“It will do you no good,” says a deep voice. “I am not very flammable.”
I swivel with a gasp. Benicio. I didn’t hear him enter. “What’s with the outfit?”
He walks over to me, and I’m too captivated by the surreal beauty of his face—the fine cheekbones, the beautiful red lips—to look away.
“Are you still hungry?” he asks.
“Yes.”
“I will ring for your dinner now. You must keep up your strength.”
“No thanks. I mean—no. I’m not hungry.” He might poison me.
“But I am.” He runs a finger down the front of my neck. Why can’t I push his hand away?
I watch his ice blue eyes fixate on the side of my neck. “Your clothing smells terrible. Remove them.”
“Why would I do that?” I say, but when I look down, I’m untying the drawstring of my sweats. Oh shit. I start retying it. “What are you doing to me?”
“Nothing.” He smiles.
“You said we were having dinner together.”
“I never said whose dinner,” he replies.
I look down, and my hands are trying to pull down my sweats again. My snow boots are already off. I didn’t do that, did I?
“What are you?” I ask.
“Hungry. For you, for your blood.”
My stomach rolls with shock. “Oh God.” I gasp. “You’re a vampire.” How did I not see this coming? He flat out told me he’s the Blood King. I assumed it was some war title, like Vlad the Impaler. Also a vampire, you moron.
“Yes. I am,” he confirms.
“But you promised not to hurt me.”
“And I won’t. Now finish removing your clothes.”
My mind fights, but my hands obey until I’m stripped naked, the cold air pearling my nipples and sending a wave of goosebumps over my skin.
Benicio inspects me from head to toe. “Very beautiful, Lake.” He trails a fingertip up the middle of my torso, between my breasts and rests it on my lips. “Now put on the garments.”
Again I attempt to resist his command, but I can’t. My body doesn’t obey me. It obeys him.
I pad across the cold stone floor, go to the bed, and slide on the black leather thong and soft lace top.
He circles me like a hungry wolf.
I want to scream for help. I want to run, but I’m being held in place by something invisible. “You can’t break your vow,” I protest, breathing heavy.
“Do not worry. You will enjoy this.” From behind, he snakes an arm around my midriff and pulls me into his cold bare chest. With his other hand, he pushes my head to one side. I want to fight. I need to fight. I can’t move.
His lips slide up and down the crook of my neck.
“Please don’t bite me. Please don’t,” I whimper.
“Showing weakness only makes me want to hurt you. Do not ruin my supper.” He bites down, and a rush of heat courses through my veins. The sensation heads straight for my pounding heart. I’m instantly lost, floating on a cloud of pure bliss, unable to think or worry about how much blood he’ll take.
He scoops me in his arms and lays me on the bed, never removing his mouth.
I don’t want him to do this, but it feels so good now. I’m not sad, nervous, or upset about all the lies anymore. My mind is completely free.
Benicio breaks the suction and licks his lips with his red tongue. “Delicious.”
“What are you doing to me?” I mutter.
“Are you not enjoying it like I promised?”
“Yes,” I say, hoping to God he’ll do it again. I need him. I need him to free me again.
He stands from the bed and removes his pants, leaving him naked. I’m transfixed by the sight of him.
“You’re so beautiful,” I say, drinking in his strong thighs, his thick cock, and his lean muscular chest. Every inch is covered in those strange tattoos. “Why do they move?”
“Every beat of my heart is a fresh moment in time. The vows must lock in anew.” His voice is seductive and low, like warm sweet honey to my ears.
He lies down next to me, his cool skin pressed against the length of my body.
“Are you going to make love to me now?” I say, hardly able to recognize my own words.
“Regrettably, I cannot. You are Norfolk.”
“The Proxy Vow,” I mumble.
“Yes. Who told you?” He seems delighted that I finally know what he’s talking about.
“That woman. The one who took me to bathe.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Are you going to bite me again?” I feel like I might die if he doesn’t.
“Yes. I am.” He slides down my body, trailing his tongue over my lace tank top. He opens my legs and kisses me over the leather strip covering my entrance. “How I would love to remove this and take you, Lake. I bet having you beneath me would feel like silk against the wind.”
I don’t know what that means to him, but the moment his mouth latches on my inner thigh, the question evaporates from my mind.