Page 55 of House of Crimson Hearts
I stare at her, shocked that she’s not displaying any kind of fear.
“You’re not afraid of me?” I whisper.
“Why would I be?” She says it so casually, as ifnotbeing afraid of me is the most normal thing in the world when it’s as far from the truth as possible.
Her skin pales, her lips turn blue as a dribble of blood oozes out of her mouth. I’m suddenly not ready for her to die. I need to know why she’s not afraid, why she defended me.
“Why? Why did you help?” I say.
“Because… hunters are trained to protect.”
“Yes, humans, not vampires.”
She shakes her head, her eyes rolling back. “No,” she says and then the next words she utters carve my world in two. “We’re trained to protect the innocent.”
Her head rolls back, her eyes flutter shut.
I make a decision. Maybe it was wrong, maybe I shouldn’t have done it. But she’d saved me…
No human had ever done more than given me a passing sneer. And she’d not only saved me but taken a blade to the gut and was going to lose her life over it.
A human… sacrificing themselves for me?
I shove the sleeve of my shirt up and sink my fangs into my wrist. The movements are automatic, my body reacting on instinct. I hoist her up and into my arms. I drag my teeth across my wrist until my own blood pools in my mouth and spills over. Then I place my wrist over her mouth.
My blood flows in long throbbing pulses into her mouth. She’s already unconscious so I just pray enough of it reaches her stomach and seeps into her system to make a difference.
I shred her top, ripping the fabric over her stomach so I can see the gash in her belly. It’s an ugly, raw wound, the flesh rumpled and torn, blood crusted over her skin. My wrist slows to an ooze, but she hasn’t woken. I pull it away and sink my teeth in again, re-tearing the flesh and push her lips open further, hoping more blood will pour down her throat.
“Come on, come on,” I plead.
I glance back at her gut; the blood has slowed to an ooze but I’m not sure if that’s because mine is healing her or if I’m too late and she’s too far gone.
She spasms under my hold, then her hands find my arm and she grabs hold, plunging her mouth over my wrist.
“Fuck, easy now.”
But her eyes snap open, something feral passes through her expression and she gulps down my blood. The harder she sucks on my wrist the hotter my body grows.
Oh shit.
I’ve never allowed anyone to feed from me. Xavier’s told me about the side effects, but in my panic I’d forgotten. Warmth drops to my crotch, heat pools between my thighs, my underwear sticking to me. Mother of Blood. She’s taking too much. I glance at her stomach, the wound is sealed shut. I pull my arm away, but it’s too late, she’s taken too much, and I am consumed by her. By the scent of her blood, the scent of mine thrumming through her veins. My clit pulses between my legs.
I have to get away from her beforeI can’t.
“You’re…” she says as she climbs out of my arms.
“Octavia Beaumont,” I confirm.
“Beaumont,” she whispers and then her eyes flare wide as she takes in the sight of her shredded clothes.
“What did you do…? Oh, no. No. No. No.”
I frown. “You’re welcome, by the way.”
“Welcome?” she snaps. “You just fucking fed me your blood. You’re a vampire and not just any fucking vampire. You’re one of the original three.”
“Yes, I’ve known that for quite a while,” I deadpan.
