If Vail didn’t know better, he might have thought Victoria actually [i]enjoyed[/i] being his prey. Though her lithe body still trembled, she didn’t act like she was afraid of what was to come. In fact, she almost seemed giddy with anticipation. Her giggle and moan didn’t escape his ears either, making him wonder if she really did like being pinned down and forced to accept that he would be using her to feed. It was a strange thought, since he’d never encountered the likes of a woman such as her before, but if it was true, it would certainly make his job a lot easier. He quite liked having a Lady beneath him who didn’t kick and scream or even lay limply after succumbing to his pheromones.

Even when he finally bit her, she only flinched a bit. This pleased him, since he was able to fully enjoy the sensation of drinking up her rich blood without worrying about holding her down. He swept his tongue over her waist, collecting the viscous liquid as it flowed steadily from the wound. Just like last time, he could feel it rejuvenate him right away, perhaps even more so since he wasn’t famished at the start. It was almost overwhelming how quickly her essence spread throughout his body, just like a strong liqueur. He shuddered involuntarily as the feeling sent a thrill up his spine. Whatever consequences he had brought upon himself by striking this deal with her were worth it. He was sure of that now. As long as he could continue to feast on her blood, he would take the rest in stride.

After a few minutes, the trickle began to slow as Victoria’s body commenced the healing process. Vail lapped up just a few more mouthfuls before he finally forced himself to pull away. He couldn’t get much more without straining the Lady’s injury to force it to bleed again, and he really didn’t need to do that, since he’d had enough to satisfy his craving. Now that he knew he could have her whenever he wanted, he didn’t feel the urgent desire to drink as much as he could either. If he desired to feed on her again, all he had to do was seek her out, and she couldn’t say no. It was, perhaps, the best trade he’d ever made.

Having finished what he came for, Vail’s eyes drifted to the door. Normally, this was the point in which he would return to the Hygrace manor and leave his victim behind. However, with the protective shelter of the summer house and the level of comfort that had formed between him and Victoria, he didn’t feel the need to hurry off into the night. It wasn’t like anyone was expecting him back home anyway. He’d left without saying a word to his family, so no one would even know he’d been gone unless he didn’t return by morning, and he had no intention of staying out that long.

He looked back at Victoria. She had been offended the last time he’d preyed on her and walked away, and she [i]was[/i] going out of her way to hold up her end of their deal. He supposed he could treat her with some respect in return.

Shifting on the chaise lounge, Vail leaned his shoulder against the cushioned backrest and rested his hand over her still-exposed midriff to apply a gentle pressure to her open wound. “I must say, I think I’m going to enjoy this [i]secret[/i],” he mused with a poke at how she had referred to herself earlier. “I’ve never tasted any blood like yours before… Why is it so different?”