Page 18 of Viktor’s Temptation (East Coast Territory #2)

Gracie shifted uncomfortably, skepticism etched across her face as she looked from Viktor to the far end of the gym. “You’re messing with me,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “There’s no way I can do whatever it is you just did.”

Viktor’s lips curved into an infuriatingly calm smile. “You’ll never know until you try, Gracie.”

She folded her arms. “I know my body, Viktor. I’ve been slow my whole life. I’m the one that was always picked last during gym class when the athletic kids were choosing teams.” She sighed heavily at the memory. “I’m not about to magically turn into Usain Bolt just because you tell me to run.”

“You’re not the same Gracie you were before,” Viktor replied, his voice steady. “Trust me. Just give it a shot. Run.”

Still unconvinced, Gracie sighed and muttered under her breath, “This is ridiculous.” She lined herself up with the opposite wall, her gaze darting back to Viktor, who stood at the far end of the gym with his arms still casually crossed, watching her expectantly.

She rolled her shoulders, shaking out her hands. “Okay, but don’t laugh,” she warned him.

“I would never,” he said solemnly, though the hint of amusement in his silver eyes suggested otherwise.

With one last skeptical glance, Gracie took off at her usual jogging pace.

At first, it felt normal, like any other run—her sneakers squeaking faintly against the polished gym floor.

Then, as she pushed harder, something shifted.

The air seemed to whip past her, and the gym walls blurred in her peripheral vision.

“Whoa!” she gasped as her legs moved faster than she ever thought possible. Before she could fully process what was happening, she reached the other end of the gym.

She stopped abruptly, her sneakers sliding a bit on the smooth floor. Turning, she stared at Viktor, who was grinning as he appeared beside her in an instant.

“What…just…happened?” she stammered, looking at her hands as if they held the answer. “How did I do that?”

“You ran,” Viktor said simply, his tone filled with quiet pride.

“That wasn’t running,” Gracie argued, still catching up to what had just happened. “That was…that was like…flying without leaving the ground! I was so fast!”

“Yes, you were,” Viktor agreed, his grin widening. “Faster than most humans could ever dream of.”

Gracie took a step back, her hands on her hips as she tried to process it all. “I need to do that again. I have to be sure it wasn’t some weird fluke.”

Viktor gestured to the other end of the gym. “By all means.”

She didn’t wait for more encouragement. This time, she focused on the exhilaration she’d felt, the way her body seemed to respond without hesitation.

Pushing off, she sprinted with everything she had.

The walls blurred again, her feet barely seeming to touch the ground.

In mere seconds, she was back where she’d started, her chest heaving—not from exhaustion, but from sheer excitement.

“This is insane!” she shouted, her laughter echoing in the gym. “I’m fast! Like, really fast!”

Viktor chuckled, nodding. “Yes, you are. And you’re only just beginning to understand what you can do.”

Gracie clutched her head, her smile wide. “This is…this is incredible! What else? What else can I do?”

He raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying her enthusiasm. “How about we find out?”

A gust of wind teased her hair, snapping her from the thoughts. She looked up sharply—and nearly yelped. Viktor was suddenly in front of her. She stumbled back, her heart hammering, but he caught her easily, his hands steadying her.

“How many times are you going to do that?” she muttered, her tone shaky but edged with exasperation.

His lips tilted into a small smile. “Until you learn to sense it coming.”

Gracie started to say something back, but then another memory flashed through her mind. Gulping, she held up a hand to stall his next words. “I just… remembered something.”

Viktor’s expression softened instantly. “What did you remember?”

Her arms lifted as she stared at her wrists.

“I was shackled to a wall,” she said, her voice low and uneven.

Her eyes lifted, the pain evident as she looked up at him.

“My wrists and ankles were chained. I remember pulling at them, trying to rip the chains out of the wall but…” She squeezed her eyes shut, her brow furrowing as she tried to force the memory to surface.

A moment later, she sighed, defeated. “That’s it. It’s all I can remember.”

“Slow down, Gracie,” Viktor said gently, his hands on her shoulders, grounding her. “Memories like this will come when you’re ready for them. Pushing too hard might make it worse.”

She wanted to argue, but the truth was, he was right.

The harder she pushed, the fuzzier the details became.

The impotence and fear simmered in her chest, making her throat tighten.

Instead of pulling away, Gracie let herself lean into Viktor’s embrace, pressing her face against his chest. He felt solid and sure, a haven she hadn’t realized she needed.

His arms wrapped around her, and for a moment, the storm in her mind settled.

He rested his chin lightly on her head, his voice low and soothing. “Why don’t we try something different? Something to distract you, maybe even help you feel a little more in control?”

She tilted her head back, looking up at him, wary but curious. “Like what?”

He stepped back, his hands trailing down to her arms before he let go. “How about this?” he said, his eyes twinkling with a challenging glint.

Before she could ask what he meant, she felt it—a strange, weightless sensation pulling at her feet. Her stomach flipped as she realized her toes were no longer touching the floor.

“What—what’s happening?” she gasped, her hands instinctively clutching at his arms.

“Relax,” Viktor said, his tone reassuring. “You’re floating. I’m helping you this time, but soon, you’ll be able to do it on your own.”

Her silver eyes widened as she looked down and saw the gym floor a few feet below her. “This isn’t real. I can’t be floating.”

“You are,” he assured her with a soft chuckle. “Now, let’s see if you can control it. Focus on your feet, on the push and pull of the air. It’s all about balance.”

Gracie felt Viktor’s hands slide away, but didn’t allow her concentration to waver.

She felt…light and tingly. So she pushed through her feet harder, wanting to go higher.

She wanted…! “Ouch!” she gasped, reaching up to touch her head.

Instantly, she dropped, but Viktor was right there, and caught her easily.

“What did I do wrong?” she asked, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

“You went too high and knocked your head on the ceiling,” he told her with a chuckle. “And then you stopped concentrating.” He set her down on the floor. “Eventually, the floating part will become second nature and you won’t need to concentrate as hard. That’s when I can teach you to fly.”

She looked up at him, her hand frozen on top of her head where she’d bumped it. “Fly? As in, without a plane?”

He laughed, nodding. “Yes. You can fly. Which is one of the reasons we generally are more awake at night and why vampires have a reputation for wearing black. We can more easily disguise ourselves when flying if we only fly at night in dark clothing.”

“Awesome!” She bounced with delight and eagerness to learn more. “What else?”

“Are you ready to attempt mind control?”

Gracie considered for a moment. But for the first time in…well, all day, she felt a pang of hunger. “Is there any food first?” she asked.

He shook his head. “If you are feeling hunger, then you don’t need human food.”

“Why not?” she asked, walking beside him. She felt the warmth of his hand against the small of her back, but tried to ignore it.

“Because human food is only for entertainment, not nourishment. Vampires need blood,” he explained, stopping in front of a fridge. He opened one and took out a bag of blood. “Drink this. Then we’ll start learning mind control. You’ll need that skill in order to obtain fresh blood.”

Gracie eyed the cold bag of blood, shuddering with revulsion. “I don’t want this.”

He took the bag and sliced open the top with one of his sharp fangs, then waved the opening under her nose.

Gracie gasped as the scent hit her nostrils.

Grabbing the bag, she immediately started sucking.

The blood was cold. But it wasn’t the chill that was startling.

It was the intense surge of strength and energy she felt as soon as the blood hit her stomach.

She’d felt strong and wide awake with no afternoon lull in her energy.

But now…feeling the blood in her stomach, she felt as if she could lift a car! Maybe even a bus!

“You feel good, don’t you?” he asked, a smile in his eyes that barely touched his lips.

“Yes!” she gasped, bouncing on her toes. “Why? How is this possible? I felt good before but now, I feel nearly invincible!”