Lance went through to the restaurant.He took an outside table and sat in the sun to bask.He ordered lunch and ate his locally made venison sausages alone, but his lemon tart with fresh strawberries and Chantilly cream was hand-delivered by Nix with a flourish and a smile.Then Nix sat next to him in the only bit of shade offered by the table umbrella.
“Aren’t you supposed to be working?”Not that he wasn’t glad to see him, but he really should not be encouraging this.Whateverthiswas.
“Lunch break.”
“If it’s lunch, what are you eating?”
Nix looked at him for a moment, his fangs visible, like the answer should be obvious.His tongue traced his lip, and Lance couldn’t even blink.Then the fangs were gone, and Nix glanced at the dessert with a sigh.“Nothing off your plate.You did that deliberately, didn’t you?”
“What, no.I like it.”And he’d been able to indulge freely while he’d been on his own.At home, he was expected to live like a vampire, which meant mostly meat and low vitamin C fruits and vegetables—most of the blooded vampires didn’t bother with vegetables at all.
“Hmm.Enjoy it while you can.”
“Is it bad, after?”Lance picked up a strawberry and ate it.It was sweet and juicy and perfect.He wouldn’t mind giving them up; it was a small price to pay for the power of being a full vampire.
Nix watched the berry from plate to lips.He leaned a little closer and whispered in Lance’s ear.“I want to rip your throat out.”
The sensual tone was at odds with the edge of the words.But that was Nix.He was a razor-sharp blade in a pretty sheath that almost made him safe to handle.
Lance’s heart kicked over, but not with fear.His body responded to the closeness.The way Nix’s hand was now on his thigh and his breath was on Lance’s cheek.He cleared his throat and concentrated on his dessert.“That’s a bit harsh for the crime of eating berries.”
“That’s how bad it is.”His voice was still low, silky and warm like a good scotch.“I miss them so much, more than the sun.I did it once…” He shook his head and drew back.“It’s not something you do twice.”His hand remained on Lance’s thigh.“Did you come to check up on me, or could you not stay away?”He grinned, and Lance glimpsed the tips of fangs.
Nix wasn’t ready to fight…which meant they were down for another reason.How much control did he have over his extra teeth?
Lance picked up the last strawberry.“Maybe both.”
He shouldn’t be admitting he found Nix attractive, but Nix wasn’t being cautious.It was as if he no longer cared.And what did Nix have left to lose?Lance couldn’t think of anything beyond his life, and that was already forfeit.If not in two weeks, then soon after.He couldn’t run forever.
“Don’t play with it.Eat it.”Nix inched closer, his voice low and hungry.
Lance matched his tone.“So you have an excuse to kill me?”
Around them, diners were laughing and drinking, oblivious to the murderous talk and sensual game happening nearby.
“So I have an excuse to kiss you and taste the berry.”Nix’s lips parted.He watched and waited, holding Lance’s gaze.But there was no glimmer of sun on water in his eyes.Nix wasn’t trying to ensorcell him; he wanted Lance to play freely.
Lance wasn’t the hunter this time.The cat had been trapped by the mouse, and he didn’t want to get free.He brought the strawberry to his mouth and bit into it.It was too ripe the sweetness had started to turn.He’d barely swallowed when Nix closed the last few inches to claim the kiss.
His lips moved softly over Lance’s, and while Lance should have pushed Nix away, he didn’t.Couldn’t.He leaned into the kiss.Felt the sharp touch of fangs on his lip—a sure sign that Nix was enjoying this.But the fangs didn’t press into his lip the way he wanted, as if he were a ripe strawberry.
“Mmm.Better than I remember.”Nix remained close as though he wasn’t quite done.“But I really do want to sink my teeth into you.”
“I’ve only been bitten once.”The almost healed mark on his thumb pulsed.He took another kiss, almost expecting Nix to be the one pushing away and laughing as he twisted the game again.
“Once?”Nix tilted his head.“Last night?”
“It’s not the done thing before being blooded.”He’d clung to that rule until last night.While he could’ve used a knife to cut himself, he hadn’t wanted either of them holding weapons.It had felt right for Nix to be traditional.
“It should be done properly and far more intimately.”Nix sighed against his lips.“Apologies for making your first bite so boring.”
His heart beat too fast, and his jeans were tight in the wrong places, but he didn’t move because if he did, this moment would shatter like the glass.He drew in a careful breath.“So, make it up to me.”
“Eat the rest of that berry, and I’ll bite you so well, you’ll know exactly why your family doesn’t allow it.”His fangs brushed Lance’s lip in promise.
His family would be furious he was kissing Hadley instead of hauling his body back to Melbourne.A truce was one thing…this was another.
Nix drew back.His blue eyes were dark, and he was smiling.For a moment, there was no edge for Lance to cut himself on.Then, slowly, it reformed as Nix shuttered the lust and pulled up his defences.For those few moments, he’d been allowed inside, and he’d liked that glimpse.
