Lucern gave in to the demand. Shifting to kiss her, he slid his leg to nestle between hers. He pressed upward, nudging his thigh against her sex as he kissed her. Kate responded heatedly, rubbing back in return and tugging viciously at his shirt. Several buttons snapped. Lucern suddenly found his shirt open, and he pushed closer so that their flesh met. Kate's nipples grazed the hair of his chest, then his skin, sending tingles through him. He felt her hand slide down over his stomach to his groin.
Lucern went a little wild. He thrust against her, grinding closer, her hand caught between them. The phone began to ring. Lucern heard it, but it was a far-off sound, a distant concern he couldn't be bothered with. Kate filled his mind. She was all he saw or heard—her gasps and soft sighs, her scent, her touch. She swamped him. The world could go to hell for all he cared. Kate was with him, and he wanted her there forever. For longer than forever.
Lifting his mouth from hers, Lucern moved to her neck, found her pulse and sank his teeth into her flesh. She cried out, her neck arching, and Lucern closed his eyes, grinding his lower body against her. Her lifeblood filled his mouth. It tasted sweet despite her slender body. Lucern had always preferred larger women, finding their blood thick and rich and fulfilling. But while Kate's blood was different, it was still heady. He felt a rush as it filled him.
"Hey, Lucern! Some guy named Bastien… Oh! Uh, sorry."
Lucern straightened abruptly, rising to his knees on the bed. Whirling he caught sight of Chris moving quickly away from the open door. He stared in amazement, unable to believe that he had got so carried away that he'd forgotten to close the door, and was even more amazed that he'd lost control to such an extent that he had released his power over the editor's mind. Worst of all, he had allowed Chris to catch him and Kate together. He had no fear that the man would know he'd been feeding, but Chris's other assumptions would be just as bad. Kate certainly wouldn't be pleased about it. And Lucern had no desire to cause her discomfort with her coworkers.
Then what the other man had said sank in, and Lucern recalled the ringing phone. Bastien was on the line, calling back! Hurtling himself off the bed, Lucern rushed to the door just in time to see Chris hang up.
"Oh," the editor said, spying him in the doorway. "I told him you were busy."
Lucern cursed under his breath. Opening his mouth to snap at the younger man, he paused when he realized the editor was avoiding looking at him. Keyes was also blushing furiously. Lucern peered down at himself, grimacing when he saw that Kate hadn't only got his shirt open; she'd managed to start on his pants. The belt was undone, the button open, and his slacks were halfway down his thighs.
He doubted that was what had got Chris upset, however. No doubt the man was discomfitted by finding Kate in flagrante delicto with one of her writers.
Lucern was trying to decide what to do when he was suddenly pushed from behind. Shifting to the side, he half-turned to see Kate rush out of the room past him. Her shirt was done up and her hat was back on her head, and the glimpse he got of her face showed it cherry red with embarrassment.
Lucern tried to grab her hand, but she was already out of reach. Kate called something unintelligible but for the word "bed," then disappeared into her room. The door closed with a snap, followed by the snick of the lock. She definitely wanted to be alone.
Lucern sighed unhappily and pushed a hand through his hair. He'd made a mess of everything.
"Well, I guess I'll… er… go to bed, too," Chris announced. He then disappeared.
Shaking his head, Lucern walked to the bar. He poured himself a stiff drink, then carried it back to his room, closing the door behind him.
"Now that it doesn't matter," he muttered to himself as he walked to the bed. He'd muddled everything and knew it.
What could he do now? He hadn't a clue what Kate was thinking. Was she aware that he'd bitten her? Usually people weren't, but he usually controlled their mind while doing it, pouring the pleasure it gave him back into them while he fed. It was usually a very erotic experience for them. For the women, anyway. He didn't bother to do that with the men, but merely blanked their mind so that they wouldn't recall what had happened. They were simply left with two tiny holes in their neck and no idea where they'd come from. Lucern had opened his mind to Kate as he'd bitten her, but he was not sure she'd felt his pleasure as her own. Had she felt his bite? Had it been painful? Or had she felt the pleasure and jubilation?
If she had felt the pain of the bite, Kate would probably think he was some insane freak. She'd think he wrote about vampires because he mistakenly thought himself one. She'd be wondering just what she had on her hands. Or, worse, she'd know the truth. But Lucern suspected it would be the freak thing. A sensible modern woman like Kate would never believe in vampires.
Chapter Nine
Kate woke up feeling awful. She didn't understand why at first, but then the memories hit her like a sledgehammer: Coming back to find Lucern hanging over Chris. His going into the bedroom to answer the phone. Her following him, rage consuming her. How dare he be gay? she had been thinking. How dare he? The very idea had stunned her. She was attracted to him. Had had erotic dreams about him. He couldn't be gay!