Nora's POV
"I'm starting to pick up on that," James drawls from behind me. Every nerve ending along my spine comes alive, but it has nothing to do with danger. There's something magnetic about this vampire that I can't quite shake off. My gaze travels over his frame, and I tell myself I'm assessing potential threats, not admiring the view.
When my eyes drift down and linger on the obvious bulge straining against his jeans, I convince myself that's purely tactical observation too.
Our eyes lock, and I realize he's been conducting his own visual inspection. The difference is, his predatory stare makes it clear he's genuinely evaluating me as prey.
"What, never encountered a witch before?" I shoot back, planting my hand firmly on my hip in challenge.
"Actually, I have." He looms over me, easily clearing six feet with muscles that strain against his fitted shirt. I find myself wondering what kind of life he lived before becoming one of the undead. "Even fed from one. But you," he moves closer and draws in a slow breath, "you don't carry the same scent as other witches I've encountered."
I let out an exaggerated sigh. "If you're about to launch into some speech about my blood being irresistible and special, don't bother. I'm not some starry-eyed teenager from a paranormal romance. I'll end you before those fangs can fully extend."
James's mouth curves into a menacing smile, revealing two wickedly sharp fangs that gleam under the office lighting. The blonde girl behind me lets out a frightened whimper. "Is that so?"
My knees wobble slightly, but I hold my ground. "I can absolutely still end you."
James glances past me toward the female vampire. "Are you finished with her?"
"Nearly done," she responds, rising from her crouch and snapping the medical kit closed. "What's our plan for her memories?"
"Leave that to me," James states firmly.
"Over my dead body," I snap, magical energy crackling visibly around my fingertips. The female vampire freezes mid-step and retreats against the wall.
James whips around to face me with supernatural speed, suddenly filling my entire field of vision as he towers above me. He leans down until I can feel his breath, and I force myself to maintain steady breathing despite my racing pulse.
I can take him. Probably. Maybe. If I weren't currently intoxicated and caught off guard. The power radiating from him feels ancient and overwhelming, making part of me want to flee while another part wants to reach out and test the depths of that darkness.
"I can't exactly have her spreading stories about vampire attacks in my establishment. Plus she's witnessed your magical abilities. Don't witches prefer operating in secrecy, hiding from human awareness?"
He makes a valid point, and the recent vampire reveal has every coven walking on eggshells. "I'm perfectly capable of handling her memory."
James arches one eyebrow skeptically. "I'll be the one deciding that."
I narrow my eyes and flash him a razor-sharp smile. "Watch closely. You might actually learn something useful."
James releases a genuine laugh, clearly entertained by my audacity.
"Right, because a witch barely out of her twenties could possibly teach me anything."
"What's your name, sweetheart?" I ask the trembling blonde.
"St-Eris," she stammers through chattering teeth.
"Hello, Eris." I offer her a reassuring smile. "I'm Nora."
"You rescued me from that thing."
I kneel beside her chair and gently take her hand in mine. "Yes, I did."
"Thank you so much."
"You're very welcome." I wrap my fingers around her wrist, feeling her rapid heartbeat against my fingertip. One, two, three steady pulses. "Were you enjoying yourself before that walking corpse attacked you?"
"Yes, definitely. I'm here celebrating with my friends. It's Rosalie's birthday party."
"You should get back to celebrating with them," I murmur, weaving my magic carefully through her consciousness. "And you absolutely will. You took a nasty fall and got injured. You're fortunate the cut wasn't deeper. Clean it properly tomorrow and it'll heal perfectly."
She nods as her eyes take on a glassy, distant quality. "Right, it'll heal fine. It doesn't even sting anymore."
"Exactly. No pain whatsoever." I release her hand and stand, extending my arm to help her up. "Go have fun now." She nods repeatedly and moves toward the door. James blocks her path, staring at me like I've lost my mind.
Which is entirely possible.
"All you did was have a casual conversation with her." He stretches his arm across the doorway, preventing Eris's exit.
"Check for yourself," I challenge, though my head is spinning dangerously. Memory manipulation requires intense magical focus, and alcohol definitely isn't helping my concentration.
James approaches Eris and gently lifts her chin. She shivers under his touch, and I imagine most of his victims react similarly to his dark magnetism. Several tense seconds pass as he stares directly into her eyes, holding her completely transfixed.
"Where are you headed?" he questions her.
"Back to join my friends," she responds in a flat, emotionless tone.
"How exactly did you injure your neck?"
"My neck?" She blinks in confusion and touches the bandage covering her wound. "Oh yes, that. Someone spilled their drink and I slipped on the broken glass. I'm lucky the cut wasn't deeper. I'll clean it properly tomorrow."
James maintains his hypnotic hold for another long moment before releasing her. She exits his office looking slightly disoriented but otherwise normal.
"How did you accomplish that?" he demands.
I cross my arms and smirk triumphantly. "So the barely-twenty-something witch did manage to teach the big scary vampire something new?"
Fury flashes across his features as he moves with inhuman speed to where I'm standing. His fingers close around my throat, his thumb pressing dangerously against my jugular. The sudden movement makes me lose my balance, and I start falling backward. My heart hammers against my ribs, but I refuse to let him see my fear.
I slam my palm against his chest and send a surge of raw magical energy through his body. He jerks away, his grip slipping from my neck. My counterattack enrages the female vampire, who begins stalking me with bared fangs.
"Antonia," James growls warningly, never breaking eye contact with me.
Antonia retreats reluctantly, crossing her arms with obvious irritation. James lunges forward again, but when I step back and stumble, he doesn't push me down or let me crash to the floor.
Instead, he catches me.
"Thanks," I mutter, then shake my head and shove him away roughly. "Listen." I massage my temples as a headache builds. This vampire drama is exactly what I don't need tonight. "Keep your vampires from feeding on unwilling victims on your property, and I won't report this incident to the proper authorities."
"How generous of you," James replies with a fake smile that still manages to look devastatingly attractive. "And I won't release security footage showing you acting like a human lightning rod."
I press my lips together, imagining my father's explosive reaction if that footage went public. "Maybe you should go ahead." I tilt my head, picturing the chaos that would follow. The thought actually amuses me.
"Something is seriously wrong with this girl," Antonia mutters under her breath, shaking her head in disbelief.
"You know what?" I wave my hand dismissively. "I'm already considered the family black sheep, and that's saying something in my bloodline. I should just go home."
"You're not driving anywhere."
"No, Dad, I'm not. I'll call a rideshare."
"I'll drive you," he offers unexpectedly, making me freeze completely.
"Why would you possibly want to do that?"
He steps closer, locking eyes with me. He can't entrance me like he did Eris, but he has other ways of scrambling my thoughts. His tongue slowly moistens his lips as his gaze travels deliberately down my body and back up.
I blink rapidly, breaking free from the spell that only a man with this much raw sex appeal could cast, and shake my head to clear it.
"I don't live anywhere close by."
"Distance doesn't concern me. More importantly, I refuse to be in debt to a witch. You did me a significant favor by stopping Malcolm from completely draining that girl. Now let me return the favor by getting you home safely."