“No! He lied to her, just like you lied to me!”
“Hannah works for Vüber. Scanguards created Vüber for the sole purpose of providing vampire-safe transportation during daylight hours. Every single client is a vampire. The human drivers know that. We retrofit their cars to make them vampire-safe. Hannah knew who she was transporting. She knew what Ronny was even before they started dating.”
Lilo pressed her hand over her mouth to prevent herself from screaming.
“Hannah went into this relationship with her eyes open. Ronny didn’t lie to her.” He sighed. “I’m afraid I can’t claim the same for myself. But I knew, from your reaction when I picked you up from the police station, that you’d never let me make love to you if you knew what I was.” He ran a shaky hand through his hair. “Hell, by telling you this I’m probably making things even worse for myself.” He shot her a pleading look. “But I can’t lie to you any longer. I want you, Lilo. The thought of never again touching you, kissing you, making love to you, is killing me.”
“Like Ronny wanted Hannah?” she ground out. “As if I don’t know what that means. You know how many times Hannah complained about Ronny’s possessiveness? His demanding nature? His jealousy? It all makes sense now. He’s a vampire, an animal. Just like you.”
He flinched, and quickly closed his eyes, but she’d seen it nevertheless: a red flickering in his irises, as if he was about to lose control.
“You’re right, Lilo.” He rose and turned his back to her. “I’m an animal. And I’ll tell you why: I love my family, and I would do anything to protect them. That’s why I asked my fourth great-grandfather to turn me. So I could protect those I love. Scanguards is my family. The boys you met here—Sebastian, Adam, and Nicholas—they’re my charges. They’re hybrids. The sons of Scanguards’ senior management. Thirteen half-vampires, ten boys and three girls, rely on me for their security when their parents are otherwise occupied. Yes, I’m an animal, because I’ll protect them to the death.”
The words shocked her to the core. Such passion. Such devotion. Such honor.
Could a vampire really possess those traits? Could he really live by such a code?
“I’m also an animal,” he continued, “because of my need for blood. I can’t deny that. But it doesn’t make me a beast, and it doesn’t make me evil. Because I can control that need. I did earlier.”
Her breath hitched, and he slowly turned, looking at her.
“When you were in my arms, I didn’t only want to make love to you, though, by God, that was my greatest desire. But I also wanted to taste your blood. I wanted to sink my fangs into your skin and drink from you.”
His eyes suddenly began to shimmer golden, and she now realized that it was the same shimmer she’d seen earlier when he’d taken her against the wall.
“Oh, God,” she whimpered.
His gaze dropped to her chest. “Yes, I wanted to sink my fangs into your breast and drink from you there, while I brought us both to an earth-shattering climax. But I didn’t do it, because you didn’t give me permission. And I’d never violate anybody like that.”
Her heart pounded up into her throat. “As if anybody would give a vampire permission to bite them! Why would anybody allow that?” she cried out. Only a crazy person would do that.
“Once we find Hannah, you can ask her why.”
“Hannah would never…”
A slow shake of his head silenced her.
“She’s been dating Ronny for several months. I can guarantee you that she allowed him to bite her. Maybe not right away, but eventually.” He paused for a moment. “A vampire’s bite is virtually painless. The host feels no more than a pinprick. But once a vampire draws on the human’s vein, the human will feel a sense of euphoria, of pleasure so intense it eclipses any orgasm. And if a vampire chooses to bite his lover during sex…”
He didn’t finish the sentence, and he didn’t have to. The look on his face told her everything she needed to know.
“That’s why a human will give her vampire lover permission to bite her,” he murmured. “So they can experience that ultimate ecstasy together. A special connection.”
Lilo pressed her hand to her chest. This was all too much. She couldn’t process all the information he’d given her. How could she know what was true and what wasn’t? She had no proof of anything. Only his words.
“I want to see.” The words were out before she realized she’d made the decision.
“See what?”
“You. I want to see the real you.” Then at least one question would be answered once and for all, and she could panic in earnest.