She swayed before him, on her knees, her head tilted way
back to reveal the havoc he’d done to her neck. Nikolaus held
his arms out to catch her, but she shook her head and mumbled
that she’d rather die than have a vampire touch her.
The statement sliced him like a surgical blade to the heart.
He felt relegated to a realm of monsters and creatures. He’d
struggled for years to overcome that kind of thinking after his
transformation. Now he accepted that he was one of the dark.
But I will never become a monster.
And yet, a monster had harmed this woman.
Why he’d bitten her—so sloppily, as if he had intended
harm—was beyond him.
No, it’s not. You knew. The left side of your brain—that
logical thinking part—knows you intented to murder the witch.
Yes. Because she had killed his men, and had attempted to
kill him. This awful, selfish, petite…defiant, gorgeouswoman.
What the hell? He didn’t want to hurt Ravin. He wanted to
hold her close and fall into her arms. Which was a strange
thought in itself, because Nikolaus was the furthest thing from
romantic. He didn’t have relationships. He had sex withwomen
to relieve a need that always accompanied the hunger. He didn’t
trustwomen. He didn’t trust himself with mortalwomen.He…
…was in love with this witch.
If his tribe ever got wind of this they’d flail him alive. And
he’d remain alive after the beating, because a little flailing
wasn’t going to kill any vampire, most especially a phoenix.
How could he return to Kila now? Would they smell the
witch on him?
What of her blood? It coursed through his veins. Along
with…a love spell?
“What’s happening to you?” He knelt before Ravin. Her fingers
clasped into his, but she withdrewas if touched by a flame.
Finally she settled into him, her stained forehead falling to
rest on his shoulder. She smelled good. Like blood and sweat
and some sweetness that could only be woman.
“Is it from me? Are you still weak from blood loss? I didn’t
take that much before I—” Fell in love.
Was that it? He’d fallen. Tumbling. Arms spread and completely
unprepared for such a fall—into love.
Huh. This condition could prove a bitch when he finally
shook it off.
Ravin pushed away from him and landed her back against
the brown leather couch. A long-leafed plant shivered on the
