Page 19 of Love Bites

We stopped in front of a door, and Clementine said, “This one’s mine.”

“The rest of your rooms will be around here too. I actually came to find you for style preferences.” She pulled her phone from her pocket. “We decorated the rooms in three different ways, so you can all look through the pictures and decide which one you like the most before we assign the rooms.”

My sisters leaned in as she pulled up the photos.

My stomach clenched with too many emotions as they started looking through, slowly.

I took another step back without realizing it.

I… needed to go for a swim.

Yep.

Definitely needed a swim.

Avery’s gaze met mine over the phone, and I made the hand motion for water. She nodded, mouthing two words to me before I slipped away.

“Thank you.”

My eyes stung as I padded down the hall at human speed. If I had a completed mate bond, the magic of it would suppress everyone else’s chase instincts except my mate’s, but I didn’t.

Thankfully.

Butnotthankfully, when I wanted to move fast.

I found an elevator easily enough.It wasn’t the black one, which I’d need to find that night, but an elevator was an elevator.

I stepped inside, and froze just in front of the doors.

They closed behind me, but I barely noticed.

Because there was a mirror on the wall in front of me. A large mirror.

My fingers trembled as I lifted them to the mark around my neck.

It wasn’t blocky and hideous, like Clementine’s.

It was gorgeous.

The wavy, dark blue band reminded me of water, swirling and twisting lightly. It was darker in some places and lighter in others. Though I didn’t want to, I loved it.

The elevator dinged behind me, and the doors opened again.

I jerked away from the mirror, my face flushed as a pair of men stepped inside.

Both of them inhaled, and I saw it in their eyes the moment my magic hit them.

I hadn’t fed from Damian long enough to sate myself. I’d pulled away as soon as I’d taken the edge off enough to manage it.

“What floor?” I asked, forcing a smile as I hit the button for the eleventh floor.

“Six,” one of the guys managed, snapping out of my pull after a moment.

I hit that button too, and the guy who’d regained control smacked the other one on the arm. When he didn’t come to, he punched the side of his throat.

I winced, but the second guy just shook his head. “Shit. Sorry. Not supposed to stare.”

“Whoever made up that rule doesn’t really understand siren magic,” I said, lifting my eyes to the floor numbers so I could watch us move up.

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