“Watch it,” he says, then pops my booty with a smack before he finally puts me on my feet.
“I love this room. If I’m moving in, I should get half of these shelves.” I motion to the bookcases that go around the whole office.
“You can have them all if you want, poppet.” Vincent watches me as I run my fingers across the books.
“You really don’t know what a blood bond is?” Ian asks, taking a seat on the sofa. Vincent sits down behind his desk. I peek over my shoulder at him. His eyes are still on me. I swear I can actually feel his gaze as though it were a soft caress on my skin. Which is not helping the situation between my thighs. I’m glad when Buffy comes trotting into the room and jumps up onto the desk, forcing me to pay attention to her.
“No, I’m a bit of a loner vampire. My maker didn’t stick around. I’ve made my own way.”
“How do you get blood?” I spin around, forgetting about all the beautiful books.
“As I’ve grown older, I need less. My hunger doesn’t control me as it once did. Until lately, that is.” His eyes travel down my body.
“That’s normal,” Ian says.
“Answer the question.” I put my hands on my hips.
“I’ve drained reprehensible types before and kept stores. I also get bagged blood.” His answer should calm the anger that’s trying to claim me, but it doesn’t.
“Something is wrong with me.” Both Vincent and Ian jump to their feet. Vincent is in front of me in a flash.
“What’s wrong, poppet?”
“I’m angry. I can’t control my emotions. Thinking about you drinking someone else’s blood is messing with me.” I grip the front of his shirt. “I don’t like it.” This time it’s me that’s growling.
“As I said, you’ve formed a blood bond. Mates. It’s your blood he’s supposed to drink. In fact, it’s all he’ll be able to drink from now on. Anything else will taste terrible and only enrage you,” Ian informs us. “Except Evy doesn’t have any blood to spare.”
Vincent snags my wrist, pulling me back over to his desk. He drops down in the chair, taking me with him.
“You’re saying only Everly’s blood will be able to feed me because we’re blood bonded?”
“Mates. Legend says mates are fated and rare. You will only ever have one. Once you find your mate, you’ll never survive without them.”
“That’s intense. How does that even work?” My stomach drops. “Do I have to become a vampire? I’m human. I’ll die one day. He’ll be all sexy, and I’ll be eighty.” So many things start flooding me of how this will not work. Plus, I don’t think I want to be a vampire. I kill vampires. Or I’m supposed to kill them.
“You’ll be sexy at eighty,” Vincent says.
“You’re so full of it.” I smack his hard chest.
“It’s true. Mated vampires are only attracted to their mates. He’ll always think you’re the most beautiful thing.”
“She is.” Vincent glares at Ian for even suggesting I might not always be perfect.
“He’ll have to turn me? I guess that will fix my whole blood issue.” At least I’m guessing it would. Vamps don't get sick with normal human crap.
“No. Not from what I’ve found, which isn’t much. That’s how rare this shit is. Mates are destined and always human. They can’t be changed, not fully at least.” Ian runs a hand down his face. “Even though a mate might be destined to one vampire, it doesn't stop others from wanting their blood. Which explains a whole fucking lot.”
“I’m vamp catnip! I told you!” I shout excitedly, finally figuring something out. My excitement is short-lived, because who wants to be vamp catnip?
“You are vamp catnip until you fully mate, but I’m just not sure you can.”
“Because of my blood issue?” I ask.
Ian nods.
I refuse to accept that. My condition won’t stop me. I’ve never let it, and I won’t start now. “I think this is the answer to what’s wrong with me. I need Vincent’s blood.” I lick my lips, my mouth watering at the idea. I need a whole lot more of Vincent than that, but I keep that to myself. “Then I’ll be better. I mean, that’s what blood bonded means right? We share blood.” Vincent’s cock jerks under my ass in full agreement with me. He remains quiet, though.
“Nothing I could find mentioned anything about human mates having this problem.”
“Because it's not a problem; it’s a solution.” I try to jump up from Vincent’s lap so we can go to the bedroom and solve this issue of mine, but he keeps me in place.
“We don’t know that for sure,” Ian protests. “I need more time.”
“Okay then you go and dig. We’ll stay here,” I say innocently.
“We should wait and see. I don’t want anything to hurt you, poppet.” Vincent strokes my hip.