Chapter 11

I stirred awake to the sound of low grumbling, still heavy with drowsiness. I’d spent the afternoon reading and must have drifted off to sleep.

Vampires rarely ventured out in the house during daylight hours. A few stayed awake through the day, yet the sunlight streaming through the windows kept them confined to their rooms. At times, loneliness crept over me.

I lifted my head and saw Nicholas, and my breath caught at once. I opened my mouth to speak, but the words died on my tongue when he leaned down until our eyes were level. Before I could stop myself, my gaze drifted to his lips.

"Nicholas..." I ran my tongue nervously over my own lips, unsettled by his imposing presence. His eyes tracked the movement instantly, and he leaned even closer.

I held my breath, my heart fluttering as I waited for the kiss that felt inevitable. He was so near. I’d never imagined he would take an interest in me, and worse still, I found myself craving this moment. I forced those wandering thoughts away, sat up straight on the sofa, and looked around. The sky had grown dark outside. I faced him with a composed expression.

"Do you know what time it is?"

"It’s seven-thirty." Nicholas looked pensive. His voice stayed calm and steady, yet I could tell he was tense.

"Oh no, already?" I sprang off the sofa and headed for the stairs.

"Christine!"

He stepped quickly in front of me, blocking my path.

"Yes?" The authority in his tone made me halt immediately. My pulse quickened as I slowly turned to face him, unable to read the emotion in his eyes.

"Did you forget something?" He held up a pair of sandals.

"Ah, right!" I gave him a shy smile and stepped forward to take them.

Unexpectedly, his fingers wrapped around my wrist. His thumb brushed gently over the throbbing vein beneath my skin. My nerves flared up as I realized he could feel my racing heartbeat. A hungry glint flashed in his eyes. I blushed, bit my lower lip, and cleared my throat.

"Beatriz will pester me nonstop if I’m not ready for the movie in an hour."

He released me at once. I took the chance to dash upstairs, my mind still reeling from his touch.

Damn, damn, damn.

I muttered to myself as I changed clothes. Getting attached to a vampire like Nicholas was nothing but trouble. Eduardo was already more than enough to handle; the last thing I needed was another unrequited crush to complicate things.

I sighed and went to meet Beatriz. After the movie, she suggested we head to a new bar in town. I was never much of a drinker, but I tagged along anyway, simply enjoying her company. She kept urging me to go out and socialize more often.

We’d been at the bar for an hour. Beatriz drew plenty of attention from the men around us. Several people approached our table and tried to strike up a conversation with me too, but I brushed them off. I had no desire to talk or keep company with strangers right now.

I was laughing at something Beatriz had said when a sudden chill ran down my spine. I tensed and scanned the room, but saw nothing out of the ordinary to alarm me.

"Are you all right, Christine?" Beatriz looked at me with concern.

"Yeah, I’m fine." I replied haltingly, glancing around once more.

"Are you sure?"

"Really, everything’s okay."

"I’m going to grab us another round of drinks." She grinned and winked at me. "Your glass is too plain. You need to loosen up a little."

"Fair enough." I pulled a playful face. "Just don’t make it too strong, or I’ll end up asleep at the table before the night’s over."

Beatriz laughed and walked away. Alcohol and I had never gotten along well.

Another shiver prickled my neck, far stronger this time. I turned around — and froze.

"Hello, Christine." Eduardo strolled over with a lopsided smile, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. "I come in peace."

He seemed much calmer than usual, no trace of his usual rage. I raised an eyebrow, still wary.

"Do you truly?"

Every woman nearby turned their eyes to him. Some even brushed past him deliberately to catch his notice. He’d always reveled in his charm, grinning at every admirer who crossed his path. But tonight, he paid them no mind at all, his gaze locked firmly on me.

"Of course I do." He let out a frustrated sigh. "Christine, why don’t we start over?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, on guard.

"Pretend we’ve just met. Imagine this is a casual meeting over drinks, just two people talking. Come to think of it, we’ve never actually gone out together."

"This would be our first and only chance." The words rumbled out like a low growl.

"Here we go again." I frowned and pulled my hand away from his reach. "Eduardo, I don’t love you. That’s why I can’t accept being bound to you."

"Why not?" Fury edged into his voice. "I can give you everything you could ever want."

"Then give me the freedom to say no."

"That," he smiled faintly, "is the one thing I cannot do. That night between us was special. You were pure, and you were meant to be mine, and mine alone. I expect you to stay that way until we’re together again."

"You see? You never stop to ask how I feel." I stiffened as he reached out to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing across my lips. "You want me to spend eternity by your side, but that’s impossible. A lifetime without love would be nothing but torment."

"You do love me. You just haven’t admitted it to yourself yet." He wore a mocking smile. "Come with me, and I’ll prove it."

"No!" Fear melted into sharp irritation. "I could never love you, not after you threatened Andreia."

"You left me no other choice." He grunted.

"Oh, so this is my fault?" I raised my voice, worn out from this endless back-and-forth. "Was it for daring to stand up to you? Or for telling you I wanted nothing more to do with you? Please, just let me go. There will never be anything between us."

"You’re wrong. Sooner or later, you will come to live with me. In our home." His fangs slid into view, a clear threat. "In our bed."

"Let her go!"

The commanding voice cut through the noise of the bar, making me jump. Nicholas stood there, his eyes blazing with rage as he stared down Eduardo. He had fully transformed into his deadly vampire form, his irises turned pitch black, leaving no room for doubt about his anger.

His fangs peeked out from beneath his lips, glinting faintly in the light. I found myself breathless all over again. How could someone so dangerous look so undeniably striking?