Just A Taste | BOOK 1 The Night Lords Series

39. Gold and Oil

The ball was tomorrow.

Everything constantly hurt. With Cassius as my mentor, I could never relax. My muscles refused to loosen up and I'm starting to think I might be grinding my teeth down with how many times I've had to keep from screaming or yelling or flat out swearing at the bastard's cocky attitude.

"Walk with a bit more grace, Isabelle. Your legs can do more than just open."

I stumbled, knocking over a stack of books that had been sitting on a table. My cheeks flamed red as I gave him a look of utmost outrage. Cassius chuckled, not even bothering to look up from the book he was looking at as he continued walking, picking books off the shelf as if he'd memorized every title and knew where to find them. We were in the manor's library and there was a kink in my neck on top of the growing headache that began this morning when I was woken by a salacious cacophony coming from his room that was right next to mine. Judging by the moans and... other things that sent me to hell and back, it was clear what he'd been doing. And when he opened my door to find me humming as loud as possible, the grin he flashed told me he'd done it on purpose.

I had no idea someone could be capable of making you hate every fiber of their existence.

Cassius rounds the corner, vanishing from sight. With a sigh, I crouch down to begin gathering the fallen books. Once placed back on the table, I hurry to see where he'd gone. I check the aisle next to the one I just left, then the next, and the next. Where the hell did he go? I'm about to call out his name when I nearly bump into someone coming out of the aisle in front of me. We both halt and my mouth drops.

This vampire was breathtaking.

He was tall, maybe a head taller than Cassius. The prettiest, most dazzling set of green eyes peered down at me, rich and sparkling as if the sun were reflecting off of them. Stark white hair that shimmered like snow at certain angles was slicked back in a loose, slightly messy style. Adorned in a deep blue suit, the vampire's alabaster complexion popped and his smile was as white as his hair.

"Well, hello."

Goosebumps chased each other down my arms. His airy yet seductive tenor coaxed my body to retreat and that's exactly what I did. I turned myself right around but then jumped when the vampire appeared in front of me again.

"What's a pretty thing like you doing by yourself?" he purred.

My eyes darted back and forth. Who was this guy?! I haven't seen him around here though something about him struck me as familiar. I backed up, shaking my head.

"I-I'm not b-by myself," I assure him. "C-Cassius-"

It happens faster than one could blink an eye. I'm against the bookshelf, the force of our bodies knocking a few from the shelves, one cool hand is at my throat while the other snakes around my waist to press into my lower back.

"Who?" he murmurs against my cheek. His tongue darts out to lick my jaw and I place my hands against his chest, shoving at him with all my might but he doesn't notice.

"Get off me!" I demand, arching my neck to get away from his searching lips. He was trying to kiss me! The vampire laughs low in his throat.

"A human trying to tell me what to do? How amusing."

I gasp when he releases my throat to grip my shoulder and turn me around. I'm shoved into the shelves again, the hard edges digging into my cheek and upper body. His claws were now out and I quaked at the feel of them digging into my stomach as if he wished to spill my guts open right here. His free hand slid from my shoulder down to yank the skirt of my dress up high so he could access my panties which he traced with a single talon.