Page 32 of Love Bites
“It’s scary at night.” She shuddered, and Ignacio pulled her close, wrapping his arm around her shoulders for protection.
“We’ll be fine, love,” Ignacio stated.
They made it to his little car without a hitch. Antonio was already waiting for them, leaning his tall frame against the car. He looked monstrously tall compared to the little vehicle.
“Katheryn.” Antonio smiled a full tooth smile as she approached. “You seem to have a glow about you that wasn’t there before.”
His eyes glinted mischievously when she scowled at him.
“What could that glow be, hmm?” He uncrossed his arms and moved aside so she could yank open the car door.
“Oh, shut up,” she snapped as she got into the car. She refused to let Antonio’s remarks make her flush, especially since she had such a good time. “Nothing you can say will bother me.”
Antonio snorted but hopped into the car, too. Once Ignacio started the engine, Antonio lapsed into silence. Ignacio turned on the radio, and Katheryn leaned her head against the side window, humming the tune.
She only looked back at the beach once as it got smaller behind them, wishing they could have stayed if only a little while longer. She hoped there could be more repeats of lying in Ignacio’s arms.
Another repeat of love.
15
Katheryn was a drug, and Ignacio couldn’t get enough of her.
He tried taking her out on more dates after that night, but every time he picked her up at her hotel room door, she’d pull him into the room. They’d make love repeatedly until he had to leave before sunrise.
He was addicted.
And so was she.
They’d tried every position, made love for hours until they both collapsed in exhaustion. They had laughed with their naked legs entwined, had kissed and savored every sweet moment of lovemaking together.
But he still hadn’t drunk from her. He still hadn’t told her he was a vampire.
“Why don’t you drink from her?” Antonio had asked one night. “Why don’t you just come out and tell her you’re a vampire and get it over with?”
Ignacio couldn’t answer, although he knew why. He was a coward. He was terrified of how she would react, terrified she’d pull away from him or, worse yet, hate him. So he kept the secret, met with her at night and left before the sun came up. He knew she was getting suspicious about their weird hours, but he’d avoid her questions for as long as he could. At least, until he was brave enough to tell her the truth.
Until then, he would keep making excuses, he thought as he took a swig of his Blood Beer—blood extracted from a human under the influence of beer—and sighed. He was at the family bar with Antonio, nursing their respective drinks.
“Are you going to go see Katheryn tonight.” Antonio asked before taking a drink of his own drink, cold O negative.
“Yeah, right after I’m done here,” he said.
“Is tonight the night you tell her the truth?” Antonio asked. He didn’t approve of Ignacio hiding what he was—Soul Mate or not.
“I don’t know, Antonio,” Ignacio replied in a warning tone. He didn’t want to go there. Not now. Especially not with a sixteen-year-old boy. When and if Antonio found his own Soul Mate, he would understand the difficulty. Until then, his opinion was neither wanted nor heeded.
“You should tell her, before she finds out from someone el—shit! Ignacio, duck, hide, run away or something!” The sudden panic in Antonio’s voice had Ignacio’s attention snapping up.
“Don’t turn around, for the love of Go—”
But it was too late. Ignacio turned to look over his shoulder and let out a curse. Rosa had just walked into the bar and was looking around expectantly as if to find somebody. Ignacio ducked his head, not at all discreetly, and tried to make himself as small as possible.
“I think she saw you,” Antonio said, also trying to hide his face with his hand. “Shit! She’s coming over here. She saw you, and there’s a giant smile on her face.—Rosa, hi!”
Ignacio cursed mentally. He sat up, turned and faced Rosa.
As always, the woman looked gorgeous. Her light brown hair cascaded around her face like a waterfall. Sleek and shiny, it framed her lovely heart-shaped face. Her brown eyes smiled at him, a reflection of her curving smile. Her lips, as always, were coated with crimson lipstick. She wore a skimpy, black dress that was way too dressy for the bar they were in.
