Page 40 of Blood So Brutal

His face contorted in pity. “You’re never going to be ready. Nobody is ready, especially somebody who just recently found out they are a vampyre.”

“Halfvampyre,” I corrected.

“Right.Halfvampyre.”

I took a few long breaths, willing the hunger to pass, before I finally pushed myself to stand. This hunger, this wicked thing inside me, wouldnotbe the thing that broke me. I would not allow it to be theone thingthat brought me to my knees after all of this.

“You might not be ready,” Wolf added, “but your body is.” He slid a hand up the side of my neck, rubbing his thumb against my cheekbone.

My breath hitched. “I need more time.”

Wolf’s eyes softened as he tilted his head to the side. “Time is something we don’t have.” The moon glistened above us, giving us the smallest amount of light in the eerily dark forest, just enough light to see the way Wolf pulled his hand from me and removed the blade from his hip.

Then, he sliced his own forearm.

“You once offered me your own blood when I needed it the most. Consider this me returning the favor.”

Chapter 12

Wolf

She was already backing away, but even as she shook her head and held her hands between us as a barrier, I could see it in her eyes.

The hunger. The want. The need.

I knew the feeling all too well. I also knew how disgusted she would be by this, how much she would hate herself once it was done for the first time.

The shame, the hatred. It was unavoidable. But at least I could help her through this. I could guide her through this.

“Listen to your body, Huntyr.”

“Get away from me.” Her words were merely a breath, and as soon as one breeze blew across my dripping blood and caressed her black, curly hair, she stopped backing up.

Her dark pupils widened.

“I can help you.”

I stepped forward, putting only inches of space between us as I held out my bleeding forearm.

“Wolf,” she sighed, begging. “Please.”

“Please what?” I asked. “Please stop? Please leave? Please clean the wound and leave you starving, suffering?” Her breath hitched. “You forget that I can feel this,” I put a hand over herstomach. “I canfeelthe hunger, Huntyr, even if you try your best to hide it from me.”

“Wolf,” she repeated, eyes darting between the blood and my face.

Tears threatened her eyes now, welling at the red rims. “Let me help you, Huntress.”

Her eyes fluttered closed, and I watched as she took a long, painful breath. When her eyes opened, the fight was gone.

“Okay,” she sighed.

Her hands reached for my forearm, but I pulled away at the last second. “Just one thing I need from you.”

“What?” Her eyes widened in panic.

“Marry me,” I demanded. “Tell me you’ll be mine, and you can take it all.”

She whimpered, and the sound alone nearly brought me to my knees.

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