“I want you to listen to me as you eat,” he said, taking the fork away.
Collecting another sliver of the steak from the plate, he looked at her before lifting the fork to her lips. She nodded and took the small morsel, taking her time and savoring the rich seasonings that burst on her tongue, the succulent flavors exploding in her mouth. Chavez was one of the most sought-after chefs in the city, and there was a damn good reason for it.
“I wasn’t there the night that you’re speaking of, but I know everything that happened. The girl you saw at the club was indeed human. Her name is Katie, and she only just bloodbonded to her mate. That would be Zack, the male you saw carrying her from the bathroom.” He fed her another piece before he continued, “What the woman who barged into the bathroom failed to tell everyone is that she believed she walked in on a girl being raped against a sink. I suppose it’s understandable, as Zach had Katie pinned at the time and she was screaming.”
“That doesn’t explain anything. This wasn’t about rough or kinky sex. He nearly ripped her throat out.”
Diskant narrowed his eyes in a clear command to remain silent. “When the woman decided to play would-be rescuer and hit Zack in the head with her purse his teeth tore through the artery in Katie’s neck. The little screecher ran for help while Zack staunched the flow and sealed the wound. By the time Brett arrived everything was under control.”
“But he bit her—”
“We would never hurt our mates,” he interrupted. “The reason Katie was so ‘messed up’ is because she feared the repercussions of her actions. The bloodbonding ramped her libido and she took a stupid risk by begging Zack to fuck her in a public restroom. She knows the danger that exists if humans become aware of us and she worried about the punishment Zack would receive for what she’d done.”
“After what she’d done?” she snapped. “He was the one who ripped into her throat.”
She expected another look ordering her to zip her lips and listen but saw a flicker of amusement in his eyes.
“During sex, it’s not uncommon for things to get rough. We are known to bite from time to time and enjoy a bit of pain with our pleasure. But Zack never would have harmed Katie. Not intentionally. As for what she did, it’s rare that we punish a mated female. When the shit hits the fan the male is usually held responsible. Ultimately, it’s his job to keep his better half in line.”
“What?” Offended by the implication, she swatted at the oncoming fork with the pads of her fingers. “Keep them in line? Are you serious?”
“Not entirely.” He grinned mischievously. “But mostly, yes.”
“And this bloodbonding thing? What is that?”
All pretense of playfulness evaporated.
He turned from her, put the fork down and stared at the plate in front of him for several agonizing seconds. After a moment he reached for her untouched glass of wine and handed it over.
“Drink this.”
“I don’t—”
“Trust me. I don’t want you inebriated, but you’ll want to take the edge off.”
Reluctantly, she accepted the glass, grazing his oven-warm fingers in the process. She wanted the caress to linger but he moved away before she could bask in the warmth.
“Do you know how vampires are made?”
She couldn’t mask a snide grin at his question. Who did he think he was talking to? She was born and raised on eighties cult classics that told you everything you needed to know about the supernatural. The Villati acted all big and bad but from what she’d seen movies were spot-on when it came to the ways to create and destroy the creatures of the night. The Monster Squad wasn’t only a must-have on the DVD shelf, it was also the most valuable weapon a person could have in their ass-kicking arsenal.
“They bite you and drain your blood. Then they force you to drink their blood. It’s some weird vampire blood transfusion via the mouth kind of thing.”
“A bite is what it takes,” he corrected, suddenly canary-yellow irises shining brightly.
Her triumphant smile waned. “What?”
“All it takes is a bite.”
“You’re messing with me.”
“They secrete a poison through their fangs that changes the body and preserves it. It usually takes several bites to complete the process, three being the norm. They can share blood if they prefer but it’s not necessary.” He motioned for her to start drinking and she complied, taking a sip. “Shifters, oddly enough, are more inclined to do what you’re told about vampires in stories or movies. That is where you’re basing your information from?”
She felt her cheeks ignite in embarrassment but she produced a brisk nod of shame.
“Despite what you might think, a lycanthrope can’t change someone into a shifter. A person can be bitten by one of us but aside from causing extensive damage it won’t mean a thing. Shifter mate shifters, but when a shifter mates with a human it can be a problem because they don’t possess our longevity. By bloodbonding we can share a portion of our magic—our lifeforce—with human mates and ensure they remain a part of us indefinitely.”
Her heart started pounding, beating so hard it felt as if it were attempting to hammer free from her chest.
“Define indefinitely.”
He met her eyes, the orbs of yellow-gold bright and brilliant.
“Forever.” His voice was soft, though the meaning was crystal clear. This wasn’t a brief fling that would eventually reach its summit. A relationship with Diskant meant being in it for the long haul, as in for the rest of their lives.
The glass in her hand wobbled visibly as she ripped her eyes from his, brought the rim to her lips, tilted her chin back and downed the contents. The bitter liquid rushed down her esophagus and settled uncomfortably in her churning stomach. Even the prospect of vomiting all over the place didn’t stem the nauseating thoughts racing through her head.
“We don’t even know each other.” Her voice was as unsteady as her quaking limbs. “You can’t discuss forever with someone you’ve just met. It’s not logical.” Trying to find humor in the situation, she quipped, “Your divorce rate must be ungodly.”
“If I were to put my hand down your pants right now, what would I find?”
“Excuse me?” she all but yelped and started to rise from her chair.
He moved with a speed that contradicted his imposing size, pinning her against the wooden chair. His face was within inches of hers, lips so close she could feel the delicious heat of his breath against her nose. She couldn’t look away, frozen in place by irises that seemed to shift from yellow-gold to vivid orange.
“If I were to put my hand down your pants, shove aside the lacy panties I know you’re wearing and dip a finger inside that hot little pussy of yours, what would I find?”
Stunned yet aroused by his frank manner, she stammered, “I d-don’t know what you’re t-talking about.”
“Wet.” He growled and nuzzled her nose with his, turning his head from side to side, the motions slow and intentional. “You’ve been wet since I put you in my lap on the Harley.”
“I have not—”
He stilled and pulled away to look her in the eye. “Sweetness, there’s no shame in admitting it. I’ve been drowning in the succulent scent of your cunt since we walked through the door.”
To her utter mortification, a fresh, hot rush of wetness escaped the very cunt in question. His darkly lashed lids slid closed as he inhaled through his nose, taking a long, deep breath. When he exhaled slowly, he reopened his eyes and nailed her with a sultry stare.