Page 40 of Taming His Vampire Mate

I arched a brow. “I’m surprised you even know what cryptocurrency is.”

He ignored that. “Your eyes are watering. And bloodshot.”

“What are you playing at?” I demanded.

“There are empty rooms here that probably don’t have dead bodies or murderous vampires in them. Go nap. We can spare an hour or two before we look for survivors.”

“Right. Put myself in a vulnerable position so you can drive a stake through my heart the moment I shut my eyes?” I said it mostly to remind us both—and mostly him—that we despised each other. Though perhaps I needed the reminder too.

Jeremy sighed, marched across the lot to one of the motel room doors—room three—and unlocked it.

I followed, because the lunatic hadn’t even listened at the door or peeked through the window first. A motel room would have made a terrific hiding spot for a newborn vampire.

The door swung open on an empty space with a bed, an armchair, and not much else.

“Fine,” he said. “I’ll take a nap. And you can stand guard.”

“I love how you think you can manipulate me. It’s almost cute.”

He strolled into the motel room like he owned it, then plopped onto the bed, crossing one leg over the other at the ankles and screwing his eyes shut. “Sorry, too busy sleeping.”He paused. “You know what? The mattress is actually pretty comfortable.”

“Get off the bed,” I hissed, scandalized and more than a little jealous.

“Or,” he suggested, cracking one eye open, “you could come join me. There’s plenty of room.”

Patently false. Slight as I was, the bed was hardly large enough for two full-grown men. And there was no way I could get into it with Jeremy without being pressed right against him. Too small. Nothing good could come of such a thing… Even if he had surprised me several times already, I certainly wasn’t ready to sleep with him.

Again.

But exhaustion crashed through me, and with the sun beating down on my skin, I had to admit he was right: I needed the cool shade the room offered. My skin felt stretched too tight, my eyes were burning, and though I was likely the most powerful creature in a hundred-mile radius, I felt as weak as a newborn kitten. In my current state, I couldn’t protect either of us if it came down to it.

I stepped through the threshold and sighed in relief the moment the shade enveloped me.

“You didn’t sleep last night,” Jeremy said.

“You didn’t either.”

“I’m fine. It’s you I’m worried about.”

“This town is likely overrun by vampires. And you want us to sleep in the midst of it?”

“Why not?” he said, cocking an eyebrow. “If they’re brand-new—”

“Newborns,” I corrected.

He huffed. “Fine. If they’re newborns, they’re so weak against the sun they won’t be able to step foot into it. You might aswell be well-rested if you’re going to face the hordes all by your lonesome when the sun goes down.”

He had a point.

“Fine,” I said stiffly. “Off the bed. I will sleep for one hour and no more.”

“And if I’m attacked?”

“Well, if I stumble across your bloodless corpse when I awaken, it’ll be a sign that wishes really do come true,” I replied sweetly.

But he was right. Godric was likely gone, but if he wasn’t, Jeremy would make halfway decent leverage. Kidnapping him and using him to control me would probably work, even though, rationally, I shouldn’t have cared what happened to him.

Jeremy grinned, completely unfazed. He batted his eyes innocently. “But, hey, what if I’m tired too?”