Free Only Vampires Cry Blood by Trina M Lee

spooked animal.
    I watched him come towards me, and the butterflies in my stomach set to flight. The power coiled inside my core reacted to my fear, growing to fill me with a warm glow that quickly grew hot. I struggled against the urge to tap it.
    “Just tell me what you want, Harley. I don't have a lot of room to negotiate. Make it reasonable.”
    Just as I was about to take a step back, toward the door, he came to a stop. “Why are you so skittish? You're a predator for crying out loud.”
    I was surprised by his scolding tone. I'd have thought that Harley would prefer me to act like prey, unless it was testing his control. He was right though. I detested being treated like prey. I had no reason to be afraid of him. I think more than anything, I feared what he would want from me. There had been a time when he'd begged Arys for me, claiming that I was something that Arys owed him. My spine crawled with what felt like the slither of a snake. I could still hear his desperate plea ringing in my ears.
    “Maybe I should just go.” Ignoring the ready energy inside me, I followed the instinct of my wolf and spun on my heel.
    “Wait!” His hand shot out before I'd taken a full step, grasping my forearm. The urge to lash out at him with a fiery blast was almost too much. Whirling to face him, I was shocked to see the satisfied smirk that he wore. “Now that's more like it. Never forget about the wolf, my dear. It is what gives you the edge no vampire will ever have.”
    “What the hell do you want?” I jerked my arm from his grip, and he let go. I was seething, which was exactly what he wanted. “Tell me what you want, or just forget that I ever came.”
    His smile vanished immediately. With a deadly serious expression, he said, “You know what I want. Let's not play coy. I want you. In whatever way I can have you.”
    Harley's eyes fell to my lips and curling his fingers ever so slightly, he pulled the angry energy I was giving off into him. “I knew you'd be back.”
    The psychic touch felt physical, as if he was running his fingertips along my skin.
    We were nowhere near touching, yet I could feel him all over me when I focused, all around, inviting me to play. Everything but my common sense wanted to respond in full.
    Yeah, this was exactly why I needed control, but was it possible to find it with someone like him?
    His cryptic words set me on edge. I didn't like that he was so certain I would come back. What was he really expecting from me? When I didn't respond or walk away, he boldly stepped closer. The power emanating from him felt divine.
    Memories that belonged to Arys ran through my mind, a blurry jumble of images I'd obtained the first time our power joined. Because of them, I already knew what it would feel like to touch Harley the way I suddenly wanted to. I also knew that this was a test of my own strength, one I had to pass.
    “Whatever way you can have me … what is that really supposed to mean?” I curled my hands into fists so that my lengthening claws dug into my flesh. The sheer force it took to hold back the power seeking to control my actions was tearing me apart. My four fangs filled my mouth, and I growled. This was too much.
    Harley's eyes widened, a gleam in their depths. “Don't you just want to give in sometimes? To see what it's like to stop fighting it?”

    “No,” I snarled the one word, backing away until my back hit the doorframe.
    “Alright.” He cocked his head to the side, watching me with hawk-like intensity.
    “Here's the bottom line. Body, blood or power. That's what I want from you. It's your choice which you feel most comfortable bargaining with.” I shook my head, unable to believe what I was hearing. He wasn't finished though. “I want to explore you in every physical and metaphysical way possible. Anything you offer, I'm going to accept. So think about it. Carefully.”
    I gaped at him, utterly tongue-tied. I most definitely was not sleeping with Harley so he could