In the Dark by P.G. Forte Page B

bit.”
    His fangs were sharp enough that, most of the time, his “victims” didn’t even feel the small punctures. Even when they did, the neurotoxins in his venom created such intensely pleasurable sensations, they rarely minded the minor pain that went along with it.
    Unless he was angry. Unless he was acting out of jealousy or wounded pride or some other dark emotion. Unless he was using his fangs to rend, to tear, to punish, to scar. That produced an entirely different form of venom, one capable of burning the flesh it touched, capable of hurting even those he loved.
    Old memories surfaced, bringing up traces of guilt and remorse. Conrad sighed with regret. “Ah, mignonne .” With a tender hand he tucked the braids in her hair back behind her ears, smiling at their whimsical little feathered tips. “My sweet little Indian Princess. I was wrong in what I said to you earlier. One should always have a choice. Do you really not wish to do this?”
    She swallowed hard. “I-I didn’t say that.”
    â€œYou didn’t say you wanted it, either. So, what is it to be? Yes, or no?”
    Her gaze turned thoughtful. “It’s my decision?”
    He nodded. “As I said.”
    â€œAnd if I say no?”
    â€œThen it’s no.” He spread his hands wide and took a step back, releasing her from his hold. “I’ll be disappointed, to be sure, but…”
    â€œYou’ll be angry.”
    â€œNo, I won’t.” Once he might have been, he supposed. His heart twisted in grief as he thought about that. No. Once he would have been. Definitely. And he would have done horrible, vengeful things in retaliation. Cruel things. Things he would regret…possibly forever.
    â€œWhat if I said yes?”
    Conrad shrugged. “As I already told you, I will try very hard to make the experience as pleasurable and as memorable for you as possible.”
    Her eyes narrowed suddenly. “And what about you—will it be like that for you too?”
    â€œWill it be pleasurable?” He smiled. “Most assuredly.” He looked her over, taking in her lithe figure, her long legs, her small but perfect breasts…as well as her hair and her eyes and everything else that had originally caught his attention. “Never doubt it.”
    â€œWhat about memorable? I’d like to be memorable too, you know, but I’ll bet anything you want that you’re gonna forget all about me five minutes after I’m gone.”
    â€œBe very glad I don’t take that bet,” he told her, calmly certain. “Because you would lose and, when you did, I’d want a lot. I have had assignations with many women, mignonne , and some of them, it is true, I do not remember very well. But, you…” He chuckled softly. “You, I already know I shall not find easy to forget.”
    She stared at him suspiciously, clearly wanting to believe him, but not yet sure she did. “How could you know something like that? We haven’t even done it yet.”
    Conrad shrugged. “Even so.” He could have told her that not “doing it” would likely make their encounter all the more memorable for him, rather than less so, but he held his tongue. He wasn’t actively trying to dissuade her.
    She studied him for a moment longer in silence. Finally, she nodded. Raising her chin, she gazed at him proudly. “Then I choose yes.”
    Just as though she really were a princess , Conrad mused, mentally shaking his head at the odd mood into which he seemed to have fallen tonight. All this misguided chivalry could not be a good thing. Had he really just offered her the chance to walk away without giving him any of what he wanted? It was inconceivable that he should have done so. Unprecedented. Like a lion giving a gazelle the choice of skipping dinner. What could he have been thinking? When had he gotten so…soft?
    Whatever the cause, he really