“Yes. I never want to see him again.”
“Are you sure?”
“I have no desire to talk about Derek. Just tell me what I need to know.”
Taking her by the arm, Logan led her to a booth in the far corner. He gestured for her to sit, then slid in beside her. “I think you already know most of it. All you’re lacking is confidence in your abilities. You need to forget all your preconceived notions about drinking blood. Your mind will tell you it’s repulsive. Don’t listen. Open yourself to your new nature.”
“I don’t want to be a vampire.” She glanced at all the wannabe vampires milling around the club and wondered if they would still wish for someone to bring them across if they knew what it was really like.
“Sheree?”
“I don’t want to be a vampire,” she said again. And then she smiled. She didn’t have to be a vampire. All she had to do was find Pearl and Edna and ask them to whip up a new batch of their serum. It had worked on newly turned vampires in the past. Why not on her?
She groaned as pain knifed through her again.
“Come on,” Logan said, “you need blood.”
“I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
“You won’t.” Taking her by the arm, he led her out of the club and into the shadows at the end of the street. Biting into his wrist, he held it out to her. “Vampires don’t usually drink from others of their kind, but tonight we’ll make an exception.”
Sheree’s mouth watered at the sight of the dark red blood slowly oozing from the wound. Shutting her mind to everything else, she grasped his forearm.
“No!”
Startled by Derek’s voice, Sheree dropped Logan’s arm.
Derek shoved his stepfather away, then stepped between Logan and Sheree. “If you’re going to drink vampire blood, Sheree Blackwood, it’s going to be mine.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m looking after my wife.”
“Leave me alone. I hate you.”
“I don’t care. Logan’s right. Teaching you how to be a vampire is my responsibility, and I’m taking over, right now.” Derek glanced at Logan. “You got a problem with that?”
“She’s all yours.” Shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans, Logan strolled back to the club.
“Do you want to feed from me, or learn how to hunt?” Derek asked.
Sheree started to tell him to go to hell when the pain doubled her over. She wrapped her arms around her waist, certain she was dying, and hurting too badly to care.
Stifling a curse, Derek bit into his wrist. “Drink.”
She wanted to refuse, but the scent of his blood enflamed her senses. Grasping his arm in both hands, she lowered her head and took what she so desperately craved.
Later, she was embarrassed by what she had done.
“No reason to be self-conscious about it,” Derek said. “Come on, I’ll take you home.”
“I don’t need you to take me.”
“Don’t argue with me, wife,” he warned, taking her hand in his. “I’m bigger. I’m older. I’m stronger.”
“You’re nothing but a bully!” Eyes flashing defiance, she tried to wrest her hand from his, but he was right. He was definitely stronger.
“You must have questions,” Derek said. “What do you want to know?”
“Nothing. I don’t intend to be a vampire very long.”
“Right. Pearl’s formula. The one you wouldn’t let me drink.”
“Maybe I should have.”
“Well, I’ve got news for you, sweetheart. I’m not letting you drink it, either.”
“You can’t stop me!”
“Can’t I?” He jerked her to a stop, then cupped her chin in his hand, forcing her to look at him.
She had felt touches of his preternatural power before, but never anything like this. It crashed over her like a wave, stealing the breath from her body, the strength from her limbs.
“I made you,” he said. “If I want, I can control your every thought, your every move. Do we understand each other?”
“I hate you.”
“So you said. Hate me all you want, love. But you’re not taking that formula.”
He transported the two of them to her house, stood behind her while she unlocked the door.
She crossed the threshold, then turned, blocking his way. “I rescind your invitation,” she said, her voice thick with triumph.
He snorted softly as he stepped across the threshold. After closing the door, he leaned against it. “Lesson number one. I’m your sire. You can’t keep me out.” Following her into the living room, he said, “Lesson number two. You need to feed every night for the first year or so. I will teach you how it’s done.”
Sheree flopped onto the sofa, her arms folded across her chest.
“Lesson number three. Holy water and silver will burn you. Fire will destroy you. A stake in the heart will kill you. Lesson number four. Other vampires are your enemy.” He dropped into the chair across from the sofa. “We do not share territory willingly. Master vampires, like Mara, will fight to the death to defend what is theirs.”
“What about your family?” She didn’t want to ask him anything, but she had to know. “They all get along.”
Derek stretched his legs out in front of him, elbows resting on the arms of the chair, fingers interlocked. “The Cordova family seems to be the exception to the rule. I think it has to do with the fact that they truly are family.”
“Like you and Mara.”
He nodded. “Exactly. And you’re part of our family, whether you like it or not.”
“Am I going to meet them?”
“I think that might be a good idea.”
“I still hate you,” she said.
“Yeah, I got that.”
“Is it okay if I go to my room now, master?”
“It’s your house.”
She glowered at him, then flounced up the stairs.
“I can live with your hatred, heart of mine,” he murmured. “But I can’t live without you.”
Derek took Sheree hunting at Nosferatu’s Den the next night. She had expected to hate it, to be clumsy. Embarrassed. But it came all too easily.
She chose a single man at the bar, one who was attractive and smelled clean. She called to him with her mind and as simple as that, he was hers.
Derek followed the two of them outside, stood behind her as she bent over the man’s neck. She hesitated a moment, but the temptation of his blood could not be denied.