Page 26 of Kentucky Nights
And I’ve been cold for far too long. The bitter winter nights don’t even compare. Dru is melting all my reserves in just a matter of hours. What could she do with me if I were to give her eternity?
The closer she becomes, the more our bond strengthens.
There’s no way out of this for me. I know that no matter how much I’ve wanted to die over the years, staring into Dru’s hazel eyes, all I see is forever.
And that scares the hell out of me way more than Death ever will.
“You better answer me, Kentucky.” I must be an idiot for threatening a vampire, but I need to know why I’m drawn to him in ways that make no sense to me.
My eyes begin to water from the sheer frustration of wanting to throw my arms around him and kiss him within an inch of my life. That’s so foolish to want when I know in the blink of an eye, he could kill me.
His eyes lose their light as his smile fades into a frown. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Dru. You should go rest. I’ll find my phone and charge it to make sure you can give your friend back home a call.”
I scoff, invading his space when the urge to slap him twitches my palm. “Oh, don’t you dare even think about telling me what to do,” I hiss through clenched teeth. “And don’t change the subject. You know exactly what I am talking about.” I poke himin the chest, ignoring how firm his pecs are. “You’re choosing not to tell me. I deserve to know after everything. I’m absolutely terrified of being here, being in front of you, being so close to someone who could kill me quicker than I could even think about screaming, but I am. You are the very thing I fear, and for some reason, I am here. I refuse to back down or cower away from the very thing that is bound to kill me.”
“I’m not going to kill you, Dru. I don’t know how many times I have to say it.”
“Until I believe it.” I shove him again. That was useless. He doesn’t even move an inch.
Kentucky could have pretended to give the slightest sway. It would have done wonders for my self-confidence.
“I could stake you in your sleep,” I grumble under my breath, annoyed by this vampire.
“You could try,” he smirks. “I admire your courage to confront me, Darlin’. It’s admirable, given what you have been through.” He taps the side of his nose. “I smell it.”
I clutch his jacket around me and step back, losing any vibrato I had. “Smell what?”
“How scared you are. That’s what makes you confronting me sweeter than ice-cold blood on a hot summer’s day.”
I swallow, touching my throat in disgust at the thought of tasting blood.
“And yet—” He stretches his arm, his hand near my face, and I flinch. I expect a harsh touch. Maybe a grab to the face or a slap across the cheek. Instead, he tucks my hair behind my ear. The rough callouses on his hand awaken my nerve-endings, the slight stroke of my flesh causes my heart to stammer. “Your bravery still overcomes the bitter aroma of the terror you’re feeling.”
Panic surrounds me like a tornado, whirling, spinning, and twirling all around me. I have to put more distance between us.The pull to him is strong, so much stronger than any amount of fear in me.
It’s almost enough to let me forget he is a monster.
Almost.
Taking another step back, my foot catches on a dip in the ground. I spread my arms out, reaching for something, anything for me to latch onto. My fingers slide against the driver’s side door of his pickup truck, barely missing the handle.
Can’t a girl catch a break?
Kentucky is nothing but a mirage in front of me, moving so fast I can’t tell where he is until his arms are wrapped around me. My body is pressed against his, and every hard ridge of his muscles seems to hold onto me. His face is so close to mine, I can see the small freckle on his left cheek.
The entire time he holds me, I’m holding my breath. If I move, if I breathe, I might forget how I ended up here and do something I might regret.
Like kiss him the way my soul is urging me to.
His dark cognac eyes fall to my lips, then up to my eyes. I watch the struggle he has not to give in, to not take the kiss I know I wouldn’t fight him on. Even though I’m in the arms of a predator, I’ve never felt safer.
“You’re starting to make saving me a habit.” This time, it’s my gaze that falls to his lips.
“Saving you is a habit I’ll never break.” His hand cups my jaw, his thumb stroking the edge.
“Why?” The short, simple question has been burning in my mind since I arrived.
Why save me? Why bring me here? Why does he want me to stay? Why isn’t he like the other vampire? I have so many questions.
