Page 90 of Taste of Death

“No.” I stepped backward, fighting all the lust suddenly driving me to grab the approaching naked woman and plunge into her, and promptly stumbled on the bottom stairs.

“We did the fertility ritual early,” Baros said cheerily, as if his own daughter wasn’t naked in my foyer and stalking toward me. “It turned out the timing aligned much better with her natural cycle. She arouses every nearby male who isn’t a blood relative. But because you’ve already tasted her blood, the effect is much stronger on you.”

“Stop. Don’t come any closer.” I tried to inject all of my will into my voice, but it came out sounding like a lusty growl.

I held my palms out toward Inessa, but quickly closed them into fists and drew them back into my body. If I touched her bare skin with all this unwanted desire in my system, I might truly do something I regret.

All my effort went into looking at her eyes, not the gentle sway of her breasts as she walked, nor the lines of her waist and hips. Staring at her face wasn’t much easier. She was an attractive woman. And she was quickly encroaching on my personal space.

“Stop,” I repeated. This time I had no choice but to put my hands on her shoulders, otherwise she’d rub up against me.

“You can’t fight it, Novak,” she said in a flat tone, leaning into my hold. “You’re just making this harder on yourself.”

“Please.” I searched her red gaze, wondering if there was any sympathy in those depths or if she was just as cold and self-serving as her father. “I have someone, a blood mate,” I whispered. “Please, I love her. Don’t make me do this; it would destroy her.”

There was a flicker of warmth in her expression, but it was gone before I could fully register that it happened.

“You think you’re the only person who loves someone?” Inessa hissed under her breath. “Do you know what he’d do to me if I tried to be with the one I wanted?”

Hope broke through my lust-filled haze like moonlight through thick clouds. She didn’t want to be doing this any more than I did. That was my only move, the only angle I could play. I glanced at Baros, whose attention was on his phone. Whispering in Inessa’s ear would be risky to me, but I couldn’t let him hear me. I leaned in close and held my breath as I spoke.

“I can help you,” I said hastily, fighting the urge to suck at the curve of her neck. “I can get you out from under his thumb, keep you safe. Neither of us have to be beholden to him. You can be with your love, I can be with mine. Maybe we can… fake this right now, but don’t make me do it for real. Please.”

She stilled, quiet for a moment as if considering my words.

“Enough of this,” Baros moaned. “Quit pillow-talking and get on with it. You don’t need romance to get her pregnant. Just get it done.”

Inessa’s face hardened, like she was grimly determined to see this through. She went for the button clasp on my pants, but I stopped her with a hand on her wrist.

“Maybe we should go to a bedroom,” I suggested, loud enough for Baros to hear. “For privacy and… comfort.”

The last place I wanted to take this woman was the room where Amy and I had shared and learned so much about each other, but I had to stall. Had to convince Inessa to turn against her father, then maybe shut her in a room by herself so I could clear my head from her scent.

I had to call Amy and tell her to stay away until they were both gone. Carpe Noctem was too dangerous, and it was better if she remained under their radar.

“Comfort is fine, but there will be no privacy,” Baros said with a long, eerie smile. “This child will be the heir of both Carpe Noctem and Rathka’s Order. The conception must be witnessed by at least one head of a clan, and you don’t count.”

My heart sank, and with it, all of my hope.

Just when I thought I couldn’t get any lower, a knock came to my front door. Baros cocked his head, curious, then went to answer it as if this wasn’t my fucking house.

“Get away from the door!” I snarled, but that only made Baros gleefully quicken his pace. The door opened a moment later.

“Oh, hello.” I heard the note of surprise in Amy’s voice and wanted to scream. “Is Novak home?”

Chapter 28

Amy

Ipractically skipped my way back to Novak’s place, swinging an overnight bag filled with toiletries and the few changes of clothes I had back at the Blood ‘til Dawn compound. Tavia didn’t seem all that surprised when I told her I was moving in, or that Novak and I were blood mates.

“I had a feeling,” she’d mused. “In the beginning I was worried, but it makes so much sense now, looking back. Cyan and I chatted with him for a while, did he tell you that?”

“He did. He’s a big fan of your wine. And he said Cyan doesn’t seem like a bad guy.”

“Such a high compliment.” Tavia laughed. “Cy said the same thing about him. Very reluctantly, I might add.” She watched me pack thoughtfully. “I do like him for you. It just kinda sucks that we’ll live separately again.”

“Oh please, I’m like a mile down the road.” I zipped the bag closed, then turned to her. “It is different, but this is good. I need my own life, and you need yours.”

---