Blood and Kisses - By Karin Shah Page 0,1

knocked out of her, but she sucked in a breath, straddling his hips and raising her stake high to drive it into his heart.

“I would have gone for ‘Hello, how are you?’ but you’re the witches’ Champion not me.” The amused voice of the man beneath her was deep and resonant. She stiffened, then dropped the stake to her side. She knew that voice.

Like whale song, the tones were almost unbearably beautiful. They echoed in her chest, stirring something deep within her, something that urged her to join the song. She stilled the rush of liquid heat that pooled in her abdomen. He came by that heavenly voice dishonestly. After all—he was a vampire.

And this was not a song of love. It was yet another volley in a cold war waged between their two peoples.

Her vampire-befuddled mind sorted past the feelings his voice provoked and translated his words. Fingernails pierced her palm around the stake as she fought to keep her hand at her side. Grow up, Thalia. When will you stop wanting to cover your birthmark when you hear your title?

She shook her head to banish the stray thought. There were far more important matters at hand.

It was no surprise he recognized her. He knew her from the mark branding her cheek. Her family had worn the mark of the Champion for hundreds of years. And she knew him from his voice, though they’d never formally met. Despite their mutual enmity, or possibly because of it, the witch and vampire communities made it a point to keep tabs on each other.

“Mr. Damek,” she said finally, her voice a husky whisper. Her eyes had adjusted to the dark, and his features were now visible. His skin was dark for a vampire. The lines of his face fascinated her, and she let herself drink them in, the lean planes of his cheeks, the sensual lips, the almond shape of his obsidian eyes. She could stare at him forever.

Time stopped. Lost in the intensity of his gaze, she forgot everything. The desperation that had driven her fell away, replaced with need. The need to give herself over to him, to exist only as a part of him. She sank deeper into the mire of the connection between them. Her heart pounded, but it wasn’t fear that inspired it to race. She licked her lips, unable to look away.

His gaze locked on her throat, and she realized he could hear the soft shirr of her pulse. A flame blazed in his eyes. The need to feed?

She shifted and identified the hard length pressing against her inner thigh. Her eyes widened and air rushed into her lungs as she suddenly remembered to breathe. Conscious of her body in a way she’d never been before, she inhaled his scent. Spice with a hint of musk filled her nose, and the desire to rub her body against him washed over her.

What am I doing? Vampire magnetism. No doubt the cause of her body’s uncharacteristic response.

Suddenly aware of her position astride his hips, and the knowledge he was no doubt privy to the shameless reaction of her body, her face went hot.

She scrambled to her feet and stepped into the light. “What kind of game are you playing? I could have hurt you! Why did you sneak up on me?” She spoke more harshly than she’d intended. After all, she needed him.

His help, she corrected. She needed his help.

“Hurt me? I don’t think so.” He smiled, and she wanted to smack him.

In a heartbeat he was up, sharing the harsh pool of light spilling from the streetlight, his shadow thrown over her like a black velvet cloak. He moved like a magician, with a swift powerful grace intended perhaps to distract—or ensnare.

“And sneaking? No.” He shrugged. “Getting the lay of the land before introducing myself to a beautiful woman? Yes.”

Was he flirting with her?

His eyes glittered, carved jet in the light. “And when you know me better, you’ll discover I never play games.” He reached out and stroked back a dark swath of hair she’d purposefully left out of her ponytail to soften her mark. The touch was almost a caress, and Thalia quashed the startled gasp that rose like a helium balloon from her chest. She stood frozen, allowing the intimate gesture, her heart rapping inside her chest. He lowered his gaze to her cheek. “Especially not with the Champion.”

Thalia flinched as he used her title again. Really, she had to get over this ridiculous reaction.