Bite Me

Valentina tore herself away, her chest heaving as she stumbled back, putting distance between them. Her fingers touched her lips as if they burned from the intensity of the kiss, her mind racing to catch up with what had just happened.

"This…this has to stop," she whispered, though even she didn't believe the words.

Lucian, his eyes dark and full of something dangerous, watched her closely, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "I don't think you want it to stop, Valentina."

Her pulse quickened as he took a step forward, but this time she held her ground, refusing to let him close the gap again.

"Lucian," she warned, her voice steady but her heart pounding in her ears. "This…whatever this is, can't happen."

"And why is that?" he asked, his voice low and full of challenge. "Because I'm a vampire? Or because you're scared of how much you want me?"