“Stop that,” she scolded. “No more of that until you tell me what it means, because I get the feeling there’s more to this than your mouth against my skin.”
Victor stopped his teasing and looked her in the eye. “Well, I’ve always enjoyed kissing a woman’s neck, but it’s increased a lot since I’ve become a vampire. However, rarely, if at all, have I ever marked someone. It leaves a scent that can’t be detected by anything other than another vampire or werewolf an’ it tells that vampire or werewolf that you’re taken. That, if they were to be so dumb as to make a move or cause you harm, they’d have to answer to me. It’s not a permanent scent, a bonding is needed for that an’ both parties have to want to. Every mark I make on you, is a reminder to me, that you’re mine.” He kept eye contact with her, trying to figure out what she was making of everything.
“A werewolf with a good nose could smell you on me,” she cracked, instinctively. “That’s — what if I don’t want to belong only to you? What if I — you — ” She sighed, thinking. “Let me find the right words to say this.”
Victor stiffened a bit but didn’t move, “Take your time, luv.” His voice was quiet and his eyes a little guarded as they darted over her face, searching for any twitch of a facial muscle that would give him an inkling as to what she was thinking.
Summer chewed on her lip. “It’s … you never asked. We just tumbled into this. I’m not angry. But you should’ve asked. I’m — I’m not a thing, to be owned. That way.” She took a deep breath. “That’s all.”
Victor sighed, “I’m sorry if tha’s what it sounded like but that’s not what it is, I promise. Generally speakin’, when two vampires are in a relationship they mark each other t’ tell everyone else they’re spoken for. I’m not saying tha’ I ‘own’ you, not by any means, you’re your own person. It’s basically the vampire way of announcing to everyone else tha’ we’re a couple an’ tha’ their advances wouldn’t be welcomed. If you were a vampire, you would’ve marked me as well. All it is, is to let others know that we’re in a relationship.” He watched her again, hoping that she understood.
“No, I didn’t say it right.” Frustrated, Summer sat up, fisting her hands. “Victor, what if I did welcome other advances? You never asked me. I’m not — spoken for. Because you didn’t ask.” She pushed a hand through her hair, the other one going to the ruby at her throat. “Victor, I love you, a lot, but … I can’t be — I don’t know how to say this.”