Page 33 of Caller of Crows
Altair looked at the vampire, then back at Sven. "Hewould not have turned you. Gav's never had any self-control. He would have drained you and thrown your body away like a used condom."
Sven flinched, and then his own temper flared again. He opened his mouth to protest, but Altair didn't let him speak.
"You claim that you want me to turn you, yet you run from me the first chance you get. You're lucky I didn't leave you without surveillance."
Sven's stomach tightened. That fucking crow. He should have known. "You were watching me the entire time."
"Not the entire time. Don't flatter yourself. I do have other things to do."
Sven's fist clenched at his side, anger twisting through him. "Fuck you. What am I supposed to do, then? Sit in that fucking room and wait until you're done doing whatever you're doing? It's not like there's a TV. Can't you at least give me a book? Or a phone, so I could message my mother and tell her that the worst-case scenario has happened and I'll never see her again." Sven's voice broke and a wave of despair hit him. Fuck.
Altair sighed. "I cannot let you call anyone."
"Of course not. How could I forget? You don't trust me."
Altair met Sven's gaze, his expression unreadable. "You've certainly not given me any reason to trust you today."
Sven's jaw clenched. "Why would I? When you treat me like a prisoner."
"You misunderstand your position."
"Then explain it to me."
Altair regarded him silently for a moment, and then he stepped closer, cupping the back of Sven's head and pulling him into a kiss.
Sven was too shocked to resist.
Altair's lips were soft and warm, and when his fangs grazed Sven's lower lips, Sven felt a wave of heat rushing through him, followed by the sharp sting of a bite.
He gasped, his lips parting, and Altair took the invitation, his tongue slipping into Sven's mouth, tasting him.
Sven's hands found their way to Altair's chest, gripping the front of his shirt, clinging to him as the vampire kissed him until he could barely breathe.
Finally, Altair pulled back and studied him.
Sven could only imagine the picture he made. His heart was racing in his chest, his cheeks flushed, his lips kiss-swollen.
"You are my property. My responsibility." Altair's eyes were glowing red again, his gaze fixed on Sven's lips. "And you will not wander around this coven unattended. Do you understand?"
"But-"
"Do you understand?" Altair's gaze bore into him.
Sven stared at the vampire for a moment, torn between arguing and obeying. Finally, he nodded, his gaze dropping.
He didn't want to admit it, but Altair had a point. The tall vampire had been ready to kill him, and Sven was nowhere near strong enough to fight off a whole coven of vampires.
Altair studied him and then stepped back. "Come. You will return to your room."
He didn't touch Sven again, just waited for Sven to step in line with him, and together, they walked back toward the vampire's bedroom.
"Wait," Sven said when the vampire was about to leave him alone again.
Altair paused, regarding him.
"I need to know how my mother is doing. I know one of you has my phone. Keegan said so. I don't care if you give it back or not, but at least tell me if there's been any messages or calls. Hell, I don't care if you pretend to be me. Just send a text asking if everything is okay. Ihaveto know."
Altair regarded him silently, and then his expression softened. "Very well. If you promise to behave."
