Be Still My Vampire Heart(35)

 

"Now this is more like it." His hands cradled the back of her head. "'T would be grand if ye could work yer way down about ten inches."

 

She jerked her head up, but was stopped by his hands. She could only rest her chin on his chest while she glared at him. "Let go of me."

 

"Uncuff me."

 

"No."

 

His mouth twitched. "Unzip me?"

 

"No!"

 

"Emma." His expression grew serious. "If ye really want to kill me, aim for the heart.

 

Put yer ear to my chest so ye can hear it."

 

She scowled at him. "You can't have a heartbeat. You're dead."

 

"Listen and find out."

 

"No." She caught his arms and pulled them over her head. He didn't struggle. She grabbed the stake from under her pillow and straddled his lap.

 

"Emma."

 

"Don't talk to me." She shoved his duster aside so only the thin cotton T-shirt covered his heart. Was it really beating under there? Did it matter? He was a vampire. He'd existed for centuries by feeding off women, controlling them, and using them. She lifted the stake, ready to plunge downward.

 

She hesitated, expecting him to do something. Yell at her. Make a grab for the stake.

 

Cover his heart. Invade her mind. Something. He just lay there, watching her with such sadness in his eyes.

 

She flexed her fingers around the stake. "I have to do this. You're evil."

 

He frowned. "I have lived a verra long time, lass, and there's one thing I have learned. We are all capable of evil."

 

She squeezed the stake in her fist. This wasn't evil. It was justice. She focused on the spot above his heart. Her eyes burned. "Are you just going to lie there?"

 

"Are ye really going to kill me?"

 

She lifted her eyes to meet his. There was no hatred in them. Only sadness and compassion. "You should hate me."

 

"How can I? I know too well the pain of grieving. I have outlived every mortal I ever loved."

 

She lowered her arm and dropped the stake on the bed. "I can't do it. You—you're too human."

 

He winced. "That's debatable."

 

She leaned forward and laid her ear against his chest. The rise and fall of his chest was oddly soothing. The pounding of her own heart slowly subsided, and she relaxed against him.

 

"Ah, Emma." His hands gently stroked her hair. "Can ye hear me?"

 

The steady beat of his heart thrummed in her ear. "How can this be? I thought you were dead. Or undead."

 

"My heart beats at night. Blood flows through me so I'm able to think and talk and… function."

 

She lifted her head and realized with a small shock that his eyes had turned red. She scrambled off him. "Don't get any ideas just because I let you live."

 

"I could have stopped ye at any time."

 

"But you didn't."

 

"I would have, but I wanted to see if ye would go through with it."

 

She closed her robe and tied the belt. "And now you're going to gloat because I failed."

 

"Nay, lass." His eyes glimmered with emotion. "I'm verra happy that ye passed."

 

She stiffened. "You were testing me?"

 

He sat up. "I wouldna want to be attracted to a murderer."

 

"I'm not a murderer. You are."

 

His eyes narrowed. "I have killed in the past for self-defense, but never for revenge. Unlike you."

 

He considered himself morally superior? Anger snapped inside her. She stood and slapped him.

 

"The devil take it, woman. Ye're trying my patience."

 

"You're trying mine. How dare you judge me? You're the one who's existed for centuries by exploiting people. I should have killed you when I had the chance."

 

His jaw clenched. "Ye never had a chance." He stretched his hands apart, and with a snap, the chain on the handcuffs broke.

 

With a small gasp, Emma stepped back. Humiliation seeped into her and increased her anger. Damn him. He could have escaped all along.

 

He kicked off his shoes, and the chain slipped to the floor. He stood to the side of the chain and lifted his cuffed wrists. "The key?"

 

She motioned to the key on the bedside table and walked away. Damn him. Arrogant bloodsucker. She strode into the living room, then stood by a window, peering out onto the street.

 

"Emma." His voice was soft behind her.

 

"Please go."

 

He stopped beside her at the window. "I doona want ye feeling like a failure. Personally, I was verra happy ye dinna kill me."

 

She glanced at his wrists and noted the handcuffs were completely gone. He was wearing his shoes once again. "You could have escaped at any time."