bChapter /bb148 /b

Cassian

His gray eyes acquire a glint that reminds me of the moon. We vampires are usually tied to the night, dark and full of monstersb, /bbbut /bI could entrust my life to that satellite for eyes like his. My guards quickly intercept Ciro’s weak and pitiful security, allowing me to bstep /bbout /bbof /bbthe /bcarriage and open the door of hers. She remainspletely still in ce, frightened–or rather–stunned. I smile and extend ba /bhand btoward /bher, inviting her toe down. She looks at my hand with a certain skepticism.

“Stop! Step away from her!”

I turn to see a hooded, burly man. From beneath the hood, a few strands of light brown hair escape, and that characteristic color makes me recognize immediately who’s hiding under it.

My smile widens.

“Abraxas, I think you know me well enough not to do anything stupid.”

“My orders are clear,” he replies. “I won’t let you take her,”

“Who said I’m taking her?” Ice my voice with some mockery. “I’m just here for a meeting with Aeron. It was a surprise–a pleasant one, if you ask me to find ra here. I just want to share a few words with her. Seems normal, doesn’t it?” I arch a browi. /i“After all, she was my bloodbride for a few months and we shared… moments.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see ra’s cheeks flush.

“You have no right to be near her,” Abraxas snaps.

“I’m not asking for permission, Abraxas. I’m giving you the chance to live.”

I don’t need to see his face to know he’s gone pale under the hood. The fingers of my gift are already plucking at the strings of his mind like a harp,posing a melody that foreshadows a grim end. I don’t let my roguish smile fade for even a second. I’m willing to tear apart anything

that stands between me and what I want.

“So what’s it going to be?”

He nces behind him, seeing that Ciro’s men have already been easily restrained by mine. I’m not only the most powerful due to my gift and bloodline, but because over the years, I’ve managed to gather the most brutal and loyal men. I rule with an iron hand–but I reward well.

Abraxas mutters something under his breath, but eventually steps aside. I grab ra’s hand in mine, and without waiting for her to speak–or for her newly assigned bodyguard to change his mind–I pull her with me toward the forest that borders the road. I drag her far enough to be away from unwanted gazes, although I know avoiding ears is much more difficult. Still, I settle for having her pinned between a tree and my

body.

“Have iyou /ilost your mind? You shouldn’t have done that.”

“What? Come to a meeting I was invited to?”

Her eyes study mine, just as I study hers. She looks pale and shaken. I sense a slight tremor in her fingers.

“Do I need to kill someone, ra?”

She doesn’t respond right away, whiching from her is more than enough of a sign that something’s bwrong/b. She bavoids /bbmy /bbeyes/bb, /bbher /bbgaze /bdrifting into the woods. I give her a few precious seconds I’d rather spend tracing her neck and mouth with bmy /bbtongue/b. bWhen /bbit /bbes obvious she won’t share what’s bothering her, I grab her chin, demanding but not hurting.

b1/3 /b

b11:87 /bbFfl/bb, /bb8 /bbAug /b

b“/bDid he hurt youb? /bbIs /bthat it? Tell me.”

b“/bbIt /bhas nothing to do with Ciro,” she finally says in a low voice that seems to stroke every hidden corner of my mindb. /b“bI’m /bbchanging/bb, /bbCassian /b

b“/bThat, I already know, little beast. I can see it.”

Gently, I turn her face from side to side, spotting again those pale grayish locks. It’s one of the most visible changes, aside from others that might go unnoticed to someone who hasn’t watched her as closely as I have. It bothers me to admit it, but ever since I first saw her at the bRed /bAuction, my eyes have been drinking in her image without restraint. Now her skin is a bit paler, letting me glimpse her veins more easily. However, the rhythmic beat of her heart draws all attention. No one can question her human nature as long as that heartbeat is so strong

“When I see blood, I can distinguish every single note thatposes its scent–I go mad, Cassian. I could be a danger to others.”

A lowugh rumbles in my chest. I stroke her cheek, trying to make her focus ion /ime and stop avoiding my gaze.

“I’ll help you control the thirst once we’re together again. You share much of our nature, it’s no surprise you feel frantic around bhuman /bblood. Luckily, you can still feed on their food, unlike us.”

“I don’t want to hurt anyone, Cassian. I don’t want this.”

“You won’t hurt anyone, ra.” I smile, trying to offer her some reassurance. “I know better than anyone, believe me, that you have ba /bwill bof /biron. Your attempts to hate me speak for themselves. So rx–I know you can control the thirst.”

“Is there any chance that… I’ll die if I don’t feed like you do?”

“I don’t think so. You’ve spent most of your life feeding like a human and that hasn’t had any major consequences–though maybe drinking blood will help with your powers and strength.”

“I don’t want to feed on humans.”

“Don’t even think for a second that I’ll let you drink animal blood. That’s… disgusting.”

I don’t need a mirror to know I’m wrinkling my nose in pure disgust.

“Then what other option do I have?”

I can feel the desperation in her voice. I wet my bottom lip as I remove one of my gloves under her scrutiny. I slip my hand under my jacket and pull out my w–shaped ring. With all her attention on me, I slowly slice open my wrist. The blood begins to flow quickly, and her nostrils re as she catches the scent that will be her most addictive drug.

“I’ll help you with your thirst.”

I bring my wrist to her lips and, though she hesitates for a few seconds, she soon grabs my wrist with trembling hands mouth. Her tongue gives a tentative lick that draws a groan from me. She opens her eyes in surprise at my reaction.

“In time, you’ll understand the eroticism of feeding and being fed by your partner.”

fts bit /bto her

I don’t realize the word that’s slipped from my lips until it’s toote to take it back. Stillb, /bra doesn’t seem to pay much attention to bit/b. She returns to the wound, covers it with her mouth and sucks to draw out more blood. The tingling sensation that spreads through my body bis /balmost unfamiliar. I’m not one of those vampires who freely offers their blood–I’ve always been a selfish lover in that regard. However, bwith /bher, I find myself more than willing to share every drop in my veins just to feel what I’m feeling and hear her soft whimpers.

Her tongue asionally runs along the wound and the edge of her fangs pricks my skin, though it’s far bfrom /bbpainful/bb. /bShe bpulls /bbmy /bbwrist /bcloser, forcing me to press harder against her. Our bodies arepletely in sync. Without realizing iti, /iiher /ihips bare /bbrocking/bb, /bbseeking /bbfriction/b. bA /bfew more minutes and no one will be able to stop this–we’ll be lost in a bubble of ecstasy where both bof /bbus /bbwill /bbwant /bbto /bbbe /bbinside /bbthe /bbother/bb. /bIn every possible way. I smile, though she doesn’t see it, and slowly free myself from her gripi. /iShe lets bout /bba /bbsmall /bbwhimper /bbof /bbprotest/bb. /bI bhush/b.

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11:37 Frib, /bb8 /bbAug /b

her, tapping her chin lightly.

“Don’t be a greedy little thing, little beast.” I smile, shing my fangs, matching hers. “Soon we’ll have time for this–and for all the perversions I’ve been dying to do to you.”

The flush of her cheeks is amusing against the pallor of her skin. I lean in and lick the remaining blood from the corner of her lips. I taste myself, unable to experience the same ecstasy. That will onlye when I feed on her.

AD