Page 9 of Viktor’s Temptation (East Coast Territory #2)
Gracie’s breath hitched. This time, she noticed the stark changes in her appearance. Her skin gleamed, pale and luminous, like polished marble. Her lips, even without makeup, seemed fuller and rosier.
“Why is my skin so pale?” she whispered.
“Because your body transformed,” Viktor explained, stepping behind her and gently sweeping her hair back over her shoulders. “Open your mouth, Gracie.”
She hesitated but obeyed, gasping when her fangs slid down. Seeing them in the mirror, stark against the vibrant red of her lips, sent a shiver through her. “What? Why are they doing that?”
“You’ll need them,” Viktor said cryptically. His large hands moved to hers, holding them lightly. Then, to her astonishment, she felt herself lifting off the ground.
“What’s happening?” she gasped, instinctively leaning back against him.
Viktor wrapped his arms around her, his hold protective but not constraining. The solid warmth of his body against her back was intoxicating.
“We’re floating,” he said softly, his breath brushing her ear.
Gracie’s cheeks flushed as a shiver of excitement coursed through her. She forced herself to focus on the mirror, where her feet dangled a foot above the ground. “How are you doing this?”
His voice was low, teasing. “I’ll teach you, Gracie. If you’ll let me.”
He lowered them gently, and when his arms left her, Gracie felt a strange pang of loss. She turned to face him, her silver eyes wide with awe. “What else?”
Viktor chuckled, the sound warm and amused. “Another advantage is that we heal quickly.”
Her attention snapped back to the mirror, her fingers brushing over her lip where she’d punctured it earlier. “The punctures are gone!” she exclaimed.
“Exactly,” he said, stepping closer again. His finger lightly traced the skin around her eyes. “We don’t age, either. No wrinkles. No joint replacements. Your body will stay exactly as it is now.”
She turned to him, incredulous. “So… this is me? Forever?”
“Yes,” he said, his tone filled with certainty.
She studied her reflection again, her hands running over her arms, her waist, her face. “I don’t look like me. I look… better.”
“You’ve always been beautiful,” Viktor murmured, his gaze steady. “The transition only enhanced what was already there.”
Gracie’s breath hitched at the compliment, but she quickly turned back to the mirror to hide her reaction. “What are the downsides?”
His expression turned somber as he leaned against the wall. “We live a very long time, Gracie.”
Her eyes widened. “We don’t die?”
He shook his head. “We can, but it’s incredibly difficult. And living for centuries comes with its own burdens.”
“How?”
“Humans don’t live as long as we do,” Viktor said quietly. “You’ll watch people you care about grow old and die, while you remain the same.”
Her excitement dimmed as the reality of his words settled over her. “That sounds… lonely.”
“It can be,” he admitted. “That’s why we often build bonds with our kind. It’s easier that way.”
She nodded slowly, her gaze returning to the mirror. As her fingers brushed her cheek again, she marveled at how smooth her skin felt. Despite everything, a small smile tugged at her lips. This isn’t all bad, she thought.
Viktor’s quiet chuckle drew her attention back to him. “You’re already adapting,” he said, his amusement clear.
Gracie blushed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Maybe,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
“You’ll do just fine, Gracie,” Viktor said, his voice filled with quiet confidence. And somehow, despite her turmoil, she believed him.
She tilted her head, her dark hair cascading over her shoulder as she asked, “So, how many vampires are there in the world?”
“I don’t know about the world,” Viktor began, his tone calm but laced with tension.
“But in our clan—the clan you are now a member of—we are about three thousand strong.” His gaze sharpened, the silver glow in his eyes unmistakable as anger surged within him.
“And apparently, someone is trying to increase that number without my knowledge or permission.”
The weight of his statement hit Gracie like a tidal wave, dragging all the pain of the past—however long it had been—back to the forefront of her mind. “I think…” she began hesitantly, her voice trembling as her brow furrowed. “I think there were more of us.”
Viktor tensed instantly. “What do you mean?”
Gracie’s eyes unfocused, her mind reaching for memories that felt slippery and fragmented. “There were more in the room with me,” she blurted out suddenly, her gaze snapping to his.
His entire body stiffened. “What room?”
She rubbed her temple, closing her eyes as if the action might bring clarity. “It was dark,” she murmured. “A fairly large room… I remember there were other people there with me.”
Viktor stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch grounding her. The faint pressure seemed to sharpen her thoughts, and she leaned into it instinctively. It was as though his presence alone gave her the strength to push through the fog in her mind.
Her breathing quickened as she gasped. “Yes! There were nine of us!” Her hands clenched tightly as she forced herself to picture the scene. “We were chained to the wall. Shackles on our wrists and ankles.” Her knees wobbled, but Viktor’s steady grip held her upright.
She leaned her forehead against his shoulder, overwhelmed by the memories flooding her mind. Viktor reacted without hesitation, scooping her into his arms. She barely registered the movement as her body curled up against his chest, seeking the comfort he offered.
“They did something to us,” she whispered, her voice breaking.
“I can’t… I can’t quite remember, but there was blood.
I remember someone ripping the vein in his arm.
” Her voice faltered, her body trembling as she rocked in his arms, unaware of the motion.
“A man held my mouth open and pinched my nose. The other one… he dripped blood into my mouth.”
Gracie’s eyes flew open, tears streaming down her face as she choked on the memory.
“It was so much blood,” she gasped. “Bitter, like pepper. I tried to spit it out, to stop myself from swallowing, but…” She gagged, her hand instinctively moving to her throat.
“He pinched my nose tighter, and I… I had to swallow.”
Her wide, tear-filled eyes met Viktor’s. His glowing gaze was filled with fury, but not directed at her. She was struck again by how his eyes seemed to burn brighter when he felt something deeply.
Intriguing, she thought absently, though her pain overshadowed the thought.
“How long were you held captive?” Viktor asked, his voice soft but commanding.
“I don’t know,” she admitted after a moment, shaking her head. “There were no windows. Just the darkness and all of us moaning in pain.” She shivered, burying her face against his shoulder again. “It was horrible.”
Viktor’s arms tightened around her protectively. “I can’t imagine what that must have been like for you,” he said, his voice laden with emotion. “Especially being a nurse. Wanting to help.”
Her shoulders slumped, shame washing over her as she whispered, “I couldn’t care about them, Viktor. I was in too much pain. It took everything I had just to survive.”
His hand moved to her cheek, his touch gentle. “You survived, Gracie. That’s what matters.”
She shook her head, rejecting the comfort. “I should have done more. I should have tried to help them.”
“You’re going to help them now,” Viktor assured her, his hands squeezing hers. “By giving me as much information as you can. I will stop whoever did this. I won’t let them hurt anyone else.”
Her lips trembled, and she nodded, her hands tightening around his. “Thank you.”
“How did you escape?”
Her gaze dropped as she bit her lip, this time without puncturing it, and thought hard.
“I think… I think they thought I was dead.” She frowned.
“Someone came around, shining a light in everyone’s eyes.
They checked pulses.” Her brow furrowed, and then her eyes widened.
“That’s it, Viktor! They offered blood to us.
I wanted it—I wanted it so badly it hurt—but I was too weak to lift my head or ask for it. That’s why they assumed I was dead.”
Her head dropped against his chest, her body suddenly slack. “Oh my gosh, my head hurts again,” she whispered.
Viktor stroked her hair, pressing her cheek against his shoulder. “Relax, Gracie. Someone did this to you, and I’m going to make them pay.”
Her soft sigh sent a jolt down his spine, his body tightening with a desire so fierce it stunned him. After centuries of life, what was it about this woman that unraveled him so completely? Her warmth, her soft breath against his neck—it was intoxicating.
Gracie shifted, snuggling deeper into his arms, her nose brushing against his neck. Viktor closed his eyes briefly, struggling to maintain control. She fit perfectly against him, as though she’d been made for him.
But she didn’t feel the same pull, he reminded himself bitterly. Gracie needed comfort, not lust. She was overwhelmed, in pain, and utterly unaware of the storm she’d stirred within him.
His thoughts were interrupted when Trent stepped into the room, only to halt abruptly at the sight of them. Viktor caught the flicker of surprise—and then understanding—on his second-in-command’s face.
Trent rarely exhibited softer emotions, yet for a moment, there was something almost sympathetic in his gaze. Viktor frowned, silently ordering Trent to leave.
Once they were alone again, Viktor shifted carefully, ensuring Gracie was more comfortable in his arms. He tightened his hold, relishing the quiet moment.
For now, she was safe, and that was all that mattered.
Slowly, he felt her body relax and knew that she’d fallen asleep.
Good, he thought, tightening his arms around her.
She needed sleep in order to recover from her transition.
But his mind churned with fury. Nine victims, perhaps more, had been subjected to the cruel transition Gracie described. It had been over five hundred years since he’d endured the transition, but he still remembered the nightmare.
Then he thought about the mystery of the bodies, the strange marks that the police couldn’t identify. The dead bodies dumped around the city pointed to something far more sinister.
Someone had broken his rules in the most egregious way possible. They hadn’t transitioned one person without his permission—they had tried to create an army.
They would answer for this, Viktor vowed, his glowing gaze darkening with the promise of vengeance.