Sinai recoiled.

“Ten of you will never be as strong.” he repeated, slowly, throwing more blows. Eyes burning into hers. “You will never be half the female Emeriel is.”

Punching through her heart.Her lungs.

Sinai struggled to breathe. “How could you… how could you say thatto me?”

Closing the distance he put between them, Daemonikai growled, deadly. “The next time youdarecompare yourself to her, I may truly snap your neck. Have some respect for mine.” His gaze hardened further. “And that’s what she is—mine.”

Sinai’s lips parted, but no words came. The fist had stopped punching, claws now digging into her wounds, tears flowing freely.

“Wipe those off,” he ordered curtly. “I do not care to see them.”

With trembling hands, she swiped at her tears.How could he be so heartless to a female who has served him for millennia...?

Crossing his arms over his broad chest, his gaze bored into hers. “Don’t think I don’t know you used to delay my feedings when I was feral to coerce Vladya into giving you the lands in Crystal Waters.”

Blood drained from her face. How did he know that!?

“W-what? That’s not true! Who told you such ridiculous lies?”

“You did,” Daemonikai’s tone did not soften. “After I broke out of the forbidden chambers in bloodlust, killedour own people, and Vladya threatened to punish you... that was when you came to feed me! You confessed it yourself.”

“You remember...?”

“Everything. You really did not think I would regain consciousness, did you?”

She averted her eyes with shame and guilt.

"Now, you dare stand before me to act like you have feelings for me?"

Sinai sniffled. "I really do—"

"If it weren't against the law, I would have you drained every few days and stored away, so I do not have to see your face. An almost good reason to wish for war."

She flinched.All this just so he would not feed from his source?

“Feed me.”

“Daemon… I didn’t mean—”

“Feed me in the way of old,” he commanded, his face carved out of stone. “The less time we have to do this in the future, the better.”

Swiping at her tears again, Sinai complied, undressing.

***

After the feeding, Sinai sat alone on the bed, her body humming with unfulfilled desire. He wouldn’t touch her aching nipplesor throbbing clitoris. Would not even let her grind against his strong thigh to find her release. Instead, he kept the feeding cold and impersonal.

Desperate, she'd used her own hands to get herself off, but even as she reached her climax, it didn’t feel like she had.

But that was okay.

Wiping her tears, Sinai glared at the closed door. Daemonikai needed her.

No matter how much he pretended otherwise, acted as if he didn’t want her—He. Needed. Her.

Always would.