Page 19 of Undying Thirst

Other than Asher, Bastien, and Tobias’s bedroom, I figured the other two had theirs on this level too considering how long it spanned. Fortunately, I could see to the end of the hallway even though it was needlessly long.

I gripped the banister at the top of the second floor. The large front door was yards away from the base of the wide flight of stairs. If I ran . . . I peeked over my shoulder. Tobias would catch me before I touched the doorknob. Clenching my hand, I took a deep breath and released the banister.

“Where to?” I slowed to match Tobias’s relaxed gait. Smiling, he tilted his chin down toward the first floor. Another staircase continued up to the third floor. I hadn’t been up there before, but based on the structure from the outside, that was the final level.

The manor stretched tall and wide, and it seemed much more ostentatious since it rested on an incline.

My cast thumped loudly on the wooden staircase, and I stopped at the foyer.

Plaster and stone littered the entrance of the living room. A broken couch lay burst into pieces across the ground, like a tornado had ransacked the home.

I turned back around. Was that a male sized hole in the wall? I caught myself before I asked what happened. None of my business.

“There was a slight disagreement,” Tobias murmured. His palm pressed against my spine to guide me toward the kitchen. I shuffled forward, and he prodded again, so I picked up speed until he no longer touched me.

Asher leaned on the kitchen island, elbows propped on top as he stared off with obvious contemplation. He caught sight of me and a smile spread on his lips.

Jax stood near the stove with his hip leaning against the granite as he downed a blood-filled bag. His eyes settled in a half-lidded position. He saw me and pulled it away from his mouth, blood staining his lips and dripping off his chin. Red splattered on the front of his shirt, absorbing into the cotton fibers.

“What is she doing out?” Jax stormed forward and I stumbled until my back slapped against Tobias. His anger bared down at me, the blood painting his lips, and his flashing fangs caused an uptick in my pulse. Flinching, I hugged my chest with my good arm.

“Even Pets get to walk around.”

I whipped my head toward Asher’s drawled words. Asshole!

He strolled close with the slightest smile and tapped the bottom of my chin. I yanked my head away from his touch and backed away from Tobias.

“The construction crew is arriving to fix the mess you all made at the entrance.” He looked at Jax derisively. “We had to pay a pretty penny to get them to come in the middle of thenight.” A hollow knock echoed down the hall from the front door. “And there they are.”

Asher’s silk shirt flowed with his quick steps, his loafers brushing against the floors. People were here. I could try to sneak them a look, or give them a sign to get me help?—

Jax clutched the back of my hair and jerked me a few steps forward until my front was flush against his chest. I exhaled in a hissed breath, wincing from his tight grip.

“Try anything and I’ll kill them in front of you.”

I pressed my lips together. That was pure evil since he could compel them to forget instead of straight murder. But I kept my seething thoughts under wraps.

“Do you understand?”

A boulder settled in my stomach. He treated me so harshly. I turned my head away from him, refusing to speak.

“Enough.” Tobias wrapped his fingers around my arm, pulling me tight against him, the stern hold Jax had in my hair tugging at my scalp.

I stiffened, but didn’t move away because at least Tobias wouldn’t feed from me. I also enjoyed the ripple of irritation in Jax’s features.

He leaned down and I shrunk into Tobias, but I could only get so far.

“You think he can stop me if I want to kill you?” His sweet breath brushed against my cheek.

Panic viced around my chest and my limbs locked when I should be running the other direction. I kept my lips shut and focused on his mouth. His angled jawline rippled with irritation and bowlike lips tensed into a thin line. If he could incinerate me with his glacial blue eyes, he would have.

“Get out of her face,” Tobias said casually as if he were commenting on the weather. Jax’s eyes narrowed, and he straightened. I followed his retreat with wide eyes. He didn’tturn left and down the hall upon exiting the kitchen, instead, going straight through a metal door facing the kitchen. I’d seen it, but never saw one of them open it.

He gripped the handle latching the door shut and pulled it up. It rubbed with a hiss and upon opening, the metal handle thudded upright.

A flood light powered on, and he disappeared downstairs, leaving it open. Any semblance of energy leaked out of me, and I leaned against the solid form against my back.

Everything about vampires drained me.

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