Free HerVampireLover by Anastasia Maltezos Page A

steel and the ceramic tile backsplash set in warm hues gave his kitchen a very pleasant tone. As his living room had, his kitchen décor surprised her. What had she expected? Had she thought he’d be living in a dark and sinister looking home straight out of a horror movie?
    She watched him open his counter-depth refrigerator. Curious, she angled her body to see what it contained. No food. No left overs. No daily staples. Only rows of glass flasks filled with a red liquid. He pulled one out, set two glasses on the center island and filled them. “Here,” he said. “Drink this.”
    “Is it what I think it is?”
    “Yes.”
    She eyed the glass distastefully and grimaced. She couldn’t forget one tiny fact. If she didn’t drink it, she would die. “Okay, bottoms up.” She lifted the glass to her lips. Again, as before, she enjoyed it. “As long as I keep my eyes closed and pretend it’s warm milk with honey, I could get used to it,” she remarked dryly.
    Tobias set his glass down, grasped her shoulders, and gazed down into her face. His eyes were like black jewels, his skin glowing with an ethereal hue, his mouth sensual. His face looked so beautiful, Cat stifled a gasp.
    “Cat, I’m sorry for what you have gone through. If I could have spared you any of this anguish, I would have.”
    “I know.”
    “Being a vampire isn’t all that bad. It’s not all doom and gloom. Yes, we have to be cautious with threats like the Grangers, the sun, lack of daily feedings, but there are wonders we can never see as a human.”
    “Like what?” She laughed, but it sounded strained and hollow. “Do you know what I realized driving here? I’ll never lie on a beach again for the rest of my life. I’ll never get a tan.” A sense of hysteria bubbled over her. “I’ll never feel the heat of the sun on my face or…or have a glass of champagne like I always do after I finish a book.”
    He placed his fingers under her chin and lifted her face. “There’s beauty in the night. Come. Let me show you.” Slowly, he bent his head and kissed her on the mouth. It wasn’t an earth shattering kiss that left her breathless, but a warm kiss that comforted her, and she welcomed it.
    He took her hand and led her to a small hallway. He opened a door and they climbed a narrow stairwell. At the top, he opened yet another door that led outside to the roof top terrace decked with lawn chairs, a table, flowers, and plants.
    She gave him a questioning look.
    He shrugged. “I try to keep my life as normal as possible. I like to come out here at night when the stars are out and think. I find the night peaceful.”
    Still holding her hand, he led her to the edge of the rooftop. Cat jerked back. “What are you doing?”
    “I want to show you the beauty of being a vampire, the beauty of the night.”
    She looked down over the edge of the roof and her stomach somersaulted. This wasn’t beautiful. This was downright dangerous . They could fall. Vampires couldn’t survive a twenty-story plunge? Could they?
    “Uhh…just so you know, I’m deathly afraid of heights.”
    Tobias chuckled softly and held her firmly around her waist.
    “Not anymore, my love.”
    With one swift move, he vaulted over the edge of the roof and sailed through the sky with her in his arms. Cat screamed at the top of her lungs.
    “You’re safe with me,” he said in her ear.
    Her scream stuck in her throat as she stared at his handsome profile. Before she could say a word or scream again, they landed on the rooftop of another high rise. “You fly?” she croaked.
    “Not exactly. I leap over tall buildings in a single bound.”
    “So you’re faster than a speeding bullet?” Oh, my God, she was falling in love with Superman . Her thought stilled her. She was falling in love with him.
    “In a manner of speaking, yes. And so can you.”
    She gasped. “I can fly?”
    “Not yet, but soon enough. It will take time to fully acquire all your gifts.” He held her tight