Maya shifted in his lap and instantly made him aware of the tightness in his pants. Merely by holding her in his arms, he’d gotten hard. He cursed himself for his inappropriate response. The last thing this woman needed right now was a horny vampire. And damn, was he horny.

He took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on getting his erection down, but with the air he sucked in her sweet scent. It nearly undid him. Her essence was pure and tempting. With a sigh, he buried his hand in her hair and gave himself over to his body’s wants. Just for a moment, he would allow himself to feel before he had to bury his desires in the deep recesses of his heart.

Whether he tilted her head up to him, or whether she did it herself, he didn’t know. But when her face was opposite his and her big tear-soaked eyes looked at him, time stood still. He saw a flicker of red in them and knew that her vampire side had taken hold. And then he saw the passion within her, the wonder in her eyes. The moment her lips parted, he was lost.

Without haste, Gabriel brushed his lips against hers, expecting her to pull back at the last minute. Instead, she accepted his lips, even nibbled on them. He did nothing to force her, only held still to savor the softness of her mouth. When he felt her tongue slide over his upper lip, he slanted his mouth and took charge.

He knew he wasn’t the best kisser in the world. He sure hadn’t had much experience—prostitutes in general didn’t kiss much, and most other women had shied away from him, repulsed by his face. But with this kiss he watched carefully for her body’s cues, hoping she would guide him to do what she liked.

Maya’s lips parted wider, and he took it as an invitation to explore her with his tongue. Slowly he slid into her mouth, tested and stroked. A soft sigh told him she approved, and he did it again, stroked his tongue against hers. Her taste was even sweeter than her scent.

Wanting more of her, he pulled her closer and deepened his kiss. When he felt her hands on his neck and in his hair, he knew she wanted more too. He’d never had a woman respond to him with such passion. His heart beat faster, and he felt the rush of blood pump through his veins.

Maya kissed him with such enthusiasm, he wondered whether he’d read her initial reaction to him correctly. Had she really looked at him with horror in her eyes? Was this kiss merely her way of dealing with the news she’d been dealt? And even if that was true, why shouldn’t he allow himself to savor these few moments of joy. Relish them even as he accepted that more was never going to happen, that this was all she’d ever give him?

Realizing that this could be the only time he would taste her, he ravished her mouth with the fervor of an invading barbarian. If he’d expected her to pull back, he would have been disappointed, because she matched his ferociousness with her own. Her tongue dueled with his, alternatively stroking against him, then withdrawing so he would come after her. By God, the woman could kiss. Only now did he truly realize what he’d missed out on all his life.

She was like fire in his arms, sizzling, burning, consuming. Nothing else compared. He’d never imagined he’d meet a woman with so much passion inside her. A passion she seemed more than willing to share with him.

He wanted this, wanted her more than he’d ever wanted anything else in his life. Even more than he’d wanted Jane so many years ago—and that shocked him. He pressed her closer to him, and had she been human, he could have easily crushed her the way he held her tight. Too late he noticed a change in her. Gabriel pulled away just as she pushed against him to free herself.

Then he tasted his own blood on his lips.

Maya had bitten him.

Six

Maya stared at the blood on Gabriel’s lip, and all she could think of was to lick it off him and swallow it. The scent of his blood assaulted her senses, and she recognized irrevocably that she was thirsty—thirsty for blood. While she’d never been squeamish when it came to blood—as a doctor she certainly couldn’t afford that luxury—she’d never liked the smell of it, let alone felt the kind of inexplicable craving she felt for Gabriel’s blood.

Confused, Maya scrambled off his lap.

She couldn’t explain why she’d kissed him, kissed the very man who’d scared her when she’d first seen him, whose disfiguration had repulsed her. When she looked at him now, however, she felt no disgust. Only a deep attraction to him.

Gabriel stood and looked at her with an unreadable expression on his face. “Maya, I’m …” There was regret in his voice, or was it shame?

She stepped back and turned away from him before she could jump him and take his blood. She wanted to ask him so many questions, but in her present state she couldn’t guarantee she could keep her hands off him. And all her fragile ego needed right now was another embarrassing situation like the one that had just happened. “It was my fault. It won’t happen again.” All he’d done was comfort her, and she’d bitten him in the process. How ungrateful was that?