Lavinia felt the warmth radiating from her body. It enveloped the two of them like an embrace.

Adrian. She tried his name in her mind, and it sounded right. His arms around her felt right. Even when his fangs had descended and almost pierced her, that too had felt right, and the sensation scared her because it shouldn’t have felt natural.

Since she was little, her father had taught her to distrust vampires, and it was in her genetic build to run away as far as she could if an undead was close. As a half-breed, her compulsion to flee was even stronger because her status as a pariah among the supernaturals made her an easy target. In a supernatural court of law, a pure-breed’s word counted more than hers.

And yet, she had felt this inexplicable calling a few moments ago when this stranger had walked to her. Even wearing a mask, he was the most handsome man she had ever seen and exuded an aura of raw power. His elegant bearing, the way he filled his perfectly tailored black tuxedo, his voice, his penetrating gaze—everything about this vampire was attractive to her. Down to his clean, manly scent, there wasn’t a single detail about Adrian that she disliked.

Yet, her reaction to him transcended logic. Never in her life had she experienced such a strong need to touch someone, and a complete stranger at that. That longing was still there as he cradled her in his arms.

Even her wolf was howling in her head, demanding Lavinia mark this man as her mate.

“Lavinia, sweetie,” Maia called. The psychologist’s voice was worried and deservedly so. “Why don’t you step back from this man and we can talk?”

Lavinia had a hard time thinking with the ruckus her beast was making in the confines of her mental cage.

“No,” Adrian growled when Maia stepped forward, her fingers skimming Lavinia’s arm.

“I’m going to call for help if you don’t release my friend at once,” Maia said.

Adrian leaned back and looked Lavinia in the eye. “I can’t let you go. Please, understand it,” he pleaded.

As crazy as it sounded, Lavinia understood him. “Maia, it’s okay. Give me a moment.” Reaching up, she pulled him down to her. “What’s happening to me?” Surprise didn’t ever cover the gamut of emotions she felt in his presence, but one thing she knew: this pull between them wasn’t natural. And yet, it was. Otherwise her wolf would have never allowed Adrian close to Lavinia.

“I’m not sure, but it might have something to do with the malady that has almost driven me to insanity,” he said, his hands gently roaming over her back, making her shiver under his touch.

“What is it?”

“It’s called a Vampire’s Thirst, and it made me ravenous for days. It was as if there wasn’t enough blood in the world to satisfy me, but as soon as I laid eyes on you, it calmed.” He brushed her nose with a small peck of his soft lips. “You cured me, my little she-wolf.”

“This—” She gestured between them. “—can’t be, though.” The moment the words left her mouth, Lavinia felt a pang of regret.

“Why not?”

Why not? she thought as her wolf barked and paced, angry with her because she wouldn’t mark their mate. How can he be my mate? Her question only agitated her beast, so Lavinia recited a list of reasons for both Adrian and her wolf. “Because you are a vampire and I am a werewolf. Because we’ve never met before. Because—”

“I have no explanation to offer you besides the fact that I can’t deny the magnetic pull between us. Can you?” His fingers skimmed her naked back.

“I…” she started, shaking her head and looking for a possible refusal of his words. Her body thrummed with longing, though, making her sensible to his subtle touches. Her wolf roared so loud, Lavinia feared everyone in the ballroom had heard her.

Adrian leaned closer to her throat again, and instead of sending her running and screaming as the gesture should have, she automatically arched against him. Her blatant offering spurred Adrian into a frenzy, his lips latching to the hollow of her throat where he sucked her skin into his mouth. The sensation stole her senses, making her moan, and finally appeasing her wolf.

“Lavinia!” Maia shouted, awakening her from her dream-like state.

Lavinia jumped, startling Adrian who lost his grip on her. She stepped away, severing the physical connection with him. His face scrunched up in pain, and she felt his ache inside her as her wolf howled.

“You, step away from her,” Maia commanded, grasping Lavinia’s wrist and pulling her away from Adrian.

It was only a few steps, but even that minimal distance pained Lavinia. “Maia, I need to be with him,” she said.

Maia turned to look at her, both hands on her wrists. “What are you talking about?”

“I don’t know,” Lavinia admitted. “But there’s something between us.”

“What is it?” Maia frowned, her eyes cutting from Lavinia to Adrian and back.

“I can’t explain it—” Lavinia needed to go back to Adrian. Her body ached from the lack of his touch. “It’s strong, and I can’t deny it. I must be with him. My wolf is going into mating mode and is driving me crazy.” She swayed, her body moving toward Adrian.

As if responding to a silent call, he leaned toward her at the same moment. It felt like vertigo, this intense sensation, almost as if her internal compass had shifted. Like a planet gravitating around its sun, she couldn’t help but obey the natural law and try to escape Maia’s hold.

Maia gently shook her as if she were trying to feed her some sense. “Lavinia, this is insane. I can’t let you go with a stranger. You are under my care until Lane arrives and I don’t intend to leave you even with the detective if I’m not sure you are okay. Let alone a stranger.”

“I know that what I’m saying is hard to believe, but you must trust my instincts,” Lavinia said, needing more than anything else to be back in Adrian’s arms. Nothing else mattered but him.

“I won’t hurt her. I promise,” Adrian said.

Lavinia didn’t know anything about him, and yet, she could detect the frustration in his voice and how he shook with need as strong as hers. She also knew that nothing would stop him from taking her because vampires were as territorial as werewolves, and equally explosive. His resolute gaze and tense body spoke of a man ready to fight. Lavinia had seen the same expression on her father’s face on those occasions when werewolves from his ex-clan had insulted her mother.

“Maia, let me go. We can stay where you can see us, but I need you to let me go now,” Lavinia demanded. Her assertiveness surprised the psychologist, who opened her hands and stepped back.

“You’ll stay where I can see you at all times,” Maia said to Adrian.

“Will do,” Adrian answered. The irritation in his voice was clear, and Maia reacted to his aggressive tone by growling low. His roar silenced half of the room. “I’ve given you my word.”

Placing her hand on his tuxedo jacket, Lavinia looked straight at the vampire. “She’s only protecting me, and you are still a stranger.” Her wolf disagreed loudly and stomped, pacing back and forth in her head.