Back at the hotel two nights later, Shea watched Jesse as he greeted Cruthú and freed the raven from her cage. Her body was attuned to every breath, every muscle movement, every beat of his heart. She craved the taste of him, the feel of him, even dirty as they were. Many times since leaving the clearing where the dagobas should’ve been, she’d found herself reaching for him, the blood lust nearly as overwhelming as the longing for his touch. But each time, she’d drawn back.

They’d made it back to the shelter that night with minutes to spare. Shea had immediately curled up beneath the overhang and fell into an exhausted sleep. She’d dreamed that she’d felt Jesse’s arm wrapped around her waist, and his hard body curved around hers, keeping her warm. The sensations were so real, that when she woke, she swore she could still feel him there.

But when she rolled over and looked for him, he was sitting cross-legged out by the creek. Trying to stem the rise of disappointment, she rose and joined him. They’d made their way out to the road, and “borrowed” a car to drive back. Jesse drove the entire distance straight through, the trip made mostly in silence. When the sun rose, Shea hid under thick blankets they’d found in the back to protect her from the sun.

The raven scolded him for leaving her for so long, and Jesse apologized to her with soft words, treats, and scratches under her feathers. The bond they had was obvious, and if Shea were to be completely honest, she was a bit envious of it.

Okay, a lot envious.

Which was ridiculous. Cruthú was only a bird. A pet. And she was very sweet when she wasn’t trying to steal Shea’s diamond stud earrings. “Where did you find her, anyway?”

Jesse glanced over at Shea, and for a moment, his eyes shone with the complete love and devotion he felt for his pet before a veil of caution dulled their shine.

A wave of disappointment came over her at the loss. It made no sense at all, but Shea wanted him to look at her that way.

“I didn’t. She found me.” He set the raven down on top of her cage, murmured a promise that he would take her out to fly just as soon as they got cleaned up, and sank down onto the edge of the bed near her to take off his boots. “Cruthú helped me get out of a sticky situation when she was just a young raven and I was first attempting to infiltrate the vampire world. She saved me.” A shadow of a smile ghosted about his lips as the bird bobbed her head, as though in agreement. “And then she wouldn’t leave.” When he met her eyes again, he appeared almost shy. “I’m glad she was so stubborn. She’s my best friend. My only friend.” This last came out so low only a vampire would be able to hear it.

Shea’s heart ached for him, for the loneliness he must suffer. She frowned at herself, and shook it off. He’d chosen this life he led, witch or no witch. If he lacked friends, it was no one’s fault but his own. “What made you get involved with Leeha?”

She didn’t expect him to answer her, but this time there was no hesitation. “She had the altar that housed the demons that I needed. The easiest way to get to them was to work with her to do so.”

“You weren’t afraid of her?”

“Of Leeha?” One eyebrow lifted. “No. She was no threat to me.”

Shea was confused. “If she was no threat to you, then why did you do the things you did? Why live there with her? Why do what you did to Luukas? Why not just go in there and get the demons out yourself?”

“Because I needed her to create the vampires for them to possess. I’m capable of accomplishing many things, but I can’t create a creature of darkness.”

“Why not just use humans?”

“Because vampires can be tracked by their maker. And, as you know, human bodies don’t last very long once possessed. If I’d just set them loose upon the world, they would body hop so much, there would be no way I could possibly keep track of them, nor would I have any way to control what bodies they used. The elderly, children—it wouldn’t matter to them.”

Beloved sisters, Shea thought.

His gaze narrowed in on her, perhaps catching something in her thoughts or expression, but there was more she needed to know before he got distracted.

“I’m still not quite getting it. You could’ve released them, let them possess whoever they wanted to, and then told them where to find their original blood right then and there. Why the long wait?”

“It wasn’t time. There were things that needed to happen before the demons regained control.”

Before the demons regain control. Those words didn’t cease to terrify her. “’Things’ like what?”

He didn’t answer her right away. “Just ‘things’.”

She sighed in exasperation. “Fine. Don’t tell me. I’m going to take a shower.”

Jesse sidestepped into her path. “I only don’t tell you ‘things’ for your own safety, Shea. Never because I don’t think your questions are important.”

Strangely enough, she believed him. “I really just want to get clean and changed.”

“Take your time in the shower. I’ll take Cruthú out to stretch her wings, and when I return I need to call room service.”

Shea had just picked up her bag and was heading into the bathroom. She came to a sudden stop as his words sunk in. Her head whipped around. She’d totally forgotten that he needed food. “Oh my gods! Jesse, I’m so sorry. You need to eat. I completely forgot.”

He gave her a bemused look. “Don’t look so crestfallen, Shea. I’m a man grown, among other things, and perfectly capable of getting my own meals. Besides, it wasn’t your fault that we crash landed in the middle of the forest and not near a 24-hour diner.”

She saw a trace of humor in his eyes at that last part. It was true, but it didn’t make her feel any better. “I still should have thought about it, at least.”

He gave her a look that she couldn’t interpret. “Please don’t beat yourself about it. I appreciate the concern, but there’s really no need. I should have planned better.”

Still feeling guilty for something that had been beyond her control, she hovered where she was, wanting to say more, and unsure why.

After a moment, Jesse had stepped closer to her, and waited patiently for her to give him her full attention. Shea’s gaze hovered at the tanned skin of his throat, before eventually making its way up to his face. Golden fire blazed down at her, as unexpected as it was hoped for, imprisoning her where she stood. Shea caught her breath at the tension that erupted between them.

“Is this how our life together is to be, Shea? Polite conversation and the occasional slit wrist?”

“I don’t know how else to be,” she whispered. She couldn’t look away, couldn’t think, could barely breathe. His scent—of the darkest side of nature, male desire, and blood—swirled around her as Jesse lowered his head until his lips were less than an inch from hers. He froze, his eyes traveling over her face, and then lowered his head closer.

Closer.

Shea’s fangs shot down, preparing to feed. Her mouth watered and her body trembled with hunger and need. She told herself to back away, to put distance between them, before she gave too much away and he discovered the power he wielded over her with the lust for his blood…and his body. Her head screamed at her to do so. But her muscles refused to obey.

With a helpless sound, she leaned in the last fraction of an inch and touched her lips to his. Just barely. Just a small taste.

She heard a sound of desperation, and realized it came from her. But she didn’t even have time to appreciate the heat of his lips on hers before he was pulling away, leaving her cold and alone again. With a triumphant expression, he held out his arm to the raven and left Shea standing there in the middle of the room, her bag on the floor where she’d dropped it. With a horrified feeling, she realized…

He knew.

The bastard. He knew he could touch her, and he’d never said a word. Fear flashed through her, followed swiftly by a surge of longing so intense it made her lightheaded, only to be replaced by irritation that he hadn’t told her, and then the fear was back. It was all too much to process at one time.

Shea shuffled into the bathroom in a sort of daze and closed and locked the door. She shed her ragged, dirty clothes and turned on the shower as hot as she could stand it. The water scalded her sensitive skin, but she barely felt it as she washed the dirt and blood from her hair and skin. Standing in the spray, she let the water rinse the soap away. But as she watched it circle the drain, she let her mind wander.

Anticipation filled her. He knew. There was no reason for games anymore. No reason to keep him at bay. She was here. She was with him. The damage was already done. There was no reason to deny him now, or herself. Shea ran her hands up her stomach to her breasts. Her nipples were hard and responsive, aching to be touched, the skim of her palm shooting sparks to her lower belly. Her body longed for him in ways she’d never experienced before, and for a vampire who felt everything a hundred times more intensely than humans, that was really saying something.

But Shea couldn’t in good conscience just fall into his arms. He was playing with her. With his secrets and his lies and his inability to stay the hell out of her head. But gods, her throat burned with thirst, and her body ached to be fucked.

It occurred to her that she if she could touch Jesse, she should be able to touch any male. He had obviously fixed whatever was wrong with her, perhaps when she was sleeping, and she was half-tempted to leave him here alone at the hotel while she did a little experimenting. She had years of good hetero sex to catch up on.

But even if she didn’t already know what had happened to the others when they’d tried to do the same, the thought didn’t appeal to her in the slightest. She didn’t want anyone else. Sick as it was, she wanted the dark warlock.

But did she dare be with someone like him? Truly be with him?

She had the disturbing feeling that it didn’t really matter what she wanted. Her vampire side had chosen its mate, whether she approved of the choice or not.

Shea shut the water off and grabbed her towel. She scrubbed her skin until it was pink and dry, then dug out a T-shirt and her favorite pajama pants. Once she’d dressed, she combed out her long hair and left it to air dry.

When she left the bathroom, Jesse still wasn’t back, so she clicked on the TV and tried to get comfortable in the bed. But she was so jazzed up, she couldn’t even focus on what she was seeing.

She was mindlessly flicking through the channels when there was a knock on the door. Shea muted the station she was on and flashed over to the door. “Who is it?”

A voice called out in accented English, “Room service, ma’am.”

Shea opened the door and backed out of the way so he could come in and set the tray down. She tipped him handsomely, and thanked him in Chinese. The young male smiled in surprise, bowed, and left her alone. Shea locked the door behind him.

Glancing at the time, Shea frowned slightly. If Jesse had already ordered room service, then where was he? She glanced down at the covered dishes on the tray, and two things came to her at the same time: Jesse hadn’t ordered anything before he left, and there was no aroma of food coming from the tray.

Shea flew backwards across the room so fast her head slammed into the door. Unlocking it, she left the room, smiling at the couple across the hall who were entering their room as she padded barefoot to the elevator.

She met Jesse in the lobby, coming back in with Cruthú. It struck her that no one was paying them a bit of mind—a man in torn clothes, covered in blood and dirt, with a large raven on his shoulder. But right now, there were other things to worry about.

“Shea, what’s wrong?”

“Did you order room service when you came downstairs earlier?” She kept her voice low.

“Yes, I did. Has it arrived? I’m starving.”

No, I didn’t. What is wrong?

Shea blinked as he smiled pleasantly and walked past her to the elevator.

Act normal. And come with me.

Holy shit. He can talk to me in my head?

Yes, and you can speak to me, as you already know. Now, walk, Shea. Quickly. We’re not alone here.

She gave him a brilliant smile. “Oh, good. I’m hungry, too.”

Don’t overdo it, love.

Sorry. She glanced at his profile. He walked steadily toward their destination. Not rushing, but not wasting any time either. Have you always been able to talk to me this way?

No. Only since you gave me your blood.

So, that was him she’d heard saying her name after the crash.

Yes.

Okay. She’d already had enough of this shit. She’d never have a moment’s peace again, not even in her own mind. Get out of my head, warlock.

Shea walked calmly beside him, not saying another word until they got into the elevator. Once the doors closed, she released the breath she’d been holding pent up inside of her and spun toward him.

But Jesse shook his head in warning, a subtle gesture, and glanced up briefly at the camera in the corner.

Changing tactics, Shea reached out to pet the raven. “Where have you been? I didn’t think you were going to be so long.” Gods, she sounded like a wife.

“Cruthú was enjoying the time outside. I’m sorry if we worried you.”

The bell above the doors chimed, and they slid open a few seconds later. Shea followed him out and to their room.

Stay in the hall until I tell you it’s safe to come in.

She nodded, even though she was walking behind him and he couldn’t see her, and watched him as he walked inside after handing the raven off to her. Leaning against the wall, she waited with one eye on the window at the end of the hall. The sun was going to come up soon.

“Come in, Shea.”

Hurrying inside, she stopped just inside the door. Jesse stood in front of the tray, hands clasped behind his back. The cover from one of the dishes floated in front of him as he studied the contents beneath.

“What is it?”

“Only a message.”

“From whom?”

The cover floated down to the tray, covering the plate before she could get a good look. Without a word, Jesse turned away and walked over to the windows. He tugged on the curtains, closing them tight against the coming dawn.

Shea was about to ask him again when he spoke.

“Someone you would rather not know about.” He finished fussing with the curtains. “I’m going to take a shower.” Grabbing some clean clothes, he went into the bathroom and shut the door.

Shea stood where she was, her eyes on the tray. Less than a second later, she stood in front of it, lifting the cover with her free hand. An earring lay in the center of the plate: a diamond stud.

Her hand went immediately to her left ear. She felt the jewelry there and checked the other side. All she felt was her earlobe. Shea looked at Cruthú, but the bird tilted her head jerkily to the side and stared back with one black eye as if to say, “Why are you blaming me?”

Shea took her over to her cage and gave her some food. How could he just say something like that and then go off to take a shower, knowing she stood out here burning with questions. She turned off the TV and listened to the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. What the hell was taking him so long?

Leaving the raven eating in her cage with the door open in case she wanted to come out again, Shea burst into the bathroom. “What does this mean? Who had my earring, Jesse?”

“It’s cold out there, Shea.”

She closed the door behind her. “And what are they trying to warn us of, exactly? Are they coming after you? After me? What?”

The water shut off and the curtain yanked open. Shea’s next words dried up in her throat as Jesse reached for the white towel folded on the cabinet above the toilet. He didn’t bother to cover himself with it as he stepped out. Water dripped from his dark hair and beaded on his skin, flushed from the heat of the shower. The muscles in his arms flexed as he dried his hair, leaving it in a wild disarray of dark waves until he ran one hand through it to get it into some type of order. His body was lean and hard, with just the right amount of dark chest hair to make him a man rather than a boy. And in case she had missed that fact, his penis hung thick and long between his hips, fully erect.

Gods, he was a fine specimen of a male.

Shea watched him dry off, her body instantly reacting to his. She should apologize and leave, allow him his privacy while he got dressed, but she found herself unable to turn away. Her tongue wet her lips, teasing the tips of her fangs. They ached painfully at the sight of all that bare skin, the blood flowing just beneath the surface. She wouldn’t have to bite very deep to get to it. She tried to swallow, but her throat was dry. A low growl started deep in her core and rose to her chest. An involuntary response that still surprised her a little after all these years.

Her prey stood not four feet away, calmly wrapping the towel around his waist. One corner of his mouth lifted when the predatory sound filled the small room. The smirk fell from his face and his hips jerked forward slightly as his hand brushed the now hidden bulge. His body swayed toward her, instead of running away, as if pulled by the sound of her hunger. Shea noticed every draw of breath, every tiny movement. She was no longer thinking clearly, was no longer rational. She was a predator, and she was starving.

Jesse ground his jaw together and looked at her, his eyes full of the golden fire she’d only glimpsed earlier, but he didn’t come for her.

“If you want me, vampire, I’m right here. But it must be your decision, because we both know once this starts, it’s not going to stop.”

Shea flicked her eyes over his body once, twice, before coming back to his face. The wanting was so much more than before, the blood lust so much stronger. Her every cell attuned to him. She could hear the blood rushing through his veins. The dark power in him called to something in her she could no longer deny. Yet still, she hesitated.

“I want you, Shea.” His voice was raw with emotion. “I have since the first moment I saw you. And yes, I’ve known since the plane crash that you could touch me. But I didn’t say anything because I wanted this to be your decision.”

Water dripped from the ends of his hair and landed on his powerful shoulders. Shea watched them run down the ridges of muscle. She tried to force herself to focus on the reason she’d barged in there. Tried to stop watching the drops as they traveled a crooked path down his chest and over his abs to disappear into the towel.

Only then did she remember about the earring.

He answered her unspoken half-thought. “The earring is nothing to be overly concerned about. It’s just a message that they know you are with me. You lost it in the plane crash. I noticed it was missing when you first found me.”

“Who sent it?” She could barely get the words out. Her body trembled with the effort it took to stay where she was.

“Mammot—Steven, as he now likes to call himself. He’s the leader of the demons that were released, the one organizing them.”

“How do you know it was him?” Her voice barely sounded like herself. But she needed to concentrate. It was important to know.

His intake of breath drew her attention to his chest. “I could sense his aura on the earring.” He shrugged. “It’s the only way I can explain it. But you are in no danger. Please trust me when I say that.”

She gave a short nod to let him know she understood. Her hand fumbled for the doorknob behind her. She needed to escape. Before she did something she would regret. She hadn’t had enough time to think this through.

But her hand stilled on the knob. For deep down, she knew there would never be any real escape from him. Not if she wanted to survive.

His eyes flicked down to her hand on the doorknob. “Shea.”

Her name was a plea on his lips. A surrender. A submission. But not an order.

“Please. Come to me.” He held out one hand to her, then it dropped back down to his side. “It has to be your choice.” The words sounded rushed, like some last remnant of decency was forcing him to still give her a choice. A choice that didn’t exist.

She wanted to. Gods, how she wanted to. Her body swayed forward. Through the red haze of her lust, she thought of Luukas and the others. The Master Vampire would never take her back. Not with Jesse in tow. Too much had been done. He would see her actions as a betrayal. He would never forgive her. She would never be able to go home.

A tear slid down her cheek.

Jesse searched her face, his jaw clenched. His head fell forward in defeat. Sorrow and frustration emitted from him in waves. But when he lifted his chin a few seconds later, the fire was replaced by a grim acceptance. “I can’t change who I am, or what I’ve done, or what I have yet to do.” He paused, took a deep breath. “I’ve told you how I felt. It must be your choice.”

Blood lust fogged her thoughts, yet her vampire instincts were razor-sharp. And right now, they told her to hunt. To feed. To claim.

She took a step forward. Stopped. Her head twitched to the side. Pulling her lips up into a snarl, she flashed her fangs at him in a last desperate warning. Coherent thought was nearly beyond her now.

Jesse stood with his feet braced apart, the white towel slung low on his narrow hips. He was breathing hard, his arms at his sides, his hands balled into tight fists, his eyes alight in sinful triumph at every second that passed with her still in the room.

Shea was losing the fight. The rest of the room faded away as her focus zeroed in on her prey. Another growl ripped from her throat, but he showed no fear. Not even a twinge of nervousness.

“I’m not afraid of you, Shea. I crave you. The weight of your body, the satin of your skin, the silk of your hair. Even the craziness of the thoughts that bounce around in your head.” Golden fire flashed from his eyes. “The very idea of those razor fangs of yours slicing into my throat excites me. And the only thing I fear is that I will come too soon while you feed, before giving you any pleasure.” His eyes narrowed in challenge. “What are you waiting for, vampire? You need blood. You need to be pleasured.” He opened his arms wide. “And I’m right here.”

He had a point.

Shea slammed into him, the force of her momentum sending him flying backward. Yet, instead of catching himself, his arms wrapped tight around her as he fell, taking her with him. They landed hard in the shower with her lying on top of him. Grabbing a fistful of his hair, she wrenched his head to the side and sank her fangs into his throat.

Jesse cried out in pain and pleasure, his fingers digging into her flesh. But he didn’t pull away, or even try to. Instead, he cranked his head over even farther in the small space, giving her more room to latch on to him.

Shea moaned as his dark blood flooded her mouth, arousing more than the blood lust as her body responded to the feel of him…the taste of him. She swallowed, and it was like taking a shot of raw power. It rushed through her system, flooding every cell, every muscle, filling her with his dark sorcery.

She was invincible.

Another strong pull, and her blood lit on fire. She wanted him. Gods, how she wanted him. But she was thirsty, so she drank. She drank while he moaned with pleasure beneath her, his hands running all over her body now. Slipping under her shirt and down the back of her loose pants.

“Shea, stop. Stop. Ah! I’m about to come.” His hips rolled up, and she felt the hard length of his erection against her thigh.

Lifting her head, she released him from her bite and licked the wound clean as he moaned in disappointment and relief. Then she reared back, quick as a snake, and struck again. Pulling hard on his vein, she groaned with pleasure and adjusted her hips until she felt him right where she wanted him, and then she began to move.

His muscles tensed, his body jerking beneath her as he lost control and came into the towel. Her name left his lips on a cry as he rocked his hips against hers, holding her tight against his body.

Shea growled with need and sucked harder. His blood filled her, his arms held her close, and his raw cries sounded in her ear until she wasn’t sure where she ended and he began. But it wasn’t enough. She wanted more. She needed more. Withdrawing her fangs, she again licked the wound clean.

But before she could bite again, Jesse cupped her face in his large palms and brought her mouth to his. He kissed her with desperation, heedless of her fangs cutting his lips, until they were breathing the same air and Shea’s heart pounded in rhythm with his.

She needed more. Needed to feel his skin on hers. Needed to feel him inside of her. She felt his cock swell beneath her at the thought and knew he was in her head even as he was taking control of her body.

Suddenly, Jesse sat up, bringing her with him. Cupping one arm around her bottom, he stood with her in his arms. He was stronger than one would think. The bathroom door slammed into the wall behind it as he flung it open, and Shea pulled her T-shirt off and dropped it on the floor between kisses as he took them over to the bed. She smiled as he stole a glance to check the curtains, and her gaze dropped hungrily to the pulse in his throat. She tore her eyes away as he looked back and caught her.

“Go on, love. Take all you want. I can handle it.”