Without waiting for her answer, he crouched down and pulled her up. His scent instantly wrapped around her, making her hunger pangs even worse.

She pushed him away. “Nothing. Nothing happened.”

He didn’t let go. Instead, he clasped his hands tighter around her arms. “Let me help you. You’re weak.”

“Let me go,” she demanded, knowing she couldn’t resist much longer. She made a jerky movement and was surprised when she broke free of his hold. When he reached for her again, she lashed her hand at him, trying to stop him. Her hand swiped his forearm, but when her nails scraped over his skin, she realized her fingers had turned into sharp claws.

Blood trickled from the two short cuts she’d left on his skin. She stared at them. Blood. His blood. Right there. All she had to do was snatch his arm and pull it to her mouth, just lick it off him.

Her stomach lurched. Of its own volition, her hand reached out. She licked her lips in anticipation of the unexpected treat. Her nostrils flared, soaking in more of the delicious scent, and a deep growl dislodged from her chest. She felt like an animal, but she didn’t care anymore. Her drive for survival was stronger.

Gabriel snatched her wrist before she could touch his arm and made her look at him. Realization flashed in his eyes. He dropped his gaze to the injury on his arm, then back to her.

She was prepared to fight for what she wanted.

“Oh God—it’s my blood you want, isn’t it?” he asked full of disbelief.

Maya only answered with a low growl.

“Come.”

With an iron grip, he dragged her out of the kitchen and down the hall. Would he lock her up now to make sure she didn’t attack him? She couldn’t allow that. She had to fight him.

When he pulled her into the study, she wanted to protest, but her mouth was too dry to speak. She needed his blood, and she needed it now.

A second later she found herself on the couch, sitting in his lap.

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me you wanted my blood?” His voice was furious.

She jerked at his hold, trying to get out of his arms, but he didn’t allow it. “Damn you,” she cursed.

“You stubborn woman. I could have fed you last night. Do you know how much I worried about you?”

Had he said fed her? Did this mean that he was prepared to let her drink from him?

“I need—” She broke off. She couldn’t say it, feeling ashamed to express her need.

“I know what you need.”

He pulled away the collar of his robe and swept back his hair. She hadn’t noticed until now that it wasn’t held back in its usual ponytail. As he exposed his neck to her, she watched him. Did he mean it? Did he want her to feed from him?

***

Gabriel caught Maya’s confused look as he prepared his neck for her. He could let her feed off his wrist or forearm, but he wanted her closer, wanted to feel her body when she latched onto his vein and sucked the blood from him. Call him selfish, but he wanted to experience the pleasure of having her pressed against him when she took his blood inside her.

“Sink your fangs into me,” he ordered and pointed at the vein that he knew was clearly visible under his skin. “Here, I want you right here. And you won’t stop until you’re sated. If you even dare to stop before you’ve had enough, there’ll be hell to pay.”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” she mumbled.

He was astounded that, with the hunger he could clearly see in her eyes, she had any strength left to resist.

“You won’t. Now drink or I’ll make you.” He recognized his own voice as gruff and knew it was because he was already aroused by the mere knowledge that a part of him would soon be inside her.

Maya nudged closer, and finally she dropped her head to his neck. Her plump lips brushed against his skin. He couldn’t suppress the shiver that raced over his body, all the way from the spot where she touched him down to his big toes.

“Bite me, Maya, do it,” he urged her. He’d never wanted anything more than her teeth in his neck.

Gabriel felt her fangs graze his skin and run slowly over his vein, which was ready to burst. Then her mouth opened wider and the sharp tips of her fangs pierced his skin, drove deeper and settled in his neck. When she sucked the first drops of blood from him, he shuddered.

Never in his long life had he experienced anything like it. Yes, she’d fed from him before, but she’d been unconscious and he’d given her blood from his wrist. Her fangs had never lodged within him. There had never been any occasion for anybody to bite his neck—no lover who might have done so in the heat of passion as he knew was common among vampire couples, if not to feed, but to heighten their arousal.