Bite Me: A Vampire Anthology

by Cain, Addison

  “I am, and I am also visible. Will you open the door?” he asked, as if there were actual choices in this insanity.

  “What happens if I don’t?”

  Another low chuckle, but this one had more edge. “You don’t want that, Grace.”

  Something about those words had her flipping the deadbolt, opening the door, and staring at him in all his suited-up glory. The man wore suits the way models did in magazines, only… better. He had an air around him that made her skin tingle just by breathing near him, and if that wasn’t damning enough — he fucking smiled. Just enough to give her a peek at pearly white teeth, sparkling like a fucking toothpaste commercial.

  “May I come in?” he asked, and her built-in sense of politeness ruined what could have been an epic moment by forcing her to shuffle back and welcome him.

  “Sure, come in,” she mumbled, hating herself even as she said it, but as soon as he was clear of the door, she slammed it hard. Sorry, neighbors. A flicker of anger caught fire in her chest, and she laughed. “Actually, no, not sure. You showed up at my apartment this morning without knocking! You just— you were just here, and then you didn’t want to leave. And then you did! With my fucking door still locked! That is not normal. This whole fucking thing isn’t normal, and, you know what? I want you to leave.”

  “Grace…” The gorgeous asshole actually had the balls to sound amused. “We both know you don’t want me to leave.”

  “You don’t know what I want!” she snapped.

  “Not true.” He wandered to her kitchen table, setting down his keys before turning around to skate his eyes over her apartment as if he hadn’t already searched it for items to add to his stalker-collection. “I know you want answers. I know you’re curious about me, about this thing between us”—he casually waved his hand back and forth, pointing at her, then himself—“and I know you’ve enjoyed what I’ve shown you so far.”

  “Have not,” she argued. Lied. It was definitely a lie, but he didn’t need to know that.

  He chuckled, again, and it set her teeth on edge. Her hottie-hallucination stepped closer, filling her personal space and then some as his large hands caught her waist and pulled her hips against his where something hard was filling up other spaces. “You are so intriguing, Grace.”

  “I want you to leave,” she whispered, trying and failing to make it sound strong, commanding. But that weird hum was back in her head, a delirious, heady buzz that had her leaning into his body, remembering just how fucking perfect his abs were. “Stop it.”

  “Stop what?” he asked, his voice the picture of innocence as he leaned down and brushed his lips across the corner of her mouth.

  “This. All of it. Stop.”

  “If you meant that, it might give me pause… but you don’t,” he said, each word felt against her mouth, and then he kissed her. Hard. She bowed in his grip, bent backward from the sheer force of the kiss that took over her brain and caught her nerve-endings on fire. A moan slipped out as his tongue brushed hers, and for a moment she wondered why she’d told him to stop. She didn’t want him to stop this, she wanted this to go on forever.

  Unfortunately, he did stop, teasing her buzzing lips with another soft kiss as she stared up at him, held aloft by his arms — his stupid muscles. Grace forced herself to swallow, ignoring the sweet taste he’d left behind on her tongue.

  “You’re not real,” she whispered.

  “I am, plehara.” He smiled, lifting her upright. The sudden change in position snapped her brain back online and she shoved him back. Her hallucination had the decency to look surprised as she pried herself from his hands and stumbled backward, seeking some breathing room.

  Holding a hand up between them, she shook her head. “I’m not crazy.”

  “No, you’re not,” he replied, looking amused again.

  “But people can’t just appear, or disappear, or be invisible whenever they want to!”

  “That’s true, people can’t.” His smirk was infuriating, and she let out a little screech as she started pacing. “Grace, I’m here to provide answers.”

  “Fine! Then give me the fucking answers!” she snapped, crossing her arms as she faced off with him again. So handsome, gorgeous, he was a perfect example of alpha male hotness, and all she wanted to do was choke him, and kiss him. Both. Fuck, it was a toss-up.

  “Gladly, just as soon as I take you to eat.” He took a step forward, his brows pulling closer together. “How are you feeling?”

  “Just peachy,” she growled. “Where do you want to take me?”

  “Somewhere private where we can enjoy our meals and discuss your situation, plehara.”

  “What the fuck does that word mean? Is it Spanish?” Waving her hand, she shook her head. “You know what? It doesn’t matter, I’m not going anywhere with you. Why can’t you just answer my questions now?”

  He shrugged. “Because.”

  “Listen, hallucination, you can’t take me anywhere.” Stomping forward, she brushed past him and snagged the car keys on the table. They felt frustratingly real in her grip, but, then again, so had he. Still, she shook them at him. “Invisible people can’t drive cars!”

  “First, as I’ve said, my name is Nicomachus. You can call me Nic. Second, I am not a hallucination. And third, I only allow myself to be visible to those I want to be visible to. It makes things much simpler.” He ticked off the items as if any of them made logical sense, which only made Grace whine through her teeth.

  “This is insane.”

  “Do you want answers?” he asked, gesturing toward the door. An offer to go with him. To go with her sometimes-invisible hallucination who dressed like the devil and kissed like one too. It was too tempting, and the throbbing need between her thighs was begging her to say yes, but… she had to hesitate. Sane people didn’t walk out with strange men who assaulted them in coffee shop bathrooms, who—

  “You bit me,” she accused, hand going to her neck where she could remember it, even though there seemed to be nothing left but a memory.

  “Grace…” He sighed and held out his hand. “Do you want answers?”

  “You’re obnoxious,” she growled, ignoring his hand to grab her purse from the table. Pointing at the door, she flicked her hand toward it. “Well, lead the way!”

  “All right,” he replied and turned with too much grace. He was sinful, deadly, every inch of him designed to make her drool and stumble over the thoughts she needed to be having. Thoughts like danger, and OMG, what the fuck are you doing?

  But her stupid brain still let her push her feet back into her sandals, wearing the same clothes she’d worn to work, and follow him outside. She locked the door to her apartment, wondering if the deadbolt even mattered anymore when men had apparently evolved to be able to just appear inside.

  Her hallucination was smiling as they stepped into the elevator. “I’m looking forward to—”

  “Nope!” Grace held up her hand as she jabbed her thumb on the button for the first floor. “No more talking. If you say anything, I’m probably going to realize how horrendously stupid this is, and then I may just walk into traffic.”

  “Well, we wouldn’t want that,” he said through a chuckle, and she glared at him.

  “Stop.”

  Shrugging, Nic turned his eyes to the silvery metal doors in front of them. He seemed calm, confident, while she was at war inside. Half of her wanted to mount him in the damn elevator, wrap her legs around his hips again, kiss him, and feel herself come undone. The other, more sane, half of her brain was screaming at her for even following him. This was how women ended up in pieces in black trash bags at the dump, but neither half of the argument mattered when the man could appear around her on a whim. He clearly wasn’t giving up, and if this was the way to finally pry out the crazy… then it was worth it.

  As soon as they exited the lobby, she saw a low, black sports car right in front of the entrance. “It’s illegal to park here,” she said, shocked that the car hadn’t been towe
d away already.

  Nic just shrugged again and leaned on the driver’s side door. A small tilt to his head suggested she climb in, and she groaned. Digging her phone from her purse, she held it up like a weapon. “I’m putting 911 into my phone and I’ll hit the call button if you do anything weird — well, anything else weird. But I’m not fucking around, I’ll call the cops.”

  “May I speak?” he asked, smirking.

  “Fine,” she growled.

  “I understand your parameters, Grace. Now, the keys?” Nic held out his hand, smiling all the while, and even though her stomach twisted, she dropped them into his palm.

  “We’ll talk, and then you have to leave me alone. Okay? No more showing up in my apartment, or my office. You have to leave me alone.”

  Nic only glanced at her for a second, but it set her heart racing, fight-or-flight kicking in as he looked her over like a wolf might eye his next meal. “Get in, Grace. You’re stalling.”

  Stalling? Hell yes she was stalling.

  The street around her apartment was infuriatingly empty of people, but it was after seven o’clock in the evening. People were probably inside with their families, and it wasn’t like any of them would help her. Most likely, they wouldn’t even see him.

  Maybe he’s a ghost.

  Rolling her eyes, Grace walked around the car to the passenger seat and ripped the door open. As she slid in, holding her purse on her lap, she refused to look at him. If he was a ghost, he couldn’t drive the car. It would be impossible for him to drive — but then it should also be impossible for him to have the keys in his hand or be turning on the car as he finally sat down. The moment his door shut, he pulled out of his improvised parking spot and she hurried to put her seatbelt on.

  “What the fuck? Are you in a hurry or something?”

  “Patience has never been a virtue of mine,” he answered.

  Chapter 6

  Nicomachus

  The girl was clutching her phone in one hand, and the edge of the seat with the other. Anxiety, fear, and more than a hint of arousal perfumed the air around her, making his cock hard. He wanted to stop the vehicle, rip her out of her seat, and bend her over the hood to claim her. It would be glorious to feel her fight, her body squeezing around his cock as it swelled in her tight cunt. Until he grew and she could do nothing but scream and accept him.

  In time, he promised himself, but his grip on the steering wheel grew dangerous regardless of the need to wait — to make her supple body ready.

  No, patience had never been a virtue of his, but in this case… it was a necessary evil.

  “You should buckle your seatbelt,” she groused from the passenger seat, and he couldn’t help but smile.

  “So kind of you to worry about me, but I am fine.”

  Another huff as she shifted, her thumb toying with the thin device clenched in her palm. As she had promised, the numbers 9-1-1 stood out in stark white on the screen, but he let her have the sense of security it seemed to provide. She wouldn’t want it at all as soon as she understood.

  “We are almost there, and then we will talk.”

  “And where exactly are you taking me? Fuck me, I should have made you tell me that before I got in the damn car.” The strength in her voice was only further proof she was the one. Still, he couldn’t avoid the grin when he looked at her.

  “I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.”

  “Good,” she snapped before she turned away to stare out the window.

  About fifteen minutes later, he pulled into the parking garage under his new building and turned off the car. She was fumbling with something in her purse and he caught her wrist and lifted it before she could let it go. A little, purple, sparkling rabbit’s foot was pinched in her delicate fingers. When she tried to tug away, he held on. “Why do you carry an animal’s dead foot with your keys?”

  “What?” she asked sharply, yanking on his grip again, and he allowed her to pull back.

  Chuckling, he pointed at the little amputated paw. “That rabbit’s foot.”

  “It’s a good luck charm.”

  “Is it?” Tilting his head, he looked it over. The dyed fur, coated in some kind of glittering substance that caught the lights outside, seemed a ridiculous charm to carry. Especially in this time of so much science and technology. “Hmm. Have you found it to bring you luck?”

  “My friend gave it to me in high school,” Grace huffed, a pretty blush still lingering in her cheeks as she shoved some errant strands of hair back from her face. “Would you just tell me where we are?”

  “My new home.”

  This time he turned away and climbed out of the car, leaving her to absorb the information as he shut the door. She climbed out a moment later and turned to face him, her blue eyes blazing with that attitude she sported just as well as the turquoise blouse.

  “You want me to go into your house with you?”

  “Technically, I believe it’s called a condo,” he replied, unable to suppress the chuckle as she released a short scream of anger.

  “You can’t just take people to your house! Psycho killers do that!” she ranted, and the way her cheeks flushed made his cock twitch in his pants.

  “I would never kill you, plehara. You’ll understand when we talk.”

  “I am clearly losing my mind! I’m probably already in a padded cell somewhere, babbling about how the television can control my thoughts, and my hottie-hallucination can evaporate like some kind of shadow thing,” Grace continued to rant as she turned around, stomping away from him toward the elevator.

  He didn’t immediately follow, instead enjoying the sight of her body shifting beneath the clothes, the way the fabric stuck to her thighs for a moment in the humidity. When she turned to face the car, arms crossed beneath her breasts, he finally walked toward her.

  “Impatient for our discussion?”

  “I want this bullshit to be over. Just tell me what you want to tell me so I can move on with my life and you can go away… whatever you are.”

  “Whatever I am?” he mocked but kept his tone curious even though he could feel the smirk on his lips.

  “As much as it seems impossible, you’re not a hallucination or a ghost because you just drove us here. Unless I’ve completely lost my mind, and I’m the one who drove us here, and now I’m standing in this fucking garage talking to myself like a lunatic — which is possible — but either way, you need to say what you want to say and move on to someone else. Or I need to move on and stop acting crazy, but just… get it over with.”

  “As I told you before, you’re not insane.”

  “Whatever,” she muttered as she turned around, looking at the elevator. “I’m guessing we’re going upstairs?”

  “Yes.” When he offered his hand, she almost took it, but then she pulled back, and he couldn’t suppress the chuckle. “Everyone can see me, Grace. Shall we?”

  Another huff and she took his hand. Silken smooth skin that seemed to buzz in his grip, powerful enough to make him halt for a moment and regain control of himself. The erection had fully formed behind his pants, and he knew if she glanced down she’d notice, but for now her eyes were glued to the silver doors. The hardness of his cock didn’t really matter for the moment as he tugged her forward and called the elevator.

  The doors opened almost immediately with a delightful ding, and he found himself smiling as she let him lead her inside. Floor twenty-seven lit up with the press of a button, and he was once again impressed by the mortals. Their towering buildings, conveniences, automobiles… it was a fantastic time to awake in.

  As the elevator moved, he was tempted to brush her concerns away, to clear out her mind and let the subtly burning arousal take over — but that would complicate their conversation. It was better to wait… later he would have her panting and desperate.

  After she ate.

  Another ding and the doors opened on his floor. The opulence of the building clearly impressed her, and he watched her as she tur
ned her eyes over the hall until they reached his home. It was when he stopped at his door that Grace seemed to realize they were still holding hands and she pulled hers back like he’d burned her. The loss of her soft skin made him sigh, but it was not worth the argument.

  “Come in,” he said as he opened the door. It was well-furnished, a beautiful array of dark wood furnishings, a charcoal colored couch with matching chairs, and in one room a library to envy that he’d yet to delve into. Still, he paused just inside, letting Grace walk past him.

  “This is your place?” she asked, pink lips parted in awe as her eyes roved the open space.

  “Go ahead and look around, Grace. I want you to feel comfortable.” Securing the door, he watched her as he walked to the wet bar.

  “This view is incredible,” she whispered, almost to herself, as she approached the floor-to-ceiling windows. The shades had withdrawn themselves at the official marking of sundown, pre-programmed, and he had to agree with her. The city looked like a treasure trove full of tiny, glittering jewels. He’d never seen the world from such a height, and even he was drawn to it… but nothing beat the sight of Grace looking out at it.

  “It is beautiful,” he replied, working to uncork a bottle of wine. It popped with a satisfying sound, and she turned around to look at him.

  “A little assumptive to pour me a drink, don’t you think?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest again as her thighs squeezed together. Nic couldn’t help but smile. He knew she was wet, that his touch, his presence affected her as much as hers did to him.

  “I think a drink will help.” Turning to the bar, he plucked two glasses from the rack and set them on the bar top to pour. “Pinot noir?”

  “How did you—”

  “It was on your kitchen counter,” he answered before she could complete the question. As he lifted the two glasses, he heard her huff and to Nicomachus’ amusement, her indignation only grew.

  “Because you were snooping in my fucking apartment this morning! How did you even get inside? The door was locked! I checked it!” Stomping forward, she almost closed the gap between them, but stopped when there was still at least five feet between them. “You promised me answers, so talk.”