Survivor - By Kaye Draper Page 0,87

of me. He backed me up until I was pressed against the trunk of a big tree. He wasn’t laughing anymore.

“If you ever share a blood bond with another vampire again, I swear to God…” He held my wrists, pinning my arms at my sides. I remembered the helplessness I had felt when I realized that everyone in the room thought Haine was my mate. Oh.

I squirmed experimentally, trying to gauge just how angry he was. His hip dug into mine painfully, stopping my movement. Pretty pissed, I guess. “You know that wasn’t what it looked like,” I said weakly. He growled.

I slumped in defeat. “Fine, fine. I admit it. I secretly lust after him because he brought me comic books. I’ve never really cared for you.” I sighed dramatically. “You’re just so terrible in bed that I couldn’t stand it. I mean, honestly Peter, I just need something more to satisfy me.”

He let his head fall to my shoulder and released my arms. He was vibrating with what I really hoped was laughter… maybe I’d gone too far? I brushed my fingers through his soft waves. “You know that I love you more than anything in the world. “

He lifted his head and his silvery eyes met mine. “I know,” he said tiredly. “But the vampire in me wants to possess every part of you- mind, body, and soul.”

I laughed softly. “Well the vampire needs to shut up and stop throwing such a fit then- because he already does.”

Chapter 20

Big, fluffy snowflakes drifted down, dusting my coat with white and clinging to my eyelashes. They melted as they touched the sidewalk, leaving everything wet. It wouldn’t make the walkway slippery, as it would if the snow were sticking. I glanced sideways at Chelsea to see how she was doing. She still had a bit of limp, though she wasn’t using her cane today. It was surreal to be worrying about her mobility, while I walked sedately at her side, knowing that even if it were treacherously icy, I probably wouldn’t lose my balance, and if I were to fall, I wouldn’t be hurt.

“How did your appointment go?” She had just come from a check-up with her orthopaedic doctor. Her leg had pretty much been shattered in the accident.

She snorted. “He still can’t believe I’ve healed so fast.” She gave me a look, but I avoided her eyes, watching the people passing by. We hadn’t ever openly discussed her rapid healing. I was hoping she didn’t remember exactly what happened when she was in the hospital, but from the sounds of it, she knew something had.

She shook her head. “He said it’s healing well. I’ll need surgery to take out the hardware, but only if it starts working its way loose and causing pain.”

I nodded. That was good news. I was sure she was at the point where she never wanted to see another doctor again. I knew that feeling. I watched my sister as we made our way toward the little downtown shopping district. Her hair was loosely woven into two messy braids. She had stopped highlighting it, and it was a darker blond now. My mouth turned up at one corner as I took in her holey jeans and the paint flecks that dotted her hands. There was a warm feeling about her aura, and she seemed genuinely happy.

“So did you have anything in mind?” I held the coffee shop door open for her and she grimaced as she passed me. We were supposed to be finding Christmas gifts for Mom and Dad.

“Not a clue,” she said flatly. It was hard to find something for them when they had the means to just go out and buy whatever they needed.

We settled at a small table, and I took a cautious sip of my mocha. It wasn’t the same, I thought sadly. I had really enjoyed coffee prior to my little lifestyle change. It wasn’t terrible now, but it didn’t taste like a mocha. It tasted like milk, sugary syrup, and each individual spice. I set it down and used it as a hand warmer instead. It felt scalding against my cool hands, and I enjoyed the sensation.

Chelsea took a deep breath and I arched an eyebrow at her, wondering if she was going to tell me what was bothering her now. She had been worrying about something since I picked her up this afternoon. I could smell sadness and a hint of fear. “You…you still don’t remember your