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Something told him that her body understood his. Pitied his. “Creating a vampire is simple,” he answered instead. “Usually during the heat of passion—”
    â€œI told you, nothing like that has happened.”
    â€œ Usually during passion, the sire drinks from his intended, although it’s not necessary. What is necessary is for the recipient to take in the sire’s blood. It’s dangerous to allow someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing to drink from you, but again, that’s why it happens during a climactic moment. The haze of sexual lust typically tempers blood lust.”
    She went still. “Wait a minute. A blood exchange? Is that what you’re saying?”
    â€œIt’s more than that.”
    â€œBut that’s the crux of what you’re saying, right?”
    He thought it over. “If you break it down to its most rudimentary, then I guess yes.”
    The heat of her body moved away as she fell onto her back. He turned to watch her, his eyebrows furrowing. “Jasmine?”
    â€œIf we went any further, I would have insisted on condoms. Not just for my safety, but for yours as well.” Her eyes slipped closed. “I’ve been worrying myself sick over communicable diseases.”
    When he’d been mortal, those words might have sent chills over him. In his current life, nothing she might carry would affect him, so he dismissed the words. “I’m incapable of passing anything along to you. Even if I weren’t, I’m disease free. Always have been.”
    â€œNot you. This.” She lifted her wrist. “How much blood would have to be exchanged?”
    Her question baffled him. “It’s not only the exchange.”
    â€œHow much?”
    His shoulders lifted and fell. “I don’t know. A small amount would be sufficient, I guess. I’ve never thought about it.”
    Jasmine studied the palm of her hand before turning it toward him. “We brought in a John Doe into the clinic a few days ago. Shot and dumped right outside our doors. He was thrashing like a son of a bitch, and I needed a blood sample.”
    He watched her face pale, as if the memory went beyond merely haunting her.
    â€œIn eight years of nursing, I’ve never been stuck before. I’m always so careful. I still don’t know how it happened. One careless stupid slip of the syringe, and some stranger’s blood mingled with mine.” She turned, looked at him with sad eyes. “I guess we know now how I’ve been turned into a vampire.”

Chapter Seven
    Her mind went in seven different directions at once. Corin’s erection lay trapped beneath the weight of her leg, a subtle reminder that he’d asked for nothing since coming into her life. She felt selfish—and a little aroused, truth be told—but this whole vampire thing toyed with her emotions.
    â€œGods, that…I don’t know what to say. It’s not impossible, I suppose, but I’ve never heard…” Corin blew out a breath. “That’s a great theory for how the blood entered your system, but there’s more to the process, Jasmine.”
    â€œWhat else is there?”
    â€œYour heart. It would have to stop beating at some point.”
    â€œWhat?”
    Corin sat up, shimmied away from her and propped himself against a pillow and the headboard. Jasmine found herself laying her head on his thigh as he talked. An unfamiliar gesture, but one that felt very right. “This is what should have happened. During a sexual act, to heighten the type of lust the sire is looking for, a recipient would have consumed some of the sire’s blood.”
    â€œI’m sorry, but I don’t see myself getting so worked up that I’d drink someone’s blood.”
    Corin shot her an amused glance. “You’d be surprised.” Jasmine shuddered, and he laughed. “Anyway, afterward, even if she ingested a