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

stairs. “But I-I need him. I won’t try to touch his skin again, I promise. He makes the aches go away.” Freaking fates, did I seriously just say that out loud? What was wrong with me?

Kade guffawed, clearly amused at my expense. “I bet he does. But that’s what a cold shower is for. You’ll thank me later.”

Since escaping his firm grip wasn’t an option, I tried distracting him with questions. “Why did you say that I was a witch? Do you mean a witch witch? Or just a—”

“Oh, I’m not falling into that trap again,” he said with a chuckle. “Loch’s going to have my head as it is.”

We reached the second floor landing without pause, continuing down the hallway. Desperate, I blurted, “Can my touch kill all supernaturals? Or just vampires?”

He stiffened, but didn’t falter as he corralled me inside the upstairs bathroom and flicked on the light. “I’m surprised Loch gave up that bit of information so soon. As far as we know, just vampires. Basically, skin contact with a supernatural allows you to temporarily steal their essence. Werewolves retain their humanity, so even if you fully sucked out their toxin, they’d simply resort to being human again.”

The showerhead spit water as he cranked the handle, his gloved fingers still latched onto my arm. “Vampires are different though,” he continued, peering down at me with a grim expression. “Whether you’re a Venturi or Feltore, ties to your human genes are severed at creation. If you absorbed the entirety of our vampire essence, there would be nothing left to keep us alive.”

I gaped, thoughts of breaking free dwindling. “Fates, if I’m so dangerous to vampires, then why are you helping me? I know that supernaturals want me dead because of what I am. So why risk getting in their way? I even thought Lochlan wanted to kill me, but”—Heat curled up my neck when I recalled what he’d done to prove otherwise—“now I’m not so sure.”

Kade snorted. “Loch struggles to articulate his feelings with actual words. Don’t worry. After this weekend, killing you will be the last thing on his mind.”

That didn’t exactly comfort me. “But why are you and Lochlan help—”

“Okay, this interrogation is over. In you go,” Kade singsonged, clearly avoiding the elephant in the room. With one fluid motion, he deposited me in the bathtub directly under the freezing cold spray, clothes and all.

I sucked in a startled gasp, coughing when water caught in my windpipe.

Kade groaned. “Choking again? You’re so fragile.”

I pried at his gloved fingers, sputtering, “Because you’re d-drowning me!”

He shifted his hold so I could breathe again. “Sorry,” he said, sounding flustered. “I’m not aware of this stuff like Loch is. I’ve forgotten what it feels like to be human. With the last girl, he—” Kade suddenly coughed to cover up his words, but I’d already heard.

And my reaction was instantaneous.

A bitter tang coated my tongue, followed swiftly by a sharp stab of anger. “What do you mean the last girl?” I said through clenched teeth, curling my hands into fists. When he glanced away, fury washed over me. “Kade Carmichael, tell me at once! What game are you playing at?”

“It’s not a game,” he rushed to say, tightening his grip when I struggled to pull free.

“Tell me what you were going to say, or I’ll . . . I’ll scar your pretty face with my claws!”

“Whoa!” He caught my wrist as I swiped for his cheek, then the other. “You think my face is pretty?” At my growl, he quickly added, “Look, you being in heat is fogging my brain, so I’m gonna shut up now. I’ve said way too much already.”

I narrowed my eyes to slits and spat, “Say more or I’m going to shout at the top of my lungs that you’re hurting me.”

Shock contorted his face. “You wouldn’t,” he whispered, sounding like a kicked puppy.

But I was too incensed to care. Too freaked. Too jealous at the mention of another girl. Just the thought of Lochlan caring for her the way he’d cared for me—touching her intimately—boiled my blood. I opened my mouth and screamed, “Help!”

Kade immediately released me with a curse, backing away. Seconds later, shadows darkened the doorway and Lochlan was there, his presence sucking all the air from the room. It was impossible to tell if he’d removed the daggers with the shadows churning around him. His gaze thoroughly roamed my drenched body before fixing on Kade.

Slowly raising his hands, Kade faced him, his broad back an effective barrier between me and Lochlan. “We’re drothen, Lochie. You know I wouldn’t touch her.”

“That’s the only reason you’re still alive, drothen.”

I flinched at his harsh reply, briefly regretting my rash outburst. But greater than the regret was my need for him, a need the cold water hadn’t doused.

As if scenting my need, Lochlan audibly inhaled, flicking his eyes to me over Kade’s shoulder. “Let me through, drothen, and I’ll forgive your actions.”

Kade chuckled darkly. “If I did, you wouldn’t forgive me in the morning. Come back when you’re thinking with your brain and not your dick.”

Lochlan released a low, warning growl.

“So sexy,” I whispered. Two pairs of red eyes shot my way. Crap, my mouth needed to be stapled shut.

“Not helping, little Kenna,” Kade said, his jaw rigid. I shrugged sheepishly, but couldn’t find it in me to apologize. This exchange was seriously turning me on. Narrowing his eyes at me, he faced Lochlan again. “How about we settle our differences outside? We could both do with some fresh air. It reeks in here.”

I stuck my tongue out at his back.

“After you,” Lochlan said with an exaggerated sweep of his arm. Thick tension filled the air. I held my breath in anticipation. This confrontation was about to reach a tipping point, and my raging hormones were all for it.

But I wasn’t prepared—not even a little bit—for the lengths Lochlan would go to get to me.

As Kade stepped forward, Lochlan blurred into motion. I could barely track the