Bait

Chapter Thirty

I don’t mind the sun sometimes and watched the last of its rays dance on the horizon before the night tucked them in for bed. The sky darkened but the city’s golden lights held back my gloom. I loved Budapest.

A wall of overstuffed pillows surrounded me and I snuggled deeper into the blankets. I could sleep for a week. Some of the bedding accompanied Rurik to the bathroom with the dawn. Coffins made sense now that I tucked him into a tub twice since we’ve met. A bedroom with no windows would be nice but not common.

The bathroom door opened and the subject of my thoughts strutted across the room naked. Lean and graceful muscles moved below his pale skin. His black thick hair curled around his ears. The wounds were all healed, not even a scar. I could watch him all day.

He slid under the warm covers and wrapped me in his arms. “I can get use to this.”

“Sleeping in tubs?”

He gave a low, deep chuckle. “No, having a warm naked body to curl next to when I wake.” He nuzzled my earlobe and it shot sparks of desire straight to my core. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes.”

His voice caressed something needy and hurt inside of me. “I’m glad I fed before the dawn. I don’t think I could have resisted you.”

“No feedings for awhile.” I cleared my throat and shifted in his arms. Dragos tainted that for me. The physical pains of my bite would fade with time but the emotional scars he reopened frightened me. It took so much energy to heal them the first time.

Rurik brushed his lips on my cheeks. “You’re not alone anymore. I’m here for you. No feeding, no mental touches until you’re ready.”

The concern in his voice soothed the raw tender bits of my soul. He really would wait and support me. Never leave me alone. I touched his chin and drew him close. “I love you.”

Those magical words brought beautiful warmth to his wintry eyes. “I love you too, my Rabbit.”

“Just your Rabbit. No one else can call me that. Not even that bastard Tane. If an eternity passes it will still be too soon for me to see him again.” I wanted to spend the night like this, just the two of us, no emergencies, fights, or Nosferatu.

“You rescued me from the darkness, after I lost consciousness. Where were we?”

“Close to your end, I think. I’ve never been before, I followed you there.” He touched his lips to mine and gave me slow, gentle kisses taking his time to savor each touch. “After only five nights, I found myself willing to battle death himself for you.” He raised himself on his elbow, concern pulled at the corners of his eyes. “You are staying with me?”

Budapest’s sexiest creature wore his insecurities on his sleeve. The idea of teasing him tempted me but after all the lies I’d told we needed a fresh honest start. “Yes, as long as we can be together. I want you to know from this day forward you are my number one confidante. No more deceiving, I swear.” I placed my hand over my heart next to the healed love bite Rurik had given me.

He touched the little circular scars. “I know but what do you mean by as long as we can? What would stop us?”

I sighed. Rurik may be older but he missed seeing the big picture of us staying together. “I’m going to grow old.” The things I loved about him included his inability to get sick or age. He would never leave me alone but one day I would leave him and it made me sad.

“No, you won’t.”

His statement slapped me across the face. I sat up in bed and the world spun with the sudden movement.

“Rabbit.” Rurik grabbed my shoulders and pushed me against the pillows. “You’re still too weak to be jumping around. It’s why I wanted to wait to discuss this.”

Blood rushed back to my head when I lay down and the world righted itself. “Why am I not better?”

“On the contrary, you are much, much better. Any shortness of breath or chest pain?”

I shook my head. No nausea or bone deep exhaustion either.

“Drinking my blood doesn’t work like magic. It takes time. For now, it will keep you alive until your body produces the volume of cells you need.” He rushed to the bathroom then returned with a glass of water. “Drink. You need to stay hydrated.”

“Yes, nurse.” I chugged it down as best I could, being prone. Fantasies of Rurik giving me a bed-bath tickled my fancies. I placed the empty glass on the nightstand.

“You will need to take some of my blood from time to time to refresh the bonds between us. It’s what will keep you alive.”

He scooped me into his arms as he lay next to me. “It’ll be all right. It had to be done. Between Dragos feasting on you and the amount of drug you ingested, you didn’t have a chance, baby. No matter what, death would have claimed you. I couldn’t bear it.” He whispered those last words in my hair.

“You wanted to do it.” I remembered him begging Tane.

“Of course.” He set me on his lap. “It’s not all bad.” A mischievous smile played at the corners of his lips. “You won’t age or get sick.”

My breath caught in my throat again. “Really?”

He nodded. “As long as we’re bound.”

“Do vampires bind humans to them often?”

“No, it can become a strain physically and emotionally. The younger the vampire, the more the human will need to feed.” He caressed my sides to my hips and back as he pressed himself to me. “I have great stamina and can ... sustain you for a long time.” His voice grew husky.

“I’m sure you can.” I rolled over to face him. “What happens now? Should I move to Budapest?”

Rurik held up his hands. No Overlord ring sat upon any of his fingers. “Not unless you insist. My people began leaving this city as soon as Dragos arrived. There’s nothing holding me here.”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what? Loving me? Giving me joy and laughter?” His soft, full lips found mine. He kissed with more passion as his hands wandered over my body. “Hmm, you’re not forgiven.” He crawled on top of me, bearing his weight on his arms. “We’re not only bound in blood but with something stronger. Love. Forever.”

The End