Quench(17)
Large paws landed on either side of the tiny spotted cat. Lowering his head, Alek opened his mouth and, baring huge fangs, bit into the belly of the transgressor. Yanking back, he disemboweled the animal.
Alek had honored the cat by allowing him to die as the creature he’d been born.
The foul odor that filled the night air made her retch.
Weak and in extreme pain, Viv attempted to sit up. Blood continued to pour from the gaping wound in her shoulder and she had no strength to start the healing process. The pure scent of lion drifted over her. No, it was vampyre. Damn, the injury had destroyed her senses, trapped her even more.
Put her at Alek’s mercy.
“Oh God, honey, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left you alone.”
The smell of vampyre grew stronger and she heard Case say, “Go, I’ll clean this up. Feed her quickly and I’ll get there as fast as I can.”
“Alek, I’ve lost too much blood to heal.” Tears glistened in his eyes. She murmured, “Blood, strong blood.”
“Mine is strong.”
“Vampyre blood,” she whispered. “Don’t let me die.”
“Never.” He swept her up and moved into the fading black sky.
Her mind grew weaker as they headed toward the horizon, where dark was turning pink with light. Twirling with her in his arms, he vanished into a tornadolike vortex to protect her from the early sun’s rays.
He settled her in the dark room beneath the mansion’s main floor and Case soon joined them, carrying a bottle. “This will replace the champagne you dropped.”
Why did Alec want champagne? Confused and too weak to enter his mind, she listened to him talk quietly with Case, who suggested Alek feed her before he dematerialized.
“Viv, can you hear me?”
“No…cat…blood. Vampyre.”
“You’ll die if we wait. You’re already weak from the sun’s rising.”
Dried tears stained his cheeks red. He’d give his life for her simply because they were mates. Alek was stronger than many of the Kind she’d met. He had the same vampyre abilities the royal brothers had. But he wasn’t royalty.
“Alek, don’t change me, I can’t be what you are,” she whispered. “Vampyre, or at least royal blood. Law or Dace, they can sustain me until I heal.”
Anger reddened his face. “Mine is as royal as you’re gonna get.” He slid into the bed and lifted her effortlessly onto his lap.
She struggled to hold her eyes open. His blood would take too long to heal her, she’d die anyway, or he’d have to change her. Not an option. Viv was undead, not a cat, and she needed stronger sustenance than his blood.
Did Alek plan to make her his mate against her will? Why would he lie to her?
“I’ve fed from the prince for many years.” Pain, anger, infused his words. “I will not make you what you don’t want to be.”
Don’t…trust you.
His eyes became hooded and she winced at the anguish her words had caused as they raged through his mind.
He lowered his head, opened his wrist and pushed it against her lips.
Unable to move her head, Viviana had no choice as Alek’s blood poured freely from the punctures. His life force filled her mouth and she swallowed.
Something else happened—the dark place in his mind opened.
Memories, pained and raw, assaulted her thoughts. A kaleidoscope of pictures with him and Nikolaus flashed before her like a movie. His love, his guilt at loving a man, dripped into her heart. His need, his desire and lust for the prince boiled through her veins.
Her eyes closed as she let it wash over her. All his years of fighting feelings for his best friend streamed alongside his new and wondrous need for her. His vampyre side understood and could accept loving a man, the cat never would. Tigers were solitary creatures, searching out females only when the need arose. Male lions had a pride of lionesses, another male would not be accepted.
Alek pulled his arm away, her head lolled back against his shoulder. Still too weak to think or utter a single word, she opened her eyes and gazed at him.
“Now do you believe me? Do you understand why I can never have a mate?”
He lifted her gently into the bed and, using her ancestors’ magic, he removed her blood-soaked clothes and cleansed her body.
“Rest. I’ll return at dusk to feed you again.”
She watched weakly as he walked to the door. Turning, he leveled cold red eyes on her. “Do you trust me now?”
Love she had felt all along lanced through Viv. The words lodged in her throat, producing only a whimper. Alek didn’t vanish but before she could force the words out he had opened the door and walked out. When it clicked shut, the syllables slipped from her mouth.