Chapter 14

Training time arrived, and my nerves flared up. I changed into black shorts, a matching top and sneakers, then headed for the gym. The moment I stepped inside, I froze.

Nicholas was training alone, striking out with his hands, feet, elbows and knees. He wore loose martial arts trousers and nothing on his feet. My eyes were instantly drawn to his broad shoulders and rippling muscles across his chest, which tensed and shifted as he fought an invisible opponent. His face was set in a sharp, focused expression. Mateus had been right — I could not have asked for a better instructor. He was undeniably a formidable fighter.

As I stood watching, warmth spread through my body, and a shiver ran down my spine. His abdomen was hard and sculpted, and my gaze drifted lower before I could stop it.

Oh no. I knew my eyes were turning gray — a telltale sign for a dhampir whenever desire stirred within me. Seeing him sweat and move so fluidly made it nearly impossible to hold back the urge to rush over, pull him close and kiss him until I was breathless. I moistened my lips, growing flustered.

Am I really going to learn combat moves with him?

I was utterly flustered. Just watching him left me burning with longing; I could only imagine how I would react once his hands touched me during practice.

Every nerve in my body tingled. I told myself it was just nervousness, but I knew the truth. Pure, unbridled lust surged through me for this vampire — a man close to two hundred years old, powerful, sharp-witted and experienced in every way.

Just thinking about his experience made my breath catch. With his raven hair framing his ruggedly handsome face and those vivid emerald eyes, he was breathtaking. His perfect physique awakened every craving in me, and I was hopelessly in love with him.

I swallowed hard and let out a quiet groan. I could no longer deny how badly I wanted him, and my current state made my feelings all too obvious. I was practically transfixed.

“I’m waiting, Christine. Are you coming over?”

“Wh-what?”

I jolted out of my daze, mortified. Had he heard me groan? I looked at him shyly, struggling to steady the chaotic sensations swirling inside me.

“Changed your mind?” Nicholas stood right in front of me, one eyebrow raised, his green gaze locked firmly on mine. I hadn’t even noticed him walk over.

“Of course not. I’m sorry,” I mumbled, cheeks burning. “I just got distracted.”

He turned his back, and I kicked off my sneakers before stepping onto the training mat. We walked to the center of the gym and faced each other.

“When fighting, distraction is your greatest enemy. A single lapse in focus will cost you the upper hand,” he said, his tone firm and commanding. “To learn concentration, we start with the basics.”

An hour later, I finished our session feeling light-hearted. Nicholas had taught me fundamental hand-to-hand combat techniques, and simply being near him kept a soft smile on my face. This time, I’d managed to hold back the impulse to tackle him to the ground and kiss him senseless — though I wasn’t sure how long my self-control would last next time.

After a soothing bath, I made my way to the library. I wanted to dig deeper into the rules governing vampire clans and the transfer of leadership. Eduardo had been unusually quiet lately, and that alone set me on edge. I’d also noticed strangers watching me from afar more than once.

According to clan law, he would face the death penalty if he laid a hand on me before the one-year mourning period for my late master ended. But that year was drawing to a close, and fear gnawed at me. I had no idea what he planned to do next. I needed to find ways to defend myself against whatever he had in store.

The library felt warm and inviting, more like a cozy lounge than a study. Though not large, it was lined with countless books covering all aspects of vampire kind. Bright lamps lit the space, with reading tables and soft sofas placed in the center for long hours of study.

I stopped before a towering bookshelf, hands resting on my hips. I had no idea where to begin my search, but I knew the answers I needed were somewhere among these hundreds of alphabetized volumes. I flipped through a few titles and jotted down notes, letting out a weary sigh — and then I walked straight into a solid, broad chest.

I lifted my head and saw dark blue-black hair falling over his shoulders, paired with strikingly beautiful eyes that were now narrowed into a frown.

“Oh! I’m so sorry. I was lost in thought.”

“That much was clear. You’ve been terribly distracted lately. What’s going on?”

“Nothing at all. I just… didn’t expect to run into you here, that’s all.”

I raised an eyebrow. The library was always empty whenever I visited. I’d never pictured Nicholas as someone who spent his time reading, and I was certain I wasn’t alone in that thought.

Watching his expression soften at my reply, I guessed he had been worried about me. My gaze drifted slowly over his figure. Dressed in jeans and a plain black T-shirt, he looked incredibly attractive, and my longing flared once more. I craved him deeply.

“Do you come here often?”

“I come whenever I feel like reading.” A faint, teasing smile tugged at his lips. “Believe it or not, I do enjoy books too, Christine.”

I shook my head, thoroughly confused by everything happening around me lately.

“If you fail to properly observe the mourning period, the new clan master can revoke your asylum on grounds of disrespect, and you will face punishment,” he took a step closer to me. “Your asylum is granted on the condition that you remain unaffiliated with any clan for this one year. That gives the new leader of your old clan the right to claim you before you officially choose to join another house once the mourning ends.”

“Wait a minute.” Panic welled up inside me. “So we have no real choice at all?”

“There is always a choice.” He studied me carefully. “The final decision lies with the one who sought asylum. Most clan masters will honor that choice.”

“I doubt that will be the case for me,” I huffed bitterly.

I knew Eduardo would never let me stay here. He was determined to take me back to his home, to his bed. Fear of being dragged away and facing his cruel punishments made the urge to run stronger than ever.

For all his good looks, Eduardo could be ruthless when crossed. I was torn: should I wait out the remaining days of the mourning period and risk being handed over to him with the other vampires’ approval? Or flee now and fight to stay free before he caught me?

I struggled to calm my racing mind, my thoughts spinning wildly. Nicholas watched me closely as I walked over to a reading table.

“I know exactly what you’re thinking.” He walked to a shelf, pulled down a thick book and held it out to me.

“I don’t think you do,” I replied sadly.

“You fear he will take you away from here, but he won’t.” His eyes suddenly turned pitch black, and his voice dropped to a low, grave tone. “We are immortals. We’ve lived long enough to find ways to work around the rules — without ever breaking them.”

I stood frozen, the book clutched in my arms, as he turned and left the library quickly. His words, and the quiet resolve in his voice, lingered in my mind. He was certain Eduardo would not succeed in taking me away.

Could he be right? Would I truly be safe within these walls, protected by the very laws that were meant to threaten me?