Chapter Eleven
Trixie woke the second a breath whispered over her exposed neck. Her beating heart ached. She recognized that masculine scent, but it was so close. There wasn’t any reason for it to be coating her every breath. She opened her eyes and found herself considering the face of a vampire. He was lying alongside her, head pillowed on one hand.
“What are you doing in my bed?” she asked, too shocked to filter her question.
“There’s only one in the room.” His hair flowed over his bare shoulder in a wave of midnight liquid, though the only light came from under the bedroom door. “I do not mind sharing. Do you?”
Raising a hand, she touched his hair. Cool strands slid through her fingers and she groaned. “Yes.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Am I so grotesque?”
She rolled onto her back and flung her arm over her eyes. The opposite was true. Viktor made all her girly parts tingle and her rethink her resolve to wait for her true love for sex. Lucky for her willpower, she had a jack hammer pounding her brains. This was worse than last week’s tequila Tuesday, except she had awoken to feeling sick and had to ride the porcelain bus all day. “I have a headache.”
Viktor’s weight crushed her into the mattress and the springs poked painfully into her back. He dragged his hard-muscled body over hers as he crawled off the bed.
“You’re heavier than you think.” She gasped for air and sat up.
He pulled open the thick curtains covering her tiny window. Darkness bled into her room and her heart grew heavy. She would never feel sunshine on her face or see a bright, blue sky again.
She slowed her breathing. No more tears. She had to deal with her new reality. She ground her teeth and winced. Her fangs were sharp. She tongued the little daggers in her mouth. They weren’t as big as his. How was she supposed to puncture a person’s jugular with these? The idea of biting into flesh made her shudder.
Viktor turned his hooded gaze on her. “Are you hungry?”
She closed her eyes as the hunger swept over her body in agonizing acuity.
The bed dipped next to her and Viktor brushed his fingers over her eyelashes. “Of course, you are. Silly of me to ask. I am old and do not remember what it was like to be newly turned.”
Ugh, compassion was the last thing she wanted to hear. She jerked her face away from his touch. She’d known him for less than twenty-four hours and they were sharing a bed. Ten years of stoically saving herself against his centuries of experience. She was doomed. “Stop touching me.” She yanked off the blanket and quickly scanned her body. Thank goodness she still had her clothes on. “You got me drunk.” Via blood. Who knew that was a thing?
He pulled her onto his lap. “You needed to rest. You were very anxious. I did not think you could achieve sleep without help. In my defense, it did not take much.”
“It never does.” She went clubbing with her sister and Betty and their friends every weekend, but she went to dance. She usually sipped gin and ginger ale on ice straight-up with a twist of lime and it took her all night to finish. Though, there had been a few times where she had indulged in more. Her head pounded. “I can still get hungover. Nice. I thought being a vampire would give me super healing. If I start puking, I’m aiming for your hair.”
He scooted her off his lap with magical speed. “You will feel better after some blood.”
She couldn’t deny that sounded like an excellent idea. Her head hurt, her stomach ached with hunger pains, and her body felt overly sensitive to Viktor’s presence. Being a vampire sucked so far. “I get the one with the espresso.”
He bowed. “Anything my lady desires.” Then he exited the bedroom.
She glimpsed Ruby hovering by the door.
“How is she?” she asked Viktor.
“Better than I expected. Young vampires can go feral if left hungry too long.”
Trixie hung her head, trying not to go feral and ravage New Port’s human population.
“The blood?” he asked.
“Let me get it.” She heard Ruby hurry across the apartment and return.
Viktor carried two bags and handed her one labeled three espressos. This would so hit the spot.
Ruby had followed him inside. Behind her, it looked like she had turned on every light they owned. “Hi.” She shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
“Hi.” Trixie couldn’t meet her sister’s gaze. Would Ruby want her to move out after she’d tried to eat her last night? Would Ruby ever feel safe alone with her?
Her breath caught in her throat. Would she?
“Can I do anything for you?” Ruby still stayed close to the exit with Viktor between them.
He bit into his high cholesterol bag and poured the contents into a tall glass with an expert’s ease.
She watched, fascinated. “No.” She wanted her life back, but Ruby couldn’t save her. The beat of a drum called to her like an ancient warrior’s song. It stirred strange urges. Trixie wanted to track and hunt. To run in the night and chase her prey. She glanced around, searching for the source. Her gaze landed on Ruby.
Well, shit. It was her heartbeat. “I think the best thing you can do for me is to stay away.” Her voice shook. It was the hardest thing she’d ever said, but the easiest decision. They had never been apart for longer than a weekend.
But Ruby would be safer far from Trixie.
Her sister shook her head. “No, we’ll figure this out together. I will not—”
Viktor gently guided Ruby from the room. “Let her learn control. Then I will return her to you.”
“How long does that take?” Ruby pushed against the closing bedroom door.
“Everyone is different. It takes as long as it takes.” He leaned against the door as her sister knocked. “Go away, Ruby.” He glared at Trixie. “Is she always this stubborn?”
“You have no idea.” She stared at her breakfast, restraining the urge to bite it and drink straight from the bag.
Viktor joined her on the edge of her bed. He tore open the container and poured it into another glass. “Drink slowly this time.”
She gulped it down.
He grunted and clinked his full glass against her empty one. “Za zda-ró-vye.”
“What did you say?” she asked.
“A toast.” He paused in thought, consciously switching languages in his head. “Means to your health.” The familiar beat of wings reached his ears. The sun had barely set and the fucking dragon was back to drag him to his dungeon. Eoin had never been so persistent. Maybe their past failures weighed on the dragon as much as him.
“What the fuck?” Ruby pounded on the door again, this time with more insistence. “Trixie. Viktor. There’s a naked man on our fire escape and he looks pissed off.”
The two sisters were polar opposites. Trixie was sweet and kind and thoughtful. She made him want to be a better person. To protect her, to teach her to be a better vampire than him. Ruby only made him want to block his ears.
His fledgling sprinted out of the bedroom. She set herself between Eoin and her sister.
Viktor retrieved a towel from the bathroom and tossed it to the dragon. “Cover up,” he ordered, speaking past a sudden possessive edge that honed his protectiveness to a jagged gleam. That was a surprise. He was a predator at heart, a facet of his personality he had learned to live with. He had never been possessive.
Or maybe, a long silent part of him whispered, he had never met anyone he had wanted to possess.
“You don’t have to for my sake.” Ruby seemed recovered from yesterday’s fiasco.
Trixie’s cheeks matched her hair color, only endearing her more to him.
The dragon climbed through the open window, towel wrapped around his hips. “Time for both of you to return home with me.”
Viktor scratched his chin. “About that…I think we should give the Riverbend situation more consideration—”
“Not that again.” The walls rattled with the force of Eoin’s shout.
“Shh.” Trixie hissed. “My neighbors are quick to call the cops ever since…” Her gaze darted to her sister’s red face. “Never mind that. Just keep it down.”
The dragon gave Trixie a slow blink, not used to being hushed.
Viktor fought a laugh. He slung his arm over Trixie’s shoulder, pulling her closer and making it clear that she was under his protection. She was a vampire, which meant she was more resilient than a human. It didn’t mean she was indestructible.
“Pack light.” Eoin addressed her. “You’ll need to carry your own luggage during the flight.” Eoin whirled back out to the fire escape. Quick as a flash, he changed shape and clung to the side of the building as the towel fluttered to the living room floor.
Trixie shrugged out of Viktor’s hold. “Stop grabbing me.” She strode to her bedroom, mumbling things like possessive jerk and over-bearing ass under her breath. His sensitive ears had no trouble hearing her.
Ruby leaned in to whisper, “Just in case you are misunderstanding my sister’s cues. That means she likes you.”
“She has a strange way of expressing herself.”
“Oh, if she didn’t like you then you’d probably be clutching a wooden stake stabbed in your heart by now.”
He fingered the stake in his pocket. The one Trixie had been found carrying when she’d died.
Ruby grinned but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m still on the fence about you so watch your back.”
“Are you threatening me?” Now, he laughed. “You are almost as crazy as I am.”
“Might be why she likes you,” muttered Ruby.
His laugh faded. He did not like this idea. If she truly thought him crazy then any relationship they developed could be based on pity or an obligation since he’d saved her life. Neither was something he wanted, especially in the long term. Trixie would be tied to him forever in some capacity. His friendship with Eoin worked because of mutual respect. They were both predators, top of the food chain that chose not to kill.
He winced. The dragon was doing better at this pact. He and Trixie needed a similar connection, something closer maybe.
Ruby stared out at Eoin’s dragon form, but addressed Viktor. “You’ll take care of her.”
“I did not go through the pain of saving your sister only to allow harm to befall her.” He still saw doubt in her eyes. “Do you know how many vampires I have created?”
She shook her head.
“One.” He pointed in Trixie’s direction. “I take that responsibility seriously.”
Ruby’s eyebrows drew down together.
“I’m ready.” Trixie returned with a backpack slung over her shoulder. She pointed at Viktor. “I’m not sleeping in a dungeon so don’t piss off the dragon anymore.”
Eon’s great eye peeked through the door. “The deal is Viktor remains at the castle for one week without incident.”
Trixie paused mid-step. “Incident?”
Ruby shoved a cell phone in Trixie’s hands. “It’s mine. I’ll get you another one and use it until you come home. I’ll text you the new number, okay?”
She gripped the gift tightly and gave one sharp nod before placing it in her back pocket.
Viktor took her pack and guided her through the window. “Watch your head. You have flown via gargoyle. Now it is time for a real treat via dragon.” He settled her safely in Eoin’s waiting hand and glared at his friend. He would take care not to drop her, he was sure.
Eoin’s claws encased her torso.
Her eyes went big. “What about you?” She reached for him as Eoin lifted her so he could grab Viktor with less finesse.
The dragon rumbled. “He’s lucky if I don’t drop him a few times on the way home.”
Eoin spoke the truth. The dragon had dropped him a few times in the past, and looking back, Viktor had deserved it.
Their trip was short due to Eoin’s powerful wings. Trixie stared over the bright city lights, arms extended and hair whipping in the wind. Viktor fell for her all over again. He saw New Port through her eyes and shared in her wonder.
They landed in front of the castle with Eoin depositing them on the ground then shifting midair. The dragon landed next to Viktor.
Angie strolled out, carrying her mate’s clothing. She rounded on Trixie. “Why did you run away? I was worried sick.” There was no anger in her voice, only concern. “And you.” She slapped Viktor’s shoulder. “What the fuck?”
“I needed to see my sister.” Trixie glanced in his direction. “I know now that was a mistake and Viktor kept me from hurting her.”
Angie narrowed her gaze in Viktor’s direction. “Color me surprised. I thought you were just focused on escaping.”
He bowed, letting her stinging words roll off him. “I have not always been chained in your dungeon. There is a man behind the monster.”
Trixie stepped closer and tangled her fingers with his.
He straightened. The heat of her touch sizzled through his flesh like sunlight. Their gazes locked and there it was—that innocent trust. He wanted to deserve it. To be the man she wanted, but he was a ticking time bomb of violence. He brushed the back of his fingers over her cheek. So lovely. Maybe if he ever found control…
Eoin stepped behind her, coming into Viktor’s view.
He sighed. “Before you lock me away, I need to speak with you in private, Eoin.”
“No.” Trixie shook her head. “No more dungeon. He said you needed to be at the castle for a week. There was no mention of a dungeon.”
Viktor pushed her hair behind her ear. “I don’t mind. It is like a second home.”
“What if I need you?” she whispered. She tossed a pleading look at Angie.
The female dragon crossed her arms. “No more vampires in the dungeon. New house rules.” She gestured to Trixie. “Let me show you your rooms while the boys talk. I had time to dust and clean it properly.”