Of Blood and Downfall

Chapter 13.

Karden's POV:

    Abruptly, I yank away, and she grasps onto the edge of the counter, panting as though she finished running down the block. With no knowledge, the bartender places the drink in front of her. Clenching my jaw, I watch as goosebumps rise on her skin, hair striking up from the shock.

    "What was..." She trails off to nothing, her eyes staring at my hand in disbelief.

    I lift my drink up, leaning my elbow on the counter and gesture my drink towards her.

    "Have a seat." I continue as though nothing happened.

    She glances over her shoulder and looks at the table. No one seems to worry about her missing longer than it should take to be in the bathroom. I want to leave because it's too overwhelming in here but now that I am close to her, I don't. Only if she wants to.

    "I think I'm going to go back to—"

    I cut her off, "They don't seem too worried. Just for one drink." We both glance at the empty stool in front of her, her nails drumming against the wood. "Please," I insist.

    Mavis hesitates for a second before sitting back down on the stool and taking a swig of her chilled drink. I grin at her reaction of swallowing the drink with bitterness curling on her tight mouth.

    "They make them strong here. Not like in America." I comment and she leans her elbow on the counter, turning to face me.

    "And how do you know?" She snaps dumbfounded, as though I've never explored the world out there. Instead of answering, I observe her, waiting until the bulb above her head light up. Her eyes grow large and she purses her lips into a thin line, "Right, it's just..." She chuckles to herself and for a moment, it tickles our bond. I halfheartedly smile at her joyous confusion when she rubs her eyes. "I don't get it."

    I pop a brow, spinning the glass around and feeling the condensation on the glass. It's helping me maintain my focus on anything but the tightness of my gums. The ache of my fangs wanting to come out and graze her soft skin.

    I don't know how it feels to be mated or how to control this bond. There's no reason to ask someone because I've never heard of a vampire mated to a human before. Yet this aggression of wanting to taste her and even kill her is unbearable but I can't stay away from her.

    "Don't get what?" I ask and she takes another sip of her drink.

    Her dark eyes are like saucers, a naïve puppy gazing to a predator, "You...your family. You're vampires?" She whispers in the loud room. I grind my teeth together and nod. She adds with a trembling voice, "Are you going to kill me?"

    I blink and narrow my eyes to her, listening to her heartbeat jump. I want to laugh at her question because as much as I want to, if that's her initial reaction...I wonder if she thinks this is a way I lure her in and finish her.

    Mavis's hand trembles around the glass, the dew running along her wet fingers. The glass is half empty and almost watered down. I reach for the back of my pocket, pull out my wallet and toss a few Krones on the counter. Mavis watches with furrow brows as I stand from my seat and cower over her.

    She tilts her head back and glances up to my face, inviting her neck. I want to tell myself this is a bad idea and Issy is right, I should let her be. But she is so beautiful, I want to feel my lips on her neck, above the pulse, feel the heat that is already touching me.

    "Let's talk somewhere else. Somewhere quiet." I offer with a large smile exposing all my teeth. Mavis hesitates without answering, almost shocked at the sudden invite. Her heartbeat hasn't calmed since she asked if I am going to kill her and something inside me saddens. The bond darkens and falls deep into nothingness.