Once Bitten

by Tina Glasneck

  The images shifted, and the heartbeat grew louder.

  It wasn’t my own that I heard.

  I shook my head to try and gain clarity.

  “Leslie,” The sword called to me.

  “Leslie.” Alistair shook my shoulder. “Are you okay? You should honor your blade with a namesake.”

  I raised the blade heavenward.

  “Sure, sure,” I said twice. Once to reassure him and once to believe it myself. “What about Spike? It’s not like I’ll ever have to call it. But Spike sounds fierce enough, yet also kind, with a redemption arc.”

  “Do you know a Spike?”

  “I had a Cocker Spaniel once. But we had to give him away. Only memories are of a bright gold coat and puppy kisses.” All these years later and I’d never thought to share these thoughts with anyone, something as simple as that of a childhood pet. When we remember, those memories live on.

  “Then Spike it is,” Alistair conceded. “Now, instead of attacking me or reenacting one of those superhero movies, watch my body language. There will be clues.” His feet signaled his direction. “See, if you pay attention, you’ll find an opening. If you randomly attack, you’ll tire and die.”

  That final bit of information couldn’t be overlooked.

  “But vampires don’t die,” I argued.

  “You, oh, seer, have the power to release them to the other side, and anything can die if it loses its head. Well, except cockroaches. They—”

  “Live for seven more days,” we said in unison.

  A man with knowledge and holding a sword, proved sexy.

  Did I wonder how big Alistair’s brain was? Ha, no, don’t be silly. I just hoped he didn’t kill me before the rogue vampires did.

  The idea that I was supposed to just instantly change into this mighty warrior made me feel as if I was submerged twelve feet under water, drowning. My butt had been handed to me in more ways than one, as Alistair laid me flat on the cave’s floor.

  In the deep dark cave, located beneath the compound, lit torches illuminated the space. I stared upward at the stalactites and listened to all the sounds around me—the bats further back, the water from the river’s current, and of course, the giant-ass dragon waiting for me to get up, so he could knock me back down again.

  In all of my time living in New York City, I never thought to discover these this close.

  “The caves are warded,” Alistair revealed, reading my thoughts. “Concentrate.”

  It wasn’t fair that he’d changed from a handsome man, with sharp pointy weapons that I didn’t know the name of without a Google search, into this gigantic dragon that breathed blue fire.

  What was I supposed to do with that? Carry around a fire extinguisher and hope for the best? I could still feel the hot flames and steam singe my arm.

  “Too slow, Leslie.” I didn’t have to worry about him talking; he always seemed to find a way to speak telepathically. Man, I missed when my mind belonged to me and the demons of creation that danced on my shoulders.

  It was like fighting a dinosaur. His jaws snapped after me as I jumped and leaped off the cave’s walls, dodged his thick tail, and tried to watch out for that fiery breath.

  He didn’t play fight. I’d had enough bruises to prove otherwise.

  “I might heal fast, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get hurt.” I pushed up and braced my feet to lean over and try to catch my breath.

  “If you can fight me and walk away, then you can fight anyone. Raise your sword.”

  My arm shook under its weight. He was in my head and expected me to listen, to obey. Maybe when he bit me, I’d given up any sense of personal space.

  “You know, diamonds are formed with pressure,” he droned on.

  “But if you keep this up, I’m going to die. Just drop down and die.”

  He shifted back to his human form, and I tried not to watch him in all of his naked glory—buns of steel and ripped abs that any model would envy. Broad shoulders and tall, just like I liked them. Yummy. Of course, I wasn’t sure if he just preferred to practice in the buff, because he could have magically put some clothes on if he wanted—not that I minded the intermission break.

  I wasn’t supposed to pay attention to him and his golden sun-kissed skin, though. That could only lead to more complications and even more problems that I didn’t need. “Us” would have to wait until we figured out this mess.

  My stomach rumbled. Gods, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d eaten. Right, when I was human.

  “You need to feed.” He didn’t turn to me as he spoke. Alistair pulled on jeans and a T-shirt, then padded over to the part of the cave that held essentials, such as a refrigerator filled with freshly produced animal blood, and their carcasses hung on hooks. He got the meat, and I the blood. Blech. Made my stomach turn.

  “What does that mean, a nice table at the local bistro? I’d love a glass of Chianti.” The eatery would only have me staring at the other diners, though, and the Chianti—well, it just wasn’t strong enough to get rid of that horrible taste of blood.

  He handed me a bag of blood. “Drink. I haven’t had to do it this way, so I’m still under a learning curve.” I opened the package. The putrid smell of fish mixed with a tang of iron assailed me.

  “Fish?” I think I just threw up a little.

  He grunted.

  Could vampires starve? I mean, I’d do anything for a bison burger with blue cheese and barbeque sauce, with double-fried fries.

  “You must get used to drinking from animals. You are not allowed to drink from humans. Vampires are known to overdrink, especially newly made ones.”

  “Can’t we try some real food—like what I used to eat? And fish is not an animal. It’s seafood.”

  He groaned. Today, it seemed that I was getting on his nerves, and this was not sexy at all.

  “You’re dead, Leslie. The blood is needed to keep you at least somewhat among the living.”

  This was hell, and that extremely gorgeous dragon there was the devil.

  I squeezed my eyes shut, wrapped my lips around the plastic tube, and tried to swallow the thick mixture down of fish blood in one gulp. It stuck to the roof of my mouth and the back of my throat. I gagged, coughed, and tried to use my tongue to lodge it free. Oh. This. Is. Hell.

  “Drink up. You still have six more to go.” He chuckled. The sound was deep and charming, but I would have appreciated it more if it hadn’t been at my own expense. All of this served as a distraction though, from the guillotine’s blade Rose was surely sharpening.

  “Oh, come on,” I complained. “You get to eat roasted goat, succulent and very well-seasoned I might add, and drink the best of wines, while I’m allocated fish ‘juice’?”

  He shrugged. I would have taken it all for punishment if I didn’t think he knew any better; sort of like the first-time dad who bought regular milk instead of baby formula.

  “Oh, our reputations can’t be that bad,” I continued. “I mean, what harm would it be to slip into town and check it out? If I want to return to my old life, I need to learn how to be around people.”

  “I’ve meant to talk to you about that,” he began, and my stomach dropped. “You can’t return to your old life.”

  “Why the hell not? I live in the city that never sleeps, and I guarantee they have a better supply of blood than this”—I gestured toward the yuck—“fish sauce.”

  He ran his fingers through his thick wavy hair, and I saw again how gorgeous he was. I pushed against that emotion.

  “Because you are now beholden to me.” He moved toward me, closing the distance between us. “There have been many women who have wished to tie me down. And now, you have this great honor.”

  He had the nerve to smile, a perfect smile. In those eyes, the color of the Egyptian desert sands, I watched something play out—a mix of longing, control, and a fleck of anger that was barely hiding under the surface. He wasn’t any happier about this than I was. Guess his feelings didn’t matter right then
, either. Before I had time to think about what I was doing, I struck out and smacked him.

  “You knew this the entire time, and instead of letting me die, you brought me here to an existence that is nothing more than a horror show. I’m trapped and caged in this place, with some type of LARP play, and you’re playing pretend, being heroic, but all that we have is this fake, miserable reality. If the gods have spoken to you, the only thing they’ve done is cursed you, and now you’ve done the same to me.”

  “You will not leave these grounds again!” he roared.

  “What are you going to do—kill me? Surely, you’d just bring me back.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Leslie

  This time he didn’t give me a chance to run away. Instead, Alistair carried me up the stairs and placed me in one of the plush dining room chairs as though I were a beloved princess rather than the super pissed-off vampire that I was.

  I cleared my throat and tried to find my dignity. “So, tell me about yourself,” I said so calmly and nonchalantly, it almost had me fooled.

  He chuckled and plopped down beside me, his anger all but evaporated. “I'd rather hear about you.”

  There was something sexy about a man who could carry me. He wasn’t even out of breath, and his skin was hot to the touch through his satiny cotton T-shirt.

  “Oh, no, I insist,” I said.

  So, closed-mouthed and with my anger quelled, I studied him without question. He so reminded me of my hero, Ian Macleod—just like he’d stepped right out of one of my books, but so much better. For a moment, I forgot myself and only wanted to lick his abs. That thought must have transmitted quite strongly.

  “Licking abs?” He raised an amused brow in question.

  I refused to blush, but I had no doubt he felt my embarrassment. I looked away.

  “Are there no secrets here?” Why did it feel like I was strolling through a thorn-filled nightmare? I leaned forward. “Are you a devil, a demon sent to torment me?”

  He threw back his head and the laughter that erupted happened to ease the tension.

  “I can't do this.”

  He waved his hand and what at first was a table to seat twenty reduced in size to an intimate table for two. “Is this more to your liking?”

  “You can’t wield magic.” But as the words left my lips, I gaped in awe.

  “No, my dear, but you can.”

  I stared down at my hands and saw them pressed together, as if I’d clapped and made the table shrink.

  He reached for my hand, and a snap of energy raced from me to him. The attraction, no matter how crazy, was there, but I knew I needed to keep my distance. He might be nice to look at, but that didn't mean he wasn't insane. That this wasn’t pure insanity.

  The flashing thought of buying expensive boutique lingerie sure did get the libido pumping. I’d come across so many decadent designs during my research, but right then, I’d have been happy for him to throw me across the table and stake his claim.

  My gaze rested on his lips.

  I crossed and uncrossed my legs to get comfortable.

  “Um, what’s happening?” I asked.

  “The mating ritual.” He placed his hand on my knee.

  I pulled away. “You have to be a little more specific.”

  “By saving you, my soul was split, and through my blood, you were able to return to your body. My blood also powered your movements. Since this is my endowment to you, your body automatically seeks my touch and … connection.”

  I squinted. “Are you saying that since I’m your vampire, I’m now going to want to bone you all the time?”

  “Bone?”

  “Sex, sleep with, shag, have sexy time?” This was Gran’s dream and my nightmare. I didn’t do one-night stands, and the only emotional connection I had with him was intense curiosity that often verged on anger. But, that didn’t stop me from imagining ripping his clothes off and finding out how strong our connection could be.

  “Can’t believe you want to talk about fur coats and knickers.” He raised his eyes upwards in exasperation, which resulted in a snort-giggle from me. For all that he was, beast or not, he was still a man—a ridiculous, funny man.

  I waited until the mirth died down. “What happens if we have sex? Strings, or no?”

  I wasn’t quite sure if I wanted to kill him or screw him. My hormones pushed to one extreme and my building rage to the other. Both emotions sang louder and louder in my ears, each wishing to woo me to their side. Devil. Sexy devil. It was a wash.

  “Our bond will get stronger from what I have learned from the reading, but I don’t know as I’ve tried to avoid things of this nature at every cost.”

  Oh, my gosh! He wasn’t overjoyed about this either, and I thought it was just me. “It must be terrible to have all of this pressure on your plate, and then be so alone.” I batted my eyelashes as I’d seen done in one of those old Elizabeth Taylor movies that Gran liked to watch and leaned forward, as if interested. “It must be so hard to be you, and so … lonely.”

  Ding. Ding. Ding. We have a winner.

  Surrounded by beings, he was still isolated, unable to truly connect with anyone, and so the equivalent of a deadly blind date had persuaded him to save me, combined with a guaranteed fate together. He put his desires on the line to save me from death, and to keep me with Gran. That was pretty noble, right?

  “I know you don’t want to be here, and I wish I could take you back to your life—”

  “If you could, you’d do that? Even with the deadly costs of it all?”

  He nodded. “I was raised to be honorable. What good would it be for you to remain at my side if you are unhappy? What good could come from your being here if you do not desire to be here, with me, and as the seer of the Order? But alas, I cannot.”

  His question was too complicated.

  Reason said that I needed to find a silver lining: This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. You could have everything, all the information you need for your books right here, if you stay. But, at what cost? Right now, in my real world, I barely had a dime to make ends meet, struggling with the ever-rising cost of living, but here, everything could be served on a silver platter.

  The more I considered these options he presented, the more I saw him as part of the equation.

  “Come, you have had a night worth forgetting.” Alistair rose, but I remained seated. “Let me show you back to your room, and tomorrow, you can decide what it is you’d like to do.” When he realized I wasn’t planning on going back to my room, he took his seat again.

  I wasn’t ready to let those thoughts go and be distracted by pretty words. Instead, I stared down at my hands—hands that had ached from too many paper cuts in craft projects, carpal tunnel, and too many carbs. The idea of returning to Manhattan and leaving the outskirts, especially with my tail between my legs, didn’t appeal to me. I could almost hear the gossip at the local coffee shop: another mid-lister dropped. Until I found a way to break out, and bring my characters and world to life, they’d be right. I loved my readers, and I didn’t want to let them down by not continuing the series, either.

  “Let's see how things are tomorrow. Maybe … maybe we can find a way. I was planning on working on a book—”

  “Yes, set in the Highlands, and once we return to Scotland, I can be your personal guide.” He seemed quite excited about that possibility. He practically glowed! “I’m no one's mate, but yours. There is no outstanding girlfriend, fiancé, or wife for you to worry about. I hope that one day you plan on filling that unoccupied position.” A pleasant smile spread across his face that made my stomach do a little flip as if butterfly wings fluttered and flapped within it.

  I leaned back in my chair and wondered: What was there to lose for allowing myself to enjoy my time with him? To learn about him and this new world I was in? Even more, to gain the skills to stay safe?

  “Do you have a phone I can use?”

  I stabbed some French fries with my fork, stu
ck it in my mouth, and gagged.

  Clearing my throat, I tried to wash away the horrible taste with sweet wine. The French fries tasted like molded bread, the wine like vinegar. I frowned, dropping my fork, hearing the high-pitched clatter of silver as it landed on the China plate. I forced the awful crud down—goodbye fresh hot fries; adieu dessert wines—and shuddered. Yuck!

  “Excuse me. That wasn’t the reaction I was expecting from the food.”

  He frowned. “Since you were able to get down the fish, you should have been able to enjoy this lovely spread.”

  “This new vampire diet is going to have me eating fresh beef from the pasture.”

  “No, no, we’ll figure it out.” His eyes twinkled with concern, sort of like a beau who would attend to his love interest.

  I studied him. Why was he able to dance in my mind and watch me squirm? The small smile told me more than enough. He liked to be in control. That was his end game.

  When I was younger, I used to skip rocks on the pond near my house in hopes of one day one of them would be worth a wish, a hope, a dream. As I sat there across from him, I felt torn between reason and what-ifs.

  Trying. I'd spent my entire life trying to make this work, pushing stones up a mountain to be crushed by them when they came crashing back down on me.

  Seeing him, my fantasy in real life, I wondered what I could lose besides my soul, my heart, my life in believing that this could be more than I had ever wanted.

  We'd been in this place, this moment before.

  “You've been alone so long, are you going to continue to push me away?” I asked him. It was his turn to take issue with my nearness. To watch him wonder as to my intentions.

  “I can satiate your appetite and teach you all things to survive, but you must trust me,” Alistair said and closed the distance between us.