Page 56 of Blood Bought

He wrapped his hands around mine and leaned his forehead against the metal. “I didn’t want to believe it. But nothing prepared me for seeing your face here for the first time. When you were a baby, it was different. I felt the pull, knew I could never let you die, but you were ababy. Seeing you here as a grown woman was different. Then I was mad that I was wrong, and mad at the shit I felt inside, and I kind of took it out on you. I’m sorry.”

Finally, the two halves of Heir Alaris clicked. My world stopped feeling so crooked, so skewed, so off-balance. “I understand. I can’t say I’m happy about how it happened, but I understand.”

“Hopefully, we have a lot of years for you to make me pay for it,” he smiled softly. “Just never stop being you.”

“Yeah, that’s not really possible. In case you didn’t notice, I was irrevocably me even when you were threatening to murder me and my family,” I pointed out. “I don’t really have an off-switch.”

One of the guards knocked loudly on the door. “Five minutes!”

In seconds, angry Alaris was back. “Going to rip his hands off when I’m out of here. Bangs on that fucking door all day.”

The power still radiating from him even given his situation had me clenching my thighs a little. “Want me to knock their heads together on my way out?”

“No, but you can when I’m out of here.” His hungry eyes dropped down to my legs and crawled their way up my frame. “Already miss your pussy, Miss Silk. Do you miss my tongue?”

It was impossible to look away from his mouth, and as hard as I tried not to think about it, I briefly imagined finally kissing him. “Yes,” I said too loudly, trying to focus on anything else and hoping he missed that. “And your cock, even though it probably makes me bleed internally.”

He licked his lips like he’d do it right then if he could. “I want to kiss you too, Sweets. Every inch of you. And your insides are okay, that’s why you drink my blood too.”

My stomach twisted as I let out a sharp breath. “So why haven’t—”

“Time’s up!”

“Fuck off!” Alaris growled, fangs popping out as he gripped my hands harder and stared the guards down. “That wasn’t a full hour.”

“She shouldn’t have been a bitch, then,” Douche Number Two said. “We don’t take threats from bloodwhores.”

I pulled my hand out of Alaris’ grip and waved like an asshole. “Good thing I’m not a bloodwhore, then. But don’t worry, I’m going.”

“Adalind,”he reached into my mind.“All of them will pay. You’re not my bloodwhore, you’re so much more than that.”

“No. One day, if and when I change my mind about turning... these two are mine.”I stepped up to Douche Number One. “What’s your name, handsome?”

“Vannik. What do you care? Not like you’ll remember when you’re laid out in his bed high.”

“Yours, Sweets. I’ll make sure of it.”

I bit my lip and glanced at the other one. “And you’re Miko, right? Chances are good I’ll remember at least one of you when I’m blood high in your Discipline Heir’s bed,” I offered, turning slowly and backpedaling toward the door. “Just... not really seeing any reason to. You’re both utterly forgetta— oh, wait! I guess I will need to remember you. Need to make sure I grab a machete big enough to sever those thick necks. I’d better go shopping.”

“That’s my girl,” Alaris said proudly, watching me with dark eyes, and if there weren’t bars between us he would have taken me right there. I was sure of it.

“Don’t die on me, Alaris. You owe me a weekend somewhere with a working shower and basic technology.”I winked, then disappeared back through the doors. “Kell, Ren? You guys may want to get in there. Alaris is over the moon and the two guards are having a bad day. I’ll head straight back to his room, I promise.”

Kell didn’t believe me — he grabbed me and teleported me up there himself, then disappeared again in a blink, making me sigh.

Fucking vampires.

---