curvy body, nestled against his, was starting to awaken another hunger. He shifted so she wouldn’t feel his growing arousal. He was aware of her delicious scent, but he was also aware of his foul odor, and now was not the time or place to try making a move on her.
He would learn more about this woman, and he would enjoy memorizing every inch of her lush curves, but he doubted she was eager to be molested by a man who stunk so bad he could make a skunk turn tail and run.
Reluctantly, he eased his grip on her, and she slipped from his arms. He heard her shuffling footsteps before she collided with a stack of boxes and cursed. The boxes rattled, and he could picture her steadying them as the noise died down.
“What are you doing?” he asked as he pushed himself up on the mattress.
“Trying to find the door. I need to know what time it is.”
“I’ll get it. Stay where you are before you attract attention.”
Lucien rose and stepped off the mattress. With no light penetrating the interior of the unit, he couldn’t see, but his instincts guided him to the door. Kneeling, he grasped the bottom of the door and cracked it open enough to reveal the night beyond. The glow of a nearby halogen lamp set high on a post crept inside.
He closed the door again. “It’s nighttime.”
“I hate this darkness.” She’d give anything to see her hand in front of her face.
“We’ll move on in the morning.”
“Will they find us here?”
He almost told her no, but the word froze on his tongue. He didn’t want her to worry, but he couldn’t lie to her. “Probably not.”
“But there’s a possibility?”
“Yes.”
Callie sank to the floor. The cold concrete against her ass drained what little heat remained in her body. She’d prefer not to get closer to him, but unable to take the cold, she crawled in the direction of the mattress. When her hand caught the corner, she pulled herself onto it and perched on the edge.
“I’m a lot stronger now,” he said. “If they find us, it will be a much different battle.”
And if Yannis found them here, he would destroy his brother. Lucien would joyfully tear the bastard apart for what he’d done, and he would ensure Yannis never walked the earth again.
Memories of the past almost overwhelmed him, but he buried them once more. He couldn’t allow himself to become infuriated while trapped in this place. It would not help him earn her trust, and though he’d never tried to earn the trust of a human before, he wanted hers.
He settled onto the mattress beside her. They didn’t touch, but they were so close, her presence warmed his side and her smell engulfed him.
“You’re only one against many,” she said.
“I was one against many before too, and we’ve made it this far.”
He had a good point there.
“True.” They sat in silence for a few minutes before she spoke again. “Why are those things trying to make you like them?”
“They’re trying to turn vampires who don’t kill into vampires who do.”
“You don’t kill?”
“No humans or innocents, but I enjoy destroying those who deserve it.”
He’d regained enough of his abilities that he heard her gulp. He should probably curb some of his blunt attitude, but he’d never been one to hold back before. However, she’d been through enough without him scaring her with his blatant enjoyment of killing.
“I know what I did to you when I bit you,” he said. “But I meant it when I said you’re safe with me. I promise you, Callie.”
His voice rang with sincerity, but she didn’t know how to respond. Instead, she decided to change the subject.
“You said you don’t kill, but you were going to kill that man in the house before I stopped you.”
Lucien couldn’t deny the truth. He’d been out of control and on the verge of taking a life; he’d also been on the edge of turning on her.
“I was out of control then, but I’ve fed and have more control now,” he explained. “They didn’t give me any blood the entire month I was there. I was ravenous and out of my mind. It’s also why I bit you. I’m not offering it as an excuse, but it is the truth. I’m better now and more in control. It won’t happen again.”
For some reason, she believed him. Why would he lie about something like that? How would she act if she didn’t eat