Fangs And Fame by Heather Jensen

false candlelight. I still felt that same sense of wonder I’d experienced the first time she revealed herself to me. My fangs had unsheathed themselves during the kiss, triggering my night sight, as well. “It’s a shame your fans will never see you like this,” Aurora said, running her thumb along my bottom lip, brushing it lightly against my fangs. “You’d really cause a scene.”
    I caught her wrist in my hand, bringing it to my mouth to kiss softly. “They can have every other part of me, but this ... this is just for you.”
    She grinned victoriously and kissed me again, this time soft and slow. There was no doubt in my mind that she was taking her time with me, savoring the emotional link our kiss brought to life. I kissed her back, my mind reeling with the taste of strawberries on her lips. This time when she pulled back she took a deep, unnecessary breath and said with absoluteness, “It’s time.” I nodded, and when she stood again I pulled the cord to retract the blinds until the night sky was in full view out the window next to me. Aurora came back with a champagne glass for each of us, filled with blood from our stash. I held my glass as she settled herself on my lap again, facing me. I was just starting to think about how I could get used to having our own private full-moon rituals. Nothing against Antonio or Mark, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing just then.
    “ She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” Aurora said, admiring our view of the moon.
    I meant to follow her gaze, to look upon the source of my new-found powers, but I couldn ’t take my eyes off of her. Her full lips were parted slightly, a shade not unlike the blood in the glass her slender fingers cradled. I ran my thumb back and forth across the texture of her jeans, enjoying the pleasant, almost insubstantial weight of her on my legs. As I watched her staring at the moon, I had a feeling – almost like I was witnessing a private moment between the two of them. I knew with certainty then that Aurora’s affinity with the moon – to her vampire heritage and the power she called to her so effortlessly – was as strong and tangible as any connection she had with me. The realization was both humbling and fascinating. Her eyes closed, and she brought the glass to her lips, slowly sipping the life-giving liquid from it. Then she lowered the glass and was still for a second before opening her piercing green eyes to meet mine.
    “ Your turn.”
    “ How do you do that?” I asked, my voice just above a whisper. I couldn’t help it. The words left my lips without permission. Of course, I knew something like that couldn’t be taught. There was no way Aurora realized just how incredible she was, but I had no idea where to go from here.
    “ You’ve done this before,” she said. “It’s even easier when you’re body isn’t ... dying.”
    I chuckled at her hesitation at the word. “I know,” I said. “It’s just a little like being asked to go on stage right after watching Mick Jagger bring the house down.”
    She gave me a knowing smile and said, “We just left behind an arena full of people who would say you’re their Mick Jagger.” She ignored my eye-roll and slid forward on my lap, closing the small gap between us. “Your connection with the night is unique to you.” With a twist on our usual gesture, she took my free hand and pulled it to her heart. I closed my eyes as her heart fluttered against my palm. An image of the moon, as clear and bright as it shone outside the window, was forged in my mind. Aurora’s doing, of course. I focused all of my senses on her; on the sound and feel of her heart as it guided my thoughts like a bass drum carrying the rhythm of a song.
    “ It’s you,” I breathed, looking up at her. “You’re my connection to the night. To the new me. To all of this.”
    “ I might be a part of it now, but your connection with her has always been there.”
    “ What do you mean?”
    “ Close your eyes