Excerpt of Bound to Night by Nina Croft

He didn’t need to feed, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t enjoy it. She looked and smelled…intriguing. Vampires loved werewolf blood; it was the sweetest. His gums ached at the thought, and his cock twitched in his pants. Maybe the night was improving. “You know what I am?” he asked. “Johnson took great pleasure in telling me he was feeding me to the resident vampire. I’m guessing that must be you.” She was very calm, too calm. Was she in some sort of shock? “Do you mind?” he asked. An expression of disgust flashed across her features. “Since when does it matter what I mind? Never—that’s when!” Shoving her hands in her back pockets, she took a step closer. Jack sat very still, not wanting to scare her further as she came to a halt about a foot away. She didn’t have to look down very far to meet his gaze. “So will it hurt? You know the whole”—she bared her teeth in a grimace—“biting thing?” Shock ran through him at her words. She was so direct and matter-of-fact. What had made her like that so young? “How long have you been here?” “Eight years.” She pursed her lips. “Are you avoiding the question?” “No.” “No? You mean ‘no’ you’re not avoiding the question, or ‘no’ it won’t hurt?” “Both.” “Well, that’s a relief.” She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and waited. Jack could see the pulse beating rapidly under the fragile skin of her throat, the tracery of blue veins so close to the surface. His hunger rose. He reined it in, not wanting to frighten her, and savoring the anticipation. He’d never come across anyone like her and he’d been around a long time and met a whole load of people. Finally, her lids flicked open and she glared at him. “Well?” A small smile tugged at his lips. “Are you in a hurry? Perhaps you have other plans for the evening?” “Funny man, aren’t you.” She scowled. “I could say the anticipation is killing me, but that wouldn’t be quite correct. Just get it over with, will you?” Jack chuckled, and her scowl deepened. “Are you frightened?” he asked She stared him in the eye. “Yeah, I’m frightened. But so what? I’m used to it—I’ve had a lot of practice.” Suddenly he felt guilty for teasing her. He rose to his feet and she took a step back. “Wow, you’re…big.” He stepped around her, rested his hands on her shoulders and felt her tremble beneath his touch. From here, he could look down and see the thrust of her breasts beneath the thin cotton. His balls ached and he realized with some surprise that he wanted her, and not just because she was here and convenient. He rubbed her shoulders gently, trying to ease her tension, but she stiffened. “Relax,” he murmured. “I can make you forget your fears.” She snorted. “Want to bet on that?” “I like a challenge.” Looping his fingers in her hair, he lifted the heavy strands to expose her slender throat. He lowered his head into the curve of her neck and breathed in, loving the feral scent of her. This time he didn’t fight the hunger building inside him. He kissed her throat, her pulse point, then the tender spot where her neck met her shoulder. A small moan escaped her lips, and it wasn’t a moan of fear. He could have her; he knew it in that moment. With a little care, she would fall into his arms. He grew hard at the thought. “Did you know vampires find werewolf blood irresistible?” he whispered in her ear. Her muscles locked, and then she pulled free of his grasp and whirled around to face him. “I am not a werewolf.” She enunciated each word clearly. He studied her closely. He wasn’t wrong. “Yes, you are.” “No, I’m not.” He frowned, and then breathed in again, filling his nostrils with the musky scent of wolf. He raised an eyebrow. She shrugged. “They say I’m a werewolf, but I’ve never changed. I think they made a mistake.”