Page 5 of Emerald Rising
“E-Emerald,” she replied, her voice trembling. “But everyone calls me Emmy.”
I knelt in front of her, still keeping my movements slow and steady so I didn’t spook her. “It’s nice to meet you, Emmy. Can I take a look at your hand?”
Her eyes widened with fear. “Why?”
“Because you have a nasty wound, and I can take care of that for you. If you like?” I’d like to think I was doing this purely out of the goodness of my own heart but really, I was just wanting a little taste. I didn’t know if I’d ever get another opportunity to taste anything so mouth-wateringly good.
She blinked up at me, and a deep breath passed those luscious lips and caressed my cheeks. “Okay.”
She held her hand out to me and I groaned. I couldn’t help it. I was so fucking hungry. With a restraint that surprised even me, I took her hand in mine and looked closer. It was a nasty wound. She’d cut herself quite deeply and, if I were a stronger man, I would take her to get stitches. But I wasn’t. I was weak. Her blood called to me and I just couldn’t resist any longer.
I brought her hand to my mouth and swiped my tongue over her palm in one long sweep.
Holy fuck.
My body came alive at the electrifying taste of her. The flavour of her burst along my tongue and I sealed my mouth over the gash in her hand. I wanted more. I heard her gasp as I sucked on the wound and I watched her eyes darken as the venom in my bite settled into her bloodstream. It wasn’t a poison exactly, but it did make a blood demon’s bite more pleasurable for those we fed on.
A breathless moan reached my ears and before I knew it, I’d sealed the wound with another swipe of my tongue, wrapped my hand around the back of her neck and pulled those beautiful lips to mine.
White, hot pain flared across my abdomen. I immediately let her go and fell backwards, landing rather ungracefully on my ass.
“What the fuck?” I looked down at my stomach and found the handle of a kitchen knife protruding just below my rib cage. “You fucking stabbed me?”
“You licked my hand and then kissed me!” she screamed back, wiping her hand across her mouth. I think that pissed me off more than her stabbing me. That she’d wipe away my kiss made my black heart twinge a little. What the fuck was wrong with me? Maybe that long sleep had addled my brain.
I pulled the knife from my torso and threw it to the other side of the room. It clattered loudly but even that wasn’t enough to drown out Ash’s laughter. If I turned around and found Blaze smiling too, I’d be really fucking pissed. That guy never smiled. I got to my feet, brushed myself off and looked.
Ah, fuck. He was grinning from ear to ear. I was never going to live this moment down.
