"What did you say?" Lucian murmured hoarsely.

The golden glow of his eyes rapidly switched from satiated appetite to swirling black pools. I gasped in unconcealed alarm at the hunger in their depths.

My hands cupping his beloved face trembled and I took a hesitant step back. But he was too quick.

In a flurry of surefire movements I found myself rushed and crowded up against a wall. His arms slammed into the wall on either side of me. The plaster cracked and crumbled into dust onto the floor. He refrained from touching me. The tiniest gap of a hairs breath kept his solid frame from bruising onto me.

But this restraint cost him. His eyes took on a darker hue of ebony that reached out drawing me, his prey, to fall endlessly down into its hidden depths.

I was lost in all that was him only a moment later.

And still he did not touch me. His lips neared mine only to hover over mine. Never reaching out to close the gap between us. I saw his struggle clear in his eyes. But I didn't know his conflicts. Why didn't he close the distance? Why didn't he take my offered lips?

I stared at the array of emotions that sprang across his beautiful face and drew not a breath to distract him. I have only ever been this close to him when he fed off me. His proximity intoxicated. Mesmerised me into longing for more.

"I love you, " I breathed out shakily. A sound barely above whisper. A whisper that blew over his lush lips.

His hand moved beside my head to slam into the wall again. Then a fleeting cold rushed across my lips.

With a sharp intake of air my breath caught.

The sensation was as brief as it was potent. Rocking my world so that my lids shut close and I was transported.

The silent stillness in the room warning enough that I was now alone. So I took my time from emerging from that poor excuse for a kiss that all but blew my mind. But I couldn't cling to the sensations forever. Slowly they seeped out of me and I found myself unable to hide in the bliss anymore.

My eyes flickered open to the empty apartment. They drifted instantly to the door searchingly. The door was shut. Slammed into the wall shut. I saw pieces of metal stuck into the crevice jamming the door into place.

All that had happened whilst I remained unawares.

I shook my head still a little disorientated. Then my natural thought process kicked back into gear. I found myself frowning at the door.

How was I going to get out of my apartment?

With a sigh I turned away and walked feebly back to my room. Climbing into my bed I tugged the coverings over me and gave myself up to much needed sleep.