All Souls' Night - Renee Rose Page 0,211

his face.

“Look, he and I both love vampires.” I point to my teeth for emphasis. “We both saved up the money and got some really good fangs. I’m not talking Hot Topic only-available-for-Halloween fangs, either. We splurged and bought the type they use in movies.” I pull up my lips to show him my gums. “They’re seamless. Basically the best thing other than dental implants. That’s my long term goal.”

I look up at his face, trying to judge how my words are landing. If he is shocked, he doesn’t show it. His face is implacable. Why doesn’t he think I’m crazy? All my other friends do. In fact, John was the first one to not make fun of my obsession.

“Go on,” Damiano urges, his voice soft and dark.

“Anyway, we get down there, I start setting stuff up. John was supposed to bring the blood.” A shiver races down my spine and I pull my knees back up into my chest and wrap my arms around them. “I’m starting to realize that I was going to be the blood. He came at me, and I swear his fangs got bigger. But I don’t understand how. We got the same fangs. We ordered them together.”

I pop one out and look it over. Turning it over in my hands, I look at every nook and cranny. I even press against various spots, trying to see if it will shift and grow larger. “They’re stage fangs, so maybe they just unlock?” Damiano sits there, not saying anything. Oh god. Does he just think I’m crazy? “Here, you try.” I hand him the fang, but he gently eases my hand back towards me.

“How easily do you freak out?” he asks.

I frown up at him. “It depends. Are we talking along the scale of arachnids to killer clowns from outer space, or Dahmer to Donner?”

Smirking, he stands up and starts pacing. “Why vampires?”

His question takes me aback. “Why not vampires? They’re sexy, hot, domineering.”

His face zeros in on me. “Domineering?”

I squirm a bit under his intense gaze. “I mean, it’s just fiction, right?”

Damiano sits back down, his lips a breath away from mine. How easy would it be to just close the gap?

“Does this look like fiction to you?” he says. He pulls back a bit and gives me a wide smile. Suddenly, his canines shift a bit before extending into fangs. My stomach flops about, twisting up my insides. What exactly am I seeing? My brain pushes me for the answer. Vampire. However, there’s no way in hell they’re real. If they were, I would have signed up years ago. Still, excitement wars with my apprehension. There’s no way this man is an actual vampire.

One, he’s hot. Like smoking hot. Two, wicked awesome fangs. Three, obviously richer than god. But where does the cozy, cashmere sweater come in? Aren’t vampires supposed to wear all this gothic stuff? Why does he look like he’s one article of clothing away from ordering a coffee with way too many fancy names?

The excitement bubbles up in me until it escapes as a giggle. Finally, someone found some fangs that look freaking real. Maybe if I’m nice enough, he’ll get me a pair! Squealing, I launch myself at him and tackle him to the couch.

“Yeah! They looked exactly like that! Where did you get them?”

Damiano’s brows draw together in confusion. “They’re my fangs. I didn’t ‘get’ them anywhere. It’s part of the whole being turned package.”

I sit back up, my hips shifting a bit until I’m mostly straddling his waist. I wave my hand about as I roll my eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I’m centuries old and want your blood. Spare me, I have a backstory too. But seriously! Where did you get them? I would absolutely love a pair!”

His frown deepens as his palms skim my thighs. They linger on me for several minutes as various expressions flit across his face. Smiling, I shift down to get closer to his expression and he groans. It’s at that moment I realize exactly where and how I’m sitting on him. His hard length pulses underneath me, straining against the jeans.

Mortified, I try to scoot off him but his fingers grip my thighs hard, locking me into place. Damiano’s eyes are closed, as is his mouth. The muscles at his jaw tick ever so slightly at the powerful grinding he’s doing.

I skewer my bottom lip with my teeth, not caring at all about the pain. Instead, I focus on how amazing he feels