Page 14 of Bloody Temptations

“Yeah, they share all kinds of things. There’s all kinds of stuff on there.”

Kai nods, his eyes entirely focused on me.

“So there’s dirty stuff on there too, right?” He whispers, and then bites his lip, giving me a hint of fang.

I laugh. A little too loud and with a snort too. It’s so embarrassing I die a little inside, but Kai’s smile softens, changing from his usual flirty grin to something a little more natural.

“Yeah, there is dirty stuff. And not just the porn. People share all kinds of stories. Here, let me show you.”

He sits up a bit straighter and waves towards the phone in a ‘go ahead and show me’ kind of motion. It takes a couple of seconds for me to find the thread but I manage to find the one that I was thinking of. It’s a story about someone who wrote erotica as a side hustle, and then found out that their best client—one they’d fallen a little bit in love with due to their shared kinks—was their step brother.

“And people justsharethis shit? Like, that’s wild,” Kai says, barking out a wild laugh, flashing his fangs. I know exactly which part he’s up to—the moment it all got leaked at the family dinner and the author had to explain their side hustle to their grandmother, while their other sibling gave a graphic explanation about felching.

Finished with the story, Kai looks at me with almost playful contemplation. The lights are dim in the club tonight, without theflashing strobes or colours. It has to be the neon lights reflecting off his perfect eyelashes that makes them almost look heavy lidded. Like he’s considering some of those things in the story. And me. Together.

My throat is burning dry and my teeth are aching like they haven’t in months. I practically dive for my glass, nearly spilling the blood inside as I raise it to my lips. Kai says nothing at my fumbling; he just raises an eyebrow at me when I swallow. I can see his eyes dip just slightly to watch my throat work down the too-big mouthful of blood.

Tension throbs between us like a rumble of thunder. His lip is back between his teeth and I can see that fang again.

But then just as quickly as the heavy moment came, it passes again.

Kai seems completely unaffected by the moment, confirming the voice in the back of my head telling me I must have been imagining things. He holds out my phone, and I curse inwardly when I realise my hand is shaking as I reach out to retrieve it. My fingers brush his—accidentally of course—and he holds on for just a second longer.

“What else is on there?” He asks, and I’m so caught up inhimI’ve forgotten what we’re talking about entirely.

“Oh, uh.” I fumble and fight to physically shake off the chaotic nerves overriding my brain cells. I swear, there are people and beings out in the world that consider me smart. Capable. Just not aroundhim,apparently. I unlock my phone out of reflex and quickly scroll through my feed. “There’s loads of stuff. Whatever you’re into. Books and TV. Local stuff. Whatever.”

“What’s that?” He leans forward to look at the phone too, and I can feel the brush of his hair against mine.

Thank the Gods I’m logged into this account, and not the one that’s subscribed to the HVB channels. Just strike me down with lightning and send me straight to the ether.

“Just a meme about customers.”

I pause so he can read it, enjoying his soft chuckle.

“Sounds about right. Shit. Be right back. Do not move.” Speaking of customers, one’s come to the bar, so he has to leave me to work for a bit. Not moving isn’t exactly a struggle. Watching him shake a cocktail shaker is like watching one of the most absurdly erotic sights imaginable.

“So, still not loving the customer service thing?” He asks when he comes back. He’s managed to find a job to keep himself occupied, mixing up syrups and bottles. I’m not exactly sure what he’s doing, but it means I get to watch his arms flex.

“It’s fine. I mean, I can’t complain.” I roll my lips over my teeth to try to keep my complaints inside, because who wants to hear someone whinge? But it’s a lost cause. I can’t keep it in.

“Actually I can. Gods’ tits,how do you do it? It’s not even the customers! I mean, getting screamed at because they drove on a flat tyre and don’t have roadside assistance is one thing. I can even tolerate someone having a go because I don’t know where they are and they keep just screeching that they are at their mum’s house, but they don’t know the address—but the perverts? Why are there so many perverts?”

I groan and drop my forehead to the bar while Kai laughs.

“Yeah, pervs kinda come with the territory.”

“I bet you know all about it.” I sit up again, rolling my shoulders and laughing along with him, not even caring when I snort-laugh.

“Are you calling me a pervert, Finn?” Kai clutches his chest dramatically. We’re drawing Lifo’s attention—he’s glowering from the other end of the bar—but by silent agreement, we’re ignoring him.

“What?” I splutter. “No! I meant you would have comeacrossa lot of perverts and…” I drop my head to the bar again. “Gods, just kill me now.”

A tea towel wallops my back and I look up to glare at him through my hair. It’s fallen all over my face with my dramatics.

“I’m kidding!” He laughs, then he leans back down on the bar again so we’re close enough that I can see the reflection of the lights in his dark eyes. It’s magnetic. Hypnotising. I can feel each throb of my blood pulsing in my veins. His left fang digs into his lip, and I cansensehow close the delicate skin is to breaking. It’s a hyper awareness of the blood underneath.

My phone buzzes violently on the bar between us. A reminder of the final bus to get home. Fuck.

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