How stupid was I to get myself into this predicament?
Only Maximus didn’t really leave me with much choice. And he was so unbelievably charming.
It’s a shame he’s a vampire.
I have to smile despite myself. There’s probably a perfectly reasonable explanation for everything. I could just make myself comfortable, explore this vast, lush mansion, and wait for him to reappear, which he’ll probably do soon—after the sun sets, at the very latest, I think wryly.
You’re going crazy, Sabina. A sudden hope that I’m dreaming overwhelms me and I give my forearm a savage pinch.
Nope. Still in his kitchen. Still no escape.
Closing my eyes, I tap my fingertips against my forehead and force myself to think. I don’t have my car, that’s true, but there are two in his garage. I could take one of them and drive myself back to Club Toxic. Technically, it wouldn’t be stealing—he works there, and I could drop off or mail the keys back to him later. Provided I can find them.
And that the garage door isn’t locked.
Why are you in such a hurry to get away? a little voice asks me. He hasn’t hurt you—at least, not beyond what you consented to. My clit roars back to life at the thought of his hands on my body, his low, dominant tone in my ear, his tongue driving me to the absolute brink…
If I manage to somehow borrow one of his cars without his consent and get home, one thing is certain: I will never, ever feel any of that again. Maximus would be beyond pissed.
And while I’m perfectly content being single, I can’t get over the way my body reacts to him. It’s like a drug high, and I want more. A lot more. I want to know how he kisses, how his cock tastes; I want more of that exquisite torture he can dole out so effortlessly.
Am I really ready to give up the best sex of my life just because I woke up without him, and now have some ridiculous notion that he’s not human?
My fingertips slide to the side of my neck and I wince as I encounter the bite mark. It’s not just a notion, though. I have tangible, visible proof. And while I agreed to play with him and even have sex with him, I do not recall a discussion about being his dinner.
The bark of laughter which escapes my lips is on the verge of hysterical, and I suddenly feel woozy. I just need to sit down for a moment. Get my bearings. Not make any hasty decisions.
Heading to the den we were in earlier, I allow my weak knees to give way and sink into the plush depths of the sofa. The view in here is just as spectacular as in the bedroom, but my eyelids feel so heavy.
God, I’m tired.
I’ll just doze for a few minutes, then I’ll pull myself together and come up with a plan. Maybe I’m even still in bed and this is just a dream after all…
14
Maximus
My first thought upon waking is Sabina. Gods, I hope she’s all right. I hope she only just woke up and is now blinking groggily, the memories of this morning slowly coming back to her. I wonder if she’s still wet, and my cock twitches at the thought. Perhaps she’s still asleep, I think as I leave my basement and bound up the stairs, taking them two at a time in my haste to reach her. I could wake her by sliding my dick deep inside—
I blink, my brain unwilling to acknowledge what I’m seeing. The drapes have been yanked back and the bed is empty. The glass on the nightstand is empty. The whole fucking room is empty.
“Sabina? Pet?” I force myself to sound casual as I glance inside the ensuite and see no trace of her. “Where are you?”
She can’t be far, I tell myself. We’re miles away from anywhere. She doesn’t have a car. She wouldn’t know my address, so calling an Uber or a cab would be out, surely?
I begin to search methodically, wondering why I have to have such a big damn house. Once I’ve ascertained she’s not anywhere on the second floor, I go down to the first, rubbing my head compulsively as I check the kitchen, the lounge…
She’s curled up on the sofa, wearing her rumpled dress from last night, her feet still bare. I flick on a nearby lamp and she gives a jerk, snapping awake just as I realize what must have happened. She woke up thirsty, somehow managed to find the release loops on the knots I used, drank the rest of the water, and made it this far before passing out again.
“Sabina,” I say softly.
She spots me then, and the expression of absolute anguish, fear and betrayal on her face turns my blood to ice. “Maximus,” she says coldly. “I’d like to go home please.”
In a moment I’m by her side, desperate to pull her against me but somehow sensing that I’m not welcome to touch her right now. “What’s the matter?”
“What’s the matter?” There’s a shrill edge to her voice and she struggles to sit upright, every fiber of her being straining to lean as far away from me as she can. “Where have you been all day?” She indicates the black windows. “Literally all day? Did you really tie me to the bed and leave me completely alone? I thought it was a game. I thought you’d join me once I was asleep.”
“Listen, pet,” I begin, wondering how on earth to explain. This is why I don’t ever take girls home. For this exact fucking reason.
“Don’t listen, pet me!” There’s fire and defiance in her beautiful blue eyes now, and again I have to suppress the urge to reach for her. “I know what you are,” she says quietly. “You can stop pretending. And it’s fine—well, no, it’s not fine, actually, but if you just take me home right now, I won’t tell anyone. Your secret will be safe with me.”
I school my features to give nothing away as I absorb this little statement. “What I am?”
“Yes.” She pushes the long blonde hair off her neck and indicates the place where I bit her. A cold dread settles in my gut. “You’re a vampire, aren’t you? And you fucking bit me!” Then she lets out a shrill, almost hysterical laugh. “I can’t even believe these words are coming out of my mouth!”
Every available option open to me flashes through my mind at lightning speed and I evaluate them one by one, considering the consequences. Wipe her mind. Deny it and give some excuse for the marks. Kill her. That last option is an automatic thought because for centuries, it was the only way to guarantee my own survival. But no. We’re not in the Dark Ages anymore. Besides, I like her, even when she’s staring at me with unadulterated horror on her exquisite face.
“Yes,” I say slowly. “You’re right. I’m a vampire.”
Even though she suggested it first, my confirmation seems to shock her and her mouth drops open. “Really?”
“I won’t lie to you, Sabina. I’m sorry you found out this way. First of all, I want to assure you that I would never hurt or harm you, and second, I’d very much appreciate the chance to explain.”
“And then you’ll take me home?”
“If you still want to go.”
Another shrill laugh. “If I still want to go? What’s the alternative?”
I shrug. “I’m the same guy I was yesterday.”
“No you’re not! You’re fucking dead!”
Ignoring the barb, I reach out and place a hand on her bare knee. She flinches but doesn’t push me away. Promising sign. “Let’s discuss this like reasonable adults, shall we? I’ll answer any questions you have but first, is there anything you need?”
Her eyes, when she raises them to my face, have lost some of the fear. But she’s biting her bottom lip. “I don’t suppose you have any coffee?”
I have to suppress a chuckle. It was the last thing I expected her to say, and yet I don’t want her to think I’m making light of the situation. “I absolutely have coffee. Anything else?”
She looks down. “And I need the bathroom.”
“Nearest one is just down the hall, second door on the left.” I jerk my chin to indicate the direction. “I’ll be in the kitchen when you’re ready.” My hand slides off her knee as she gets unsteadily to her feet. “Or do you need me to escort you?” I don’t want her falling and hurting herself.
“No, I’m fine, I can take care of myself,
” she snaps, turning her back on me and heading towards the hall.
I close my eyes against the sudden pang in my chest. How many times did Caroline say that to me, in that exact same tone and with the exact same inflection? Only it was a lie. In the end, she couldn’t take care of herself. I couldn’t—
No, I tell myself firmly. The past is past, there’s no going back. I need to concentrate on the present. Sabina has discovered my secret, and I need to work out how to handle things from here on out.
Making my way into the kitchen, I switch on my coffee machine and select a couple of mugs as the rhythmic crunch of grinding beans fills my ears. The machine was an expensive purchase, especially for one who lives alone and doesn’t actually need to eat or drink anything—aside from blood, of course—to survive, but I’ve developed quite a taste for the stuff. I simply need to make sure it’s filled with coffee beans and water, and it does all the rest of the work for me.
As I’m waiting for the beep which tells me the water is hot enough, I lean back against the counter and spot Sabina’s bag lying on the island. Her phone is right beside it. I pick it up and realize the battery’s dead.
“Snooping again?” says a cold voice, and I turn to see her standing a few feet away, her arms crossed defensively over her chest.
Drat.
“Do you have a charger in that little purse of yours?” I ask her.
“No.”
“Didn’t think so. There’s a Qi over there.” I point to the corner, where I always keep it plugged in. “You can just put your phone on it and it will charge, if it’s a new enough model.”
“Oh. Thanks.” Grudgingly, she plucks her cell from my hand and wanders over to lay it on the flat, round charging pad.
My machine beeps. “Coffee’s almost ready.” I place the first mug under the spout and hit the button. “Do you take cream or sugar?”
“Just cream, thanks.”
Under her wary, watchful eye, I prepare two large mugs of coffee and put some cream in hers. I prefer mine black. “I think we should sit down,” I tell her, once she’s taken a big sip.
“All right.”
The kitchen opens out to a large dining area with a table and six chairs. I’m suddenly aware of how ridiculous my home must seem to someone like her. To live alone in a place big enough for not one, but several families. Truth be told, it’s not the size of the place that drew me. I could do without most of the rooms—there are several I barely ever use. My housekeeper comes in weekly but other than that, when I am here, I’m alone. And as I spend most of my nights at Toxic, I spend the majority of my time at home in the basement. That’s why I picked this house. It has a basement perfectly suited to my needs, and its location is ideal. Fifty acres ensures a great deal of privacy.
Sabina pulls out one of the chairs and sits down, clutching her coffee with both hands. Once I’m seated opposite her, she settles her frank, blue gaze on me and lets out a little huff. “Go on then,” she says. “Explain.”
“What do you want me to explain?” I counter, unable to suppress the sudden urge to tease her just a tiny bit. She rewards me with an exasperated sigh.
“Everything! I don’t know anything about vampires except for what I’ve seen and read about in movies and books. Are you really dead? Do you really have to keep away from the sun?” Her voice catches and her fingers slide to her neck without any apparent conscious thought. “Did you really drink my blood? Is that why I passed out?”
A wave of sympathy washes over me but I take a sip of my coffee instead of reaching for her. “That’s not why you passed out,” I say slowly, “but yes, I did… drink from you. I couldn’t help it. You were just…” I trail off, not sure whether it would be appropriate at this juncture to tell her how delicious she is.
“If not from that, then why did I faint?”
“From pleasure,” I tell her coolly, and she scoffs. “It’s true. When we bite, our fangs release a kind of pleasure serum into the vict—into your bloodstream. You were already coming. It was too much pleasure for you to take, so you passed out.”
“Wow.” She shakes her head. If she caught me almost referring to her as a victim, she very sensibly decided not to address it. Good girl. Sabina narrows her eyes and stares me down. “So how old are you?”
I realize I’m rubbing the back of my head again and force myself to stop. “I was thirty-five when I was turned.”
“Turned. You mean when you died and became a vampire?”
I nod.
“And when was that, exactly?”
I sigh. “During a battle. We were fighting Visigoths. I was a centurion.”
Sabina blinks rapidly, and I can actually see her doing the calculations in her head. “You’re kidding,” she says quietly. “Your name is actually Maximus because you’re actually, literally Roman? But that would make you well over a thousand years old!”
“Just over 1600.”
She leans back in her chair, the shocked disbelief evident in her eyes. “Fuck,” she says. “Fuck.”
“Language,” I say automatically, and she graces me with a glare.
“I think, Sir,” she says coolly, “with all due respect, finding out the guy you just played with and had sex with is actually a dead centurion vampire who’s been going around drinking people’s blood for sixteen centuries is the kind of exceptional circumstance in which you should be allowed to swear.”
I bite back a grin. “All right,” I tell her. “Let’s make it an exception.”
“This entire conversation,” she adds. It’s not a question. “So how did it happen? How did you get… turned?”
“Lucius found me on the battlefield. I guess he saw something in me. He was recruiting lieutenants. Turning is a difficult process. You have to drink from your sire several times. Many die or go mad. The strong survive.” I shrug. “I survived.”
“Your sire? And who’s Lucius?”
“The owner of Club Toxic.”
“Wait. Hold up.” She drains her coffee, then springs up out of her chair and begins to pace back and forth in front of the huge black window. “The owner? Of Club Toxic? So there are more of you?”
Maybe opening this can of worms wasn’t a good idea. As risky as it is, mind wiping is definitely easier than having this fucking conversation. “Many more. Look, Sabina—”
“No,” she snaps, halting her pacing just long enough to glare at me before she resumes. “I’m asking the questions, Maximus.”
I can’t help but admire her courage. I’ve never seen a submissive mortal stand up to a dominant vampire this way, and while part of me longs to dispense with this tedious conversation, drag her to the bedroom, and remind her who exactly has the upper hand, the other part of me is impressed by her spirit.
“Jesus, I don’t know where to start!” she mutters at length. “Where were you all day?”
“In the basement.”
“In a coffin?” She sounds horrified.
I chuckle. “No. I have a vault I rest in during the daytime.”
“So that myth about the sun—”
“Is no myth,” I confirm. “Sunlight burns vampires to ashes.”
The look she casts me then is full of something I didn’t expect: pity. “So you haven’t seen the sun in 1600 years? You’ve never seen the stunning views from your own home?”
“No. Well, I’ve seen photographs.”
“That’s such a shame. I’m sorry.”
I don’t like where this is going. I cannot stand being pitied. “Don’t be,” I say, a little too forcefully. “I’m used to it.”
I’ve wounded her, I can tell by the flash of hurt in her eyes before she looks away. Taking a deep breath, she composes herself for a second before she resumes her interrogation. “What about the other myths? Silver? Wooden stakes? Garlic? Oh god!” To my astonishment, she bursts out laughing and claps her hands over her mouth. “What did you think when I told you that was my safeword?”
I’m unable to stop myself fro
m smiling back. “I must admit, I was a little surprised. I wondered whether you knew more than you were letting on.”
“No. Sheer coincidence, I assure you.”
“I’m actually quite partial to garlic,” I tell her. “It has no ill effects. Same with silver. A stake through the heart… well, that would hurt anybody.”
“I guess so.” To my utter relief, she stops pacing then and turns to face me. “Maximus,” she says softly.
“Yes, pet?”
“Do you think I could have another coffee?”
15
Sabina
I should be more afraid than I am but somehow even now, knowing what I know, I’m not scared of the tall, handsome man who’s currently getting me another coffee from his fancy machine. If anything, I’m even more attracted to him.
And I don’t know what that says about me.
My mind is still reeling from the revelations. It’s too much to take in. Maximus is wearing lounge pants and a black t-shirt, and his huge biceps ripple as he opens the fridge to get the cream. I try to distract myself from the sudden surge of lust by thinking about all the things he must have seen, must have experienced. Sixteen centuries. The Dark Ages. The Middle Ages. The plague. The Renaissance. The Victorian era. Both world wars.
I can’t wrap my head around it.
“Thank you,” he says, setting my mug down on the counter in front of me.
“For what?”
“Not asking me to take you home yet. I like you, Sabina. And I still want to protect you.”
The irony is not lost on me and I give a short bark of laughter. “From Zeke? The vampire wants to protect me from my jerk ex-boyfriend?”
His pale blue eyes flash with sudden irritation. “Watch it,” he says. “I don’t like being mocked.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, and I mean it. “I’m just… this is all so much to take in.”
There’s a pause, and I blow on my coffee before taking a sip.
“You have no need to fear me, pet,” Maximus says, “but you should fear Zeke. Don’t underestimate him.”
Her Vampire Addiction (Midnight Doms Book 9) Page 10