Shadow Touched: A Paranormal Vampire Romance (A Touch of Vampire Book 1) by Becky Moynihan (great reads TXT) 📕

of the month. The first few times are the worst, but the more they transition, the easier it becomes. After a few years, they can change within minutes instead of hours. Once they learn control, they can live their lives with minimal disruption from their beast form, only changing for a short time.”

“So how come I haven’t changed yet? How come I was able to fight it off on my first try?”

He hesitated for a moment, studying my face. “Because you’re different. You don’t have to follow the rules like the rest of the supernatural world. It’s why so many of them want to use or kill you.”

I swallowed. “Including you?”

His eyes shuttered. “I thought I made myself clear earlier. I don’t want to kill you.”

Only half an answer. Did he want to use me? I bit my lip, uncertain if I wanted to know. Not right now anyway. Instead, I asked, “How do you know so much? Are there supernatural schools, or a supernatural encyclopedia maybe? The internet hasn’t helped me at all.”

“There are a few schools for the supernatural, yes, but most of my knowledge comes from personal experience. I write down everything I learn in a journal.”

“Can I see it?” I wasn’t sure why I bothered asking. Journal was probably code for a diary where he kept his deepest, darkest secrets. But the more questions I asked, the more distracted I was from my pain. And the more he answered, the thirstier I became to hear him speak. He’d never opened up to me this way before, and I didn’t want this moment between us to end.

When he didn’t answer right away, I became acutely aware of our positions. His gloved hands still held my wrists, his legs curled around mine. The rest of him hovered directly above me, dangerously close.

“I’m surprised you want anything to do with the supernatural world after what I’ve told you,” he finally replied, distracting my mind from inappropriate thoughts.

“Well, I’m a part of it, aren’t I? I’d rather face the monstrous truth than hide in the shadows.”

Another hesitation. Then, “It’s safer in the shadows.”

I tilted my head to the side. “Is that why you cloak yourself? You never let me see what you look like in this form.”

He stiffened against me, averting his gaze. “You wouldn’t like it.”

I blinked at him in surprise. Did he think I would be afraid of him? Or did his reservations go deeper than that? I opened my mouth to assure him, but he suddenly hissed, tightening his legs around mine.

“What are you doing?”

I frowned. “Doing what?” Then I felt it—my breasts were pushing up against him. I peered between us, startled to find my spine arched. “Uh, I don’t—” A gasp left me as I managed to rub our bodies together from chest to pelvis.

Freaking fates, my body had gone rogue.

Lochlan hadn’t moved an inch. This was all me.

“Stop,” he grunted, yet didn’t shift away when I did it again.

Heat sparked low in my belly, dulling my ability to think rationally. “Maybe we should,” I said breathlessly as need trembled through me. “Just one more time.”

He swore sharply and turned his head away. “I’m trying to honor your request.”

“Well, don’t. I don’t care about that.” I whimpered when he lifted his body an inch anyway. “Please, Lochlan. I want you to touch me. Please.”

A growl rumbled deep in his chest. My core throbbed in response. I struggled against his grip, desperate for contact. “Stop, McKenna,” he gritted out. “I can’t lose control.”

“But I want you to,” I cried, wanting him so badly that tears sprung to my eyes.

Shouting a curse this time, he jerked away from me. In a flash, he was up and halfway across the kitchen. The move was so sudden and unexpected, I wasn’t prepared. I didn’t see the wicked blade arcing through the air until it was too late.

“No!” My voice rang through the silence that followed, clanging through my skull.

I stared, horrified, as the shadows thinned, revealing the knife hilt deep in Lochlan’s abdomen. I gasped out his name and scrambled to my feet.

Before I could move toward him, he held up a hand. “Don’t, McKenna.”

“What? Lochlan, you need help. Fates, this is really bad. Let me—”

“I’m fine,” he barked, even as he slumped against the kitchen counter. “But you won’t be, not if you keep talking like that. You can’t say those things to a vampire, especially not to me.”

“I’m sorry. So sorry. I couldn’t help myself. I’m just so—”

“It’s not your fault.” The shadows receded even more, as if he didn’t have the strength to maintain them. “You’re my responsibility and I’m failing you. That’s why I called Kade, because he can protect you from me. But I need you to stay away until he arrives.”

My stomach cramped, responding to the pain in his voice. I instinctively stepped toward him, but he released a warning growl, freezing me in place. I growled back, frustrated and scared that he would bleed out right in front of me. “I don’t understand! No one needs to protect me from you. Now please let me—”

“Kenna.” At his sharp use of my nickname, the words died on my tongue. He straightened from his slumped position and pinned me with a severe look. “I am seconds away from losing it. All I can think about is plunging my fangs and cock inside you. Doing so would kill me, but I can’t seem to care right now. So if you value my life and your virtue, then run. Run before I destroy us both.”

Shock barrelled through me at his blunt words. Did he just say—?

“Run!” he thundered, and yanked the knife from his stomach.

At the sight of his red, glistening blood on the blade, I stumbled back. The knife clanged against the tiles as he dropped it and doubled over. The need to help him was overwhelming, but I continued to back away, mindful of his words. When I was inches from the kitchen door,