Page 49 of Claimed
The panel opens and closes behind me. The click sets my blood racing swiftly through my veins as Caine jerks.
What—
Horan rolls his head on his neck and rises, plate in hand. “I’m going to take a shower and pass out. Don’t stay up too late, Caine.”
Caine follows him with his eyes as he sets his plate down, salutes us both, and eases into the only other room. Within moments, there is another soft click and the distant sound of running water.
I am very aware of the quiet. Of Caine’s fast breathing. He groans.
I reach for him. “Caine—”
He scrambles away, his back hitting the sofa. His crimson eyes are wild. Wide. “Why? Why are they fucking doing this?” His words confuse me.
“Caine? What’s wrong?” He remains silent, his eyes darting. “Do I need to get Horan?”
His head whips up. There is something dark in his gaze. Almost possessive. “Do you want to go get him?” The words are sharp. He groans and clamps his hands to his head. “Shit. I’m sorry, Onyx.”
I peer at him and then climb from the chair. Setting my untouched food on the table, I kneel before him. “Caine? Talk to me. What’s wrong?”
There is such desolation in his eyes, when he meets my gaze, that I inhale sharply.
“I need to feed,” he breathes.
My stomach flips. “Okay.” I look at him, then look away. I exhale in a slow push. “Okay.”
“You said that already.” I glower at him. “Sorry.”
“Caste?”
His lips twist. “You can’t tell?”
I know what faction he belongs to. But I need to hear him say it. “Caste, Caine.”
“Asmodai.”
Lust. He feeds on lust.
I shuffle closer to him on my knees and he tries to scoot back, but the sofa is behind him.
“What are you doing?” he demands.
In that moment, he doesn’t look like a demon of seduction. He looks like a lost, scared little boy. The change is heartbreaking and it raises every protective instinct inside me.
“Easy,” I say, pitching my voice low. Gentle. “I know a little about the Asmodean sect. Azz doesn’t let them visit often, but I am familiar enough. You feed on lust, right?”
His nod is minute.
I raise a hand and push his dark hair out of his eyes. His skin is so hot, scalding my fingertips. The spider silk strands are as soft as I expected. My fingers linger at his temple. “Feed on me.”
“Onyx—”
“It’s why they all left,” I tell him, surprised by the surety and resolution in my tone. “Ruin and Tanner could hear my heartbeat. They knew.”
His crimson eyes scour my face. “Knew?”
I smile. “You know you’re hotter than sin, right, Caine?” I ask. He stares up at me. “I would have to be blind not to notice. And after the way you left me at Velvet Sin … You kind of owe me.”
His lips part.
