Hydromancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 4)

The pieces of the puzzle fell into place. Tim had fed from Gabriela but made her forget. Felicity was donating her blood, not her body.

“Felicity?” she said, needing confirmation.

“I couldn’t tell you even if I wanted to. Ilano had bought her blood for me. She’s Mexican, and no one in Costa Rica will willingly give her a job. She’s a single mom who had her son young. She was desperate for money to take care of her child. When Ilano’s employees raided the streets for candidates and found her, they offered her money in exchange for her blood. New blood always tastes the best. Once a human has been bitten by a vampire, the flavor turns bitter for other vampires. It only remains sweet to the one who has drunk from that human first. I know you think I had sex with her, but it wasn’t like that. I left you that night because I was called to an urgent meeting. Ilano offered her to me. I knew I had to do it, or else Ilano and his men would have made a meal out of her. They would have drained her.

“I couldn’t leave her there so I took her home. She was starving, and Ilano didn’t bother to check if she was in a state to donate or not. I had to bite her for Ilano to smell me on her. I took very little, but she passed out.” He touched Maya’s cheek. “I know what it seemed like when you found her in my house that morning, but I only took her to the condo to feed her and make sure she recovered. When she came around, she told me about her son. The rest you know.”

“Does she remember?”

“When I bit her, she forgot. She woke up frantic, not understanding what was going on or where she was. Cesar explained to her what had happened, but not that I’d taken her blood. She only thinks she passed out from exhaustion and hunger. She knows better now than to go near Ilano and his men again.”

“That’s why you bit me when we kissed. It wasn’t an accident.”

He closed his eyes briefly. “That wasn’t supposed to happen. I got carried away. The problem, Maya, is that I have no self-control with you. Your blood beckons me. It’s sweeter than anything I’ve tasted in my life.”

The meaning behind his words upset her, even if it shouldn’t matter. She shouldn’t say it, because if she did, he’d know she cared, but she couldn’t help herself.

“Am I just a tasty snack to you?”

“No,” he said gently. “If you were, I would’ve drunk deeply from you by now.”

“Then what do you want from me?”

He studied her for some time as if he was searching for the right words. After a while, he said, “You’re mine. I knew it from the moment you challenged me in Tesoro del Mar, when I smelled your blood the first time.”

She gave a nervous laugh. “You sure as hell weren’t kidding when you said I took a lot for granted.”

“I didn’t want to scare you away because of what I am. I wanted you to get to know me and the kind of man I am, not to simply look at the vampire lurking beneath my skin.”

“Why tell me all of this now?”

“Tonight, at the dinner, Ilano challenged me. I haven’t marked you, and if I don’t, he will … at the first opportunity he gets.”

She jumped up. “Mark me how? Is that why you want to bite me?”

“I have to drink from you so that you carry my scent and my marks. My teeth will leave a permanent scar so any vampire or dhampir only has to look at you or inhale your scent to know you’re off limits.” His eyes darkened. “And that you belong to me.”

“I don’t want to be marked.”

“It’s the only way I can protect you now that Ilano has shown an interest.”

“Ilano is a vampire?”

“Yes. He’s not dhampir like me. I’m the result of a vampire bonding with a human. Ilano is pure vampire. He’s one of the most powerful, dangerous, and cruelest in the world.” He gave her a second to process the information. “If he takes you, he’ll either drain you or turn you.”

She shivered. “I don’t want to be turned, Tim.”

“I know.”

She crossed her arms over her breasts. “The dreams—am I having them because I ingested your semen?”

“Yes.” His expression was pained. “Already my body is calling yours. Soon, you won’t be able to resist the call. I didn’t want it to be like this. I wanted you to come to me of your own, free will. That’s why I didn’t want you to ingest my fluids until you knew the truth. That I went too far with you is unforgivable, but it wouldn’t have changed anything.”