“I can hear it calling to me,” he said.

“Hear what?” I whispered, fearing the answer.

“Your magic. Your blood. Your body. I crave it like nothing else.”

My heart didn’t care that I was trying to remain calm; it began to speed up and thump rapidly against my chest as fear-induced adrenaline raced through my body. Aiden’s name in black ink instantly flashed into my subconscious as I remembered the client list we found at the warehouse. Aiden wasn’t acting like himself. He was acting like an addict.

15

Aiden had climbed off me and allowed me to get up but still held onto my arm so that I couldn’t throw anymore magic or try to leave. A silence settled over the house as I tried to think of how to deal with a vampire Jonesing for what ran through my veins. I wanted nothing more than to flee from his house and never look back, but I’d have to play willing captive if I had any hopes of escaping.

“How did this happen?” I asked, avoiding eye contact. If I looked at him, the tears would resurface and I needed a clear head.

“Remember my friend from Chicago that was sending the sample?” I nodded my head. “Well,” Aiden continued, “he brought it down here himself and insisted I try it for myself. I don’t know if he was suspicious or just excited to have me try something so fantastic, and it was, the most fantastic thing I’ve ever tasted, Gwen.” Aiden’s eyes had gone distant as he thought about the brew he sampled.

“I thought only younger vamps could be affected by it.” Of course, that little tidbit of information was only hearsay; in truth, we didn’t know what the hell the effects of witches’ blood did to vampires.

“No, it can affect any vampire. For the younger ones, it causes a high much like speed and ecstasy mixed. For the older vampires, such as myself, the magic gets absorbed in the blood and…” Aiden stopped, unsure if he should tell me what our blood could do.

“Tell me,” I urged.

He took a deep breath. “If we drink enough of it, we can use the magic in the blood. Perform magic. I don’t know how it’s possible, but it’s the most incredible thing I’ve ever experienced.”

I frowned at his excitement while my insides remained frozen in fear. Witches, like every other species, have authorities we have to answer to, should they use their magic for harm instead of good. If vampires could somehow absorb the magic in our blood, then they could use it for whatever they wanted without having to answer to the NAWC (North American Witches Council). Vampires had their own politics and answer to certain kings and queens; if the NAWC got wind that vampires were stealing our magic, all hell would break loose. Not only would the witches be fighting against the vampires, but our two governments would be in combat as well.

Finding out that Aiden had been drinking brew was like a sucker punch to my gut. The man I had only recently decided I possibly loved, was involved in the case Micah and I were fighting to end.

“How much have you drunk?” My voice came out shaky, matching my trembling hands. The beautiful man that I’d known for two years, who I’d come to love, was quickly turning into one of the bad guys. A strand of his dark hair escaped and hung over one of his aqua-blue eyes. I yearned to brush it back and continue where we left off, before the bimbo made her appearance known. Aiden’s head snapped up and he inhaled the air as if he smelled something, his eyes closing and a sigh escaping his perfectly kissable lips.

He pulled me on top of him and claimed my mouth with a ferocity that only caused me fear. I pushed against him but he held onto my hips so that my panty-less center was perfectly atop his erection. His eyes were black when he looked up the length of me and his fangs had emerged again. My hands were pressed against his chest, to keep that fang-filled mouth as far away from me as possible. I knew if he wanted to bite me, my hands on his chest wouldn’t stop him.

“I can smell your desire for me, my Gwen.” Without warning, his fingers slipped inside me and moved back and forth, causing a conflict of emotions to erupt within me. I was fighting the lust that he ignited with every thrust of his long delicate fingers, and losing.

“Do you like that?” he asked, his voice thick with desire. I nodded my head because I wasn’t able to speak; my mouth was too busy moaning. I heard a zip and then felt the warmth of skin against my leg. When I looked down, Aiden had freed his rock hard erection and it was sitting happily against my leg, like a dog waiting to be petted.

“Stop it!” I objected, falling backwards off his lap, in my attempt to get away from him. I had just learned a plethora of bad news and he was trying to get his rocks off! I ran toward the door, only to slam into the hardness of Aiden’s chest. I bounced back and before I could slam into the ceramic tiled floor, Aiden caught me.

“Don’t run from me, Gwen. I couldn’t handle it if you feared me.” He trailed a finger down the side of my face and I could smell my scent on his hands. I pushed against him but once again, but it was useless.

“What do you want from me, Aiden? Your next fix?”

“Don’t be absurd, I’d never hurt you. I want you to understand what is happening to me and … help me.”

I stopped my struggle as I heard that he wanted help in fighting this addiction that was consuming him. I nodded my head and his grip on me loosened. Although I feared this side of Aiden, I wouldn’t let it turn him into a monster. I’d help him in any way I could.

“First off, what the hell was the bimbo doing here? Why should I help you if all you are is a cheating bastard?” If my heart kept up at its rapid pace, I would have a heart attack but the whole situation was gut wrenching. I worked on calming myself but my whole body shook with anger, hurt, and fear. My eyes were puffy from crying and they weren’t done yet, tears lazily fell against my cheeks as I waited for Aiden’s answer.

“She was a gift, from Louis,” he said.

“Gift?”

“She’s a low level witch that sells her blood to vampires.”

“That doesn’t explain why she was butt ass naked and you’re shirtless. I thought…” I paused to catch my breath which seemed to be sucked from my lungs with each new piece of information Aiden gave me. “…I thought you and I were an item. Obviously I was wrong.” I hugged my arms across my chest as if to hold my heart from literally bursting through my ribcage. Aiden watched me with remorse and longing, which did nothing but piss me off. It was too late to apologize for something as extreme as sleeping with another woman.

“Her other vampire clients use her for sex while feeding, it heightens the experience, so she thought I’d want to also. When she arrived, I had just gotten out of the shower and hadn’t put a shirt on yet. When I went upstairs to feed, she was naked on my bed. Nothing happened, except feeding, I promise, Gwen. I know this looks bad, but I would never hurt you purposely.”

I pursed my lips as I considered his words. I wasn’t gullible, by any means, so instead of taking his word for it, I cast a truth spell on him. I sent my magic out toward him and watched as wiry waves of light blue, invisible to him, swirled around his head.

“Are you telling me the truth?”

“Yes.”

“You didn’t have sex with the bimbo?”

“No.”

“Did you touch her in any sexual way?

“No.”

“How much witches’ blood have you drunk?”

“Twice.” His voice had a robotic tone as my magic worked on him. Deciding that I was happy with the information, I pulled my magic back to me and dissolved the spell. It was tempting to question him about his feelings toward me, but I decided that if he were to say he loved me, I’d want to hear it without the influence of magic.

He blinked and looked at me as if wondering what had just happened. I gave him a small smile, feigning indifference.

“So brew is a fast acting addiction?”

Aiden nodded his head. “It is. I’ve only tasted low level witches, but your magic calls to me like a bar to a wino, it’s stronger than I’ve tasted.” Aiden’s eyes were fixated on my neck as he spoke.

I snapped my fingers in front of his face and said, “Pay attention.”

His eyes met mine apologetically. “You interrupted my feeding and I’m finding it difficult just to be around you.” Well, that was just fucking dandy! Not only had Aiden not drank enough, but the magic in my blood was so strong that he couldn’t concentrate on anything other than my jugular.

“You have any bagged blood?”

“No, I don’t drink that stuff and even if I did, it doesn’t taste right without the magic in it.”

“I’m not okay with you drinking witches’ blood, Aiden.”

“I know. I’m just…so…hungry.” His eyes had turned black the more we talked about blood and his fangs were exposed. I knew it was dangerous to be around a starving vampire. I didn’t know what to do, he wouldn’t drink regular blood and I wouldn’t put a fellow witch in the path of Aiden’s fangs.

“Drink me.” The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them. I knew it was the only way to satisfy his thirst, but I also knew that I was fueling the fire that was his addiction, either way I looked at it, it was bad news.

Aiden looked at me like I’d just sprouted two heads, but the hunger in his eyes told me that he wanted nothing more than to taste what I was offering. I had never been bitten by a vampire, let alone an addicted vampire. I knew that if Aiden wanted to drink me dry, he could, and I couldn’t stop him. I knew the risks of letting him drink from me, that he could kill me. But knowing that another witch would be spared because I had taken care of Aiden’s thirst was comforting, even if just barely.

“It’s too dangerous,” Aiden said.

“It’s too dangerous if you don’t. I trust you; you won’t kill me.” I said matter-of-factly. Aiden was struggling with something that I didn’t understand, but I knew he wouldn’t take it too far. He licked his lips in anticipation while my stomach dropped with fear. Vampires’ bites are said to be pleasurable, but those two sharp pointy teeth didn’t look capable of inflicting anything other than pain.

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