Page 44 of House of Crimson Hearts
If she dosed me while I was asleep, I’ll never know how much she gave me. But given the way I wanted to climb her face and fuck the horn away, I’d say it was definitely more than a drop or two.
I sink under the water and groan. When I surface for air, I jolt. The door is opening. I lurch up, grab my blades and try not to slip in the bath as I form a fighting stance.
Raven-coloured hair appears first, then Octavia’s form slides into the bathroom.
“What the fuck. I locked the door,” I snap.
“This is my house. No doors are locked to me.”
“How did you get in?”
“Same way you get into any vampire-owned mansion. I paid the door a drop of blood and it gladly opened for me.”
I throw my hands up. “And why did you feel the need to come in here? Was the locked door not a clue? I’m in the fucking bath. A bath you made me take.”
Her eyes drop.
Wherever she looks, heat erupts over my skin as if it were her hands touching me instead of her gaze. First my shoulders, and then heat trails down my chest, my stomach, my pussy, my thighs. It’s the first time I truly appreciate just how naked I am. Sure, bubbles cover at least one of my nipples and half my stomach, and my calves are still fully submerged. But that’s about it. And her blood is one hundred percent not out of my system. I know because my neck muscles are taut, preventing me from flinging myself at her.
Her lip twitches, then she drags her eyes up to meet mine. “Oh, do sit down, Red. You’re making the floor wet.”
“Am I safe?” I say.
“From me? Yes. The ahh…”—she wafts a hand in the air—“heat you’re experiencing is shared.”
“The h—? Oh.”
“Unfortunately, while I knew of this phenomenon, it wasn’t something I factored into the decision. Which I should have, given our close physical proximity.”
I lie back in the bath with a smug sense of satisfaction that she’s also suffering. “So, what you’re saying…” I drag it out, watching her squirm in the doorway. “Is that because your blood is in my system, you want to fuck me? Oh, that is too bad. That will teach you to feed your blood to a human then, won’t it.”
Her eyes narrow at me. “You are the first.”
My mouth forms a tiny ‘O’ and makes me look away.
“We have a problem,” she says, putting a hand on her hip.
“I think that much is evident,” I say, trying not to roll my eyes.
“Not the arousal. Though that is an uncomfortable issue right now.” She adjusts her bra, no doubt her nipples are as hard as mine. Though the warm water is easing that.
She leans against the wall. “The trials. This… whatever this thing is that Mother is making us participate in. Have you given any consideration as to who you will partner with?”
“Not fucking you. That’s for sure. Why the hell would I want to partner with a sister killer.”
She rolls her eyes at me. “Oh, and I suppose you’d rather be partnered with… who exactly? The beautiful Xavier? I didn’t think cock was your thing.”
“Careful, Octavia, you almost sound jealous.”
I bring my fingers to my lips. My words hit me. The familiarity with which I speak to her. No one else would dare speak to one of the original three the way I am, and yet… it feels so… natural.
So strange.
She ignores my teasing and returns to the point. How dull.
“Or would you rather be bored to death by Gabe? Hmm?” She folds her arms and leans one of her feet against the wall for support. She looks like every fictional book boyfriend Amelia has ever fawned over.
Amelia.
