Page 85 of Love Bites

I’d been too pissed at him to eat in the middle of the day, and too lost in figuring out one of my new jobs to even think about dinner.

My stomach rumbled, but I ignored it.

Damian

It drives me insane to imagine other vampires lusting after you because of your hunger. I feel like your magic should be mine and mine alone. I should’ve taken a few minutes to calm down instead of arguing with you. I’m sorry.

I blinked down at my phone, reading and then rereading the message.

Damian

Please open the door. I’d like to have a better conversation about it than the one we had earlier. And you do need to eat. I saw on the security cameras that you’ve been up here all day.

After letting out a long breath, I set my tablet down on the bed and padded over to the door, undoing the lock and pulling it open. I still didn’t have any pants on, but between my top and underwear, I was covered enough not to feel like I was showing too much skin.

He'd already seen it all anyway. So many times.

Damian was leaning against the door’s frame, his gorgeous blue eyes dark as they moved up and down my figure like he was making sure I was okay.

“I can’t handle knowing that your magic makes other people want you as desperately as I do,” he said. “I can’t think straight. I’m sorry.”

“Do you think it makes me feel good to know that you’re weaker than you could be? That if there was an attack, someonecould die because you’re not at full strength? Thatyoucould die? We’ve had enough bullshit around this subject, Damian. A licensed doctor studied your blood to determine how much you need to eat to stay on top of your health, and you refuse to follow her advice.”

He dragged a hand through his hair. “I’m fucking terrified of what that will cost me. What it will cost you, too. What if I hurt you? What if I become reliant? What if I get too comfortable and something happens to you?”

“Nothing is going to happen to me. We’re mates, remember?” I stepped closer to him, reaching for the mark on his throat.

My mark.

I dragged my fingertips lightly over the length of it, and he let out a slow breath.

“Fear is a normal part of life, Damian. We can’t predict the future, and we can’t control it either. But there’s no point in hiding from it, or living like the worst is just around the corner. If life goes to shit, we’ll figure it out together.”

“Alright,” he said, his eyes meeting mine again. “I’ll drink from you every day. No extra requirements or exceptions. But I do want you topping off your magic every time I drink from you.”

“That’s fair.”

The tension in his shoulders eased slightly. “And you need to eat three meals a day, too.”

“I usually do, so that’s not a problem.”

He stepped closer, cupping my cheek in his palm and tilting my head back. “I’m going to bring our food upstairs. Do you have a problem with that?”

“No.”

Leaning down, he kissed me lightly. I deepened the kiss, and he pulled me closer. His erection was against my abdomen, but neither of us acted on his clear desire.

When he released me a few minutes later, I was breathing a little faster.

“Don’t run or hide from me tonight, little siren.”

“I won’t.”

He kissed me one more time before he left me in our doorway, striding down the stairs.

I watched him go until he turned the next corner, then stepped back into the room. After hitting the button to unlock the elevator, I went back to bed and slipped into the cocoon of blankets I’d formed earlier.

Eatingdinner in bed wasn’t the most sanitary of decisions, but we threw manners to the wind and did exactly that. While we ate, Damian asked me about the schedule I’d been going through, and helped me figure out what to do with a few things I’d been unsure about.

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