Page 74 of Bite Marks & Broken Hearts

I let out a long sigh, then a stretch of silence filled the line between us.

My fingers drummed against the arm of the chair as two warring instincts battled within me—the urge to protect Flynn, and the desperate need to allow myselfsomething, at least.

I studied his photo again. The playful spark in his eyes. The way his pyjama top had ridden up slightly, exposing a sliver of pale stomach.

“Tell me more about this sexting.” The words left my mouth before I could stop them, and I almost couldn’t believe what I was saying.

But…

The warmth of his blood still coursed through my veins, dulling the edge of my constant hunger. Flynn wouldn’t be staying here for long—once I’d annihilated the evil that dared to harm him, he’d be back to the life he was building for himself in London. Our paths would never cross again. So why shouldn’t I indulge in some harmless flirtation, with multiple walls between us and blood in my system to quell my monster?

“Well, how about I show you? It will probably be easier if we hang up. Else I might laugh.”

Before I could formulate a response, the line went dead.

I stared at my phone, mouth agape. Had he really just—

A message notification appeared.

My thumb hovered over it, a barrage of second thoughts clouding my mind. This was dangerous territory. I should ignore it, delete the message, turn my phone off and—

I opened it.

The photo loaded.

Christ.

Flynn’s pale torso filled my screen. His hand hooked into his pyjama bottoms, tugging them low enough to reveal a band of white cotton beneath. Dark hair trailed down from his navel, disappearing beneath the waistband.

A fierce hunger surged through me—not for blood, but for touch. To trace that trail of hair with my fingertips, to feel the warmth of living flesh beneath my hands. It had been so long since I’d allowed myself to want like this, to imagine the press of skin against skin.

My mouth went dry. The metal cask beckoned—perhaps another measure would steady my nerves. But moving felt impossible. Every muscle in my body had locked into place, transfixed by that strip of exposed skin, that teasing glimpse of what lay beneath.

A flash of desire sparked low in my belly, kindling into flame.

My mind replayed that moment when Flynn had confessed his inexperience, his shoulders tensed as though bracing for mockery or pity. If only he knew how that knowledge had stirred something fierce in me—not simply lust, but an overwhelming need to ensure his first experiences would be nothing short of sacred. Oh, the ways I would worship him, if given the chance. I would take him apart with centuries of practiced patience, piece by precious piece, until he was consumed with pleasure.

Such thoughts were a betrayal of my duty. Flynn was here under my protection, and I shouldn’t complicate matters with base desires. It wasn’t fair to him.

Still, I found my fingers moving across the keyboard of their own accord.

Is this a “sext” or one of those lewd pictures used on the dating apps that Rory enjoys?

I hit send before I could think better of it. The message showed as read immediately. I flicked back up to see Flynn again. My trousers grew uncomfortably tight, and I shifted in the armchair, trying to find a more dignified position.

Without thinking, my palm pressed against the fabric, providing a hint of relief. A quiet groan escaped my lips. When was the last time I’d allowed myself this kind of release? Months, at least. Perhaps longer. Time had a way of blending together.

The three dots appeared at the bottom of my screen, and my heart performed a phantom race.

Tell me what you’d do to me if you were here

The question paralysed me. Images surged through my mind unbidden—Flynn beneath me, my hands pinning his wrists, my fangs grazing his throat. The monster in me yearned to claim, to possess, to mark. Tofeed. But that path led to darkness. To blood, pain, and loss.

I forced those thoughts down, burying them beneath my practiced, hard-won control. Flynn deserved gentleness. Tenderness. Safety. Everything I wasn’t sure I could give him.

Insist you put your shirt back on because it’s cold up here.

Seb!!!!

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