Page 7 of Shifters' Fated Summer
“You were being held as a blood slave,” he said. I flinched at the term. “And he was feeding on you when I arrived.”
“I was a donor,” I argued.
“You have been with them since childhood,” he continued. “I think they were somehow brainwashing you. It’s not okay to hold people prisoner and feed off of them.”
Slowly, I pushed the air from my lungs and drew in a fresh breath. I was okay. Everything would be okay. Panicking wouldn’t help me.Don’t think about what just happened. Focus on the positive.
“I wasn’t a prisoner. Evrinwas making me his mate,” I clarified, trying to hold onto hope. “I wanted to be there.”
He didn’t understand because he’d never been a donor, never experienced that relationship. If he would just listen, surely, he would see reason. He didn’tseemlike an idiot.
“He was turning you?” Luca asked, his head tilting again. The movement sharpened his jaw and highlighted the hollow under his cheekbones. A layer of dark stubble shaded the area, like he had been too busy to shave while he was abducting blood donors from their home.
“He was going to. For my birthday in a few weeks.”
He leaned forward, one hand resting on the mattress beside my waist. This stranger was looming over me, and I had to tilt my face up to look into his eyes. My pulse picked up.
It was just fear, the way my heart sped.
But I had no desire to run from him.
From the way my skin heated, my body had gotten things very confused. Instead of shying away, I wanted to reach out and touch his man.
Nope!
I shouldn’t feel this way about anyone but Evrin.
It was ridiculous! This man wasn’t a vampire, but he was beautiful like one. My body sawpretty boyand shorted out.
He studied my face. “Did you drink any of his blood?”
Wrinkling my nose, I shook my head. “He wouldn’t do that until the mating ceremony when he turnedme.”
It was Luca’s turn to flinch at my words.
He shook his head, dark waves ruffling with the movement. “Unbelievable.”
My jaw clenched, and I fought the urge to cross my arms and scowl petulantly. Instead, I drew my hands up the covers at my neck. Maybe hiding was my best option because I withered under this man’s intensity.
If he kept staring like that, I would melt into a puddle and soak into the mattress like a popsicle in the sun.
His lips flattened, pressing his lip piercing sideways, and dimples formed in his cheeks. My gaze snagged on them, and I couldn’t stop staring at the damn indentation in his cheeks.
“Look, we can talk about this later. Right now, you need a shower and a good meal. And clean clothes.” He stood, towering over me. Cool eyes flicked over my body, sending a thrill through me before he turned away.
Dammit!
He was so charming, twisting my emotions around and confusing me. None of this was right. Maybe I could go back to sleep and wake up and try this all again.
“I collected some clothes for you. They’re waiting in the bathroom. It’s right here.” He pointed out the door. “Across the hall.”
He chewed on his plump bottom lip, and I found myself distracted again. It popped from between his teeth before he spoke again.
“There’s soap and shampoo in the shower. Once you’re dressed, we can get you some dinner.”
As if on cue, my stomach rumbled. Meals were inconsistent in the den, and I was used to ignoring the gnawing feeling in my gut. But I would need my strength to get back to Evrin, so if he was offering food, I would take it.
That was a practical choice. Focus on getting out of here and back to my vampire prince. Forget this confusing, beautiful stranger.
