Page 47 of Caller of Crows

"Please," he murmured again.

Altair remained silent, his fingers trailing over Sven's face, brushing his tears away. His touch was gentle, making Sven's heart race, and when Altair's thumb brushed over his lips, Sven's breathing hitched.

"Open your eyes," the vampire murmured.

Sven obeyed, his gaze meeting Altair's. "I'll be your mate," Sven promised. "Forever. I know you want me."

A second passed silently between them, and then another, the tension so heavy Sven thought he would suffocate. Altair's expression gave nothing away.

Finally, Altair spoke, his voice hard. "This is not the life you want to lead."

Anger flared in Sven's chest. "Don't tell me what I want."

"I'm not telling you anything." The vampire withdrew his hand. "I'm reminding myself."

The vampire turned away from him to throw on a long black coat, and then, after giving Sven one last look, he left the room, locking the door behind him.

Sven sank to his knees.

What had just happened here?

Was Altair ever going to turn him?

Or was his mother going to die before Sven could change the vampire's mind?

ChapterFourteen

Sven resorted to the collection of shitty movies he'd been given. He couldn't focus, though. In fact, he barely saw the images flickering across the TV screen. All he could think about was the conversation he'd had with Altair, and how much he'd embarrassed himself while the vampire had not budged an inch. Altair wasn't going to help him because he thought Sven didn't really want to be a vampire.

The only thing Sven could do, then, was to convince him otherwise.

But how?

He mulled over his options for a while, but nothing came to him.

Frustrated, he jumped to his feet and started pacing, his thoughts straying from convincing Altair to thoughts of his mother. Even though Cale had said she was okay, his mind tortured him with worst-case scenarios. What if she'd been taken to the hospital while he was stuck here, useless and powerless?

He couldn't even check on her.

The TV didn't have internet access, and his phone was still in Altair's hands.

No doubt, the vampire wouldn't make it easy for Sven to use his phone again. He'd make Sven jump through hoops for it, the way he did, make Sven sit in his lap again or something equally humiliating.

Something equally arousing.

Sven swallowed the thought down and took a deep breath.

This was not the time to be thinking about how much pleasure Altair had given him. How much he'd wanted—stillwanted—to submit to the vampire.

Fucking hell.

What was wrong with him?

A knock at the door startled him out of his spiraling thoughts.

"Who's there?" Sven called, his heart beating fast.

"I've got your breakfast," a familiar male voice said. Keegan. The vampire walked in with a tray of food.