Night's Promise(58)

“It’s almost the full moon,” he said, noting her curious gaze. “The week before it’s full, I crave meat.” He took a deep breath. “Raw meat.”

“Oh. Well, that’s . . . interesting.”

“No, it’s not.”

Reaching across the table, Sheree took his hand in hers. “It’ll be all right, you’ll see.”

“I wish I could be sure.”

“What are you really afraid is going to happen?”

His hand tightened on hers. “I’m afraid that I’ll become a killing machine with no conscience.”

Sheree shook her head. “I don’t believe that’s possible. You’re a good man, Derek. I know it in every fiber of my being. I wouldn’t be here with you if you weren’t.”

When the waitress arrived with their dinner, Sheree tried not to stare at Derek’s plate. The steak, barely cooked, swam in a sea of blood-red juice.

“I shouldn’t have ordered anything,” he said, noting the thinly veiled revulsion in her eyes.

“No. Lots of people like their steak rare. I’m told it tastes better that way.”

Derek shook his head as he cut the steak into pieces and took a bite. It was remarkably satisfying.

Later, they strolled through the town. It was like stepping back in time, Sheree thought, walking along the cobblestone streets.

“This is where legend says vampires were born,” she mused, thinking about Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and how strange it was to be walking in Transylvania with a real vampire at her side.

Derek shook his head. “No one really knows where the first one came from, or how we came to be. Some believe that it was a curse set upon a man who lusted after another man’s wife. Others believe that we’re demon spawn, and that vampires cast no reflection in a mirror because we have no soul. There’s a small group that believes we are a separate species, and that we evolved along with mankind.”

“I’ve never heard any of those theories before, but I definitely like the last one the best. It’s an intriguing idea.” She glanced around, admiring the quaint shops, the distant mountains, some capped with snow. “It’s a beautiful country.”

“So they say. You should ask Mara to take you sightseeing before we leave.” He slid a glance in her direction. “You should at least visit Castle Dracula while you’re here.”

“I’d love to. I read a lot about it online.”

He lifted one brow. “Researching the undead?”

“Of course. It was a passion of mine.”

“Was?”

She punched him on the arm. “You know what I mean.”

“How do I know you’re not just using me for research?” he asked, eyes glinting with humor.

She batted her eyelashes at him. “Would you mind if I was?”

“You can research me all you want,” he said, laughing. “I admit I did quite a bit of it myself growing up.”

“You did? Why? I mean, didn’t you already know everything there was to know about vampires?”

“More or less, but being one myself, I was naturally curious about what people thought of us. I read everything I could get my hands on about Romania and vampires and Vlad Dracula. To this day, his people regard him as a hero.”

“Some hero! I read that he killed over forty thousand people.”

“From what I read, it was more like eighty thousand,” Derek said. “And that’s not counting the number of villages he burned to the ground.”

When they reached a narrow alley between two buildings, Derek pulled her into it, then took her in his arms and kissed her hungrily. “I’ve been wanting to do that all night,” he said, his voice husky. And then he kissed her again.

She would have protested but with his arms wrapped around her and his mouth ravaging hers, it was impossible to think of anything but the desire that flamed between them. He backed her against the wall, his body pressing against hers, letting her feel the growing evidence of his desire.

She moaned softly, her hands delving under his shirt, moving restlessly up and down his back and shoulders. His skin was cool beneath her fingertips, the muscles well-defined.

“Derek . . .” She breathed his name, pouring all her yearning into it.

“I know.” He could smell the musk on her skin, hear the uptick in the beat of her heart, the scent of her blood as it flowed hot and sweet beneath her skin.

A rush of desire swamped his senses as his arms tightened around her. With a low growl, he lowered his head to her neck.

“Hey, what’s going on here?”

A flash of light penetrated the darkness. Derek wheeled around, his eyes blazing red, his lips pulled back to reveal his fangs.