Page 83 of Undying
The tension in the study prickles harshly against my skin, and I glance at the two men, noticing they seem to be having some sort of silent discussion. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that something is wrong.
Not a big surprise, since nothing has gone as planned whenever I’m involved.
“You might as well tell me now.” I cross my arms and raise an imperious brow, my smile not very nice as I flash my fangs at them. “I’m going to figure it out eventually, and I’d rather not have it come back to bite me on the ass later.”
Stanton’s brown eyes spark with interest, the darkness lightening to a delicious caramel, then he leans forward, resting his elbows on his desk. “While each house controls a certain territory, the masters gather twice a year to create alliances, go over new rules, and punish those who fail to uphold vampire laws.”
I clench my teeth against the unfairness of it.
Somehow, I doubt it’s a coincidence that the gathering is meeting now.
If I were smart, I would already be out the door. Too bad I don’t have any strength in my legs to put my thoughts into action. While running would most certainly get me killed, sticking around is just as dangerous. I wet my lips, my voice hoarse when I ask the question they purposefully didn’t answer. “Let me guess…the next gathering is soon?”
“Two days,” Stanton replies, his expression grim.
Well, fuck me.
I cross my arms and shoot them an unamused look. “And my attendance is mandatory?”
My heart sinks when they both grimace, and I plop my ass into the chair across from Stanton. “What are the odds that I’ll survive?”
I’m not even the slightest bit hopeful of the outcome.
Stanton scowls like I’ve mortally offended him, but Milo is absolutely furious. The mild-mannered vampire glowers at me with fierce green eyes, like he’s angry at me for even questioning it, and he snarls, “Of course you’ll survive. We’re not going to let anything happen to you.”
I’m startled by his vehemence, and my heart warms at his protectiveness.
The scent of crisp green apples tempts me to lean in closer, but something flickers in his eyes when he says it, and I’m not reassured. “Why do I hear abutin there?” I ask, unable to keep the suspicion from my voice. “What should I expect from the gathering?”
My stomach churns as I wait for them to confirm my suspicions—that I might not make it out of this gathering in one piece, despite their reassurance.
“You’re going to be inducted into the group.” Stanton’s British accent sounds stilted, and he rubs a hand across his face, his expression turning haggard. “They normally give a new master a year to get their house in order, but they must have discovered…”
I lift a brow when he doesn’t finish his sentence. “That I’m a woman?”
Stanton rises from behind his desk, then comes around to stand in front of me. Not liking him towering over me, I shove to my feet, then quickly cross my arms to prevent him from getting too close.
The enticing scent of mint invades my senses, reminding me of waking up against his chest only a few hours ago, and I shake my head to banish the sensation of being cuddled in his arms.
When he reaches toward me, my breath stalls in my lungs and my skin tingles in anticipation.
Only for my stomach to plummet when he stops short of touching me. He turns his wrist up, then drags a nail across the length of his arm, leaving behind a three-inch gash.
A streak of blood beads up from the cut and perfumes the air. Power practically vibrates from the dark liquid, and my fangs snap down of their own accord, the taste of cinnamon flooding my mouth. The urge to lunge at him and latch on to his arm is almost overpowering, and I slap my hand over my mouth, nearly tripping over my chair as I scramble away from temptation.
While I want to look away, I can’t, fearing my control might snap. I retreat until I’m across the room, huddled against the door, my shoulders hunched.
Instead of being worried, Stanton strides toward me, his blood slowly dripping off his arm. I’m almost entranced as I watch the droplets trickle to the floor, and I can’t stop myself from licking my lips.
I’m so spellbound that I’m not aware of his approach until he’s just inches away. I startle and end up slamming against the door behind me, then fumble for the doorknob, desperate to leave before I do something I’ll regret.
“Blood is your greatest weakness, and they won’t hesitate to use it against you.” Stanton leans in close, reaching out to hold the door shut, preventing me from escaping. It takes all my willpower to tear my eyes away from the blood and glare up at him.
Just as I open my mouth to warn him to keep his distance, he dips his head and kisses me with such passion that I’m swept away. I no longer crave his blood, I just want him.
Without conscious thought, I drag him closer, a moan catching in the back of my throat as our tongues tangle. It’s like lust is being injected directly into my veins, the taste of him more addicting than any drug. Pleasure ripples through my body, every inch of me coming alive.
Instead of pulling away, Stanton cups the back of my head and drags me closer. His erection presses against my lower stomach, and I can’t resist rubbing against him. He doesn’t hesitate to give me what I need and slips his leg between my thighs. His other hand comes to rest on my hip, and he urges me closer until I’m riding his leg.
