"Ethan?" She licked her lips and leaned forward. "Your eyes are turning black again."
"Yes, they do that."
"Why?"
"Because they can."
"Seriously?"
I smiled. "No, because sometimes I can't control myself. They lose color when I'm feeling something extreme. The green simply fades into black. A lack of color doesn't mean I'm soulless or anything ridiculous. It just means the vampire blood has spread to other parts of my body, readying me for a fight."
"Hmm…"
"Your eyes turn green too, you know."
"What?" Her eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
"I've shared blood with you. When you're feeling something extreme, your eyes will turn green like mine. They match your mate's. You'll also notice that you don't need as much sleep as usual. Your skin will become softer. Think of it as having a very nice beauty regimen." I laughed at her excited expression. "You're welcome?"
"Wow."
"Not that you need it," I added quickly. "The last thing you need is to offer more temptation for me and my kind."
She didn't say anything.
"I'm curious to learn more about you," I said honestly. "But I don't want to keep you cooped up in the study all day. You don't seem like the type who enjoys studying."
She sighed. "What gave me away?"
"Your emotions easily betray you — and if they didn't, your blood surely would."
Red stained her cheeks, causing all of my blood to once again whoosh from my face to my lower extremities—only this time I wasn't bracing for a fight, but for a few hours tangled in bed with her.
"Why don't I take you to that bookstore we told you about? You can meet Drystan and see if it's something that you'd enjoy doing while I work."
"You work?"
"I'd like to think so."
"Like Mason?"
"Like Mason. Unlike Stephanie and Alex, however." I held out my hand. "I'll show you after the bookstore. Would you like that?"
"Yeah." She took my hand then squinted down at it.
"Something wrong?"
"I'm just trying to figure out what a vampire does for a job."
I barked out a laugh and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "Yes, well, I think I may keep you in suspense until later."
She leaned into me.
I inhaled he
r scent, and my body shuddered with awareness.
It was horrible knowing that my reaction to her was so strong, yet she had no idea the war that raged inside of me, the desire I had to tell her everything, to cut myself open and show her my pain, my shame, and ask her to take it all away.