Page 64 of Mortal Blood
“You can,” he said. “And you shall.”
“I…I really think I’d rather not.”
“Did I ask your opinion?” he snapped, and I shook my head.
“No, but Demir—”
“That’sInstructorDemir, dhampir.”
“Instructor Demir,” I corrected quickly, “I can’t, I mean, I’ve never fed before.”
“You might not have noticed, but you’re standing in an academy. There is no better place to learn.”
I lifted my chin. “And if I don’t want to?”
“If you choose not to learn, then you will fail this class. I believe the Domina has already explained the consequences of doing so.”
My mouth popped open. Sothatwas what that whole shitshow in Astor’s office had been about. I took in the look of cold satisfaction smeared all across Demir’s face. The asshole knew he had me. Because the future of the Iron Shadow pack, and Cole’s place leading it, depended on us looking like the best of the best.
“You’re saying if I don’t feed, you’re going to get me held back a year.”
“I’m going to do no such thing. But rules are rules, and being an abomination does not put you above them. Or do you imagine you’re better than everyone here?”
I glared at him. Right now, I was pretty sure I was better thanhim,at least.
“No, Instructor,” I ground out. He looked briefly disappointed, like he’d thought I’d be dumb enough to tell a room full of unfed vampires I thought I was better than all of them. If he wanted me to have one of the unfortunate ‘accidents’dhampirs were prone to, then he was going to have to do better than that.
“Good. This human here shall suffice.”
I twisted round to stare at Sam in horror, then shook my head.
“No?” Demir said coldly. I drew in a breath as I turned back to him, working to keep my voice even.
“No. This human has already been fed from this morning.”
“The human looks perfectly fine to me. And I’m sure, seeing as how you’ve audited this class all year, and given your clear reluctance to embrace your vampiric half, you’ll have no problem in stopping.”
Stopping? Starting was going to be the issue. I’d never had the desire to feed, not a single day in my life, not before I’d known I was a dhampir, nor after. Not once.
…And yet, it wasn’t the thought of thebloodthat made my stomach churn. I turned to Sam—Sam, who hated every second here, who hated being fed from, who saw me as the one good thing here because I was trying tofreehim from being fed on, and my throat squeezed.
It’s okay,he mouthed silently.
“You will feed,” Demir snapped, “and you’ll do it now. Refuse one more time and I will have you marked down as an immediate fail in this class.”
“Do it,” Sam whispered, so quiet I wasn’t sure I’d even heard him, but the look in his eyes as he met mine said it hadn’t been in my head.Get it over with.
“I don’t… How do I…” I frowned, running my tongue over myteeth. Were they… I mean, they weren’tfangs, but I was sure they hadn’t always been this sharp.
“Lucia,” Demir said impatiently, snapping his fingers. “Open a vein for the dhampir.”
Before I could protest, Lucia stepped up and grabbed hold of Sam, twisting his head to the side with unnecessary force. Her fangs slashed across his neck, and blood started to leak from the open wound.
And it smelleddivine.
What?
“Unless you plan to let that human continue to bleed all over my floor, I suggest you feed, dhampir.”
