The easy banter inside the bar had slowly shifted into something heavier.
By the time they decided to leave, the air between them was thick, charged with an electric tension that neither of them wanted to ignore.
The moment the heavy metal door of the bar shut behind them, cutting off the noise and spilling them into the dim, brick-lined alley, the restraint finally snapped.
Lexi barely had time to turn around before Aleksander closed the distance.
He stepped effortlessly into her space, his presence magnetic and entirely overwhelming.
”You know,” Lexi breathed, her voice dropping a register as she looked up at him, her hazel eyes dark with sudden heat.
“You definitely don’t act like a normal witch.”
”Good,” Aleksander murmured, his voice low and rough.
He didn’t waste another second.
He leaned in, his lips crashing down on hers.
Lexi let out a soft, surprised gasp before instantly melting into it, kissing him back with the fierce, uninhibited passion of a vampire.
Aleksander took control effortlessly.
He caught her by the waist, walking her backward until her shoulders hit the cool brick wall of the alley.
The sharp contrast between the freezing stone at her back and the burning, solid heat of his chest pressed flush against hers made her head spin.
The kiss deepened, turning hungry and intense.
Aleksander’s hands slid down from her waist, his strong grip finding her curves.
With a smooth, effortless flex of his overwhelming strength, he hoisted her up by her thighs and ass.
Lexi let out a muffled moan into his mouth, instinctively wrapping her legs tightly around his waist to anchor herself.
Her hands tangled deep into his hair, pulling him even closer as their mouths moved perfectly together.
He tasted like bourbon and danger.
For Lexi, being a vampire meant she was used to being the strongest person in the room.
But right now, held up against the wall by a man who didn’t even have to try, she felt completely consumed by him.
His grip was firm and possessive, his thumbs pressing into her hips as he kissed her breathless.
Every shift of his body against hers sent a heavy, electric thrill straight to her core.
In the shadows of the alley, there was only the sound of their ragged breathing and the heat of the moment, drowning out the rest of the world.
Morning sunlight filtered through the gaps in the hotel room curtains, casting a warm glow across the tangled sheets.
Aleksander blinked his eyes open, the heavy fog of sleep slowly lifting.
The first thing he saw was Lexi.
She had just slipped out of bed and was standing a few feet away.
With smooth, graceful movements, she pulled on her dark lace panties and reached back to hook her matching bra.
The delicate lingerie contrasted perfectly with her tanned skin, putting her long legs and striking curves on full display.
She looked absolutely incredible, and Aleksander didn’t bother trying to hide the fact that he was staring.
He propped himself up on one elbow, the sheets pooling around his waist.
“Leaving so soon?” he asked, his voice low and still a little rough with sleep.
Lexi paused.
She smoothed her hands down her stomach and glanced over her bare shoulder.
When she caught him watching her, a playful, knowing smirk touched her lips.
She shook her head, her blonde hair falling perfectly into place.
“No,” she answered, turning around to give him a better view.
Her hazel eyes gleamed with amusement.
“I’m just getting ready.”
Instead of reaching for the rest of her clothes, Lexi crawled back onto the mattress.
She moved with that smooth, effortless grace only a vampire had, sliding one knee on either side of his hips until she was straddling him.
The mattress dipped under her weight.
She rested her hands flat against his bare chest, her fingertips lightly tracing the hard muscle there.
The playful smirk faded from her lips, replaced by a look of deep curiosity.
“Are you really just a witch?” she asked softly, leaning in a little closer.
Aleksander didn’t move, comfortably letting her pin him down.
He rested his hands casually on her bare thighs.
“Why do you ask?”
“Because my senses tell me you are,” Lexi explained, tilting her head.
“I can hear your heartbeat. I can smell your blood. But…” She frowned slightly, her hazel eyes searching his.
“Something about you is different. When you held me against that wall last night, you didn’t even strain. You’re stronger than a normal witch. Faster, too.”
She leaned down, her face just inches from his, lowering her voice.
“I have pretty good intuition, Aleksander. And my gut is telling me you could go toe-to-toe with a vampire and actually win.”
Aleksander’s smirk was slow and wicked.
Before Lexi could even blink, the world tilted.
With effortless, blinding speed, he grabbed her by the hips and flipped her onto her back.
It happened so fast she didn’t even have time to react, proving her point without him having to say a single word.
Lexi let out a breathy gasp of surprise, suddenly finding herself pinned against the mattress with Aleksander hovering over her.
His body was heavy and warm against hers, completely in control.
He didn’t give her a chance to recover.
Aleksander leaned down, capturing her lips in a deep, demanding kiss.
Lexi sighed into his mouth, her hands instinctively coming up to grip his shoulders as the heat between them flared to life all over again.
Breaking the kiss, Aleksander trailed his lips down her jawline.
He pressed hot, lingering kisses down the sensitive, pulsing column of her neck, making her arch into his touch.
Moving lower, his mouth brushed softly against the bare, heated skin of her cleavage, taking his time to map every curve.
Hovering just above her skin, his breath ghosting over her collarbone, he finally answered her question.
“Maybe,” he whispered, his deep voice vibrating against her chest.
As tempting as it was to keep going, Aleksander eventually pulled back.
He rested his forehead against hers, letting out a soft, amused breath.
“If we don’t stop now,” he murmured, his voice still heavy, “we are never leaving this bed.”
Lexi let out a breathy laugh, her hands slipping from his shoulders.
“Fair point.”
Reluctantly, they untangled themselves.
While Aleksander threw on a pair of sweatpants, Lexi grabbed his white button-down shirt from the floor.
She slipped it on, leaving the top few buttons undone and rolling up the sleeves.
It fell just to her mid-thigh, making her look effortlessly gorgeous.
Aleksander headed into the suite’s small kitchenette.
A few minutes later, the rich smell of eggs, bacon, and coffee filled the room.
Lexi hopped up onto one of the bar stools, resting her chin in her hands.
She watched him move around the kitchen with that same easy, quiet confidence.
“Strong, handsome, and you can cook,” Lexi teased, a playful smirk on her face.
“You really are the full package, aren’t you?”
Aleksander laughed, shaking his head.
He plated the food and set a warm breakfast in front of her before sitting down across the counter.
“I have my moments,” he said lightly.
They ate in a comfortable silence for a few minutes.
Aleksander took a sip of his coffee and looked at her.
“So, what’s your story, Lexi?”
The playful energy shifted.
Lexi looked down at her plate, a quiet, nostalgic expression crossing her face.
“It’s a long story,” Lexi said softly.
“I was born in 1659. I was turned when I was twenty-one.”
Aleksander just nodded, giving her his full attention.
“My parents died when I was young, so it was just me and my little brother,” she explained, her voice steady but carrying centuries of old grief.
“I had to take care of him. One day, I met this man. He asked me if I wanted to live forever, so I would always be around to protect my brother. I was desperate and scared, so I said yes.”
Lexi traced the rim of her coffee mug, her hazel eyes distant.
“It worked for a few years,” she continued.
“But eventually, the villagers started talking. They realized I wasn’t getting any older. People get suspicious of things they don’t understand, and suspicion turns into fear.”
She swallowed hard, looking up to meet Aleksander’s eyes.
“They set our cottage on fire while we were inside. I managed to escape the flames because of what I was.” Her voice cracked slightly.
“But my brother didn’t. He was only sixteen.”