I chewed my bottom lip. "I'm not planning on biting anyone else. I'm feeling totally normal now."
"Still." Thierry's jaw was set and he came closer to me. He ran a warm hand down my arm. "Please be careful."
I nodded. "I will."
I went up on my tiptoes and pulled his face down for a kiss. Our lips met and held before the kiss grew more passionate. Even with Amy and Barry witnessing this, I couldn't seem to stop. I didn't want to stop. I tightened my hold on him. His hands were firm on my lower back.
Then he tensed against my lips.
I frowned. "What's wrong?"
"I don't think we should be too close until we work this problem out." He looked down at me and his eyes were as black as I sensed mine still were. "There seems to be something about this curse that affects me as well."
I didn't let go of him. He didn't release me either. It seemed odd to see black eyes, completely without any whites, in someone's face, but it suited him in a very strange way.
It looked right. It gave him an extreme edge of danger that I found myself uncontrollably attracted to.
I knew my thoughts were growing cloudy. I noticed this from what seemed like miles away. I wanted to kiss him again. Even his warning didn't lessen that growing need.
"Okay, what exactly is going on?" Amy asked uneasily.
"I can't seem to control this." Thierry ran his fingers along the side of my neck and made a low, throaty growl.
"Then don't," I said.
He pulled me roughly against him and crushed his lips against mine. He began eating at my mouth in a kiss that made it feel as if he was trying to devour me. I wrapped my arms tightly around him and kissed him back just as deeply.
"Separate them," Barry said. "Quickly."
I was wrenched away from Thierry. Barry gripped my arms and I mindlessly began to fight against him. I turned and snarled, and with a push I sent him sailing across the room, where he slammed against the wall. Two framed Monet prints crashed to the floor, the glass shattering on impact.
Suddenly, as quickly as the fog had come over me, it cleared away as if I'd just had a glass of cold water thrown in my face. I brought a hand to my mouth, which felt swollen from the kiss.
"I'm so, so sorry," I said to Barry. "I will totally pay to have those refrained."
Barry brushed himself off and scowled at me. Amy held on to Thierry's arm. He obviously hadn't thrown her across the room as I'd done with her husband.
"Add increased strength to the list," he said to Thierry. "I think it's clear what we're dealing with here."
"The nightwalker thing, right?" I asked as my stomach sank.
Thierry's expression was pained as he looked at me. I watched his eyes slowly return to their normal color. "We'll take care of this. And we must leave now."
Barry nodded, then he approached Amy and kissed her on the cheek. He warned her to be careful.
Thierry stayed where he was by the door. His brow was furrowed. "I will see you soon, Sarah." Then he followed Barry out of the house, careful not to let too much sunlight in past the open door.
Amy slowly turned to look at me. "That's one hell of a curse."
I breathed out a long sigh. "Please remind me not to go to any more high-school reunions, okay?"
"Uh, Sarah? You're not planning to attack me, are you?"
I swallowed hard. "Absolutely not."
Her eyes narrowed and she peeled back the curtain to the side of the door. I had to jump out of the way of the beam of light. "What a jerk."
"Who?"
"Thierry. Honestly, I can barely stand to be in the same room as that guy. I think I finally understand how you feel about Barry, because I feel the same way about him."
I sat down on the bench again. I felt tired and I'd only been awake for five hours.
"Actually, there's a difference."
"Oh? What's that?"
I looked directly at her. "I don't make googly eyes at your husband."
Her eyes widened. "What on earth are you talking about? I hate Thierry."
"Yeah, about as much as you hate strawberry cheesecake."
"I love strawberry cheesecake!"
I crossed my arms. "Exactly."
"Sarah, you have it all wrong."
I almost laughed at how mortified she looked. "It doesn't matter. Seriously. Your little crush on my boyfriend is the least of my worries at the moment."
Her expression faded to one of guilt. "I don't know what's wrong with me."
"That makes two of us."
She shook her head. "Seriously, I don't like Thierry. I would never act on it. But there's something about him. He's just so… I don't know." She sighed. "You know?"
I just looked at her. "Right. That's perfectly clear."
"Are you feeling better? Your eyes are back to normal again."
"Much." I thought about it for a moment. "Maybe Thierry's right about the curse affecting him as well. When he's not around I can think a lot clearer."
"The man can seriously kiss," she said dreamily.
I looked at her sharply.