Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 47359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 237(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 237(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
The wall sconces suddenly flamed with light, and there at the end of the hallway by the stairs stood Michael in nothing but his black sweatpants, his chest muscles taut, his eyes flaming red and his fangs protruding.
Instinct took over, she ran in the only direction left to her—straight for his bedroom. Once inside, she locked the double doors. Her heart beat like a mighty drum against her chest, fear sent gooseflesh crawling over her entire body, and her wide-eyed stare was glued to the doors.
“Lara.”
She froze. It wasn’t in her head she heard her name being called. It was from behind her.
CHAPTER 9
Lara turned slowly around. If she had any doubt that he was a vampire, she sure in hell didn’t doubt it now. His eyes blazed with red fury and his fangs were so pointy that she cringed with sympathy for his victims. Was she about to be one of them?
“You’re hurt,” Michael said, his tone angry rather than consoling.
Her hand flew to her bottom, and she was surprised to feel a sticky wetness that had seeped through her pajama bottoms and robe. She raised her hand, shocked to see blood on it. She looked at Michael, and she could have sworn she saw saliva dripping in anticipation from his fangs.
She didn’t think, she slammed her bloody hand against her neck, like that would stop him, but it had been a gut reaction to protect herself.
He lunged forward and was in front of her in seconds.
Her hand flew off her neck and slapped against his naked chest; it did little good. He scooped her up into his arms and carried her to his...bathroom? He lowered her to stand on the tile floor and removed her robe, then he grabbed the waistband of her pajama bottom and yanked it down before she could stop him.
“Step out and turn around,” he ordered after bending down to slip her bottoms out from beneath her feet when she lifted each foot.
“What are you doing?” she finally managed to get out, looking down at him crouching in front of her, his face not far from her...damn, just thinking about it made her...don’t think, don’t think.
“Yes, don’t think.”
Was that a snarl that accompanied his warning?
“Between the scent of your intoxicating blood, the sweetness between your legs and that deliciously pulsing nub of yours, I’m finding it extremely difficult to kept myself from carting you off to my bed and making you—”
He stopped abruptly, and she was relieved that he did, since she was pulsating in places she didn’t think pulsated.
“I need to cleanse the wound you got from the Chair of Torture. Have you had a tetanus shot lately?”
“Chair of what?” she said, yanking her knit top down as far as she could get it.
“Tetanus shot?” he demanded.
A warning look from his hot red eyes had her answering quickly. “I keep it updated, since I find myself in strange situations like sitting on the Chair of Torture.”
He sprang up so fast that it caused Lara to spring back, her hands slamming back against the vanity to keep her steady.
Michael stepped in front of her, bracing his hands on the vanity as well, to either side of her, trapping her with his body. He stood much too close, and her body reacted. It didn’t just strike a spark; it blazed.
“How you got in the room of torture, I—”
“Room of torture?” she all but squealed.
“It’s what I called it when I was young. My grandfather has and continues to collect torture devices throughout the ages and donates them to various museums around the world. He hopes it will make humans realize something about their own humanity. The pieces in there are recent arrivals.”
She could only imagine why his grandfather would do such a thing, and she had to ask, “Was anyone in your family ever tortured?”
“Yes,” he said bluntly, but did not expand on it. “Now turn around so I can take care of your wound.”
She thought a moment, gnawing nervously at her bottom lip.
He brought his nose to within inches of hers. “Don’t bother to argue. This is going to happen one way or the other.” He tilted his head and smiled. “I’ve already seen you naked, sweetheart, so what difference does it make?”
She jabbed him in the chest. “A big difference between feasting on me until I couldn’t stop coming and taking care of a wound to my backside.”
He leaned even closer until his lips almost touched hers. “You have no idea the pleasure you would get if I truly feasted on you. Now turn around.”
She gave his chest a push, not that it did any good. “Step back.”
He did, though slowly.
Lara turned around before she lost her nerve and gripped the edge of the vanity for support. She jumped when his fingers touched her bare backside and fought to keep her mind empty of any salacious thoughts.