Page 8

ZAVIER

H olding Celine in my arms and seeing her up close is better than I could’ve ever imagined.

It takes everything in me not to scrape my fangs along her neck and give in to my vampiric urges. Every cell in my body is screaming at me to claim what’s mine in front of every idiot in this club.

Her fingers clutch my neck with a gentle touch and sift through my hair. I close my eyes hoping this isn’t a dream and focus on her body against mine. Every time she rubs against my cock, I come closer to saying fuck it and dragging her away.

Patience.

I’ve spent enough centuries on this planet to have learned the art of patience, but I find with Celine Brennan it’s non-existent. Lust, intrigue, and obsession are driving my brain.

And something else. Something purely primal and vampire.

Unwinding my arm from around her waist I reach up and grab strands of her hair to bring closer to my face.

Her shampoo enhances her blackberry scent, and the dark tresses are soft to the touch like I knew they’d be.

Watching her from afar I had to make educated guesses when it came to Celine.

Now, I’m silently checking off each box on my mental checklist.

Intoxicating scent? Check.

Gorgeous doe eyes? Check.

Body that’s molded perfectly for mine? Check.

The one thing I want now more than anything is to get to know her.

Within those beautiful eyes is a sadness and isolation I have to untangle.

Whoever put that hurt in her will pay dearly one day.

It’s an isolation I often find reflected in my own eyes, well that and boredom, but with her around I already know that will change.

My teeth nip her ear, allowing myself a small taste of forbidden fruit. Her small moans drive me crazy as we continue to grind against each other. I’m practically humping her like a dog, and I’d let her leash me any day.

I wonder if she’s into bondage? The idea of tying her up or letting her do the same to me is intriguing.

Whether she is or isn’t, I’m into what she’s into. Whatever she wants I’ll give her.

Except another man. I’d kill him before I’d let another man ever touch her.

“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” I flirt, but mean every word. Being the one to bring a spark back to her soul will give me purpose.

Celine goes to turn toward me, but I grab her hips and hold her back tightly against my chest. A selfish part of me doesn’t want her to see my face and break the bubble we’re in.

Not yet at least. Time isn’t on our side because her pink-haired friend shouts her name through cupped hands from a booth.

It hardly does much to amplify her voice amongst the lyrical chaos of the club but it’s enough to catch Celine's attention.

I resist the urge to keep her from walking away, but I know I have to bide my time.

As much as I’d like to bundle her up and never let her leave me, it will only scare her away.

I need Celine as addicted to me as I am to her.

With a last caress of my fingers to her face I let go and disappear on her next breath.

To the humans nothing has changed except a slight breeze left behind in my wake.

Watching her from a darkened archway up above, I cross my arms and lean against the structure.

She turns in a circle, squinting, trying to find the stranger she was dancing with no doubt, but she won’t be able to spot me.

Ava calls her name again and she glances around one more time before setting off toward her.

My original plan wasn’t to make contact with Celine tonight, but seeing the disgusting eyes of so many men on her left me enraged and with no other option. One piece of shit was quite literally on his way to dance with her when I intercepted. He was lucky all I did was break his wrist.

Celine sits down in the booth, and I watch as Ava animatedly tells her something she’s overheard from the Vex staff. I chuckle to myself knowing I’m going to have my hands full with this one. She has a tendency to run toward danger and it’s why it makes us even more of a perfect match.