“That’s okay.” She took his hand, the warmth of her seeping into him like a drug.
The touch of her caused a shudder of pleasure to ripple through him. Somehow, he managed to lead her to the bed and let her go. “You should undress and get under the covers. I won’t be able to help you with that tonight.”
“Okay.” She stripped down to her bra and knickers, then crawled under the covers.
Her pulse had kicked up, giving him pause. “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”
“I want to.” She smiled at him again, and this time, it reached her eyes. “I’m ready.”
He nodded and bent his head to her throat. He inhaled her perfume and teetered on the verge of giving in to a very different set of desires. With a final burst of control, he bared his fangs and bit her as gently as he could manage.
She gasped, her cry this time containing only pain. She grabbed his arm and squeezed but made no effort to pull away.
He drank quickly, releasing her just as fast. The ache in his soul for more was instantaneous. He ignored it to bite through his own flesh. He fed her a few drops of his blood as he’d done the night before, this time with as little contact as possible.
A minute passed. Her pulse slowed and she succumbed to sleep.
He headed for the door, stopping when he reached it to take a long look at her. So peaceful. So beautiful.
She would never be human again. If he didn’t bite her again tomorrow night, she could still be his companion. Still live at his side, as a rook, for centuries to come.
All he would have to do is stay away on the third night. He snorted softly. If only it were that easy. He knew her well enough to know she’d never forgive him for that. If she didn’t just hunt him down. Instead, he would return to her and bite her again, completing the turning.
And taking the greatest risk he’d ever taken. The thought unsettled him. Made him wish he could know the future.
“Sleep well, my darling.”
One of them should.
Delaney woke with a start. Bolt upright. Wide awake.
That never happened.
She blinked twice to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. The world around her was…not the same one she’d last seen. Colors were brilliant. The air seemed crystalline. Like her vision had suddenly become some new version of high-definition. “Stanhill!”
Her voice echoed in her ears, and she cringed at how loud she sounded.
“Downstairs, miss. Be right up.”
She looked around. He sounded close enough to be in the room with her. She pulled on Hugh’s robe to cover the bra and panties she’d fallen asleep in, went to the door and peeked out.
Stanhill was coming down the hall.
“Were you downstairs when you answered me?”
He nodded.
“Holy fudgeballs, this is weird. Good weird. But weird.” The wood grain on the door was so sharp she could count every line.
He grinned. “Good afternoon, rook.”
“Afternoon? What time is it?”
“After four. Sun’ll be down in a few hours.”
“What? I didn’t want to sleep that long. I wanted to make tiramisu.”
“It’s the change. Takes it out of you. The third night, you shouldn’t sleep nearly as long. You’re halfway there now.”
“Everything is so bright and colorful, and sounds are crystal clear. I could have sworn you were right next to me when you answered me.” She wrapped her arms around her torso. And went very still when she felt what was beneath her arms.
She glanced down at her body. “Are you kidding me?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I feel skinny. Skinny-ish.” She yanked the robe open for a better look. “Oh, that is not the waistline I went to bed with.”
Stanhill made a grunting sound. When she looked at him, he was staring at the ceiling. She pulled her robe shut while he spoke. “It’s the change, miss. Impacts the metabolism as well. It sharpens everything. Of course, tomorrow will be even greater.”
“I need a mirror.” She ran back into the room, stopped and ran back out, amazed at how fast she could move. “Also, I’m starving. Like I want to eat everything. What have we got?”
“In anticipation, I picked up a few steaks this morning, plus I’ve got some jacket potatoes in the oven—”
“Do we have sour cream and butter? And bacon bits? Oh! Cheese. I need cheese.”
He nodded. “All of that. Also, made some stuffed mushrooms and chilled some steamed jumbo shrimp. Will that do?”
“For round one, yes.” She ran to the bathroom mirror. And stared. “Wow.”
The body she now inhabited didn’t look like it had any issues with those last fifteen pounds. She was still curvy, but things had tightened up a bit. There was even a little visible muscle tone, which was amazing.
Her hair, which had always been on the wavy edge of frizzy, fell in soft, luscious waves. The color seemed more dark honey than boring brown.
She leaned in. The standard green of her eyes had taken on a sparkling clearness she’d never seen before.
Even her skin, which had always been decent, seemed to radiate with health. She looked at Stanhill, who stood by the bedroom door. “This is flat-out amazing. I mean, I always thought I was cute before, but now I’m actually pretty.”
“You’re beautiful, miss. You always have been. The change magnifies what was already there.”
She smiled, feeling a little heat in her face at his compliments. “Thanks, Stanhill.”