Page 9 of Bullets and Blood (Hunting Hearts #1)

Chapter Seven

In daylight, the truce lost its shine. The lust that blinded him had dimmed.

He could not get involved with the enemy.

It was bad enough he’d agreed to the truce.

Lance tossed the wine bottle in the trash and wiped a couple of drops of blood off the kitchen counter.

They’d made the truce properly. They were the highest-ranking vampires from their respective families in the area, so it was binding.

But Nixon’s—Nix’s—words haunted him. The Orlans had broken the last truce.

If that were true, then what else was lies?

Nix certainly wasn’t the savage killer he’d been led to believe.

If the Hadleys had been looking for more legal avenues before the latest outbreak of violence, there was no reason for blood to spill at all.

Nix could’ve been lying, but he’d claimed it was the truth as he’d drunk the bloodied wine and sat in his kitchen unarmed.

If everything Lance had been told were true about Nix, he should have been dead a dozen times over in the last twenty-four hours.

But it wasn’t fear he felt when he looked at Nix.

Fear he could understand.

Lust?

He couldn’t want the man who’d been his enemy since birth. But over the last six months, he’d gotten to know his enemy, and if he were honest with himself, he’d known for a few months that there was more to Nix than the official dossier. Last night’s talk had solidified that belief.

It was only two weeks. His family wouldn’t care.

They’d never know. But he knew they were oath breakers. No, he didn’t know for sure. All he had was Nix’s word. How good was a Hadley’s word? He picked up Nix’s glass and held it to the light. Several crack lines ran through the base and up the stem. It was only a matter of time until it shattered.

Lance dropped it in the trash, and the glass broke. There was no sign he’d had a guest, but he was sure another vampire would be able to smell that Nix had been in the house. There wasn’t anything he could do about that. And if he was being watched that closely, it was already too late.

He’d kill some time doing what he did best, research—though he didn’t know what he was looking for, before going to the winery to see if Nix had kept his word or fled. He wasn’t sure which outcome he wanted. Nix, the honest but reluctant killer, or Nix, the liar on the run.

If Nix were a liar, then his family weren’t the oath breakers.

* * *

At noon, Lance parked at the winery and got out of the car.

It was supposed to be autumn, but the weather hadn’t gotten the memo, so it was still warm and sunny.

Enough to make most vampires stay indoors.

In Melbourne, it was raining and overcast—he’d checked the weather app.

He should have hated all this sun, but he couldn’t.

He was sucking it all up for when he could no longer take a long walk in the sun without taking precautions.

He wanted to feel the burning of his skin.

If he waited long enough, it would happen.

But he was far more human than vampire. He pressed the cut on his thumb as he steeled himself for what he’d find inside.

The gravel crunched beneath his feet, his steps slowing as he reached the door.

There, Nix was chatting to a customer, convincing them to buy more wine. The glasses were perched on his nose, his hair was tied up, and the knife would be in his boot. And he looked utterly charming. Lance would buy a case from him just to see him smile.

Nik lifted his head and glanced at Lance. There was no smile, just a flicker of a frown that was gone as soon as it had formed. Then his attention was back on the customer.

So he hadn’t run. He’d kept his word.

Damnit.

Lance went through to the restaurant. He took an outside table and sat in the sun to bask.

He ordered lunch and ate his locally made venison sausages alone, but his lemon tart with fresh strawberries and Chantilly cream was hand-delivered by Nix with a flourish and a smile.

Then Nix sat next to him in the only bit of shade offered by the table umbrella.

“Aren’t you supposed to be working?” Not that he wasn’t glad to see him, but he really should not be encouraging this. Whatever this was.

“Lunch break.”

“If it’s lunch, what are you eating?”

Nix looked at him for a moment, his fangs visible, like the answer should be obvious. His tongue traced his lip, and Lance couldn’t even blink. Then the fangs were gone, and Nix glanced at the dessert with a sigh. “Nothing off your plate. You did that deliberately, didn’t you?”

“What, no. I like it.” And he’d been able to indulge freely while he’d been on his own. At home, he was expected to live like a vampire, which meant mostly meat and low vitamin C fruits and vegetables—most of the blooded vampires didn’t bother with vegetables at all.

“Hmm. Enjoy it while you can.”

“Is it bad, after?” Lance picked up a strawberry and ate it. It was sweet and juicy and perfect. He wouldn’t mind giving them up; it was a small price to pay for the power of being a full vampire.

Nix watched the berry from plate to lips. He leaned a little closer and whispered in Lance’s ear. “I want to rip your throat out.”

The sensual tone was at odds with the edge of the words. But that was Nix. He was a razor-sharp blade in a pretty sheath that almost made him safe to handle.

Lance’s heart kicked over, but not with fear. His body responded to the closeness. The way Nix’s hand was now on his thigh and his breath was on Lance’s cheek. He cleared his throat and concentrated on his dessert. “That’s a bit harsh for the crime of eating berries.”

“That’s how bad it is.” His voice was still low, silky and warm like a good scotch.

“I miss them so much, more than the sun. I did it once…” He shook his head and drew back.

“It’s not something you do twice.” His hand remained on Lance’s thigh.

“Did you come to check up on me, or could you not stay away?” He grinned, and Lance glimpsed the tips of fangs.

Nix wasn’t ready to fight…which meant they were down for another reason. How much control did he have over his extra teeth?

Lance picked up the last strawberry. “Maybe both.”

He shouldn’t be admitting he found Nix attractive, but Nix wasn’t being cautious. It was as if he no longer cared. And what did Nix have left to lose? Lance couldn’t think of anything beyond his life, and that was already forfeit. If not in two weeks, then soon after. He couldn’t run forever.

“Don’t play with it. Eat it.” Nix inched closer, his voice low and hungry.

Lance matched his tone. “So you have an excuse to kill me?”

Around them, diners were laughing and drinking, oblivious to the murderous talk and sensual game happening nearby.

“So I have an excuse to kiss you and taste the berry.” Nix’s lips parted. He watched and waited, holding Lance’s gaze. But there was no glimmer of sun on water in his eyes. Nix wasn’t trying to ensorcell him; he wanted Lance to play freely.

Lance wasn’t the hunter this time. The cat had been trapped by the mouse, and he didn’t want to get free. He brought the strawberry to his mouth and bit into it. It was too ripe the sweetness had started to turn. He’d barely swallowed when Nix closed the last few inches to claim the kiss.

His lips moved softly over Lance’s, and while Lance should have pushed Nix away, he didn’t. Couldn’t. He leaned into the kiss. Felt the sharp touch of fangs on his lip—a sure sign that Nix was enjoying this. But the fangs didn’t press into his lip the way he wanted, as if he were a ripe strawberry.

“Mmm. Better than I remember.” Nix remained close as though he wasn’t quite done. “But I really do want to sink my teeth into you.”

“I’ve only been bitten once.” The almost healed mark on his thumb pulsed. He took another kiss, almost expecting Nix to be the one pushing away and laughing as he twisted the game again.

“Once?” Nix tilted his head. “Last night?”

“It’s not the done thing before being blooded.” He’d clung to that rule until last night. While he could’ve used a knife to cut himself, he hadn’t wanted either of them holding weapons. It had felt right for Nix to be traditional.

“It should be done properly and far more intimately.” Nix sighed against his lips. “Apologies for making your first bite so boring.”

His heart beat too fast, and his jeans were tight in the wrong places, but he didn’t move because if he did, this moment would shatter like the glass. He drew in a careful breath. “So, make it up to me.”

“Eat the rest of that berry, and I’ll bite you so well, you’ll know exactly why your family doesn’t allow it.” His fangs brushed Lance’s lip in promise.

His family would be furious he was kissing Hadley instead of hauling his body back to Melbourne. A truce was one thing…this was another.

Nix drew back. His blue eyes were dark, and he was smiling. For a moment, there was no edge for Lance to cut himself on. Then, slowly, it reformed as Nix shuttered the lust and pulled up his defences. For those few moments, he’d been allowed inside, and he’d liked that glimpse.

Lance covered Nix’s hand with his, trying not to lose him. It was the wrong thing to do; Nix’s eyes narrowed as he regarded Lance.

His fingers slid free. “I didn’t run. I kept my word. Do I get the same from you?”

Lance nodded. What had that kiss been? It hadn’t been faked. He’d felt the need—or was that his own?

“Well, that’ll be a first from an Orlan.”

Lance grabbed Nix’s hand and pressed it to the table, the purple fluer-de-lis visible. “Two weeks?—”

“Thirteen and a half days.”

“Fine, thirteen and a half days. No talk of families in that time. I am not a composite of their grudges and demands.”

“Nor am I, yet the blood in my veins makes me a wanted man.” He flipped their hands, pinning Lance’s with a strength his lithe body shouldn’t have.

Lance was sure the cops would like to talk to Nix about a few unsolved missing persons, but every family made sure no vampire was ever caught—that would be bad for everyone.

A vampire in a prison would only go unnoticed for so long.

The biting would be caught on CCTV, and the lack of aging would raise eyebrows.

Those in his family who got caught were supposed to do the noble thing of ending their life.

Nix released Lance’s hand. “Will you be stalking me for the next thirteen and a half days?”

“I have nothing better to do.”

Nix smiled, no fangs, no warmth. “The next time I see you, I’ll bite.”

I hope so.