grown used to manipulating humans in such ways.”
“And you still haven’t answered my original question.” She stopped barely a foot away from him and looked him directly in the eye.
“Do you know,” he said softly, his gaze directly locked with hers, “that staring a vampire directly in the eye is the equivalent of challenging them? Most vampires find their feeding impulses kick in and have to subvert those impulses to other drives, if they wish to avoid killing the human who foolishly locks gazes with the vampire.”
“Other drives?” Riley echoed, keeping her eyes square upon Damian’s black pupils. His lashes were black, as were the thick brows.
“Sexual, often,” Damian murmured, his voice thickening perceptively. “But if the need to feed can’t be slaked via sex, then physical expenditure. Running. Fighting. Dismantling buildings.” His hands were gripping the edges of the concrete, and the knuckles were white.
Her heart squeezed in her chest and she was mortally aware of the blood pumping through it.
Damian’s eyes were unblinking. “Look away, Riley, if you do not want me to force you to yield to me right now. ”
“Answer my question first,” she breathed, fighting to hide just how badly she was trembling.
He hissed out his breath. “Ask your question!”
“I hurt you by not fully trusting you enough to give up control and let go, didn’t I?”
Damian’s lips parted as his fangs partially lowered. His eyes closed. The sight terrified Riley but she remained totally silent, repressing every impulse to show any sign of fear, including the almost overwhelming need to reach for the knife hanging heavy and reassuring in her inside jacket pocket. She knew it would trigger Damian into action she couldn’t defend herself against. She didn’t have the skill yet and perhaps never would. He was too old, too experienced and far too strong—and she had pushed him, perhaps too far.
“That is it,” he whispered. His chest lifted as he drew a very deep breath and let it out, like a man smelling the air. Then, astonishingly, he smiled. “Yes,” he said firmly. “You wounded me when you would not give up control.” His smile grew wider. “My…what did you call it? My fragile male ego? It appears that even after all this time it is still remarkably delicate.” And he laughed.
Riley found her mouth lifting in a smile, even though she was puzzled. Damian’s laugh was infectious and his transformation from scary vampire to happy man was stunning and breath-robbing.
He curled his hand around the back of her neck. “I laugh, Riley, because it’s so ironic to find this vestige of humanity still lingers in me, and it’s such a pathetic one. Vanity, indeed. Pride. Ego. They’re not admirable qualities. Why, if human qualities were to linger, could they not be the better ones like courage, loyalty and…and…”
“Love?” Riley suggested softly.
Damian’s face shadowed. “I never lost that,” he said softly. “Love never goes away. It changes. It can become perverted, if you let it and some do. Some allow it to become the vilest emotion imaginable, as it twists between the creatures they become and the partners they associate with. But love never goes away completely.” His thumb stroked her jaw. “Is that one of your questions, Riley? What lies between us? Where this all leads?”
She jumped. She couldn’t help it. The question lay in her heart and mind, but she never would have asked it. “How can you possibly answer such a question now? It would be unfair to demand an answer.”
Damian’s mouth lifted at the corners. “To you, it may seem that way.” His hand at the back of her neck drew her closer as his other arm wrapped around her back. “I can see farther than you.” He pressed her against his chest, where she had once slept. “Relax,” he told her. “Nicholas will be here soon with food. Meantime, it’s nearly sunset. We must watch the skylights.”
Her face
“And you still haven’t answered my original question.” She stopped barely a foot away from him and looked him directly in the eye.
“Do you know,” he said softly, his gaze directly locked with hers, “that staring a vampire directly in the eye is the equivalent of challenging them? Most vampires find their feeding impulses kick in and have to subvert those impulses to other drives, if they wish to avoid killing the human who foolishly locks gazes with the vampire.”
“Other drives?” Riley echoed, keeping her eyes square upon Damian’s black pupils. His lashes were black, as were the thick brows.
“Sexual, often,” Damian murmured, his voice thickening perceptively. “But if the need to feed can’t be slaked via sex, then physical expenditure. Running. Fighting. Dismantling buildings.” His hands were gripping the edges of the concrete, and the knuckles were white.
Her heart squeezed in her chest and she was mortally aware of the blood pumping through it.
Damian’s eyes were unblinking. “Look away, Riley, if you do not want me to force you to yield to me right now. ”
“Answer my question first,” she breathed, fighting to hide just how badly she was trembling.
He hissed out his breath. “Ask your question!”
“I hurt you by not fully trusting you enough to give up control and let go, didn’t I?”
Damian’s lips parted as his fangs partially lowered. His eyes closed. The sight terrified Riley but she remained totally silent, repressing every impulse to show any sign of fear, including the almost overwhelming need to reach for the knife hanging heavy and reassuring in her inside jacket pocket. She knew it would trigger Damian into action she couldn’t defend herself against. She didn’t have the skill yet and perhaps never would. He was too old, too experienced and far too strong—and she had pushed him, perhaps too far.
“That is it,” he whispered. His chest lifted as he drew a very deep breath and let it out, like a man smelling the air. Then, astonishingly, he smiled. “Yes,” he said firmly. “You wounded me when you would not give up control.” His smile grew wider. “My…what did you call it? My fragile male ego? It appears that even after all this time it is still remarkably delicate.” And he laughed.
Riley found her mouth lifting in a smile, even though she was puzzled. Damian’s laugh was infectious and his transformation from scary vampire to happy man was stunning and breath-robbing.
He curled his hand around the back of her neck. “I laugh, Riley, because it’s so ironic to find this vestige of humanity still lingers in me, and it’s such a pathetic one. Vanity, indeed. Pride. Ego. They’re not admirable qualities. Why, if human qualities were to linger, could they not be the better ones like courage, loyalty and…and…”
“Love?” Riley suggested softly.
Damian’s face shadowed. “I never lost that,” he said softly. “Love never goes away. It changes. It can become perverted, if you let it and some do. Some allow it to become the vilest emotion imaginable, as it twists between the creatures they become and the partners they associate with. But love never goes away completely.” His thumb stroked her jaw. “Is that one of your questions, Riley? What lies between us? Where this all leads?”
She jumped. She couldn’t help it. The question lay in her heart and mind, but she never would have asked it. “How can you possibly answer such a question now? It would be unfair to demand an answer.”
Damian’s mouth lifted at the corners. “To you, it may seem that way.” His hand at the back of her neck drew her closer as his other arm wrapped around her back. “I can see farther than you.” He pressed her against his chest, where she had once slept. “Relax,” he told her. “Nicholas will be here soon with food. Meantime, it’s nearly sunset. We must watch the skylights.”
Her face
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