Page 89 of This Ravenous Fate
Elise reached forward to open the door, but a hurried whisper stopped her. “Wait.” She looked up to see Layla peeking through the escape hatch at the top of the elevator.
“Christ, Layla. What are you doing here—I told you not to come!” Elise exclaimed, stunned. Her tears had not yet dried and she was already fighting back laughter at the sight of Layla dropping headfirst out of the elevator ceiling.
Layla stopped mid-descent, her legs hooked over the ledge. She threw Elise a nasty look. “Don’t look so surprised. You didn’t notice,so obviously it’s a great hiding spot. And like I said, I. Will. Be. Fine.” Layla gritted out. “Did they hurt you?”
Elise shook her head and removed the vial of antidote from her pocket. “Sterling gave me an antidote. They must believe you’ve infected me.”
“Good.” Layla nodded. Then she grabbed Elise’s sleeve and pulled her closer. “Give me your blood,” she demanded.
“Okay.” Elise began to unbutton the top of her dress, but Layla grabbed her wrist, stopping her.
She gaped. “Are you not going to ask me why?”
Elise shrugged. “I trust you,” she said. Once she was unbuttoned, she stared at Layla, who had gone still in her upside-down position. “How will you drink from me like that? Won’t it be hard to swallow?”
“You underestimate me.” Flashing a wicked grin, Layla reached forward and sank her fangs into Elise’s throat.
Elise certainly did underestimate Layla. Not her skill, but the effect she would have on her. Layla’s teeth in her neck, reaper venom numbing the pain and rousing every pleasure center in her body, made Elise’s skin tingle and eyelids flutter. Warmth rushed through her and she felt light, on the verge of floating. Elise rocked forward, her hand coming up to steady herself against the elevator wall. Layla’s hand fisted in her dress, and Elise closed her eyes, a soft moan leaving her throat. The slight pain in her neck from the bite dissolved into a pleasure so great, her stomach clenched and knees went weak. The heat in her body increased until she was nearly panting, her hand tightening around the elevator railing so hard, her fingers wentnumb. In this moment, Elise was convinced heaven existed and that she had found it with Layla. She almost opened her mouth to say so, but she wasn’t sure she would be able to get any words out among all of her bliss.
Then, in a split second, the intensity rushed away and faded to an aching pulse in the pit of her stomach. Elise opened her eyes to see Layla staring up at her. Her eyes glowed gold and Elise’s blood stained her lips. She ran her tongue over the blood, her mouth curving into a satisfied smile. “Look at you,” Layla murmured wistfully.
Elise still felt like she was on fire. A new craving arose for that heavenly pain. The blush that heated her face when she remembered just how vocally and physically she had reacted to Layla’s bite only made it worse. She nodded, buttoning the front of her dress. “Holy hell, Layla.”
Layla nodded slowly. If Elise didn’t know any better, she would think the fire in her glowing eyes was more than just an instinctual reaction to her human blood. “If he tries anything against you, he will know you’re under the influence of my venom.” Layla tugged on Elise’s dress when she didn’t say anything. “Hey, Saint?”
Elise looked back at her. She tried to keep her breathing steady, but failed. “Yes?” she barely managed to grit out.
“We’re so close. Don’t go to pieces now,” Layla whispered fiercely.
Elise wanted to shake Layla and tell her that was impossible. It was impossible not to fall apart when it came to her. But she just nodded. “I’m good.” And when Layla retreated back up on top of the elevator, Elise still felt her bite, lingering like a drawn-out kiss againsther pulse, her life force forever altered by Layla Quinn.
***
Back in her father’s study, Elise felt like she was suffocating. She stood before her father’s desk, staring right into his eyes while Mr. Wayne stood beside him and Sterling leaned against the far wall. He watched Elise with doubtful eyes, his gun fully visible on his hip.
The pressure of their attention on her made her chest ache, and her breath became shallower with each second. Layla’s venom only heightened her agitation, her skin prickling and heart yearning to be near her and only her.
“How do I know I can trust you again?” her father demanded.
Elise bit her lip. “I never wanted any of this to happen. I just wanted to figure out who killed Thalia and get rid of Layla. But she outsmarted me at every turn.”
Her father frowned. His eyes were red and his fingers shook as he lifted a glass of wine to his mouth. “You’re not quite apologetic enough. You need to understand that your actions have consequences. Right now, you are no longer my heir. That role has gone to Sterling. He’s proven his loyalty to me time and time again. The only time he fumbled was when he was with you. It seems that you are the poison in this empire, Elise.”
Though his words stung, a weight lifted from her shoulders at the knowledge that she was no longer his heir. As long as she had freed Josi from her father’s clutches, as far as Elise was concerned,she had done exactly what she had set out to do and she had gotten what she wanted.
The sound of the front door opening split their attention and shouting sounded in the hallway outside. Elise turned right in time to see the door fling open, several Saint guards scrambling to speak at once. “Sir, apologies, she threatened to kill him—”
Then Layla Quinn shoved her way between them, Dr. Harding in tow. She held a gun to his head—Sterling’s gun.
Sterling raised his remaining gun when he saw her. “Release him—”
“No, I think we can have a civil conversation first,” Layla snapped.
Mr. Wayne held his hands up, panic slipping through his haughty mask. “What is this about?”
Layla nodded to Dr. Harding. “Go ahead. Explain yourself.”
Dr. Harding stumbled through his words, detailing the things he had told Layla the previous night. Even though Elise had heard everything from Layla this morning, the devastation in his voice still shocked her. She couldn’t understand how anyone could have the desire to create such desolation.
