Page 87 of Craving Carla

Amari reaches the dock and cuts the engine. He quickly ties the boat in place, then extends his hand to help me ontothe wooden planks. Once I’m steady, he lets go, and I feel the absence of his touch at once.

“I need to go run and gather some clothes,” he says, straightening his suit jacket.

“Oh... Yeah, right. I’ll just go...” I start to turn away, but Amari catches my hand, pulling me against him so suddenly I nearly lose my balance. He steadies me with his hands on my waist, and that smug grin I’m beginning to know too well spreads across his face.

“What’s wrong?” He asks and I glance towards the Tourist Island. The lights are starting to flicker on as darkness settles over Wintermoon. I close my eyes, knowing what’s waiting for him there. Midnight Moon will be opening soon, filled with willing women eager to give their blood and bodies to vampires like him.

Amari pulls me closer, and I gasp at the sudden movement. Even in the growing darkness, his golden eyes seem to glow, trapping me in their intensity. Heat rushes to my face as I realize how deeply I’m falling into this—into him.

He leans down, bringing his lips to my ear. “The only thing I’ll be feeding on tonight, Carla, is your pussy.”

My eyes widen at his words, crude but honest. I feel myself growing warm all over despite the evening chill.

He releases me and steps back, holding out his hand. “Come on, come with me to my cabin on the Community Lands for the night.”

I shake my head immediately. “I can’t,” I say, looking down. “They get really upset with me being over there. My children...”

“Ah,ourchildren,” he corrects with a smile. His eyes scan the trees behind us, searching the darkness. “Children,” he calls, his voice low and soft, “come out—come out to Daddy.”

And they do. Eyes light up the forest, reflecting the moonlight like dozens of tiny stars. Tofi and Noki lead the way,emerging from the shadows with the others following behind. They surround Amari, waiting as if for his command. He immediately reaches down to pet Tofi, who stands beside him like a loyal guard dog.

“I already know better than to ask you about the veil,” he says to Tofi, who keeps her multiple eyes trained on me.

Suddenly, she sends me images, spelling out the words:Remember, Mommy.

“Remember what?” I blurt out, confused by her cryptic message.

Amari clears his throat, looking down at Tofi then back to me. “Tofi spoke to you?”

I nod, but strangely, she doesn’t repeat the message as she usually would. I decide to let it go—I’m exhausted, and it’s been a long day.

“What did you call on them for, Amari?” I ask, fighting back a yawn.

He points at me. “I’d like to take Mommy to the Community Lands for one night, but I know you like to stay close. Could you trust me with her for one night?”

Tofi stomps her feet quickly against the forest floor, then takes a step back from him. I don’t know what she’s saying to him, but I can tell they’re communicating. Their eyes lock for a moment before Amari looks back at me with that insufferable grin.

“I’m not going to hurt Mommy,” Amari says to Tofi, focusing solely on her. “I only want to love Mommy.”

Tofi taps her legs angrily against the ground and hisses at him, but Amari remains unfazed, his grin widening.

“You’re right, Tofi. I’m a bad vampire. A bad vampire madly in love with your Mommy. And I’m not letting her go. I’ll fight you with everything I have to keep her.”

My heart flutters at his words, and I place a hand over my stomach, feeling a rush of butterflies. I clear my throat nervously as Tofi looks my way, and I shift my gaze between them, unsure of what’s happening.

Tofi looks back at Amari and hisses again, tapping her feet. She must be sending him more images because Amari suddenly bursts into laughter, nodding.

“Thank you, daughter,” he says, his voice warm with affection.

Tofi scurries around me and leaps into the forest, the others following like a flood of eight-legged shadows, disappearing back into the trees where they belong. Amari gives me a smug grin and holds out his hand.

“Tofi said one night only, but she’ll be watching,” he explains, motioning for me to come to him.

I hesitate, but before I can decide, he’s standing in front of me with his vampire speed, making me gasp in surprise. He holds his hand out again, patient but insistent.

“Come on, baby. Stay with me tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll make arrangements for our temporary home.”

I place my hand in his, but narrow my eyes suspiciously. “Our temporary home?”