Huffing noisily, I returned to my chopping board and my drink. I gulped the last of the alcohol, hoping it would relax me. Jonah was back by my side; whether it was out of duty or through choice, I didn’t know and I didn’t care.
I took my frustration out on the tomato and Jonah raised his right eyebrow in response. “Your attempt on that tomato’s life might mean more if it weren’t, well, just a tomato…” he said.
I continued chopping. I tried to block him out and let my mind wander. I wanted to see if I could feel Gabriel’s presence, see if he was anywhere near our private tunnel. He wasn’t.
“Gabriel seems to think you are at the epicenter of everyone’s interest. You want to tell me why that is?” he asked, refilling both our glasses, stubbing the remains of his cigarette out and lighting another immediately.
Chucking the greens into the bowl, I maintained the silence. A few minutes passed and he was refilling his tumbler once again.
I nodded toward his glass. “Ruadhan tells me alcohol has a far greater effect on Vampires?” I asked him with raised eyebrows.
He flicked his collar up as he jumped up onto the work surface.
“Careful of my tomatoes!” I couldn’t help stifle a giggle as he nearly sat straight on top of one.
“That’s better! Half a smile! You know the evening will pass quicker if you chill out a bit.”
I thought about that for a moment. He was right. Counting the seconds wouldn’t make them go any faster.
“I work in a bar uptown, I can hold my liquor. Looks like you need an induction though—your pupils are all lovely and dilated!” Jonah said.
I shrugged at him. “I only drink sometimes to sleep,” I said. “I almost don’t even dream.…”
“What’s wrong with dreaming?” Jonah asked. “I miss it. We don’t sleep.” He filled me in on more Vampire particulars.
“My dreams would make even your hairs stand on end.”
His lighthearted expression turned to concern. Stubbing out his cigarette, he exhaled the last bit of smoke from his lungs. “What are you, Cessie? I know you’re not human. I’ve watched you, you look at things as though it’s the first time you have seen them. And your eyes … Has Gabriel seen those eyes?”
I wasn’t sure what he meant.
“You really should get another hobby, something other than stalking me.”
He paused, refusing me a reaction. “I tasted you. Your blood is bitter but tinged in sweetness at the same time. You’re some sort of living, breathing contradiction.”
I didn’t answer. The alcohol was doing a fantastic job of numbing me, and I let his inquiries pass me by. I didn’t owe him an explanation, even if I had one to offer. And what Gabriel did and did not know about me was none of his business.
“Who are you?” he persisted.
“Cessie.”
“And who is Cessie?” he said.
“I don’t know, Jonah! I don’t know!”
Tears of frustration started to well in my eyes, but I pushed them back. I was still no closer to understanding what had caused them to be bloodied when I had shed a tear on the patio.
“Hey, hey.” Jonah took my hand and I snatched it back and continued chopping the tomato aggressively.
“It really will all be okay.” His tone lowered as he purred the words.
I refused to meet his eyes. I could feel them boring straight through me.
Would it be okay? I wasn’t so optimistic. How could I be sure of anything when I knew so little?
“Cessie…” He reached for my hand again as I scattered the chopped tomato into the bowl. He caught it, holding it tight, and I felt comforted for a moment.
He guided me in between his legs, which dangled over the counter. “You are unique, Cessie. Clearly everyone thinks so, and I don’t disagree.”
I hadn’t seen this side of him before.
“Thanks … I think.” I bowed my head, not wanting to meet his gaze.
He brushed the loose hair away from my eyes and gathered all my long strands over my shoulder. He fingered my wrist and, slipping off the elastic band, he bent down and tied my hair into a side pony.
As he leaned in, he purposefully brushed my cheek and a surge of electricity ran up the length of my body. My heart belonged to Gabriel, I knew it always had. Yet Jonah only had to touch me, ever so slightly, and my body practically convulsed, willing him to put his hands to better use.
“There you go, beautiful,” he said.
I flicked my gaze up to his own and he grinned naughtily, winking at me.
Sighing, I stepped out from between his parted legs and moved back to the chopping board. The vodka was kicking in, as if I needed it. Jonah’s company seemed to have the same effect on me that the hard liquor did.
I picked up another tomato and positioned it centrally on the wooden chopping board. Jonah jumped down off the counter and stood behind me. “Your buttons are undone.”
His hand moved up my back and glided across the nape of my neck. I lost my concentration and sliced deeply into my finger, only managing to graze the tomato.
“Arrgh!” The blood flowed instantly from the split in my skin.
I spun around to locate a towel, but found Jonah toe-to-toe with me instead. His pupils were twice the size that they had been a minute ago and I knew it wasn’t the alcohol.
He knelt down, his eyes fixated on my own.
Softly at first, he molded his lips around my fingertip, then gradually moved his mouth and tongue down the length of my finger. Rooted to the spot, I didn’t even blink; in fact, I think I actually stopped breathing as I watched his eyes begin to burn. He didn’t take his gaze away from me as he swirled his tongue and lapped up my blood.
As I watched him, excitement stirred inside me. So when he shifted his entire hardened body against my own, I didn’t push him away.
Finally he withdrew, my fingertip lingering at his lower lip.
Engrossed, I surveyed him as he observed the tear begin to heal itself, magically gluing back together. He said nothing. Instead he slid his fingers in between my own, squeezing them so that they were clamped together.
Leaning in until the tip of his nose touched mine, his orbs flicked between hazel and red and his face glowed a little; it was a diluted version of the being I had saved that fateful night.
I remained perfectly still, unwilling to concede first, searching his eyes. He held me there suspended; he was calling the shots and I let him. Our bodies could barely be any closer, as if I were a magnet drawing him toward me.