Bite Me (17 page)

I turned my attention back to Finn. “What didn’t he exaggerate?”

Finn’s eyes began to glow as Conner’s had. The intense blue color did look purple as the light over took the iris. I knew from my vampire lessons earlier in the week that Finn was either angry, horny, or using his vampiric powers. Since I had done nothing to irritate him or turn him on, I assumed he was attempting to read my mind. I realized that he still had my hand in his grip and tried to extract it without seeming rude.

“Stop,” he commanded. I felt the weight of his voice and knew he was trying to control me. Goddamn but he must be old because it took everything I had not to obey. It literally felt as though someone were holding onto my arm, trying to force me to stay still. However, I managed to slip my hand from his, though it was slow and almost painful.

All at once the heaviness I felt from his eyes and his voice disappeared, and he stepped back. Looking over at Conner, Finn shook his head.

“I can’t believe it,” he said. “I haven’t met a human in over three centuries who could withstand the kind of power I was throwing at her. Many of the young vampires I know would have had difficulty resisting my commands and attempts to read their thoughts.”

His words snagged my attention. “You can control other vampires?” I asked.

He nodded. “Yes, I can also read the thoughts of the youngest of my kind. As they get older, their mental abilities grow, and they are able to try to block me, though most don’t succeed.” He turned to Conner. “She will be a formidable vampire, my friend. If she can resist the most powerful of us now, she will be a impenetrable fortress once her mental abilities are in place.”

I made a mental note that Finn referred to himself as one of the oldest of vampires. I would question Conner about it later, but right now I wanted to know exactly what a Claiming was and I doubted I would like the answer.

I walked to the other chair facing Conner’s desk and sat down. “So what is a Claiming?”

Conner glared at me. His face cleared before he sighed and leaned back in his chair. “I was hoping we would have a while before we discussed this.” He rubbed his face with his hands before he looked at me again. “A Claiming occurs when a vampire wishes to take a human as a companion and eventually turn them. It is similar to being engaged only the commitment is deeper and harder to dissolve. The human lives with the vampire and serves as their source of blood. A sexual relationship is not necessary but is typically part of the commitment. After a period of no more than five years, the human must either be turned or released from the relationship.”

Until Conner said the last sentence, I didn’t think that a Claiming would upset me that much. However, if I agreed to a Claiming now, he would have to turn me in five years. I wasn’t sure if I would be ready to be turned in five years or less. I would have to begin separating myself from my parents, and my friends. Life as I knew it. I would be able to see them, but eventually I would have to watch them wither and die. Why couldn’t I have fallen in love with someone normal, like a covert operative or a superhero? At least then I wouldn’t have to abandon my friends and family, only lie to them. I wouldn’t enjoy the lies, but at least they would still be in my life.

Finn sat down in the chair next to mine. “Little one, I can see that you are torn. Please understand I would not suggest this unless there was another way. Any other sort of relationship and Vanessa could hurt you and face very few, if any, consequences. A Claiming is a serious relationship to a vampire. If Vanessa hurt or killed you, the penalty would be death. I think that will be the only deterrent for her. She is power hungry and conniving, and I believe she will do whatever it takes to get what she wants, which is complete control over the council.”

Normally, the shit with Finn calling me Little One would piss me off, but, compared to him, I was little. I looked at Conner. “Do you agree?” I asked, sounding much calmer than I felt.

He nodded. “Finn speaks the truth. For some reason, Vanessa feels that a union between she and I will grant her the power she desires among vampire kind. Now that she realizes you did not do as she commanded, she will feel that getting rid of you completely will be the quickest way to gain what she wants.”

“So basically she’ll kill me just for being in the position she wants?” I asked.

Both men nodded. Jesus. Sociopathic much? I stood and started pacing the length of the study. It was a lot to wrap my mind around. I didn’t know anyone who thought that a human life was worth so little that it should be snuffed out just because the person had what you wanted.

“Donna, I tried to explain to you earlier in the week. A lot of vampires, especially those over one hundred, think that humans are only food. Do you agonize over every steak or piece of chicken you eat?”

Because he made a good point, I shot him an ugly look that had Finn bursting into laughter.

“She doesn’t make it easy for you, does she my friend?” Finn said.

“No, she doesn’t,” Conner answered, smiling slightly.

God, men were so perverse. One minute my attitude was giving him a headache and the next he seemed to enjoy it.

“Back to the Claiming,” I said. “What would I have to do to get out of it after the five year period?”

That question wiped the self-satisfied smirk off of Conner’s face. His eyebrows lowered and his expression was thunderous. “What the fuck do you mean, get out of it?”

I raised my hands, palm out, in a gesture of surrender. “Well I was thinking that we could do the Claiming now to buy some time and, if I wasn’t ready to be turned in five years, we could terminate it until I was ready. Then we could do another Claiming.”

Both men shook their heads. “It doesn’t work like that, Donna,” Finn said. “Once a Claiming is ended, that’s it. The council would forbid another Claiming between the same couple. The bond is considered almost sacred and to be respected. Much like marriage for humans, but without the ability to divorce.”

“Well shit.” I threw my hands up. “What are my other options?” I asked.

Conner looked to Finn. “You tell her,” he said.

Fuck, I wasn’t going to like my other options either.

With a sigh, Finn crossed his legs, setting his ankle on his knee. “How fond are you of Conner’s basement?”

Oh fuck no, that wouldn’t work. “Are you very, very,
very
sure that Vanessa will kill me?” I asked.

Finn looked grim. “Yes she would. I spent some time with her this week and I was able to read some of her thoughts. She is not only planning to kill you, she plans to make an example of you. Even though she knows Conner will never give her what she wants if she hurts you, she wants all of our kind to understand the lengths she will go to in order to get what she wants.”

I paced a little more before I stopped and faced a wall. As I stared at a beautiful painting on the study wall without truly seeing it, I understood my choice was really no choice at all. I was falling in love with Conner. I had just been thinking about letting him turn me sometime in the future. This entire situation only brought the future that much closer. I turned back to the men.

“Okay. What do I have to do to go through with a Claiming?” I asked.

Conner rose from behind his desk. “Give us a moment, Finn,” he said as he walked toward me.

Finn smiled at me, though it wasn’t a happy one, before he left the study. Conner stood in front of me and cupped my face with his hands.

“I’m truly sorry that this is the way it has to be, lass. I wanted our Claiming to be a happy time for you.”

I looked up into his face and realized that I wasn’t falling in love with Conner. I
was
in love with him. Time after time he proved that he wasn’t just a soulless creature. He retained his humanity, his empathy. He treated me as though I were precious to him, and he would do anything for me. It was rare in a man of any species, much less a man who had been born during a time when a woman was nothing more than property to be traded and exploited. His willingness to put my feelings first never ceased to amaze me.

“It’s okay,” I said. And it was. It really was.

He leaned back slightly, studying my face. “You truly mean that, don’t you?”

I nodded.

Conner touched his lips to mine. “You are an amazing woman. I could not have chosen a better place to let my heart rest than in your hands.”

Before I thought better of it, I opened my mouth and said, “I love you too.”

In a flash, Conner had swept me up into his arms and buried his face against my neck. “You are generous beyond what I deserve and I do love you. Thank you.”

As usual, I couldn’t handle the mushy stuff. “Yeah, well now you owe me.”

He chuckled into my neck. “I’m sure I’ll find a pleasurable way to repay you.”

I shivered, which made him laugh louder. I couldn’t help but look forward to his attempts at pay back. I pulled away from his embrace a little.

“Okay, so we need to start making plans, right?” I asked.

He nodded. “I realize you may not feel like a huge celebration, but I would like to have a Claiming ceremony.”

I sucked in a deep breath. “Okay. I would like that too but what kind of ceremony are we discussing? A wedding type ceremony? Or maybe more like a small party?”

Conner smiled. “It will be small. We will save the larger ceremony for when we get married.”

I gulped. All right, I loved the man. Vampire. Whatever. Still, marriage was a huge step.

He shook me gently. “I can literally see your brain overheating from anxiety, Donna. Marriage can wait a while. Let’s focus on the Claiming ceremony and neutralizing the threat Vanessa poses before we discuss anything long term.”

Long term? He didn’t consider five years long term? Then I remembered that he was over three hundred years old, and five years probably didn’t seem very long to him.

“Okay, I can do that,” I said. “Just one more question.”

“Go ahead.”

“Do I have to wear a dress?”

A week later I was shopping for a dress for the Claiming ceremony. The ceremony was in twenty-four hours, but Conner wouldn’t let me out of the house to shop for a dress until the day before. I tried to talk him out of coming with me, but he refused to let me go alone. He pointed out that Vanessa likely knew where to find me after the announcement of our Claiming ceremony went out.

“What kind of dress am I buying?” I asked. I was a little worried about the price. I had a feeling Conner wasn’t planning on taking me to Macy’s.

Ever the gentlemen, Conner opened the car door for me. After he came around the car and settled in the driver’s seat, he faced me.

“Okay, you are going to want to argue with what I’m about to say. So let’s skip the disagreement. I asked you to do the Claiming ceremony, and I will buy your dress.”

Of course I immediately opened my mouth to disagree, but Conner placed his finger over my lips. “No, Donna. I will not argue with you about this. If you want to pick out your dress, you will just nod your head. If not, I know your size so I will go buy your dress, and that’s what you’ll wear. Even if I have to put you in it myself.”

I scowled at him and had to lock down the urge to bite his finger. “Fine,” I mumbled against his skin.

He smiled and removed his hand. “Good.”

After Conner started the car, we drove to the most expensive mall in the city. I glared at him as we headed inside. As we walked into the store, he threw an arm around my shoulders.

“Try not to look so excited,” he teased.

I rolled my eyes over to him. “I’m sorry. I just have a problem with the idea that you’re my sugar daddy.”

Conner pulled us to a stop. “Don’t speak like that.” His face was serious. “If I wanted to take you to a movie, or dinner, or buy you a gift that cost fifty dollars, would you object?”

I shook my head. “But that’s not the same as a dress that will probably cost at least a thousand dollars.”

“Why?” he asked.

“Ugh! Because a thousand dollars is what most people make in an entire paycheck. It’s not pocket change.”

His irises brightened, glowing slightly. “That may be true for most people, Donna, but it isn’t true for me. This won’t put me in a financial bind, and it will make me happy.”

On a sigh, I said, “Fine. Just don’t make a habit of this.”

Conner laughed long and loud. “I’m so glad you obviously don’t want me for my money.”

“No, I want you for your big dick and your ability to use it,” I responded.

Of course an ultra-classy, stick-thin woman in her forties happened to walk by us as I said it and she made a choking sound before shooting me a nasty look.

I stared back at her. “What? He does!”

The woman made a sound of disgust and stomped away as loudly as her stilettos would allow her. Conner was still chuckling as he pulled me through the store to the evening dresses. I tried not to pout, but it was difficult. Dressing up was not my favorite thing. I preferred boots and jeans. A chic young woman in head-to-toe black and bright red lipstick approached us.

“Good evening, my name is Stephanie. May I help you find something?”