Free Blood Enchanted (Blood Enchanted, Book 1): A Vampire Hunter Paranormal Romance Series by Nicola Claire Page B

I could stop myself, "My friends call me Ellie."
    Oh, heavenly light show. His eyes blazed the crispest, clearest ice-blue I'd ever seen, silver rimming his irises.
    "Are we to be friends then, Ellie?" he asked, voice a seductive vampire purr.
    I chuckled. Heard it all before.
    "I keep my friends close..."
    "And your enemies closer."
    A short nod of my head was the only confirmation he received.
    "Now if you won't hand over my brother, it's time for you to go."
    "How do you plan to get him back?"
    He asked the most ridiculously naive questions. It was almost comical to hear what would come out of his mouth. But then I saw his eyes dart down to my Sigillum and I sighed internally at my faux pas. He knew I wouldn't answer. But my mark? That was a whole other thing.
    This clever vampire was sure to know every hue I'd ever flashed and what it meant. Possibly because he'd studied Luc and his Sigillum , but our shades are not exact replicas. So if he was using Luc's colour changes as a basis for understanding mine, then the magenta and electric blue he was seeing right now would not mean anger and incredulity, but something else.
    I sifted through Luc's Sigillum colours in my mind and a small smile tipped up the edges of my lips. Oh, this was too good, I could only hope my guess was right.
    Magenta and electric blue for Luc meant he was bored and extremely tired.
    My eyes met the amused silver and blue of Hakan's. We studied each other for a second or two, then he took a step away from the wall. The first real threatening move he'd made since he’d arrived, and even then that wasn't quite right. Unless you call the anticipation and desire I saw in his features a threat. Which I guess you could and should. But that damn gut deep feeling kept telling me this vampire meant me no harm.
    Which made no sense at all.
    I struggled with what my brain and upbringing was telling me, mixed with what my new talent was making me feel, but kept getting more and more confused inside. Sky blue would be the most predominant colour on my arm right now. Still, I lifted my stake in warning, only to receive a typical vampire growl of appreciation in reply.
    He stopped two feet away. I realised my back had hit the doorway to my bedroom. His eyes lifted to look over my shoulder briefly, clearly acquainting himself with my personal space. But they were back on me in an instant, hunger and need evident in their intent gaze.
    "I cannot leave," he managed to say, voice low and uneven, fangs glinting at the edges of his lips.
    "What do you mean, you cannot leave?"
    "I used a spell to enter your home undetected. An ancient Persian spell that requires the shedding of blood to break. Without which I literally cannot be forced past your wards."
    "That's ridiculous. I've never heard of any such spell. And you already shed blood when my stake broke your skin."
    His head shook. "Not my blood. Yours."
    Oh, for crying out loud.
    "Nah-ah. Nice try. Now, get the fuck out!" I knew it wouldn't work, I hadn't invited him in to begin with, but I had to try. So I added, "I rescind your invitation."
    Nothing.
    Zip.
    Just a strained silence, full of echoes and shadows, as though the old vampire invitation spell was trying to work but we couldn't see it or hear it, at all. As though it existed outside of this realm and was doing its thing somewhere else.
    "Any other ideas?" he asked casually. "Because all it would take is one small taste of your blood and I would be gone."
    I stared at him. He was mad. A bubble of incredulous laughter spilled out of my mouth.
    "How gullible do you think I am?" I asked, shaking my head in disbelief.
    "Very well," he replied, and then proceeded to sink down to the floor and make himself comfortable.
    "What are you doing?"
    "Waiting for you to fall asleep and then breaking the spell."
    I sucked in a sharp breath. Not going to happen.
    But I was tired. That Light attack I'd used on Alain had drained me dry, only adrenaline had allowed me to continue