Suffocate In Spirit - Shadows of the Night 4

Chapter 21

Hi!

Things are getting out of hand! The head vamp and Anna are in the middle of another stand-off, only it's a little different this time. Where do you think is this one headed? Let me know ;-)

Lara

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Chapter 21 

Sounds and visual perception returned with the slow retreat of numbness. My pulse quickened. Drops from a leaking faucet; liquid that was thicker than water.

One of Alexander's hands was fisted in my hair, the other flat on my back. A wall of muscle pressed to my front. Cool steel. Unmoving. My hands were buried in his black shirt, the pristine fabric crumpled and wet where I gripped it. I was still gripping it.

I blinked, fought for air. Stilled. Tried to claw myself out of that dark place of infinity where everything and nothing made sense. Thoughts returned. Slowly, oh so slowly. He didn't take much blood, at least I didn't think so. I didn't feel faint or weak-kneed, like last time he-

The hand on my back moved up, slid over my back. Slowly. Gently. Cold fingers curling around the back of my neck. His tongue flicked out, darted right to that vulnerable spot where his fangs had punctured my neck.

A cool liquid touch on heated, flushed skin. Showers of hot and cold forced goose bumps all over my body. I shivered violently, dug my fingers further into the fabric of his shirt for support. Tried to breathe and couldn't.

It almost felt like a caress. Real. It made me want go right back into that dark space where I was free. Where I didn't have to think about what should make me feel uncomfortable, because it simply didn't matter. It made me want to lean into him and not give a damn that this wasn't what it felt like, that it wasn't real. To not care if he was doing all of this just to lure me into submission. To not give a damn that this man had a hand in my forced dismissal.

The thought hit and settled, knocked sense into me like a brick wall hurtling towards me full force. I was not that kind of woman. I would never be that kind of human being.

He got into my head. The bond was messing with me in the worst way possible. A make-shift set of beliefs and thoughts that were made of deceit and lies – backed up by the power of the grave. Amplified by blood.

My breathing was quickened, chest rising and falling in a rhythm I was unfamiliar with. The blood rush felt like a drug in my system. I couldn't seem to stop shivering.

See Anna fall for it, just like the rest of the blood junkies.

I pushed against him, a tower of stone that wouldn't move an inch. His head was beside mine, close, oh so close. Cool, disturbed air danced over my exposed neck with each breath the head vampire took.

"Let go of me!" I exploded into action, a working machine of fists and shoves.

He held me, unmoving, just long enough to let me know he could. He did it without saying anything. There wasn't an ounce of feeling or emotion coming off him. I raised my eyes to meet his. Mistake. Big time.

His eyes had shifted into the deepest aquamarine blue I had ever seen on him. I was wrong about one thing. I hadn't felt anything, but I saw it. Something lurked behind those eyes, an emotion deep and dark just like the shadows in the furthest corners of the Crimson District. And I was afraid to find out just which one.

Once he released me I backed away, putting enough distance between us to give me the illusion of safety. Not that it made me feel safer. He kept staring at me and it took all I had to hold his gaze. To not give in and look away.