The Dracove (The Prophecy series) (33 page)

“God has nothin’ to do with it. But that which doesn’t kill us, only makes us stronger; probably one of my favorite quotes of all time, an’ so very true for vampyres, as we grow stronger with each trial. There are some vampyres who believe in the myths. It’s easier to kill them. For them, it’s really all in the mind. If they think they can’t go out in the sun, they can’t. Mind over matter. I’d say wisdom really does come with age, but some of the elders believe the myths. Of course, our favorite vampyre isn’t an idiot; he knows the myths are false.

“The younger ones, however, can be killed with a stake before their one hundredth deathday. It takes that first century to gain any real strength.”

“Wow, I can’t imagine living that long.” Kylie peered up into his eyes. “I’m sorry, I interrupted you. Continue.”

He smiled. “It’s okay. We prefer the night. It’s when the hunt takes place. Best time for it, really. Since you’re mortal, I haven’t had much of a choice lately but to spend most of my time in the sun, an’ I haven’t been hunting at night.” He smiled and tightened his grip on her hand. “Which we now know to be a very bad idea.”

“Agreed.”

He drew in a deep breath and patted her hand. “I met this gentleman once during the seventeenth, or maybe it was the eighteenth century, Sir Laurence of Strathclyde, who could shape-shift. He changed into another person right before my eyes, but that’s a story for another time. It was one of his special gifts an’ I wish I had it. My point is, Cianán has that gift as well an’ he’s very good at it, so we have to be careful.”

“Cianán can change into whatever he wants?”

He nodded. “Even into me. His preferred form is a wolf.”

“I wish I could do that,” she said.

“There’s also the obvious traits; we’re stronger, faster, heal quicker, can fly. Some can phase through solid matter, or spread their molecules through the air, but that’s extremely rare among us. I’ve only ever known one other vampyre who could do that. Our senses are much better. We can hear an’ smell things from miles away. Our sight is, well, the way you see things during the day is the way we see them at night, only we can see much farther an’ there’s more to see. Remember what I said to you earlier about the night? There are things which only come out at night, an’ only if you know where to look. Usually, right at dusk or dawn. But that’s something I’ll have to explain later because it deals with the magic.

“Basically, what I’m tryin’ to tell ye is, since you already have some of the special gifts we’re born with an’ ye have the birthmark, I don’t know how it’d affect you. It might be too much for ye, make you insane. I’ve seen it happen before; it’s not a pretty sight, although I’m not clear on what the circumstances were at the time.

“I just don’t know if I want to take that chance with you. I don’t want ye to be like me, Ky. Can’t you understand that?”

“Yes, but—”

“No buts, Kylie, I can’t do it. I can’t promise you somethin’ I’m not sure about.”

“Then how can I help you? I can’t fight him like this. He’ll kill me if he’s as strong as you say he is.”

“He’s going to use your blood, not kill you.”
I think.

“But I want to be with you—”

“I won’t bring you into this life. How many times must I tell you? I can’t believe you’d even consider this. Are you insane?” Those were
not
the correct words to use when speaking to a woman. Shit.

Her right brow arched. He’d crossed a line.

“Of course I am, look at what’s happened to me over the past week. Not to mention tonight!”

“Ky, there aren’t enough words to describe how deeply sorry I am about tonight, but I can’t do it,” he said. “I don’t want you to be like me.”

“I think it’s my choice, not yours. You sat here and told me all of these wonderful things you can do
because
you’re a vampyre, and you expect me to stay like this when you know damn well I’d be stronger
as
a vampyre. Whether or not it would drive me insane is beside the point because I think I’m halfway there now. Not to mention you’re using it as an excuse; you don’t want me to get hurt. Which, by the way, can very easily happen in my mortal state, so you’d better figure something out. I love you and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let you live forever without me!”

Her words slapped him in the face. It didn’t matter if she was right; he still didn’t want to do it. “You’d be damned, all right. I’ve spent most of my life in hell.”

“That’s because you were sad and alone. You could spend the rest of it with me.”

“Now there’s a pleasant thought. What if I grow tired of ye?” He tried to hold back a smile, without much success.

She hauled off and punched him in the arm.

“Ouch, that hurt.” He rubbed the spot gingerly. It only took a few seconds for the sting to wear off.

“Good!”

“I was kidding. Forever with you would be heaven.” He leaned forward to kiss her, but she leaned back.

“Promise me.”

“Let me think about it.”

“You’d better hurry if we don’t have much time.”

“I know. I promise I’ll think about it, okay?” He knew he wasn’t going to win the argument tonight. She was so damn stubborn.
It must be a family trait
.

She nodded and he leaned forward again to kiss her.

“So, when are you going to teach me killer fight moves?” She’d interrupted just before his lips touched hers.

He growled. “First thing tomorrow.”

“Are you a nice teacher?”

Her voice hit a playful tone, like the night he’d chased her around her living room. God, he loved chasing her . . . even the chase earlier aroused him in those glimpses when he was himself.

“I can be,” he said.
If you’d let me kiss you already
.

“Well then, I’d like an ‘A’.” She leaned forward, running her hands up his thighs.

His body jerked with a different kind of hunger. Her lips met his and he was more than a little shocked. He’d planned on giving her a quick peck because he didn’t think she’d go for anything else. Her tongue danced wildly with his. She’d bounced back so well. He didn’t understand how, when her entire world had just been turned upside-down, she could be so incredibly calm.

He tried to pull away, but she made it difficult as she continued to kiss him.

“How?” he breathed out heavily, and her tongue slipped back into his mouth.

“Can I want you now?” she finished his thought for him and kissed his cheek.

“Aye, after what just happened.”

She smiled at him and held his face in her hands. Kylie bit his lower lip and kissed him again. “Don’t you know?”

“Know what?” His breath quickened. He couldn’t read her thoughts anymore.
She has to be the only woman on earth capable of doing this to me
.

“Fear is an aphrodisiac,” she whispered in his ear.

Her breath sent a chill through him, and he shuddered at the wonderful sensation.

“Besides, you told me things I never thought were possible, and it’s, well . . . it’s exciting.” She gently bit his earlobe.

He moaned. “I was right then.”

“About what?”

“Vampyres turn you on,” he said.

She bit his neck. “Uh huh.”

“Stop biting me.”

“Why?” She continued down his neck.

“Because it feels too good an’ I might bite back.”

She bit his neck again, much harder this time.

He gasped for breath.

“Mmm. Would that be such a bad thing? Maybe I want you to.”

“It’s not gonna work, Ky,” he said, trying to keep control. Another growl rumbled in his throat. “You’re not gonna get me to turn ye.”

“It sounds like it’s working to me.” She pushed him back to the floor. Kylie straddled Grant and leaned forward. “And from what I’m feeling, I’d say the process has already begun . . . fangboy.” Her tongue slid carefully over his right fang.

 
Kylie pushed his pajama pants down a little at a time until they slid off his feet onto the floor.

“Holy hell,” he said softly.

Staring up at the ceiling, he let her do with him as she pleased. Her lips brushed the skin on his left side, just above the hip. He shuddered. Her right hand slid down his left leg, caressing, kneading, and her left hand danced lightly just below his bellybutton, tentative about where to go next. He wasn’t concerned about her naiveté; that was long lost at the hands of assholes he’d love to kill; one in particular needed to die all over again. He still wanted to taste her—the feeling never left—but he couldn’t do it. He had to remain in control.

She bit his nipple and he moaned. She looked up from his chest and smiled.
That smile of hers
. He reached out and touched her beautiful angelic face. Right now, she was far from angelic.

His control gradually slipped away. He pulled her down and kissed her deeply, fervently, his tongue dancing with hers, exploring her mouth. For her, the aphrodisiac was fear, but for him it was because she knew his secret.
Maybe a little bite won’t hurt. No, but
—he moaned—
She’s making this so damn difficult.

When she ran her fingers along the underside of his shaft, a shudder that would rival an earthquake in Italy ran through him. He let out a growl, and this time, didn’t keep it confined. Grant parted his lips and opened his mouth. The scent of her lust drifted to his nose. His cock twitched. She took it in a firm grasp and stroked him in slow, methodical motions, her thumb massaging along a sensitive spot on the upstroke.

He needed to taste her, needed her blood in him if they were going to do anything. He hadn’t fed in days.

He wrapped an arm around her and flipped her onto her back. “You’re a wicked woman.”

She giggled like a naïve schoolgirl, but he knew better.

He ripped off what was left of the nightgown and snapped through the elastic of her panties with his sharp nails. No marks marred her delicate skin. He was old enough to forgo a complete change when he had control, and he still had some. Though it was very little.

He lay over her, his arms holding his weight with ease. His hair cascaded down, tickling her collarbone and she brushed it away. He wanted to drink in her warmth. The need grew stronger with feeling his skin pressed against her hot flesh. A small gasp left her lips, and he kissed those sweet lips he’d tasted so many times. There was a hint of vanilla left on her lips from her lip gloss, and he licked his own to savor the taste. He knew she tasted of vanilla elsewhere on her body thanks to the perfume she wore.

He grinned. His lips brushed against hers again. He kissed her until he left her breathless. Grant lowered his body to hers, bracing himself with his left arm, and traced along her neck and shoulder with his fingers. Down he went until he brushed them lightly over her nipple. She sucked in another quick breath. He gently bit along her jaw and she jumped. He worked his mouth down her neck and hesitated over the large pulse. Her heart drummed loudly in his ears.

She turned her head to the side, offering her neck.

Damn.

He ran his tongue along her skin to catch the sweat lingering from the chase. The salty tang excited him, tasted like a victory prize after catching his prey.

He struck.

She bit back a scream and her body jerked beneath his. The action sent his pride soaring.