Craig's Heart by N. J. Walters

you?”
    They were so polite with one another. Craig almost smiled, but his body chose that moment to come roaring back to life. Throughout the conversion his body had been mostly numb, like a computer that had been asleep. Now he was awake and all his bodily functions were now coming back online with a vengeance. And at the top of the list was lust.
    He was suddenly very aware of Evie as a woman, a very desirable woman. One of her breasts was pillowed against his chest, the weight of her leg rested across his thighs and her soft breath blew lightly against his skin.
    “Evie.” He said her name and only that. He could barely think past the throbbing of his dick. He’d been aroused before but never like this. This need was a deep craving eating at his soul until he could resist no longer.
    He leaned down, getting closer and closer to her very kissable mouth. Her full, pink lips parted on a gasp of surprise, but she didn’t move away, didn’t stop him. He kissed her lightly, gently. Not sure of his own strength, he was very careful as he moved his mouth over hers. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.
    He wasn’t the most experienced guy around, but he was no virgin either. He’d kissed his fair share of women, but kissing Evie was different. It felt new and fresh. Special.
    He slipped his tongue past her lips and into her mouth. She moaned and her tongue welcomed his, stroking it. He could taste the remnants of the blood she’d drunk the night before and the flavor exploded in his mouth.
    He needed more. Had to have it.
    He rolled until she was flat on her back with him looming over her. Cupping the side of her face, he stared down at her. Objectively, he knew she wasn’t the most beautiful woman in the world, but objectivity no longer mattered. Instinctually, he knew she belonged to him. In his eyes, she was the most beguiling and stunning female he’d ever seen. There was something about her that tugged on his emotions as well as his intellect.
    He wanted her.
    “Stop me now if this isn’t what you want.” He rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip, and she flicked out her tongue to lick it.
    In answer, Evie slid her hands up his arms and around his neck. She pulled him down to her and kissed him with a hunger that left him breathless.
     
    Evie knew the very last thing she should do was to get involved in a physical relationship with Craig, but she couldn’t help herself. She’d been so cold and lost, alone for what seemed like forever. In truth, she’d been alone long before the vampire had found her. Craig filled all those empty places inside her, made her feel warm. More human than monster.
    Was it wrong to use him this way?
    Conscience pricking her, she managed to turn her head to the side and break the kiss. “Maybe we should stop.”
    Craig stilled, the muscles in his shoulders tensing. “Do you want me to stop?”
    No, she really didn’t. She wanted to lose herself in the heat they generated between them, to feel alive and good for what seemed like the first time in forever. “Getting involved this way probably isn’t smart.”
    Evie was surprised she could actually string an entire sentence together. Her breasts ached to be touched, her teeth tingled and she knew her fangs were seconds away from making an appearance.
    Craig wrapped his fingers around her neck and stared at the pulse in her throat. He licked his lips, and she could sense his growing hunger, both sexual and the bloodlust. Instead of frightening her, it excited her.
    That was sick, wasn’t it? Evie wasn’t sure what was normal and what wasn’t anymore.
    “Evie?”
    She knew he would stop if she asked him to. There was a bedrock of goodness in Craig that nothing could change, not even the fact he was a vampire. For the first time since the creature had attacked her and changed her life, Evie felt a stirring of real hope. Hope that maybe her soul wasn’t lost, maybe she wasn’t destined to be a monster like the one who’d