Survivor - By Kaye Draper Page 0,54

braid. I certainly couldn’t braid my own hair, so someone else must have done that too. Well, I thought, giddy, I could probably braid my own hair now. I clutched the edge of the sink and fought a wave of dizziness.

Someone had entered the room and was standing in the threshold watching me. I didn’t look to see who it was. I couldn’t look away from the mirror. I stared at myself with wide, liquid silver eyes. The face that stared back was thinner. I obviously hadn’t eaten in a while. My skin had always been rather pale, but now it had a luminosity to it. It almost glowed. It all sank in, and a pulse of adrenaline shook me. The sudden emotion made my fangs thrust out from my gums.

The man in the doorway came to stand behind me as I reached up and hesitantly touched my shiny new teeth. They were sharper than I realized, and I jumped as I pricked my finger. I stared at the injured digit as it slowly healed, leaving a dark drop of blood on the tip. I met Peter’s eyes in the mirror. They had gone all silvery. He was probably a little stressed out too.

He slowly stepped forward and slipped an arm around my waist, pulling me back against him. He grasped my wrist with the other hand, brining my once injured finger to his mouth. He gently licked the drop of blood off and I shivered. I was thirsty. Like I hadn’t had water in years thirsty. I could see the tiny blue veins tracing just beneath the surface of the skin on Peter’s hand and it made my teeth ache. I closed my eyes to shut it out. The need to drink was painful, but exciting- achingly so.

Peter stooped and lifted me up in one fluid motion. He carried me to the bed just as he had so many times before. He sat against the headboard and arranged me in his lap. Then, still not speaking, he pulled my head to his neck. I hesitated, breathing him in. It was what I needed, but I had never done this before. I didn’t know where to bite, or how to feed. He slipped his hand up to cradle the back of my neck and tilted his head to the side in invitation. “It’s okay,” he breathed. “You won’t hurt me.”

I took a deep breath and bit him. It was easy. My teeth were so sharp I barely had to put any pressure behind it. His blood filled my mouth and I swallowed reflexively, relaxing as I found that this new body knew what to do. With his blood, I lost the clinging-to-the-edge sort of tension I had been feeling since I woke up. I felt like I could almost see his aura. A warm rush of pleasure rippled over my body and Peter sighed. I shifted, pressing closer to him as he ran his hands over my body, caressing and comforting. Finally, I lifted my head with a little gasp, severing myself from that sense of him that was humming over my skin.

My t-shirt had rucked up and I was half straddling him. I felt like I should be blushing- only, I didn’t think I could do that anymore. Peter pressed his forehead to mine and closed his eyes. His grip on my hips was strong and possessive.

“Melody,” his voice was that rippling woodwind sound that told me he was struggling with his own hunger. “Oh God Melody you must hate me…but I want you so badly.”

“I don’t hate you.” It was the first time I had spoken since I woke up. My voice sounded foreign to my ears, filled with depth and beauty. His hair was a mess, and I thought he must have been pretty upset to be raking his hands through it so much. I tangled my fingers in the silky waves and lifted his head. Seeing the emotion in my eyes, he met my lips fiercely. His tongue plunged into my mouth and I shifted my weight to press against him through his clothes.

He leaned back and pulled the t-shirt off over my head. Then his hot mouth found my breasts and I moaned in pleasure. We were the same temperature now, his touch no longer cold. I rocked against him, feeling him pressed against me through our thin layers of clothing. Just that much was enough, and orgasm washed over me, more intense than I