Everlasting Kiss (Everlasting 1)

Blowing out a breath, he shook his head. "I'm not going to hurt you." How many times had he said that? "You must know that I can't let you go."

"Why not?"

"Because you know where I rest." He spoke to her as if she were a child who must be made to understand. "No one living knows that." He stressed the word living.

Her face paled. "I won't tell anyone, I promise."

"Of course. That's what they all say."

Daisy stared at him. How many others had he killed? Would she become one more casualty in a long line of men and women he had silenced? The thought made her knees go weak.

Erik muttered an oath as all the color drained from her face. Fearing that she would faint again, he swept her into his arms, then sat on the edge of the bed, holding her close to his chest.

"Daisy, Daisy," he murmured, his voice low, husky with desire. "What am I to do with you?"

She stared at him through the thick veil of her lashes. Her eyes were wide and very green in her pale face, her lips slightly parted.

It was an invitation he couldn't resist. Lowering his head, he claimed her mouth with his, his tongue sweeping across her lips, demanding entrance, boldly exploring.

Daisy gasped as his tongue dueled with hers. Heat, like lightning, exploded through her, sizzling through every nerve and fiber of her being. Her hands curled over his shoulders, holding on for dear life.

Breathless, she closed her eyes as the world swam out of focus. There was a roaring in her ears, a sense of loss as he took his mouth from hers.

Bereft, she looked up at him. A small cry of panic escaped her throat when she saw the faint red glow in his eyes.

Vampire! The word screamed in her mind as he lowered his head to her throat.

Her whole body went still when she felt his fangs against her skin, but the pain she expected didn't come. Instead, a sweet warmth crept into her limbs, stealing her strength, stilling the protest she knew she should be making.

What was he doing to her? If only he would stop. If only he would never stop. Her eyelids fluttered down as she gave herself into his keeping. She was dying. The thought hovered at the edge of her consciousness, but it no longer seemed important.

Aware that he had almost taken too much, Erik drew back. Daisy lay limp in his embrace, her eyes closed, a faint smile on her lips.

Cursing himself for his lack of restraint, he ran his tongue over the small wounds in her neck, sealing them with his saliva. Gazing down at her, he shook his head. What was he to do with her? He couldn't keep her there indefinitely, he thought with no small degree of regret, and then he grunted softly. He was Erik, a vampire without equal. If he wanted to keep her in his house for a week or a year, who was going to stop him?

Whistling softly, he tucked her into bed, then left the house. She would need food and drink and a change of clothes when she woke.

Daisy snuggled under the covers, reluctant to wake. She had been having a most unusual dream, one in which she had been a princess being kept prisoner in a castle by a fierce dragon...

Bolting upright, she glanced around the room. She wasn't home. She wasn't in her own bed. She was being kept a prisoner, not in a castle, but a house. Not by a dragon, but by a monster just the same.

She lifted a hand to her neck. He had seduced her with kisses last night, and then taken her blood. And she had reveled in it. How disgusting was that? He must have hypnotized her or worked some sort of evil magic on her, to make her think she had enjoyed it. How could anyone enjoy being a vampire's dinner? Oh, Lord, was that why he was keeping her here? To feed on?

Her fingertips lingered on her throat as vivid images painted themselves across her mind, images of Erik's eyes as he bent over her, the erotic seduction of his unholy kisses, the feel of his arms around her, the husky timbre of his voice, the taste of his lips, his tongue...

Heat pooled in the pit of her belly. Monster he might be, but he knew how to arouse a woman. And she hated him for it.

Rising, she went into the bathroom to rinse her mouth, only then realizing that there were no dishes or glasses in the house.

And no food, she thought as her stomach growled, reminding her that all she'd had to eat since breakfast the day before was a few bites of salad.

She could call and order something, only Erik had her cell phone. Besides, there was no way to get past the wards on the house. She needed a bath, only she didn't relish the idea of bathing and then putting on her dirty underwear, or, worse yet, having Erik enter the bathroom while she was in the tub.

Returning to the bedroom, she noticed several packages piled on the dresser. They hadn't been there the night before.

Frowning, she poked into the largest one, a soft sigh of surprise rising in her throat when she pulled out a pair of sweatpants and a matching velour jacket, several pairs of socks, and a pair of fluffy pink slippers. The other bags yielded three pairs of jeans and six T-shirts in assorted colors, a pair of sandals, a comb and brush, a blow-dryer, hair spray, toothpaste, a pink toothbrush. And several sets of underwear in rainbow colors. How had he known her size? She shuddered to think!

After taking a quick shower, she pulled on the sweats and went downstairs, where another surprise awaited her. The kitchen, once barren, had been fully stocked with food. Boxes, cans, and dishes were neatly stacked in the cupboards. Milk, juice, eggs, cheese, and butter filled the refrigerator, along with a number of fresh fruits and vegetables. She spied a set of stainless steel cookware on the floor near the stove, along with a state-of-the-art coffeemaker.

Standing there, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. On the one hand, she was touched that he had been thoughtful enough to provide for her needs. On the other hand, she was filled with apprehension, since it was obvious he had no intention of letting her go anytime soon. Of course, since he intended to feed and clothe her, she supposed that meant he didn't intend to drink her dry, at least not right away.

On that happy note, she decided to have breakfast and worry about her future after she'd had her morning coffee.

Consciousness returned with the setting of the sun. Sitting up, Erik opened his senses, nearly gagging as the scent of cooked meat stung his nostrils. He had no one to blame but himself. He had gone grocery shopping for the woman the night before. Not knowing what she liked and not being particularly familiar with the food of the day, he had bought a little of everything.

Erik shook his head. The odors coming from the kitchen were almost enough to convince him to let her go, but the memory of holding her in his arms, of sampling her sweet lips and her sweeter blood, quickly dispelled that notion. His mouth watered at the thought of holding her again, tasting her again.