He shakes his head. “No, vampires can’t bond to one another.”
“So you can’t marry your kind?”
“We can and do, but it’s not something I want. Bonding is the strongest emotion we have, and we all yearn to feel a connection with a mortal.”
I hate that we keep getting off topic. “You’ve been with her though?”
“Like I said when the Sisters let us go, it’s a frenzy with heightened senses beyond anything a mortal could ever experience. As it was, Selene and I woke up in the seediest part of a town in England. Everything around us was sex and murder. These men talking about the newest prostitute at the brothel or how they shot someone in battle and held their foot over their heart until they stopped breathing. These men catered to our new instincts, but we didn’t know what to do or how to hone them.
“When a vampire is created, they’re assigned a mentor of sorts. When our mentor found us, he made us follow him to meet with this consort. Like children, we were made to sit outside the room while he fucked her, but the sounds and smells… the urges became too much, too painful to resist. Unsure of what to do, Selene and I acted. As I said we’re left with very instincts, some stronger than others.”
Roman’s word sink in. He’s been with Selene. It could be once, or twice or some on going affair. I have so many questions. How long? When was the last time? Is she some side piece I have to worry about when we’re not together? He comes to me, placing his hands on my arms.
“Your anger is rolling off you in droves, my love. The last few days, I’ve thrown a lot at you about my life. Please talk to me.”
“I hate that you’ve been with her,” I seethe.
“And I hate that the human known as Shan knows you intimately as well. Each time I see him, I want to rip him apart. I know there are more men out there who have touched you, been buried deep inside of you, and made you scream their names, and each day I fight the urge to hunt them down because I don’t want to hurt you. Selene is a friend, nothing more and will never be. We do not look at each other this way.”
“But there are others.”
Roman smiles. “Women? Of course, there are. I’ve walked this earth for five hundred years and have never claimed to be celibate.”
“How can I be sure they won’t come looking for you?”
“The same way I can’t be sure one of your lovers won’t come and try to steal you away from me, and before you tell me that’ll never happen, I know it can. I’ve seen it. Humans can request that a bond is broken.” Roman cups my cheek and pulls me to him. Our bodies crash into each other, and while I expect him to pick me up and take me to his bedroom, he doesn’t. Instead, he leans in and whispers, “The reason I keep checking my phone is that I’m waiting for word that the Sisters are gone.”
“Are they?”
He shrugs, which is one of the cutest humanely things he does. It’s the simple things in Roman that I find attractive. “I don’t know, but the clouds are lifting, and I think it’s time to venture out into the world.”
“Really? You don’t want to stay in?”
“Can you do me a favor?”
“Anything,” I tell him.
“Come with me to Clutch and talk to Selene. I think that if you know her a little better, and she you, you’d feel more comfortable around each other.”
“Roman…"
“Please, Fiona. I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t important.”
I take a step back and gather my thoughts. I want to tell him no and ask that he stay away from Clutch, but Lydia’s words are pressing into the forefront of my thoughts. At Clutch, the vampires can be themselves. They don’t have to hide or pretend. But Selene… that is where I’m torn. I shouldn’t care, but I do. Truthfully, I’m jealous.
“Fiona?” Roman pleads. I nod, but even as I do, I’m second-guessing everything. In a flash, Roman has me in his arms. “Hang on, we’re going to run.” I do as he says, barely able to make out the sound of his door and the door to the building stairs opening and closing, along with the noise from the Strip. For the most part, Roman tries to be human, taking a cab to and from places or even driving if the occasion calls for it. With no concept of how long or rather how quickly it’s taken us, we’re at the door of Clutch and Roman is removing my necklace.
“Corban, right?” The vampire sneers but doesn’t say anything. I know it has to do with my cross, but I don’t care. When I’m not with Roman, it gives me a sense of security. Roman’s usual chatty self-doesn’t say anything to Corban before we enter the club.
The last time I was here, it was busy, with humans sitting at the bar and a line of foot traffic heading to the back area. Tonight, it’d dead, no pun intended, except Selene being behind the bar and a DJ in the corner playing music.
Selene glares at me or through me. I can’t be sure, but the thought of talking to her right now doesn’t si
t well with me. “Let’s dance,” Roman says, tearing me away from Selene. It’s probably for the best. She’d destroy me without blinking an eye. I’m sure she’s laughing, on the inside, because she shows zero emotion whatsoever. In all likelihood, she probably doesn’t care that I have a slight issue with her sleeping with Roman. I don’t care if it happened eons ago, it still happened, and they’re still close.
Roman all but picks me up and carries me to the dance floor where he spins me into his arms.
“Something tells me you know every type of dance out there.”