Love Bites

LOVE BITES Chapter 21 : Unselfish Actions

Chapter 21 : Unselfish Actions

Alastair's POV

The tips of my fangs grazed Nikki's soft supple skin. She drew in a sharp breath, nails cutting into the bed sheets and a chorus of fluttering wings filled the air.

Time to wake up.

The room darkened. It was like a blanket had been thrown over the sun, squashing it beneath the horizon and taking along with it, its gold. Nikki's scent wafted over me, sweet and refreshing. It saturated my senses, encapsulating this moment for all of eternity.

Honestly, I hadn't expected to go like this. Nikki was never suppose to remember and we were never suppose to be in this position. I'd put measures in place to ensure just that but nonetheless, here we were.

It was everything I wanted and yet it was missing something fundamentally crucial. Here Nikki was, right in front of me and willingly exposing her soul to me -- and me alone. She knew the consequences that once my fangs pierced her skin and we exchanged blood, she would be back to her formal and glorious state. But did she know the exact reason I wanted her as a vampire again?

There was no doubt Nikki had gaps between her knowledge. She was far too young at the time to grasp the truth, and then she was forced to forget, and now she failed to remember.

I wanted her to tell her but at the same time, I couldn't. She had lived as a human for so long that I couldn't force her to feel what I felt for her.

But I wanted it so badly that I struggled to see through the fog until the last second. Just before I crossed that line.

Alastair. Now is not that day for her to join your endless existence.

And I knew it never would be. Not unless I told her the truth.

But I couldn't yet.

Drawing my lips together, I pressed them against her neck in a delicate kiss.

At first she tensed. Then I felt her muscles relax and her body smooth against my hands, the breath she had swallowed earlier leaving her lips in a smooth exhale.

Silence clung to the both of us. The kiss barely graced her skin but lingered all the same. Longer than I'd intended. I knew she wanted to speak but I also knew she was too frightened to.

Raking in a shaky breath, I put my forehead to hers. My fingers tangled with her glorious hair as I held her perfectly to me. It was difficult to reign in on my vampire when we were that close to shattering every plan made thus far. So damn close. Fortunately, Nikki couldn't witness the struggle on my face with her forehead to mine.

"Alastair...?"

"You are safe as long as you are human," I managed to rasp out through closed eyes. Don't Nikki.

Her basis to argue was a breathless and groundless attempt on her behalf. "But-"

"But right now you are not a vampire," I spoke over her, my voice clipped. "And you will not be tonight."

I stepped back, pivoting around and showing her my back. My body shook with the power to spin back around and finish what we started. My fangs throbbed with the need to bury themselves in her. Breathe.