Page 80 of Sin

For just a moment, I’d thought maybe Merri was different. When she touched me so sweetly and refused to feed without my consent. But the first opportunity she’d had, the woman snuck into my room and rifled through my belongings.

She’d tried to disguise her pillaging, but I’d immediately spotted every item that was out of place. The slight dent in the pillow, the crease on the bedspread, the Post-its in a different position in the drawer. It was as obvious to me as if she’d spray-painted her name on the wall.

So what had all of that in her room been? A distraction? Her chance to get me out of the way?

Deep down, I knew it hadn’t. There was no faking how ill she’d been, but knowing that did nothing to abate years' worth of anxious, intrusive thoughts.

I was only important to her when I was useful.

Anyone would have suited her needs.

She was going to use my vulnerabilities against me.

“Fucking hell.”

Yanking open the drawer where I’d kept her cell phone, I stared at the cold, hard evidence right in front of me. All she’d wanted was her phone. Knocking me out with her feeding was a surefire way to keep me from stopping her.

Serves me right.

Feeling like a complete and utter knobhead, I spun out of the room and beelined for the bar cart in the main lounge. The only thing that would comfort me now was oblivion.

Not even turning on the lights, I made for the crystal decanter of Brimstone whiskey, pulling the stopper out and pouring myself a double—no, make that a triple.

“Good thing I went back and replenished our supply.” Grim’s deep voice startled me badly enough that I flinched, and some of the mind-numbing alcohol sloshed over the side of my glass.

“Motherfucker,” I barked. “What the hell are you doing sitting in the shadows like that?”

“From the looks of it, the same as you,” he said, holding up his own highball glass. “Cheers.”

“Doubtful. You weren’t the one who had to sacrifice your scruples tonight.”

Not that it had taken much to convince me in the end. But who the hell wanted to be logical or fair when they were dead set on nursing a grudge?

“Oh yes, because it was such a hardship jerking yourself off all over her. Fucking child,” he grumbled.

“She sucked my soul out of my body through my dick, if you must know.”

“Did she?”

I flopped into the chair opposite him and took a pull of the whiskey, relishing the way it burned. “Well, no. Not literally. But she might as well have. I see why Lilith kept her under lock and key. Merri is...”

Incandescent.

Captivating.

Mesmerizing.

Addictive.

“Potent,” I finally said aloud.

“I’m sure that’s why he wants her.”

“She’s the vessel. Pretty sure he’d want her if she had one tooth and was balding.”

“Lucky for you, she’s not.”

I snorted, lifting my glass to my lips once more. “Lucky for us all.”

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