Page 53 of Undying Thirst

The corner of my eyelid twitched, but I forced my attention to Ren. Whatever they did, or whoever they bit, was none of my business.

“Leave, vampire food. No one wants your blood,” Ren drawled from near the door frame. He leaned against the sill, blocking most of the exit with his body.

The sliver was all she needed to squeeze past him and out of the room. Her hurried footsteps echoed.

When I turned back to Bastien, his face hovered an inch away from my face. His red, eerie eyes peered into my face. Unlike how he blankly looked at the girl, he actually seemed to see at me.

I clicked my tongue.

“Why don’t you ever put clothes on him?” A robe split at the top, exposing his smooth tan chest. His skin tone’s hue was nicely bronzed and his white, long hair fell in messy waves down his shoulders, about mid-bicep.

He settled his chin on my shoulder and sniffed my hair. This bedroom wasn’t as cozy as the one upstairs. The cement made the room colder and the bed resting on the floor lacked any sort of bedsheets.

Clutching his arm like I could protect him against the twins and Ren, I whirled. “And why is his bed on the floor?” I didn’t allow Asher a word edgewise. “Not only that but couldn’t you have put blankets or even a sheet on the bed?”

“It’s a new mattress . . .”

“And what is this?” I shook the chain at Bastien’s wrists. They clanged against the bolted metal plate over his bed. “Is there really a need for this?”

“Is . . . the human scolding . . . us?” Ren blinked.

“Did you not explain Bastien’s mental state, Asher?” Tobias’s voice came from behind Ren since he blocked the entrance. “Love, he doesn’t care what he sleeps on. He doesn’t care about anything. It’s difficult enough getting him to feed instead of simply murdering.”

They could go on and on about how he was a mindless vampire who wouldn’t care about comforts, but then why did he create bedding and clothing in his dream world?

I couldn’t be convinced that not a single bit of memory remained in Bastien, even if it was muscle memory.

“I’ll feed him.” I met Tobias’s focused gaze. “But I have a request.” The words spilled forward. They could deny me or ignore me, but I would ask regardless.

I bounced my gaze to Ren, then Jax, and lastly to Asher who looked delighted.

“And what is that?” Asher sounded too excited.

“Get him a proper set of clothes, unchain him . . . and . . . buy me a new computer.” I tossed in at the end.

Ren closed his eyes and tilted his head back. The corner of his lips turned down and caused his dimples to dip.

Was he about to laugh at me?

“A human caring about a feral vampire.” He opened his eyes. “Quite refreshing.”

Oh no, he seemed even more intrigued by me. Hunger glinted in those brown eyes. “We will do that.” Ren nodded.

Jax sighed and turned. “How did the meeting with Calliope go?” Tobias shouldered past Ren, walking into the room.

“She did not do it. She swore on your shared Sire, Ren.”

The relaxation faded from Ren.

“She is not lying, then.” Ren turned to me.

“Aren’t you guys, like, enemies?” I asked. They seemed much too nonchalant about her.

“Some days.”

I was even more confused.

“What he means is they like to play little games in the face of bored immortality,” Asher offered.

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