Sweetblood 02.5 - Enchanted by Blood by Laurie London

I mean, if it’s against your beliefs and all that.”
    “You mean now?”
    “Yes,” she answered.
    He almost laughed as he pushed on her hip. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in it—there was a reason his kind had the ability to wipe a human’s memory—but he had never wanted to be distracted by it. Taking blood from vials had always served his purpose. Until now.
    She lay back for him against the bed, her eyes dancing with excitement. Would she find the experience as thrilling as he knew he would? Many found it pleasurable, which was why the lure of a vampire’s kiss could be so seductive.
    “Are you sure about this?” As he tuned in to the beat of her heart, his fangs broke through his gums and he turned away slightly. “Don’t look, Char. It may frighten you.”
    She held his face between her palms and stared at his mouth. “Trace, I find everything about you beautiful. Your body, your mind, your dedication, your passion. And yes, even this.”
    And in that moment, he knew that he loved her. His aspirations of sitting on the Council suddenly didn’t seem as important as this amazing woman who thought this about him in spite of everything he was. Instead of his father’s admonishments ringing in his head, he remembered instead all of his grandmother’s talks as she gave him permission to be happy.
    And being with Charlotte made him happier than he’d ever been in his life. She accepted him for what he was now, not what he could be or should be in the future.
    With his tongue, he found the precise spot on her neck where his fangs would penetrate. Her pulse beat madly under his lips as it waited for him, her skin slightly salty. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
    She ran her hand up his arm, encouraging him to continue. “Yes, Trace, I am.” She spoke those words with soft conviction.
    He wanted this, too. More than he’d ever thought possible. His teeth grazed her neck and she shivered. Then, without waiting a moment longer, he locked onto her vein and bit.
    “Oh,” she gasped, as his teeth sank into her flesh. He hesitated and she stroked his hair. “I’m fine, Trace. It’s…it’s really kind of nice.” When she spoke, her voice was more like a purr, a vibration against his lips.
    Sealing his lips over her vein, he closed his eyes and let her blood fill his mouth. Oh, God, it was indeed sweet on the back of his tongue, sweeter than any he’d tasted before. He could hardly believe that this beautiful woman so freely gave herself to him. Even after all he’d done. When he swallowed, her warmth traveled down his throat and he felt it rejuvenating his body.
    There had to be another way, he thought as his mouth filled again. And if there wasn’t…if the Council balked…well… He just wouldn’t give her up, he decided. He loved her too much to let that happen. Instantly, it felt as if a million pounds had been lifted from his heart. The dilemma he’d grappled with the past few weeks—the past year—gone. She meant more to him than the seat on the Council.

    CHAPTER NINE
     
     CHARLOTTE SLIPPED HER FEET into the strappy heels and took one last look in the mirror. She certainly wasn’t used to seeing herself like this. With her hair up, her makeup done professionally and this beautiful dress, she felt as if she were ready to walk down the red carpet at a movie premiere. All she needed was a handsome man to escort her. She had just such a man in mind.
    She’d put the finishing touches on the last few decorations this morning and the caterers had arrived at noon. The party was now someone else’s responsibility until it was time to dismantle everything again. She thought about Trace—how he respected her, cared about her ideas, really listened to her, laughed with her—and she realized it wasn’t the tangible stuff that she’d miss. It was Trace. She could be in a cabin in the middle of nowhere—far from the city lights, the gourmet meals, the elegant trappings—but if Trace were