His fingers traced across my midsection. “How romantic, Miss Black. Shall I serve his head on a silver platter?”
I backed up against the wall. “He asked me if I’d ever heard of a club called High Jinx. I haven’t replied yet, but I was thinking we could head over there and scout it out—memorize all the exits. He obviously wants to meet in public to see if I fit the bill, and that’s why he mentioned a human club.”
Christian flattened his hand on the wall over my head and leaned in tight. “Maybe we should send in Blue.”
“Why? Because she has bigger breasts? If I attracted a Vampire the first time, there’s probably something about me that looks a little lost. Blue’s never been human. She doesn’t know how to act and talk in a way that would throw off suspicion. Why wouldn’t you want me to go?”
Christian’s cheek touched mine, his mouth resting against my ear. “I was a guard for too long. All I want to do is protect you.”
His words spilled into my head like a promise. When his lips found mine, the kiss was wet, hot, and passionate. That man knew exactly how to move his tongue. Every place I touched on his body was hard muscle, reminding me of his power.
“Don’t you like this?” I asked.
“Yesss,” he hissed back.
“Then why don’t you touch me?”
Stone pieces dislodged from the wall and sprinkled down my shoulder.
Christian leaned back. “You’re not a full Vampire. I’ll break you.”
“You haven’t hurt me yet.”
“Aye, lass. But it requires an incredible amount of willpower. If I break my concentration, I could snap your bones.”
I stroked the artery on his neck. “Then maybe you should let me drink from you.”
He pressed against me as if we were two magnets. Christian wanted me to drink from him. His was the first blood I’d ever tasted that set me on fire, and being Vampire blood, it granted me temporary physical strength.
Whiskers grazed against my cheek as he moved his mouth close to mine. “I don’t want you drinking from other Vampires. Do you understand me?”
“That’s a mighty tall request coming from a man who said I needed to use blood for information.”
“I meant recreationally.”
I gasped when he rocked his hips, his thick erection pressing against me. Collecting my thoughts, I managed to counter his remark. “Do you drink recreationally?”
One of his fangs pierced my earlobe. “Aye.” Then he sucked on it before pulling away, a smudge of blood glossing his lips.
I shoved him back. “Wait a second. You go around slurping from people?”
He cocked his head to the side. “I’ve never been one to turn down a free drink.”
“So it’s fine for you but not for me.”
His lips twitched. “I don’t drink from Vampires. The blood from others isn’t as repulsive to me as it is to you, so I think it’s different.”
I pinched my earlobe and studied him. I couldn’t imagine the act of blood sharing not being intimate. “It’s not like you need it to survive. Maybe you should go to a blood bank instead.”
He waggled his brows. “Jealous?”
“No.”
Christian rocked with laughter. “That’s your Vampire nature, Raven. You’re more jealous of me drinking from a woman than bedding her.” He reached out and stroked my cheek, the humor withering from his expression. “Are you still wandering the halls late at night?”
He wanted to know if I was still having nightmares—the unshakable ones that woke me up in a cold sweat. It was pointless to share a floor with a Vampire and expect him not to notice my sleeping habits.
I shrugged. “At least I get my exercise.”
“Your Creator has too much control over your life.”
My lips curled as I spoke. “Fletcher has no control over me.”
His eyes rounded a fraction, and that was when I realized I’d divulged a secret I’d kept from everyone—my Creator’s name.
He lowered his gaze to my sweatpants and slowly licked the remaining drop of crimson from his lower lip. “I can taste the painkiller in your blood. It won’t last for long.”
“I plan on healing first light. If it gets too much to bear, I’ll drink a few shots of tequila.”
He stepped back, hands clasped behind him. “Niko’s coming.”
“How do you know?”
“Everyone’s footsteps are unique.”
“What do mine sound like?”
“Bigfoot.”
I narrowed my eyes at him just as Niko entered the room.
“Apologies for interrupting,” Niko said. “I followed your energy trail. I didn’t realize you were having a private discussion.”
I smiled. “Nothing private about it.”
He gave me an enigmatic look.
I folded my arms. “Okay. We were discussing that thing I was talking to you about regarding the Vampire trafficking. Viktor gave me the green light to check into it. Are you working on something at the moment? We’re heading out to a club tomorrow and could use another set of eyes.”
He chuckled. “That’s an interesting turn of phrase for a blind man.”
Christian clapped a hand on Niko’s shoulder as he moved out of the room. “Quit your fibbing. We all know you’re lying about that so you can watch the ladies undress.”
Niko’s crystalline eyes sparkled in the candlelight. His ebony hair was usually down, but tonight he had it pulled back in a tight braid.
“Are you feeling better?” I asked.
“I’ll live.”
“What do you think about Kira?” I asked. “Did you see anything suspicious in her light?”
He strode around to the table by the wall and waved his hand over a candle, his fingers curling when they felt the flame. “I saw no impurity in her light, no reason to suspect she is deceiving us.”
“And you’re okay with all this? She’s practically a slave.”
Niko turned sharply. “No, Raven. Slavery is not a word you can throw around. It’s an act committed against your will that removes your freedom of choice. Kira has willingly placed herself in our care in exchange for work. Not all work requires monetary payment. Long ago, we labored for food, shelter, or even permission to travel across land. The work here may seem tedious to you, but some like to keep their hands busy.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” I murmured. When I noticed Niko reading my light, I had to explain. “We don’t know anything about her. She might try to seduce every man in this house for personal gain or blackmail. Claude was ready to give her a tongue bath, and Wyatt practically fell over himself. She has to know the power she holds over men. Even if she is trustworthy, maybe I don’t trust the men in this house not to fool around with her. That would look pretty shitty, don’t you think? Taking advantage of a girl who’s using us for protection? It might seem consensual, but in her eyes, she’ll think she has no choice. The whole thing stinks.”
“Would you rather she be an old hag?”