Stefan (Lost Nights Series Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

up to the left side of my neck where he’d bitten me. “What do you mean? Where? What I saw in the mirror this morning was small. My shirt covered it up so no one would be able to see it.”
    “It isn’t a mark you can see.” Stefan sat on the edge of the table in front of me and gently captured the hand pressed to my neck with both of his. “It is a scent and a kind of aura that only other nightwalkers and some shifters can pick up. It is a warning that if they should harm you, they will incur my wrath.”
    “You marked your territory?” I demanded, my voice rising in anger as I jerked my hand from his. Jumping to my feet, I glared down at him, though I wasn’t tall enough to really effectively tower over him. “What the hell! What am I to you? Some piece of choice meat? Were you expecting to come back around for another serving?”
    “After your response last night, I didn’t think you’d be opposed to me returning to doorstep,” he said with a sneer.
    My mouth hung open on a gasp as I tried to think of a good way that would allow me to deny such accusations that weren’t an outright lie and save face a bit. I really wasn’t coming up with anything.
    Stefan rose so that he could easily tower over me. “Please sit. And I’d close your mouth or I will find a better use for it.”
    My mouth with a click of my teeth and I flopped back on the sofa, my cheeks feeling as if they were on fire. Yeah, I was handling all of this real well. With my arms folded across my chest, I scowled at the vampire as he returned to his seat on the edge of the table. We sat glaring at each other for several seconds, waiting for calm, rational thought to return.
    “My mark was meant as protection. It was meant as a gift of gratitude,” Stefan said stiffly, still glaring down his aquiline nose at me. “Last night, you offered me shelter from the storm and gave me sustenance. You were also… different.” Stefan paused and his glare became a frown, but it wasn’t at me. I think he was frowning at himself as he carefully chose his words. “I’ve lived a very long time and it has not been often in my lifetime that I’ve encountered different. I counted that as I gift and I wanted to show my appreciation.”
    All the heat and anger had left my fame and I stared at him in surprise. It wasn’t every day that a very old creature told you that you were unique. “Why didn’t you tell me in the note?”
    “Because I didn’t think it was necessary. If you had heeded my warning and stayed indoors after sunset, it would have been highly unlikely that any nightwalker noticed you and the mark.”
    I groaned and closed my eyes, cursing myself. I should have been paying more attention to the time rather than getting consumed with my work. Seven years had passed since the announcement that vampires really did exist. I had spent most of my life running around at night and felt totally safe with it. Seven years wasn’t enough time to adjust to the knowledge that I couldn’t leave my home after dark, even with all the horror stories filling the news each day.
    “And my carelessness has created problems for you,” I murmured.
    “I am sure it wasn’t intentional.”
    “It wasn’t,” I said, lifting my gaze back to his face. “But I don’t understand why other vampires think I was flaunting your protection? And why would they care?”
    Stefan’s brow furrowed as his gaze darted about the apartment, searching for something. When an idea finally came to him, he grinned at me, looking quite pleased with himself. “If you are hungry and you see a… a….”
    “A cheesecake,” I supplied.
    “A cheesecake?” Stefan wrinkled his nose as he slowly repeated the word. “I don’t know this. You would eat a pastry made entirely of cheese?”
    His confusion suddenly made me want to kiss this man, he was so adorable. I restrained myself, somehow. “It’s not what it sounds like. It’s amazing.”
    “Anyway… You are hungry and you see