“For fuck’s sakes, Sydni. I just got off work!”

“Is that a no?” Her sheepish tone makes me groan and throw my head back. “I’ll cancel…” Gods she sounds so sad,and even though I would rather her date a Mundane nerd that sits on his video games all day, I do want her happy and satisfied.

I’ll threaten his dick if he even looks at her wrong. Or at another woman. I should feel honored that Sydni would want me to play bodyguard. That, or she’s lost her damn mind thinking I have the restraint to not kill him if he even slips up a little.

Either way, I concede. “Let me wash my face and change, five minutes tops.”

She squeals.

“Where is Kai?” I interject into her joy.

“I feel like anywhere he is that isn’t nearest to you is going to piss you off, but at least it isn’t at Hause Sidence this time.”

I groan so loud that Mister jumps from the couch and heads out the patio door.

“Piece of shit, Vampire.”

23

Kairhyse

My little demon has ruined my palate.

It’s been three weeks since I’ve fed on Xeraphine and I’m finally beginning to feel the need. She’s been such a tease, and honestly after this attempt at feasting on another, I am going to just take the risk of death and break into her apartment.

Thinking about the toy deep in that cunt of hers and how badly I wanted to replace it with my cock, has me stiff. I should have just slipped my shadow in there to help her take the edge off.

“I offered the premier feed,” the blonde I had my fangs sunk into whispers through her heavy breathing. “That monster can have me for free honestly.” Her arm moves behind her, and I think she’s trying to grab my said monster. I shift her before she has the ability to do so, and pull from her shoulder.

“No, not interested, just sit and do your job.”

“Your cock says otherwise.” She rolls her hips, and I sink my fangs back into her roughly. The shriek she releases would surely bring the staff running, but I don’t care. I wrap my arm around her chest and hold her tight as I pull her blood into me. “Stop! That hurts!”

My hand moves to her mouth and covers it as she again tries to tell me to cease what I paid for. I know I’m hurting her, and it is purposeful.

I don’t want to kill her, but I’m going to teach her a lesson.

The moment I am satisfied, I tear from her neck. The soft pop as my fangs withdraw from her flesh elicits tears and a whimper from her.

“Listen to your clients,” I whisper and place her on the bench beside me before moving to stand. “You aren’t safe, even here. Piss the wrong one of us off and we can snap your neck in an instant. For your own good, do as your told.”

The staff are rushing through the door now.

I haven’t visited a feeding clinic in quite some time, and already I can sense that I may not be welcomed back. But it doesn’t matter. This only confirms that I’ve been irrevocably ruined by my girl, to the point where she’ll either sustain me or lead me to my death.

After settling the payment and leaving a generous tip for the blonde attendant—perhaps enough to afford her a few days to heal from the bruise that will likely consume her entire shoulder—I step outside. With my phone in hand, I immediately pull up Xeraphine’s location.

To my surprise she isn’t at home, but is instead at a restaurant not too far from me. Like any adept stalker, I get into my car and head toward her. I wonder if I’ll be disrupting another date; that thought intrigues me. She must be feeling the decline in her energy, and while she should have a few more weeks, I’m sure she’s just as hungry as I was.

The Beast is a restaurant and bar that doesn’t exactly scream upper class, but it’s far too fancy for Xeraphine’s taste. That likely means she’s busy with her second job of hunting down Dominic and Dante.

Then there are the other three, and if I’m honest, I want to obliterate the entire Hause structure to find out who hurt her. It sounds cliché, burning down my world for a girl who won’t even let me cook her pancakes, but I’m ready to do it.

I’m such a hopeless fool because she’s not the kind of girl who wants anyone to do that for her. She’s determined to handle it herself. However, I’ll be damned if she denies me the opportunity to watch at least.

As the elevator dings at the top floor, I step out, my eyes scanning for her pale skin, the stark contrast of her onyx hair and silvern eyes.

“Good evening, do you have a reservation?” The host smiles, his hand tapping at a tablet.