Closing my hand over the door handle I twisted, trying to make as little sound as possible. Nudging open the door I squeezed through the smallest crack I was convinced I would fit. The room was enshrouded in gloom, and I glanced towards the bed expecting to see Samuel still strewn across it; as it was the middle of the day he should have still been sound asleep. The bed was bare.
"Where the fuck have you been?" I twisted towards the low growl rumbling up from the darkest corner.
Hhmm, so much for stealth. Snapping on the one crappy light in the room I could, just barely, see Samuel rise from the floor. Dropping my bag, it gave a loud thud as it landed on the bare boards, dust rising from beneath it. Choking back a cough I glared at him.
"Out." Crossing my arms against his annoyed expression, I stood my ground as he bore down on me. I could feel a belligerent expression set hard on my face.
"What was so important that you would risk being killed for?" He was right in my face as he spoke, glaring down at me. I snorted, and a surprised expression flickered across his face.
"There's no danger," his surprised had turned to disbelief. "just listen. It's the middle of the day; all decent vampires," I gave him a pointed look, "should be sleeping. Speaking of which, why aren't you?"
His head was shaking side to side, a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth, before a thought occurred to him. "What makes you think, we don't have people doing our bidding during the day?
Anxiety gripped me; I hadn't thought of that. "Do they?" Somewhere, my mind still wouldn't accept that Samuel was the same as Lotane. In my mind there were two types of vampire; the evil vampire hoard, which included Lotane; and Samuel.
"Well, no," he admitted. "Most normal people run for the hills when they learn you're a vampire." Touché.
"Really?" I was surprised at this. "I thought, with your hypnotic powers, you would be able to get people to do what you want."
His face screwed up in confusion. "We can't hypnotise anyone, that's just the movies," he said, rolling his eyes.
It was my turn to be confused. "But, did you not...I thought you had...What about the other..." I snapped my mouth shut as his expression turned to one of horror.
"Helen, do you believe that I hypnotised you the other night?" There was a real concern behind his question.
"No. Well not completely. I just thought that... maybe you had a little b..." I trailed off as I saw the hurt in his eyes. "Didn't you?"
"No. God no. I can't, but besides that, I wouldn't. Why would you think that?"
I blushed as I thought back to that first night with him. How willing I was with someone I'd only just met. That wasn't me; I'd just assumed that he had. ..encouraged me a little. His low sexy growl, and sultry eyes; how his cool breath washed away any doubts as it flowed over me. His keen eyes peered at me as I put two and two together. "Oh my."
"What?" His voice was flat.
"I had such a strong reaction to you, I thought you must have had done something to me." I whispered almost to myself, but Samuel still heard me, and he went very still.
"I must have hypnotised you to sleep with me; because otherwise you never would have? I see," his face was a mask, clear of all expression. My blood ran cold.
"No, you don't understand." The look he gave stabbed at me. I forced my explanation on him. Yes, taunt the annoyed vampire until he get even more pissed at you.
"The way I responded to you Samuel, where just being with you, felt right. Your very breath was like a balm to me. When I learned what you are, I just added things together, and got the wrong answer. I'm sorry, what can I say; I was never very good a math."
Samuel prowled around me, flint eyes glinting. "If I wanted you I wouldn't need to hypnotise you," his fingers wound through my hair gripping tightly, twisting the strands in his clenched fist. Ignoring my cry, he turned me until my front was pinned against the wall. "I am strong enough that I don't have to," he whispered into my ear. His voice was low and cold, as he ran a nail over my grazed cheek; memories of Lotane froze me in place. Dread crept through me like a chill; my breathing became laboured with his weight pressing against me.
Samuels fingers raked lower until his nails dug into my ribs. My whimpers appeared not to move him; he leaned in nipping at my ear, moving lower to my neck.
"You enjoyed my touch. You screamed as I licked you, stroked you...bit you. I could have you screaming under me once more." His tone made it clear that no pleasure would be involved this time. By body started to tremble, and Samuel gave his own shudder at the scent of fear that must have been coursing from my pores.
