Page 112 of Bound by Vengeance
“They left when I woke up,” Nathan said.
Her heart leapt at the gravelly sound of hisvoice, and she turned to find him smiling at her.
“Nathan?” she whispered.
“Were you expecting someone else?” heteased, hating the larger circles under her eyes and the terror sheradiated.
A choked cry escaped, and she threw her armsaround his neck to hug him.
“Easy,” he murmured.
“Oh, I’m sorry!” She released him and satback.
“I didn’t say let go, just don’t squeeze meto death, vamp.”
Vicky laughed as he gripped her chin andkissed her. “You’re a vamp now too,” she said against hismouth.
“Hmm,” he murmured as he ran his tongue overher lips. “One who could use a shower.” He could barely stand thesmell of himself.
Vicky sat back. “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” he said.
Propping himself up on the bed, he wincedwhen the movement jarred his body. He felt like someone had taken abaseball bat to every part of him, tenderizing his meat inpreparation to feast on it.
“I’m fine,” he assured her when uneaseflickered over her face.
“You’re still in pain.”
“I’m just sore. How long have I been in thisbed?”
“Two days.”
“Two days,” he murmured. It was how longKadence said it took her to wake again too. He rubbed his forehead,and his nose wrinkled at the sour stench of him. “I’mdisgusting.”
That was the nice way of saying it, hedecided as he pulled at the soaked shirt clinging to him. He swunghis legs over the side of the bed and swept Vicky into his arms.She didn’t seem to mind his odor as she nestled closer. He buriedhis face in her neck and growled when he smelled the sweet bloodpumping through her veins.
“You have to feed.” This morning, she’dconsumed the blood Abby brought her in preparation for when hewoke.
“I will,” he assured her as he rose with herin his arms.
Twisting in his hold, Vicky slid her legsaround his waist as he carried her into the bathroom. He paused toturn on the shower before carrying her over to the sink and settingher on the counter.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” she inquirednervously.
Clasping her cheeks tenderly in his hands,he kissed her nose. “I’m better than okay.”
“Was it horrible?” she whispered.
“Some parts were, but it was worth everyounce of pain to have an eternity with you.”
She smiled at him and rested her hands onhis. “You’ll be stronger now, and not only because you’re avampire, but also because the mate bond strengthens the vampireswho have it.”
“Interesting,” he murmured and brushed thehair back from her face. As his eyes fell to her throat, a strangeprickling started in his mouth, but he didn’t try to fight thelengthening of his fangs. He prodded one of them with his tongue,causing both to extend fully.
“We can feed exclusively from blood bags andeach other, or we can hunt. I’ve hunted some, it was easier when Iwas in college, but I haven’t done so since….”
Since she’d killed, he realized when hervoice trailed off. “I’d prefer not to feed directly from a human,”he said.
