Page 75 of Feathers From the Sky

“Yes, she is. And an important part of learning is correction.” He tilts my head back, and I’m simultaneously irritated with him and turned on. I needed to be stopped, and I’m glad he was here to do it, but I feel patronized. But then his thumb rubs the side of my neck with firm pressure, and my body relaxes. “May I, Petra?” Roman asks, and when she nods, he dips forward, biting the spot I’d wanted. He doesn’t let go of my hair, and all I can do is watch.

I don’t realize the hiss and subsequent growl I hear is coming from me until Petra takes my hand in hers. “It’s okay. Your turn is next. You’re doing fantastic.”

Roman is staring at me while he drinks, and I struggle to bring myself back from that aggressive brink. I close my mouth, pressing my tongue against the sharp points of my teeth, letting the small pain guide me back. Roman doesn’t let me pull away, and all I can do is watch as his lips move against her neck. I don’t know what part makes me more angry: that it’sherneck he’s touching or that it’smyblood he’s drinking. I clear my head, blinking quickly, when I realize how possessive my thoughts have turned. Petra doesn’t belong to me, no matter what this thirst says. And Roman? How could I look at him, after everything, and still want him? Even worse, how can I even dream of him being mine?

I wish I could go back, wish I could remember a time before I knew the warmth of his skin, the caress of his fingertips, the push of his body inside mine. The tenderness and praise which shouldn’t belong to me. In the end, he will be the one to ruin me, and I will deserve it.

You are wretched. You are nothing. He should have let you die.

Vicious and shocking, these thoughts used to come unexpectedly. Like a thief in the night, breaking and taking anything I held dear. By now, we are old friends. By now, there is nothing of value left to take.

I am no good.

Roman closes his eyes, dark lashes sweeping low, and I want to count every single one, but then he’s looking at me, pupils blown wide. When he pulls his teeth free, blood drips out of his mouth, but he doesn’t swallow. He moves, standing over me. Petra shifts and lowers herself onto the coffee table. And then it’s just me and Roman. His hand grips my jaw, and his thumb pulls at my lower lip.

Heat travels low, and I grow slick between my thighs when I realize exactly what he wants. Opening my mouth wide, I close my eyes as he spits Petra’s warm blood into it. Groaning, my eyes roll back as I swallow. I can taste a hint of his whisky, and I’m on my feet in a heartbeat. I don’t know if I want to fight him or kiss him, but that seems to just be the way of it with Roman. He makes me lightheaded.

“You were so patient, sweetheart. I didn’t want to make you wait any longer.” When he puts his hands on my hips, I grab his wrists, but all I can do is stare up at him. There’s no way he knows how sexy he is, because he wouldn’t act like this in public if he did. If he knew people would fucking melt with even a fond look from him, let alone praise? His smirk is infuriating as he licks the blood from his lips. My hand drifts up like it has a mind of its own, tracing his jaw, pushing past the rough scruff he sports, until its firmly tangled in his wavy hair. “Petra, go get some water and a snack,” he says, but his eyes don’t leave mine.

I faintly hear Margot say my name behind me, and I can see Nico drinking from someone out of the corner of my eye, but I can’t focus on anything except for the man in front of me. My vision goes fuzzy on the edges, and he is all there is. He has cut me down and formed me into something new, and he has no idea how it’s affected me.

He can’t hold me responsible for what he’s done.

Roman’s eyes narrow as he brings his hand to his mouth. He smacks his lips, running his tongue over his teeth. When his eyes widen and he mouths the word ‘fuck,’ I frown. The light behind him flickers, and I tilt my head in confusion.

“We still have the room for, like, five more hours. You two can’t fuck in here yet.” Margot’s voice buzzes beside me, and when I look down, her arms wrap around my waist, but I barely even feel her.

“Petra is possessed,” Roman says, crowding me. His hands grab my upper arms, and he leads me backward. I don’t understand what he’s saying.

“What do you mean? She was really sweet,” I say, but I don’t think he understands me considering the frown he still wears.

“She’s a demon?” Nico asks. I can’t see the man, only focusing on the line where Roman’s lip meets his skin. I want to suck on it. “You feeling it?”

“A little. Gwyn had more, though.” Roman’s eyes move way too fast as he looks at me. His hands cup my face, and I reach for him as I fall. The couch is cloud-like beneath me, the velvet soft under my fingers. I tilt my head, tipping backward as a blur of yellow moves between me and Roman.

“Petra?” Margot’s voice is shrill, and it makes me laugh. “Let me go find her,” she says, and then she’s gone.

“Nico,help.” Roman commands, and then there’s a girl in my lap I don’t recognize.

“Drink up, buttercup.” Nico sounds amused, but that can’t be right. He doesn’t believe in fun.

“Hello,” I purr. The woman is really fucking pretty. Her hair is a bright blue, and she has big green eyes. Her lips are plump, and she looks at me like she wants to eat me. Which is confusing. I’m the one with the fangs. She turns and straddles me, unbuttoning her shirt a little. I search for Roman, but I don’t see him anywhere. I wonder where he’s gone.

“Drink, beautiful.” When the woman points at her boob, I smile. She is really quite pretty, and she hasreallynice boobs. But would Roman want me to bite her there? I hesitate because I really don’t think he would. Not that it matters, not that any of this matters.

“What’s her problem?” she asks, sounding irritated.

“I’m sorry, they’re really nice, I just—” I try to explain because I don’t want to hurt her feelings.

“Just give her your wrist.” The harsh sound of Roman’s gravelly voice travels up my spine and makes me shiver. I whip my head around, but it only makes me dizzy.

“Fine by me,” Blue Hair says, and when her arm is presented to me, my fangs snap out when I’m not expecting it. I bite her, and this blood is different from Petra’s. It’s richer, thicker, and the metallic tang is less severe.

I groan, drinking as much as I can. It’s more than I’ve drunk since we’ve been here, and I barely feel thirsty anymore. Roman is talking to Nico about chemistry. Their voices echo to an overstimulating degree, so I close my eyes. I’m drinking from the pretty girl, trying to not think about science, when it hits me. Petra is possessed. By a demon. Demon blood.

I snort, dropping the pretty arm. I cough out some of her blood, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. This is why Roman is very serious right now as he talks about diluting blood. He’s so handsome though, arms crossed over his chest. The blue shirt I’d had on earlier looks good on him. Open at the top, I can see the edges of his tattoos. I want to lick that triangle of skin. “Roman? I’m fine. It’s fine.” I stand, using my vampire speed and strength to dart over and pull him close, and we tumble backward onto the couch. “I just feel a bit tipsy, that’s all.”

“Fuck, Gwyn,” he grunts. “You need to drink more. You didn’t get too much in you, but—”

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