Chapter 5 THE TEMPTATION

Duran's POV

Her intoxicating smell had drawn my attention, a scent that I had spent the whole first semester trying to avoid. Giving in to such desires as a vampire was a risk to me and the other vampires. Humans weren't meant to know of our existence, but being her scent made me undone in ways I didn't want to.

So when I perceived that distinct scent I knew it was her, I could recognize it from a mile away. What I didn't expect was to meet her half-naked at the back of the Frat house.

I was completely filled with rage seeing her alone like that half naked with three sex-deprived fucking younglings. Blinded by my rage, I didn't know when I just jumped right in front of them, draining them and snapping bones.

My phone ringing snapped me out of my thoughts. I picked up the phone, the screen displaying the name 'Dale'. He was my wingman, friend and most loyal subordinate, so I answered the phone immediately.

"Duran? What the fuck? Where are you?"

From his panicking expression I was moved to check the time, it was 9:00pm already, I was supposed to have a meeting with my father and the barriers of the city were usually dropped by this time.

Fuck! I cursed inwardly. If I hadn't been distracted by her scent and her boy troubles then I wouldn't be running late by now.

"I'm on my way, Dale."

"You said that thirty minutes ago, you had been fucking worried when you didn't pick your phone." He sighed over the phone, definitely frustrated for having to look out for me. "You realize the barrier will be dropped soon right? You could be hurt and you were supposed to meet your father by this time and I hope you do know he could kill me if you're not here."

The word 'father' made me tighten my grip around the steering wheel, my gaze fixated on the road. "I'll be there soon." I mumbled.

"You better fucking be!" He hollered over the phone. I understood his fear, my father wasn't one to be kept waiting or treated with disrespect. He would snap your neck within the blink of an eye without thinking.

"Mommy, Daddy, Juliet, Justin, Letitia…." Kyomi mumbled in her sleep.

"What the fuck is that Duran? Are you with a woman right now? Don't fucking telling me that you're with Chloe Mc…." I cut him off before he could finish.

"I'm in a situation right now, Dale."

"Fuck yeah! You are," he kissed his teeth, irritation masking his voice. "You're busy fucking Chloe Mc…."

"Just shut the fuck up man! And listen, you seem to be forgetting who you're talking to." I yelled. He instantly went quiet. "Now that I have your attention, for start I'm not fucking Chloe McClure, I happened to save one of my students from a terrible incident."

"Since when did the Almighty Duran start saving students?"

I sighed, frustrated by his comment. "It's a human and I'm taking her home."

He suddenly went quiet, over the phone for like a minute.

"Dale? Dale? Are you there?"

"Did you hit your head or something? Why would you bring a human girl home? You know it's against vampire rules." He said, his anger was definitely at the peak by now.

"It just sorta happened…." I got cut off by the next voice I heard.

"Duran Armani!" The husky authoritative voice said from the other end of the phone, I had passed the barrier so I hit the brakes in that instant, the tires screeching loudly. "Did I just correct that you're bringing a human home?"

I hesitated trying to form the words to tell my father, it was better admitting it than denying it because it would only complicate issues more than it already was. "Yes father."

"You get here and report back to me immediately." He said, his voice authoritative and devoid of emotions.

"Yes…." The phone call ended before I could respond.

Fuck!

I drove as fast as I could to my penthouse that was at the end of the city, scooped Kyomi in my arms and took her inside the house, dropping her on my king size bed. I watched her as she laid on the bed, her golden-blonde hair spreading across the dark silk like a halo of liquid sunlight.

Her beauty was alluring in ways that stole my breath. The delicate curve of her jaw, the soft pink of her parted lips, the flutter of her lashes against her porcelain cheeks. She was ethereal, a painting come to life, a creature of such fragile perfection that it made my dead heart ache with something I hadn't felt in centuries.

I stepped closer, drawn against my will. The jacket I'd draped over her had shifted, revealing the pale column of her throat. Her pulse beat there, a steady rhythm that called to me like a siren's song. I could hear it, feel it vibrating through the air, and my fangs ached with a hunger so sharp it was almost painful.

Kyomi Wesley. The quiet folklore student who always sat in the back of my class, the one who flinched at sudden movements and looked at the world like it was a threat waiting to happen.

And now she was here, in my bed, so vulnerable and trusting.

"Mommy… Daddy…" she whimpered, her brow furrowing. Tears slipped from beneath her closed lids, trailing down her cheeks like liquid silver. "Juliet… Justin… Letitia… please…"

Her body tensed, her hands clenching the sheets. It looked like she was trapped in a nightmare, and I could see the terror playing across her face. Her breathing quickened, her heart racing, and I felt an unfamiliar pang in my chest.

"Phoebe… run…"

I moved before I could stop myself, sitting on the edge of the bed. My hand reached out, brushing the golden strands from her face. Her skin was warm, so impossibly warm, and I could feel her pulse beneath my fingers.

"Kyomi," I murmured, my voice soft. "You're safe. You're dreaming. None of this is real."

She whimpered again, her body trembling. "Daddy told you to run…"

I gathered her in my arms, pulling her against my chest. The scent of her was overwhelming, honey and vanilla and something uniquely hers that made my head spin. I could feel every curve of her body pressed against me, could feel her heart beating against my own, and the hunger rose like a tidal wave.

Don't bite her.

I closed my eyes, focusing on the power I'd cultivated over centuries. The ability to soothe, to influence, to plant gentle suggestions in the minds of the sleeping.

Think of something peaceful. A garden bathed in sunlight. Laughter. Love. Safety. You're a child again, and nothing can hurt you, there's only peace, warmth and joy.

Her expression shifted. The tension in her jaw eased. Her breathing slowed, becoming deep and even. A small smile curled her lips, and she sighed contentedly, nestling closer to me.

"Mmm… so warm…" she murmured.

I looked down at her, and my breath caught. She was breathtaking. Her golden-blonde hair sprawled across my arm. Her cheeks were flushed with a faint pink, her lips full and slightly parted. Her lashes cast delicate shadows on her cheekbones, and I could see the faint smile that still lingered.

She was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

And I wanted to taste her.

The thought came unbidden, dark and seductive. My fangs ached, my throat burned, and the scent of her blood was intoxicating. Just a taste, just a little. She would never know.

I shook my head, trying to dispel the thought. But the hunger was overwhelming, pulsing beneath my skin like a second heartbeat. She was so close, so warm, so utterly vulnerable in my arms.

One taste. Just one.

"Kyomi…" I breathed, my voice barely human. "Forgive me."

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