Deeper than the Night - By Amanda Ashley Page 0,44
gaze from his face, couldn't help wondering if he would have destroyed her, too, if she had come upon him then.
He knew her thoughts, but could not condemn them. Even if he frightened her away forever, she had to know the truth. All of it. "With the madness came the ancient urge to hunt, to kill, to glut myself with blood."
He blew out a long sigh. "In ancient times, those who could not control the lust for blood were banished from our planet and transported to earth. I've often wondered if perhaps it was some distant ancestors of mine who formed the basis of earth's vampire legends."
"There was blood. On your hands."
He saw the revulsion in her eyes and knew she was wondering who, or what, he had killed.
"A mountain lion," Alex said flatly.
"Did you . . . did you drink its blood?"
"No.""
"Why not?"
"Because of you." He had been bending over the animal's neck, his mouth watering as the scent of warm fresh blood filled his nostrils, when suddenly an image of Kara had filled his mind. He had seen himself through her eyes, seen her horror, her revulsion, and he had been ashamed.
"Is that why you write about vampires, because you share their . . . their lust for blood?"
"You're very perceptive, Kara Crawford. My people share many of the characteristics attributed to your fictional vampires."
She was staring at him, her eyes wide, as she waited for him to go on.
"I can manipulate inanimate objects with the power of my thoughts. I seem to be immune to the diseases of your planet. My metabolism is much slower than yours. I can't abide your sun, and so I usually stay up late at night and sleep during the day. Not the sleep of the undead," he added, hoping to reassure her.
"Can you also turn into a bat or a wolf, and dissolve into a mist?"
A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Handy tricks, to be sure, but beyond even my powers. Is there anything else you want to know?"
"Are you . . ." She looked away, biting down on her lip, wishing she could think of a delicate way to ask an indelicate question. The fact that she was curious at all made her cheeks burn.
"You're wondering if I'm like the men of earth," Alex said. "Wondering if the sexual habits and mores of my people are different from yours."
Kara nodded.
"The answer is yes, and no. Anything else?"
"Just one thing. Do you love me, Alex?"
"Yes." In a swift movement, he knelt before her and took her hands in his. "I've loved you since the first time I saw you, lying there in the hospital. Nothing will ever change that, Kara."
With a hand that trembled, Kara caressed his cheek. He had said he loved her; she knew she loved him. But was that enough for two people from different worlds?
"Kara, tell me what you want me to do."
"I don't know. I thought if I knew you loved me, it would make everything all right, but it only makes things more complicated."
"What do you mean?"
"Where do we go from here?"
"Wherever you want."
She shook her head. "I don't know what I want. Everything is so . . . confused. Did you know they're showing my picture on TV? Telling people I have a virus that is highly contagious and might be fatal? Barrett's not going to give up. I called Gail, and she said he'd been at the house asking for me. I told her not to tell anyone I called, not even Nana. My grandmother must be worried sick . . . ."
"I'm sorry, Kara. I've brought you nothing but trouble."
"You saved my life!"
"You might have recovered without my help." He shook his head, remembering the night he had given her his blood, the gamble he had taken with a life not his own. "You could have died."
"But I didn't."
"Kara . . ." His hands spanned her waist, and then he drew her down onto his lapand kissed her.
Warmth spread through her, chasing away the cold and the fear and the indecision. She slid her arms around him, her hands roaming over his broad back.
"Alex!" She lifted her hand and stared at the dark stain on her palm. "You're hurt!"
"The cougar scratched me."
"It feels deep. Let me see." She stood up and moved around behind him. His blood glistened blackly in the light of the moon."That needs to be sewn up."