The Vampire's Kiss

by Cynthia Eden

She ignored William’s cry and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her. She turned the lock, sagging against the door.

  She’d taken his blood. She’d actually drank from him.

  William’s fist pounded against the door. “Savannah! Dammit, Savannah, open this door!”

  She walked slowly toward the sink. Her fingers gripped the marble top, and she forced herself to lift her head and gaze into the mirror.

  She expected to see a monster.

  But she just saw—

  Her eyes. Her green eyes. Her pale skin. The nose that she’d always thought was too small. The lips that she’d always thought were too big.

  She looked the same as she’d always looked. But she could still taste William’s blood.

  She turned on the faucet, catching water in her hand. She had to wash the taste away. She had to!

  She sipped the water, swirling it in her mouth, then she spat it into the sink over and over. But still the coppery taste remained.

  “I’m coming in!” There was a loud, splintering crash, and then the bathroom door swung open slowly, the lock smashed.

  William stood naked on the threshold, his eyes flashing. “What the hell is going on?”

  Her gaze fell to his neck, to the marks she had left upon him. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry—”

  His eyes narrowed. He took a step toward her, but he froze when she shrank back against the sink. “You don’t have anything to be sorry about. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

  She shook her head. “I bit you. I took your blood!” And she’d enjoyed it. She’d reveled in the rush of power that his blood had given her. And that knowledge shamed her.

  “I gave it to you freely,” he said.

  Her lips trembled. “I couldn’t stop,” she whispered in despair. “I didn’t want to do it, but I couldn’t stop myself. I had to drink. I had to!” She blinked away the tears that gathered in her eyes, refusing to let them fall.

  William moved slowly toward her. His hands lifted and wrapped around her, pulling her against his body, cradling her. “Sweet Savannah. I should have told you . . .”

  She stiffened. “Told me what?”

  He rubbed her back, his hands gentle, soothing. “For a vampire, physical lust, desire, will stir the blood hunger. It will push your control until the need for release and the need for blood are bound together.”

  She pushed back and stared up at William. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  “You didn’t hurt me,” he assured her, his voice urgent. “You gave me pleasure, more pleasure than I’d ever thought possible.”

  And then she remembered the feel of his mouth upon her neck, the ecstasy that had coursed through her when William drank from her.

  “You remember now, don’t you?” he asked, his gaze watchful. “The blood connects us, lets us share our pleasure.”

  Her brow wrinkled. “Will it be like that when I have to feed from someone else?”

  William tensed against her. “No. You’ll only lose control if your physical desire and your blood hunger merge. And since you won’t be with anyone but me . . .”

  His sentence trailed off, but Savannah knew what he meant. She’d promised to be with him forever. He expected her to be loyal to him, to desire only him.

  “And you won’t be with anyone else, will you, Savannah?” His eyes flashed red.

  “No. Only you,” she told him softly. And it was true. She couldn’t imagine wanting anyone else. It was only William. He alone was the one that she desired, the one that she craved.

  She felt the tension ease from his body. “What about you?” she queried, suddenly nervous. “You won’t be with anyone else, will you?” She repeated, holding her breath and waiting for his answer.

  He touched her cheek. “Do you really need to ask that?” He smiled. “You’re the only one for me, Savannah. Now and forever.”

  Warmth spread through her, chasing the chill from her body. He captured her hand and led her back into the bedroom.

  “We need to dress. There is much we must do tonight.”

  She frowned, stepping into her closet. There was a strange urgency to his tone. She pulled on a blue sweater and slipped on an old pair of jeans. By the time she found her shoes and walked back into the bedroom, he was fully dressed.

  They exited her apartment and headed down the empty hall. She pushed the button for the elevator, waiting nervously for the car to reach her level.

  With a soft ding, the doors opened and they stepped inside. Savannah lifted her hand, intending to push the button for the ground floor.

  “No.” William’s fingers wrapped around her wrist. “We’re going to the roof.”

  Savannah frowned but obediently pressed the button for the top floor. Once there she knew they would have to take a flight of stairs in order to access the roof.

  She leaned against the mirrored wall of the elevator. She studied him silently. He was wearing all black, again. A black shirt and black pants. Even black boots. She didn’t think he actually owned any colored clothing.

  But it didn’t matter. He looked good in black. With his dark hair and that scar, he looked dangerous. Sexy.

  She felt desire begin to stir once more, and she was shocked. How could she want him again so soon? Her need for him was becoming uncontrollable.

  The elevator chimed. She swallowed, “We’re here,” she mumbled unnecessarily.

  William glanced at her, his brows drawn low in obvious concern. She forced a smile and stepped into the hallway. She had to get herself under control.

  They walked quickly down the hall. Savannah showed William the door to the stairwell. The door was locked, but, with a strong jerk of his hand, he busted the lock and swung the door open.

  They climbed the stairs in silence. Why were they going to the roof? she wondered.

  He pushed open a door at the top of the stairs, and they walked outside.

  The night air was warm. Stars shone brightly overhead. Savannah walked to the edge of the roof and gazed below, wonder filling her. The city was beautiful. Alive with a thousand different lights. She stared down, awed by the sight.

  “Are you ready?” William asked.

  Savannah forced her gaze away from the view and turned to look at him. “Ready for what?”

  “Your lessons.”

  Lessons? What did he mean?

  “How high would you say we are?” He asked curiously, moving to stand beside her.

  “Eleven stories,” she replied as a knot of fear began to form in her stomach. Suddenly, the view wasn’t nearly as appealing as it had been a moment before.

  He pointed across the street. “And that building? How far away is it?”

  Her eyes widened. It was at least fifty feet away.

  “Fifty feet?” He nodded. “Yes, I’d say that looks about right.”

  She flinched, still not used to him reading her thoughts.

  He walked to the center of the roof. “This is your first lesson,” he said. “A vampire has incredible speed. Incredible strength.”

  She nodded. She already knew that.

  “But there are many dark gifts that come with the kiss. Many, many gifts.”

  She took a tentative step toward him. “I don’t understand. Why did we come up here?” There was a ball of tension, of dread, knotting in her stomach.

  “There is much you must learn. Much that you must see.”

  What could he possibly want her to see on a deserted rooftop?

  “They say that seeing is believing,” he murmured.

  She frowned, as he smiled at her and began running toward the edge of the roof.

  Her eyes widened in horror. “No, William! Don’t—” Her hand reached for him, but it was too late.
>
  He hurtled over the edge of the roof.

  “No!”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Vampires and immortality. ’Tis madness. Only God can live forever.

  —Entry from the diary of Henry de Montfort,

  December 19, 1068

  BEFORE HER EYES, he transformed, becoming a large hawk. He flew high into the air, circling above her. Then he landed, on top of the roof, over fifty feet away.

  Impossible. Not even a vampire could . . .

  He became fog. Pale fog that drifted back across the night sky, drifted back to her.

  “William . . .” Her voice was a hoarse whisper. How could he—

  “Power comes with age,” William said, rematerializing at her side. “Shapeshifting will become easy for you, in time.”

  She was stunned. “You mean I’ll be able to do that, to transform?”

  “In time,” he agreed. “You’ll learn that as you age, your powers change. There will be no limit to the things that you can do.”

  She glanced back across the street. Fifty feet. A hawk. Fog. Her knees felt weak. “Can Geoffrey do this? The shapeshifting?” Was that hoarse croak really her voice?

  “Yes.”

  That made him even more dangerous.

  “But he won’t do it often,” William continued softly, watching her carefully. “Shifting weakens a vampire’s power. It takes a lot of strength to maintain the shape.”

  She stared at him intently, and then she straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath. “Teach me.” She had to learn as much as she could, so that she would be ready for her next encounter with Geoffrey.

  He took her hand and they walked to the center of the roof. “Hold onto me. Don’t let go, no matter what happens.”

  She nodded.

  “I want you to focus on the roof across the street. Think about reaching that roof, landing on its surface.”

  Her eyes widened as she realized his intent. “You can’t mean that we’re going to—”

  “Don’t look down.” A slight smile curved his lips. “Just pretend that you’re doing a long jump.”

  But she’d never done a long jump. She’d never done track or any sort of running activity.

  His fingers tightened around hers. “Ready?”

  She took a deep breath. She could do this. She would do this. “Ready.”

  “Then let’s go.”

  They began running, as fast as they could. They were almost at the edge of the roof. Savannah concentrated on the building in front of her.

  Their feet left the edge of the roof.

  She wouldn’t look down. She wouldn’t!

  She kept moving her legs, but she felt nothing but air beneath her. She tightened her fingers around William. She wouldn’t look down.

  She stared at the building before her. It was close now. So close. She would make it. She would.

  There! Her feet slammed down on the roof. She stumbled forward, but managed to catch herself before she fell.

  “Oh, my God!” She turned back, staring at her apartment building in shock. “I did it! I actually did it!”

  William smiled.

  She ran to the edge of the roof. “Fifty feet.” She exhaled heavily. “We just flew fifty feet.”

  “And how did it feel?”

  “Wonderful.” She was dazed, overwhelmed with wonder. “Absolutely wonderful.” She laughed softly. “You know, I’ve always had a horrible fear of heights.”

  He frowned, his brows lowering. “You never told me that.”

  “Well, it’s not exactly something I like to brag about.” She stared below, amazed that she could actually look down and not feel the vertigo that she usually experienced.

  “But you came to my home, to my mountain, and you showed no fear.”

  She shrugged. “I had to see you. There wasn’t any choice.” But she had been terrified. As she’d driven up the mountain, she’d refused to look over the side of the road, refused to even glance at the breathtaking view. She hadn’t wanted to look down, fearing that terror would overwhelm her. So she’d driven, her eyes locked on the road in front of her. She’d forced herself to ignore the height, to ignore the increasing pressure in her ears. And she’d made it up that damn mountain.

  And, now, staring down at the street below, she realized that her fear was gone.

  “It’s your turn now,” William said softly, touching her back.

  Her hands trembled. “M-my turn?”

  “Go back to your apartment. Do it on your own.”

  She glanced at him, her eyes wide. “But what if I fall?”

  “You won’t.” He sounded extremely confident. Savannah wished she had his confidence.

  She looked back across the wide expanse. Flying with William was one thing. Flying on her own—well, that was a whole different matter. “It’s eleven floors, William. If I fall—”

  “You’ll wind up with some bad bruises,” he said with a small shrug.

  “Bruises? I could wind up with a lot more than just bruises!” She’d probably break her neck.

  “Stop thinking like a human,” he said, his voice suddenly harsh.

  “But—”

  “Thinking that way will get you killed. Don’t think of what you were. Think of what you are. You can do this, Savannah. You just did it with me, and you can do it by yourself.”

  He was right. A fall wouldn’t kill a vampire. She’d survive, even if she fell eleven stories.

  “You won’t fall,” he said again, easily reading her. “And even if you did, I’d catch you long before you reached the ground.”

  He’d better not be lying, because if he didn’t catch her—well, he’d have hell to pay. “Okay.” She straightened her shoulders. “I’ll do it.” And she would. She took several steps back, wanting a running start. Her gaze stayed locked on her apartment building. She took a quick breath and ran.

  Her feet pounded across the roof. Faster. Faster. She could see the edge now. There!

  She shot into the sky, her body flying straight toward the waiting rooftop. Wind whipped against her body. Her feet kicked the air.

  She didn’t look down.

  The edge of her roof was so close, so close—

  She landed on the rooftop, slipping to her knees.

  Savannah laughed, thrilled with pleasure. She moved to stand, but her legs wobbled, sending her sliding back down.

  “Savannah?” William was beside her in an instant.

  “It’s okay.” She pushed her hair back with a trembling hand. “My knees are just a little weak.”

  He supported her with his arm as he helped her to her feet. She wanted to lean into him, into the shelter of his arms. Instead, she took a bracing breath and stepped away from him. They didn’t have much time, and she couldn’t afford to be weak. She squared her shoulders and asked, “What’s next?”

  He stepped to the edge of the roof. “Next, we hunt . . .”

  THEY WALKED silently down the dark street. It was after two a.m., and the road was completely deserted.

  “Where are we going?” Savannah asked. She’d lived in Seattle all of her life, but William had taken her down a myriad of twisting, turning streets. She actually had no idea where she was at that moment.

  “Do you hear the music?” He asked her.

  She frowned. Yes, she did hear music. A faint, pounding beat that drifted on the wind. She’d been vaguely aware of it for the last few blocks.

  “We’re following it,” William told her. “It will lead us to your next lesson.”

  She swallowed and glanced up at the night sky. A quarter moon hung heavily amidst the shining stars. “I thought you said there’d only be a need to feed when the moon was full.” And, besides, she’d a
lready drank from him. The thought caused a remembered shiver to skate down her spine.

  “You’re not going to drink.”

  Then why were they following music that would undoubtedly lead them to a club filled with people? A place that was undoubtedly like Jake’s?

  Because you must learn to lure your prey to you. His voice drifted through her mind. You must learn to use your psychic gifts to enthrall, to control.

  She shook her head instinctively, then froze. As much as she rebelled against the idea of controlling another person, he was right. If she intended to survive, she would have to learn to use all of her powers.

  She marshaled her thoughts and concentrated on William. I’ll learn, but I won’t hurt anyone. She wanted to be clear on that point.

  She felt his start of surprise as he received her mental message. Then his mind seemed to reach for hers, surrounding her.

  Good. Very good, Savannah.

  Warmth swept through her. I’ve always been a fast learner.

  She felt, rather than heard, his soft ripple of laughter.

  Good. You’ll need to be.

  They walked quietly for a time. The music became louder. She could hear voices now, laughter. She could smell the people inside the bar. Smell the alcohol and the cheap perfume. The cigarettes and the sex.

  They walked around a corner, and she froze.

  The bar was as she’d expected—small, dark, and full of people. A flashing neon sign indicated the place was “The Black Pit.” Judging by its rough exterior, Savannah thought the name was fitting.

  There was an assortment of vehicles in the small parking lot. SUVs, pickup trucks, even motorcycles.

  Several of the bar’s patrons had stumbled outside. One man had even passed out on the side of the building. Savannah studied him with deep consideration.

  William looked at her, his gaze hooded. “Far too easy. You’ll have to pick someone who is still conscious.”

  She wrinkled her nose and then stepped forward, marching into the bar with a confidence that she really didn’t feel. She was conscious of William following a few paces back.