldn’t feed from the same person for too long without it becoming problematic. Not only was it a draining experience—in a very literal sense—but it was also a binding one. The connection that grew between Vlad and a regular partner was hard to end.
    Obviously. All these years later, and I was still trying to break free.
    I propped my feet up on his desk and leaned back in the wickedly soft leather chair, stroking the luxurious material. It had probably cost more than I made in a year. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, taking advantage of the moment of decadence.
    “Well, if it isn’t my favorite color.”
    My eyes popped open. I hadn’t even heard him come in.
    “Hello, Red.”
    The very sound of his voice was enough to make my blood run hot and cold by turns—a fact Vlad knew all too well. I had intended to brace myself against the effects, but I hadn’t been prepared to see him again. Not as he was at that moment anyway—half dressed and gorgeous, his incredible physique still flush from his recent feeding, his dark hair falling in waves around his shoulders to frame his stunningly handsome face. He looked like a god strolling toward me, full of power and grace and raw sex appeal.
    I let my boots fall to the floor and rose to my feet, not about to let him corner me. “Vlad.”
    As he drew nearer, a wickedly sexy predatory look came into his eyes. Involuntarily, I backed away until my back pressed into the wall behind me.
    Grinning smugly, Vlad reached out and ran a