Chapter Eight
The sound of water running in the other room was oddly relaxing. Theo lay there, his eyes closed, stretching his enhanced senses out. Orchids and vanilla on the air, a perfume he’d thought the shower would wash away. Worse was the steady beat of her heart he zeroed in on past the cascade of water. His blood lust stirred at the delicate sound, but he was sated enough to ignore the temptation. For now.
He supposed he should call reception again and get Stacy to unlock the door. The girl showering in his bathroom wouldn’t be quite so enamored of him and his desires once the effects of the bite wore off. He reached for the phone and his hand rested on the receiver for a few seconds. He couldn’t quite force himself to do it. His thoughts darkened, twisting him away from doing what was right. Maybe if she stayed until she got back to normal she’d do him the honor of cutting what was left of his heart out and putting that sliver of glass through it.
Had to be better than trying to starve himself to death. Quicker too.
He opened his eyes when the water cut off. Footsteps and the creak of the door opening turned his attention towards her. The girl’s hair was wet but she was wearing her clothes when she came back into the room. Something else was different and it took him a few seconds to work out that her make-up was gone. Thick eyeliner was no longer framing her pretty blue eyes. In fact her eyes seemed sleepier, he guessed because her eyelashes were as light as the golden-blonde hair on her head.
“Does it always feel like this?” Her voice was soft, full of wonder.
His hopes that the effect would have worn off by now were dashed, and his thirst sparked again. He swallowed and told himself he wasn’t hungry, even if his lips tingled at the mere thought of touching her skin again. “Like what?”
“Like the whole world is just amazing, like everything is perfect.” She smiled dreamily and started towel drying her hair as she moved to the side of the bed.
“That’ll pass,” he told her, feeling his lips twitch at the bright smile she gave him. “You should sleep until it does.”
She perched down beside him as he moved to make room for her on that side. She continued to dry her hair as he tried not to let his gaze drift to her legs. Her skirt was too short and sitting down only made it shorter. Stirring things in him that had been denied for too long, she was incredibly alluring and coming very close to triggering his basic impulses. The one thing that held him back was knowing she was still under the influence. If only he could have restrained his hunger in the same way. Biting her had been a mistake, but it wasn’t one he could take back.
He should have seen it coming, but how was he supposed to know he’d survive this long without blood? He hadn’t expected to, and more than that, he hadn’t known Brody would do this to him. And he knew that was why the girl was there, it was why his old friend had made himself scarce. He’d given this woman to Theo like she was some kind of present.
“I’m not tired,” the girl said, dropping the towel and laying down facing him. “So what does that leave?”
Her tenacity was mildly amusing. “You will sleep.” His gaze on hers, he watched her get comfortable, rubbing her head against his pillow.
“I’m not…” She yawned loudly. “Tired.”
“Say that again, with feeling this time,” he told her, earning himself a loosely thrown slap across the chest. She was fiery, that much was for sure. Had to be, to try to attack him when he first woke up. “What’s your name?” Did he really want to know?
She smiled. “Skye Larson. What’s yours?”
“Theo.” He didn’t bother with the surname. It belonged to his past. She’d closed her eyes already besides.
“Theo,” she murmured. “I like it.”
Another yawn and she was silent. He listened to her breathing, her heart thumping in her chest. He tried not to stare as her breast rose and fell. She’d zipped the vest top back up but the neckline still plunged to her cleavage. The clothes she wore made it obvious where she’d been when Brody picked her up. The blue vest and black mini-skirt were in slinky materials he’d only ever seen women wear in clubs, or on beaches. Skye. The name suited her. She was a breath of fresh air.
He got up and wrapped the covers around her sleeping frame. She looked peaceful now, but he’d likely see the opposite when she awoke from her nap. The bite would be starting to wear off already. If he hadn’t sealed the wound her euphoria might have lasted even longer. Though some part of him was ravenous at the very thought of binding her to him like that, he knew it was too much to handle. She wasn’t his. He couldn’t try to claim her. He moved away, turning his back to the bed and the temptation lurking under his covers. The quicker she came to her senses, the better.