The blood bond was the most sacred communion between a Breedmate and the male she chose as her own. The ultimate intimacy, it was very often a sexual act, and one never entered into lightly. To use a vampire's blood only to further one's longevity and strength was simply not done. Not by anyone Elise knew.
But she couldn't deny that Tegan's observations of her had been the truth.
What he'd said was cruel and crude...and utterly accurate. She was willingly wasting away, which was her prerogative as a widowed Breedmate. But she wanted to have an active part in thwarting the Rogues, and it was foolish of her to think she could do so if she continued on as she was.
Elise glanced at the barren room around her. The white, windowless walls contained no color at all--no pleasing art or photographs, like she'd seen in the rest of the compound. No sofa, no electronic equipment or computers, no books. Nothing of personal expression at all.
Near the far wall stood a tall black cabinet, and a black wooden bench beside it, underneath which was two pairs of large black leather boots, arranged with military precision. There was a large bed in the adjacent room, but even that wasn't particularly inviting. Just gunmetal gray sheets and a coal-colored blanket folded neatly at the foot of the king-sized mattress. Elise had never seen a soldiers' barracks, but she imagined they'd look like this...maybe not this cold and impersonal.
She knew where she was, of course. She'd known where she was heading when she navigated the labyrinth of corridors after removing herself from the embarrassment she'd endured in the Order's control room.
She knew what she was about to do now, but that didn't make her heart skip any less frantically when she heard Tegan's hard gait approaching from outside the open door of his private quarters.
That long-legged stride slowed, then ceased altogether as the air stirred coldly, announcing his arrival. His immense body filled the door frame, muscular arms crossed over his chest, his powerful, denim-clad thighs spread in a battle stance. He didn't speak at first, but there was no need for words when his emerald-green eyes narrowed on her, as sharp as gemstones and as cold as a glacier.
Tegan--
If you're looking for an apology, you can forget it.
Elise held that menacing gaze as she forced herself to approach him. I'm not here for that, she told him, surprised there was no tremor in her voice for the way her pulse was skittering in her veins. I came here to tell you that you were right back there. I do need the strength of a blood bond, but I'm not looking for a mate. I need an uncomplicated arrangement, with someone who isn't going to care what I do, or when I walk away...so I choose you.
Chapter Thirteen
Every smartass, apathetic reply that might have sprung to his lips fled, along with all the blood in his brain. Tegan stood there in the doorway of his private apartments, struck stupid with shock at what he just heard.
He sure as hell never saw this coming.
And although all good sense told him to deny Elise's proposal--shut the goddamn idea down before another second passed--his mouth didn't seem capable of speech. An erotic mental image burned instantly into his mind: Elise's lips pressed against his skin, her sweet pink tongue lapping at him, her mouth drawing deeply from his vein.
He wanted that, he realized in a flash of disbelief.
Wanted it so bad he shuddered with the force of it.
Jesus Christ, he muttered, finding his voice at last. You're insane. And I'm leaving. I only came to grab a few of my things and I'm out of here.
When he stalked forward, meaning to dismiss her and her ludicrous suggestion without another word, Elise moved into his way. He glared down at her, but she didn't so much as flinch under the deadly look that would have withered warriors and Rogues alike.
What are you running from, Tegan? Soft lavender eyes fixed on him in defiant challenge. I'm sure it can't be me scaring you off.
He scoffed at the idea, refusing to let her see how close to the mark she might be. Do you know what you're asking for? If you take my blood, a part of you will be linked to me for as long as I'm alive. It's an unbreakable connection.
I know very well what the blood bond entails. All of it.
Her sudden flush seemed to indicate that she was also aware of the sexual nature of the act. Vampire blood had a highly aphrodisiac quality. In females without the Breedmate mark, the effect was often a rush of fierce desire; in females like Elise, who were capable of bearing Breed offspring, the drinking of Breed blood nearly always sent them into a heated sexual hunger that demanded to be slaked.
I'm not what you're used to, he told her sternly, the only warning he could think of now. Don't think that I'll be gentle with you. I wouldn't show you any mercy.
Her little smile was mocking. I'd hardly expect that you would.
With that, she turned and strode away from him, her spine impeccably erect as she went into his bedroom to await him. Tegan raked his fingers through his hair, knowing he had about two seconds to get a grip on himself and walk away from this certain disaster. Any longer for him to think about it, and he didn't know if he'd have the will to refuse her.
In the adjacent room, he heard the soft clop of Elise's shoes hitting the rug as she took them off. If he thought he could scare her out of going through with this, apparently all he'd done was fortify her resolve. She'd thrown a gauntlet here, and he had never been the kind of male to back down from a challenge.
Even now, when every survival instinct he possessed was clamoring for him to turn tail and run from a situation that had catastrophe written all over it.
Long moments ticked by.
And still she waited.
Tegan growled a dark oath.
Then, with hardly a conscious thought to command it, he brought the door to his apartments closed with the will of his mind and headed for the bedroom after her.