Chapter 3

But before Jesse could get lost in the familiar sensation, Gideon lifted his head and licked the scarlet blood from his lips. There was a dangerous glint in the vampire’s eye that told Jesse the short drink had done anything buttake the edge off.

“Strip,” came the curt command. He released Jesse’s wrist and folded his arms over his chest, the biceps seeming obscenely large in the atypical T-shirt he wore. “Or I’m going to tear those clothes off you and force you to go home naked.” His mouth canted. “Without teleporting.”

The threat wasn’t necessary, though Jesse had no doubt that Gideon meant every single word. In the four years since he had received his extraordinary powers from Michelle, the strangest things had simply become commonplace. Gideon had become remarkably tolerant of the fact that Jesse popped in and out of rooms without warning. He also became adept at adopting Jesse’s skills to his own ends.