Free Bite by Deborah Castellano Page B

what I would find.
    Every county in the country had a council and each county had at least three parties – each divided as evenly as possible between humans and vampires – depending on the size of the county. Our council had five members and I recognised them immediately when we arrived to Suite 3. Alexa, Rene, Veronica, Adam and Ronin, all seated behind the table.
    I smoothed down my dress and took a deep breath I didn’t need. ‘Hello, I’m here to turn my husband into a vampire and I think I need a drink.’ I glared balefully, feeling Travis’s foot digging into mine. What? It was true.
    I heard someone try to stifle a laugh. ‘Of course, of course. What would you like?’
    â€˜Grey Goose?’ I asked hopefully. One of the assistants scurried to bring me a martini glass.
    â€˜I see here your wife is a vegetarian, Travis, so she doesn’t make the change when she eats. But you’ve been married long enough that I’m sure you’ve irritated her enough a few times to see it,’ the voice continued jovially. ‘So there’s nothing to be alarmed about. However, of course, it will be your natural human impulse to panic when she decides it’s time to feed off you. But when the procedure is done naturally, your endorphins will be high enough that this will be a tolerable level of pain. We are going to take enough of her blood that she gets hungry enough to make the change. Naturally, her behaviour may be different than it usually is in this state. Again, please don’t be alarmed – as soon as she has enough blood in her system, she’ll return to her usual self. Any questions?’
    â€˜No,’ Travis said quietly. ‘I’m ready.’
    â€˜Are you sure you want to do this?’ I asked him. ‘There’s no going back after now.’
    â€˜I love you, I’m more sure of this than anything.’
    â€˜Travis,’ I tried to swallow my gasping breaths. ‘I’m … going to be different than I usually am and I’m scared that you won’t –’
    He put his hands on my face until we were nose to nose. ‘I love all of you. I mean it, Libby.’
    â€˜I love you too,’ I gasped out. He kissed the top of my head and headed over to the bed area and I could hear him humming (You’re) Having My Baby under his breath.
    I sat down and let them take my blood. I ran my other hand over my face, touching the unfamiliar-familiar feline features. I never let myself get hungry like this, I knew better than that. But now I could eat an entire side of beef … or an entire human? I couldn’t even tell any more. I absent-mindedly pulled the needles out of my arm and stood up, sniffing the air. I could smell him, all his usual yummy Travis smells that I always loved, but layered over with something I wasn’t familiar with. He smelled like the most delicious meal I ever could imagine and I was starved for it. My usual practical thoughts and worries faded more and more to the background of my brain. All I could think about was seducing him and making him desperate enough for me that he would get careless, as prey sometimes does, and he would bare himself to me.
    I could see him sitting on the edge of the bed, watching me. I took down my hair as I walked over to where he was, hips swaying. I rolled my body over his, pushing him down. ‘Hey, beautiful,’ he said, touching my face. Distantly, I knew he was excited to get to touch my face like this because it was the first time I’d let him. Not due to shame, just due to the fact that it wasn’t safe.
    This close, his smell was maddening and I just wanted to roll in it. I tried to bide my time, contenting myself with rubbing my face across his body. In this state, he smelled like everything I loved – chocolate, cloves, leather, pomegranates. I soon got lost in all the lovely smells and quickly forgot about the five people quietly