Night Walker (Undeadly Secrets Book 1)
Page 28
“But…when did I pass out?”
“After you said ‘Do it’. I did what you asked. The bite I gave you was very small, but with the tea, it was obviously too much for you. It took me several seconds to realize you weren’t conscious. I stopped as soon as I noticed.”
“So…what you’re saying is, I couldn’t handle it?” Alex felt like she had been smashed over the head with a bat. Dante said this was from a small bite? “Is it supposed to hurt like this? I feel dizzy.”
“First time is always rough. Lie back. And don’t get too down. I was never going to sleep with you.”
“Nev— So…does that mean you don’t want to?” Alex tried her best not to let on how crushed that made her feel.
“It is not a question of want. It’s what’s best.”
Alex felt patronized. Pain and disappointment were fast turning into anger. Even if the sex wasn’t real, they were getting really hot and heavy up till that point. Did that mean nothing at all?
What about what she felt? She had wanted this. To her it felt like the right thing, didn’t it? And then suddenly a wave of guilt hit her—Michelle. It was too soon.
“Uh— Of course,” she said, reaching out for his hand. “Is that why you only feed and sleep with one of us at a time? Like a loyalty thing?”
“I cannot share human values of fidelity, Alexandra; your lives are too short for me to concern myself with that. The lust for the flesh has diminished, replaced by the lust for blood. It takes someone extraordinary to attract my attention from their veins to between their legs.”
Despite that blow, Alex was compelled to ask the question she had wanted to know for ages. Yet she felt she already knew the answer and wasn’t sure what she would do with the information, whatever it was. “Are you attracted to me?”
Dante gave her a hint of a smile. Not making fun of her enquiry, but more sensing the question had indeed been on her mind and he had been wondering when she would ask.
“You are extraordinary, Alexandra.”
“That wasn’t what I asked.”
“I know,” he said softly.
A hard knock came from downstairs.
“Leave it,” Alex said, clasping his face gently.
Dante kissed her lightly on the lips before he got up to answer it. Alex followed with the cold press still in place.
“Mister Delavega,” a man’s voice said as the door opened. “It’s ready.”
“Thank you,” Dante said, taking it and giving him a handful of fifty-dollar notes before closing the door.
“What’s that?” Alex asked from the bedroom doorway.
Dante tore the envelope. ”The report on the blood I found on Matt’s bed sheet in the hospital. No…” Dante’s expression turned to stone. Dante looked intently at the pages turning them over, examining both sides, re-reading them as if to make certain.
“What is it?” Alex asked.
“The blood. It wasn’t human, but I now know who took him.”
“Julian?” Alex asked.
Dante shook his head. “It isn’t vampire blood either. But this doesn’t make sense. There have never been any in Sydney. Vincent has ways to keep them out.”
“I don’t understand. What the hell is it then?”
“Lycanthropic.”
“Lycan—what?”
Dante looked again at the report and crumpled it in his clenched fist. “Werewolf.”