“‘Roman,’ she’d said, ‘this will be your fate if you deny The Maiden.’ My grandmother was from the old world, and I always thought she may have had a touch of lunacy,” Roman smiled to himself thinking of her. “I didn’t believe her; I didn’t think there was any way to change my destiny.” Roman looked down at Jessica. “But now I know what she was trying to tell me.”

After they finished their meal and wine, they laid on the deck staring up into the night sky sharing stories about the stars passed on from their grandmothers. Jessica fell asleep nestled in close to Roman, and he realized this was the most content moment of his entire life. He let Jessica rest for a few hours before waking her up to head back to the city.

“How long was I out?” Jessica asked as they made their way down the stairs.

“Oh, a couple hours.”

“Hours! I admit, I was pretty tired from staying up for so long. You didn’t fall asleep?”

“No, I’m more of a night owl as they say. I’m a day sleeper.”

“Hm. I guess everyone has their own rhythm.”

When they returned to the city limits, Roman asked, “Will you stay with me tonight?”

“Yes, Roman, I’d like that very much.”

The moment Jessica accepted his request, it was like they couldn’t get there fast enough. His body was alive every place Jessica was touching him. She crossed her leg over his lap as Roman moved over and slightly on top of her, maneuvering his hand up her shirt, and pulling the cup portion of her bra down so he could pinch and tickle her nipple.

With every little twist and caress, Jessica squirmed underneath him, pressing herself into Roman. He lifted her top and teased her nipple with his tongue, circling the pebbled area and lightly flicking it. With his hand, he cupped Jessica between the legs, thumb pressed on the outside of her jeans where her clitoris was likely swelling just as he was.

Jessica ground into his hand, pressed her breast into mouth, and put her head back against the window exposing her neck. They hit a little bump in the road which jolted them both.

“Oh, ouch,” Jessica said as she sat up and pressed her fingers to her lips. “I think I bit my lip. Am I bleeding?”

Roman shot backward against his door and held his breath. He immediately knew she was bleeding, and he could feel his fangs becoming more pronounced. Vampires didn’t eat humans; he wasn’t afraid of hurting her. But he was definitely afraid of becoming unhinged with a mating frenzy that would be brought on by tasting her blood. Which would probably fucking terrify her, he thought as he tried to regain some composure.

“Oh, you must really have a problem with the sight of blood. I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize that was the issue yesterday. That all makes a lot more sense now.” Jessica’s words didn’t really match what she was feeling, but Roman knew better than to call her out on it.

“Um, yeah, that makes sense,” he repeated unconvincingly.

Jessica held a napkin on her lip until the bleeding stopped, which was incredibly quick. Roman slowly started breathing again and was relieved they had finally pulled up to Muse. He jumped out of the car before Winston could get the door and walked around to Jessica’s side to escort her out.

The walk to his suite was torture. Roman felt like they were moving through mud between all of the bodies and the slow as shit human pace he was reduced to. He kept imagining picking Jessica up and running through the casino to his room at full speed.

Roman was incredibly grateful for the VIP elevator to his floor; as soon as the doors shut, they were alone. Jessica jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist, fisting his hair. Roman was squeezing her ass with both hands as he kissed and licked up and down her neck. The doors opened and Roman carried Jessica to his room. He was fiddling with the key card and almost decided to just kick the fucking door down, but the light turned green, and he was spared having to explain that to Jessica.

Roman let her down, immediately stripping her out of her jacket, shirt, and bra, exposing her heavy breasts that he hadn’t stopped thinking about all day. He imagined coming on her tits and almost exploded in his pants. He curled his fingers into the waist of her jeans and pulled her against him, while Jessica undid his shirt and belt buckle.

Jessica’s jeans and panties were quickly removed as he stepped out of his pants and briefs as well. Roman’s hard cock was pressed against her stomach, and she reached down to cup his balls, lightly dragging her fingernails along his sac.

Roman took a step backward to admire her. “What did I do to deserve such an exquisite creature?” He didn’t let her answer; there was no need. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down to his lap as he positioned them on the couch. Jessica straddled him and rubbed her wet pussy lips along his shaft, unable to cover the full length of him.

“Jessica, baby, I need to be inside you.”

Jessica shifted upward to reach the head of his penis and pressed her entrance against his tip, moving slightly down and then back up as her body stretched for him. Roman supported her weight with his hands as she worked him slowly inside her.

When Roman was fully sheathed within her, they both let out a groan of utter pleasure. Jessica put her head back and began riding him. Roman was incredibly stimulated with her breasts bouncing lightly in his face. He brought one nipple to his mouth and relished in the moan that Jessica released.

He fingered between her folds, locating her clit, and positioning his thumb so that she could ride that as well.

“Ah, ah, Roman, ah.” Hearing his name from her lips as she rode him to orgasm caused Roman to lose all control. He grabbed Jessica’s ass and pulled her into his rhythm, pumping into her and climaxing so hard he felt the pulsing cascade Jessica into another orgasm, creaming all over his dick. He held her to him, his face resting between her breasts as they both took deep breaths.

“Christ, Jessica. You’re incredible,” Roman uttered.

“You’re not so bad yourself,” she replied, kissing him on the forehead. For some reason, it was that tender, sweet moment that caused an avalanche of guilt to crush down on him. I have to tell her—all of it.

She slowly eased off him, and Roman could feel the mood in the room shifting from intimate ecstasy to anxious confusion as he sensed Jessica feeding off his emotions. He got up and grabbed some robes from the closet, handing one to Jessica.

“Why don’t you pick out a bottle of wine and pour us some glasses. I need a moment in the restroom, but then I want to tell you something.” Roman closed the bathroom door behind him and stared in the mirror. He needed to get his nerves under control so he could stop affecting Jessica.

“Get your shit together, man.” He took a deep, calming breath. “Just go out there and tell her the truth. Look her in the eyes and say, ‘Jessica, I’m sure this is all very confusing, but the truth is, I’m a vampire, and you and I are bonded mates. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything before, but I didn’t want this…’ no, don’t say that you idiot.” Roman took another deep breath. “Jessica, you know how things feel a bit different than usual between us? Well, the simple answer is you’re mine. I mean, we are bonded mates. I’m a vampire.” Roman stared into his own eyes and sighed. “Yep, I’m totally fucked.”

Jessica picked a bottle of cabernet with an ornate castle on the label, opened the bottle, and poured their glasses. She took hers to the window and looked out over the lights of Vegas. She was starting to see it through a different lens these last two days with Roman, but something felt off. She couldn’t put her finger on it, yet something was definitely weird about their whole situation.

This entire thing was so out of character for her, and she felt really off balance—which in and of itself was odd. Jessica always considered herself fairly grounded and in control; this was like flying wildly around the sky.

What the hell is taking him so long in there? Jessica’s nerves were quickly inching up. Something is wrong here, she thought.

Roman finally reappeared from the bathroom and stopped when Jessica made eye contact, blurting out his next words.

“I’m a vampire. I’m 300 years old. You’re… we… we’re…” He trailed off, probably from seeing the look on her face.

Jessica was dead quiet for a few heartbeats and then started laughing sardonically. Roman at first appeared relieved, starting to smile with her, but then must have realized there was zero mirth and a hundred percent malice as his face dropped.

“You know what? I fucking knew it.” Jessica slammed her glass down on the table, surprised it didn’t break, and ripped her robe off. She aggressively shimmied into each article of clothing as she came across them, muttering to herself while once and awhile looking at Roman and saying something like “asshole,” “piece of shit playboy,” or “cowardly cocksucker.”

Roman appeared to have lost the ability to speak. He just stood there watching her collect her things and hearing everything she said, not just the insults hurled directly at him.

“Jessica… I—”

“Save it. Don’t speak to me. ‘I’m a vampire?’ Really? How stupid do you think I am? Don’t answer that. Clearly, you think I’m an idiotic plaything to distract you while you’re in this hellhole.” She walked to the door and turned around, looking at him stunned to silence over her shoulder. “I don’t ever want to see your face again.” And with that, she walked out the door, pissed that she couldn’t slam it.

CHAPTER 7

Roman didn’t move from his post just outside the bathroom for a few minutes after she left. The intense waves of anger and hurt that radiated from Jessica were almost suffocating him. What was he supposed to do? Grab her? Make her stay and listen? Roman was certain he’d never made anyone feel quite like that, and the thought that it was Jessica brought on the most intense waves of self-loathing.

Which, the more everything marinated within him, gave way to floodgates of rage. This was his own fault. As soon as he realized who and what Jessica was, he should have left this place and never come back. He picked up the glass she’d poured for him, drained it, and then threw it against the wall.

Roman was furious with himself for thinking he could actually have her, that he could share his heart, soul, and body with a woman. He’d wanted it too badly, had denied it for so long, and had settled on never having it. Now that he’d experienced it, how was he going to live without her?

He threw the bottle of wine on the floor, cabernet and glass scattered everywhere. Roman walked over to the chair that still had Jessica’s jacket on it, picked it up, and threw it against the glass windows where it made an unsatisfying thunk sound instead of shattering into pieces like he felt was happening to him.

Roman took a deep breath and went back to the bathroom to splash some water on his face. When he brought his face back up to look at his reflection, he punched the glass and thought that was a better reflection of how he felt on the inside.