by Leia Stone
Was I seriously even entertaining the thought of working out a feeding schedule with this guy?
He chewed on his bottom lip and I forced myself not to think it was sexy. I needed to get out of here. Now. “Every forty-eight hours to sustain life. Twenty-four hours to keep up my strength, and twice a day to thrive.”
Thriving sounded a little excessive.
I stood, slinging my hunting bag over my shoulder. “Forty-eight might work for me. I’ll see you in two days.” I turned to leave.
“Wait! Your steak.”
I waved him off. “I’ll take vitamins!”
I’d just agreed to be Prince Luka Drake’s feeder. God help me.
Chapter Six
I spent the next day in a flurry of packing and training and getting ready for the society gala. So much of a flurry that I’d totally not planned for one very important thing.
Luka would need to feed while I was gone…
Frick.
I’d gotten my blades sharpened and bought two killer dresses. We left for Portland in the morning for four days. Even if I fed him tonight, he’d die while I was gone.
Maybe that was best … maybe cutting off his head was too hard for me because it felt like murder, but killing from thirst while I wasn’t there wouldn’t really be blood on my hands, right?
Except the memory of him looking up at me from the bathroom floor, asking me to put him out of his misery, had burned into my brain. Then he’d made me spinach and steak like he cared…
He did care. About my platelet count. I needed to keep reminding myself of that!
A genius idea came to me then.
Grabbing my coat and cell phone, I flew out of my apartment and headed for Luka’s place. This idea would change everything.
As I turned the corner, passing the hunter library, I slammed into someone’s chest.
“Shoot, sorry.” I backed up and looked to see who I’d collided with.
Of course it was my ex-boyfriend, because that’s exactly what I needed right now.
“Sterling. Hey.”
He was rubbing the spot on his chest where my face had smacked. Being five-foot-four and dating a guy who was over six feet tall had its challenges. “In a hurry, Aspen?”
Man, I’d missed his deep, gruff voice.
“Yep. See ya.” I stepped around him, then his arm came out and gently grasped my hand.
“Hold up, Rosie.” He rattled off his pet name for me like it was no big deal and my stomach dropped.
I froze, looking up at his beautiful face. What’s with ex-boyfriends? Why did they get ten times hotter the moment you broke up?
“What’s up?” I tore my hand away from his, hating that I missed his touch. Sterling was a commitment-phobe and I wanted marriage, a house with a white picket fence, and two kids. We were bound to break up eventually, I just needed to get over it.
He looked down at me. “Why do I feel like you’re avoiding me?”
Oh for Pete’s sake, he wasn’t this stupid, was he?
“Because I am.” I crossed my arms and he frowned.
He looked offended. “I thought we were cool.”
“We are. I don’t wish you were dead, but I don’t want to have coffee and talk about our hopes and dreams,” I informed him. “That’s what being cool is about.”
His frown depended. “You’re still pissed at me for leaving?”
I chuckled. I’d forgotten how clueless and stupid Sterling was when it came to matters of the heart. “What do you care? I told you that I was in love with you and you moved across the country. End of story. Now enjoy your new life and leave mine alone.”
I brushed past him but couldn’t help glancing over my shoulder to see the hurt in his eyes.
“Aspen, wait! It wasn’t like that.”
Liar. It was exactly like that. He tried to position it as a “job transfer” that had magically come up the day after I told him I loved him, but it was all bullshit. He told me he wasn’t the committing type the first time we’d kissed. I should have listened. Picking up my pace, I didn’t stop, I just continued to plow through the House of Rose like hell on wheels. I was not going to let Sterling mess up my already complicated week. I just needed to get through the gala and then he’d run back to New York with his new girlfriend.
Stepping outside, I walked two blocks to where my yellow Beetle was parked, then I turned off my phone in case the society had GPS’d me, and slipped my repaired watch into the glovebox, making sure that was off too. As I was heading over to Luka’s apartment, questions spun in my mind. How long could he hole up in that place without his psycho family finding him? I wanted to know what Maz was talking about when she spoke of a rumored drama in Magic City and what he did to get into jail. Also, why was his own family trying to assassinate him?
When I got to his door, I banged a few times, really loud, like a cop would. Vamps slept in the day, so it would take something loud to wake this dude no doubt. I could … feel him, just beyond the door. Even after only twenty-four hours apart I had the mild headache, thirst, and agitation symptoms of needing to feed. They were manageable but annoying.
The door wrenched open and my breath caught in my throat.
Luka stood there shirtless, low slung silk sleep pants barely hanging onto his hips. Silk was like the thinnest material ever and only served to outline every inch of him … it hid nothing.
I gulped.
“Aspen?” He seemed confused. “I thought you would be by tomorrow. Come in.”
Standing back, he let me in and then shut and bolted the door behind him.
“Yeah, sorry, I have a trip coming up. We leave early tomorrow so I need to do … this … today.”
“A trip?” He frowned, reaching up to rub his tousled hair.
Put a freaking shirt on, dude! I could barely focus on my words. Was he carved from rock? God help me.
I started to have inappropriate thoughts, like could vampires have sex with humans and did they shoot blanks, and immediately shot those thoughts down.
Focus.
“Yes, a trip! I’ll be gone for four days. We can feed today and then you can draw my blood and drink that while I’m gone.”
I puffed out my chest at my ingenious plan.
“Four days!” he shouted, rubbing his face. “That won’t work.”
He walked over to his kitchen island and picked up a book. It was brown suede, identical to the one I’d brought.
“What’s that?” I played dumb.
He handed it to me. “You left it here. It seems you stopped reading before the good part.”
Left it here? Damn, I hadn’t even noticed; the one page was enough to do me in. I scrolled past the stuff I’d already read.
One final mention. In a bonded pair, the vampire must never drink the feeder’s dead blood. It acts as poison and will kill them.
That’s the part I missed?
Awesome.
“Dead blood?” I queried.
“Bottled. Bagged.”
I cursed. “I have a life you know. I can’t just be at your beck and call like a blood whore!”
He flinched. “I would never call you that.”
‘Ever,’ he sent mentally.
The sincerity of his words caught me off guard. I could feel his emotions and it was weird. He felt … normal. Nice. Sweet. Not a douchebag vampire.
“Look I have to go to this thing, okay. I … didn’t ask for this bond with you. I’m doing the best I can to keep you alive, but it’s starting to get complicated and we are only on day three.”
He stared at me, making me squirm. “You act like I did this on purpose. Like I knew what I was doing. I thought imprinting was folklore. You offered your blood to me and I took it. Now we have to deal with it.”
I felt like we’d created a baby together and were now fighting over how to raise it. I raked my fingers over my face and then crossed my arms, looking up at him. “Well, I can’t miss this thing.”
He nodded. “Ver
y well. I think that’s fair enough. Where is it? I’ll travel with you.”
My eyes bugged. “Travel with me! Hah. No, that would get us both killed.”
He seemed to understand. “Ah, a work thing, then?”
The way he said work, there was definite shade thrown. “Yes, a work thing. It’s in Portland.”
He nodded. “I’ll travel separately there and text you my hotel information. You can come to me at your leisure.”
Sneak away at the freaking Hunters’ Gala?
I guess that could work…
“Okay, fine. Then feed today so I only have to feed you once on my trip.” I didn’t really see an alternative.
Because I’d decided I couldn’t just let him starve, right? I already felt his crappy hunger symptoms and it sucked. I felt bad for leaving him like this for two days at a time.
“Aspen?” The way he said my name made my legs go a bit weak.
When I looked up, he stepped closer to me. “I never got to thank you … for saving me. For coming back each time.”
Sexual tension charged the air then, pressing against my chest like a tangible object. It was so thick I had to step backward in an effort to break it. “Yeah well … you’re decent,” I straightened my shirt, “and I’m not a murderer.”
That was a foggy statement but all I could muster.
He nodded. “So, we should probably exchange phone numbers…”
He pulled out his phone and I fumbled for mine. “Right.”
You’ve sucked my blood two times, so yeah now is a good time to get my number.
I put his number in my phone under, Random Dude From Bar, just in case he called while other people were around. I could play it off that I had a secret boyfriend or something.
“Here’s a key, you can quietly let yourself in.” He handed me a silver key to his apartment. “I have roommates, but they’re in Vegas right now. I’ll let them know about you though so it’s not weird.”
My eyebrows rose. Okay, that was probably a dig at my banging on his door while he was asleep, but whatever. Did I need a key to his freaking place? I dated Sterling for two years and didn’t even know his phone password, much less have a key to his apartment. Luka’s hand was outstretched still and it started to get awkward, so I just grabbed it from him and shoved it in my jean shorts’ pocket.
We stood there quietly, knowing he still had to drink from me.
“Did you get those vitamins?” he asked, honey flecks dancing in his blue eyes.
I shifted on the balls of my feet. “I’ll get around to it.” I shoved my wrist at him. “Might as well drink now, so I don’t need to worry about it tomorrow while I’m traveling.” I repeated my earlier statement, wishing he would just get it over with.
The day after tomorrow was a training session, and then that night the big gala. I’d have to pop over to his hotel in the morning so that there was no chance Maz got tipped off to his presence at the gala that evening. I was already stressed just thinking about it.
He nodded, stepping forward and grasping my wrist lightly in his hands. When he brought his lips to my skin, pleasure spread up my arm and into my chest.
I tried to suppress it, to push it back, but I couldn’t.
What is this? I’d been fed from before, and what they said in movies about it feeling all euphoric was kind of a lie. Vampires did emit a small amount of drug to make you feel good, but if you knew what they were, you also felt grossed out, a bit like an animal being fed from. This wasn’t that.
This was euphoric. This was yummy, this was…
Before I knew what I was doing, I’d stepped closer and tucked my body right into his, pushing my hips into his pelvis. He looked up at me, eyes flashing gold, hungry. But not for my blood. He stopped drinking, licked the wound, and never took his eyes off of me.
We were inches apart and I hadn’t moved back. I just stared into his eyes as bright copper threaded through them, and for some reason seeing my fresh red blood on his lips turned me on. It was like I’d claimed him, like he was mine.
I shook my head, repulsed at those thoughts, and it was like coming out of a daze. I stumbled back a few paces.
“Are you using compulsion on me?” I asked, bewildered.
He looked at me like I’d slapped him. “Never. I told you. I won’t do that.”
I placed my hand on my hips. “Why not? Why didn’t you just use it that night the Shadow Bloods attacked to make them go away?”
He scoffed, and I was very aware that the bastard still hadn’t put a shirt on. “It doesn’t work like that. I can use it with one person here and there, but a group, or in an attack … it depletes my energy.”
I frowned. “Well, I would think in a life or death situation you could have used it on those Shadow Bloods!”
His face drew into an angry expression as he scowled. “I could have, but then I wouldn’t have had the strength to carry you home with my intestines hanging out!”
Oh, so it’s my fault?
“Why did you carry me home?” I shouted.
This had turned into a full-on argument. His fists were clenched and my chest was heaving, but I just didn’t care. I wanted to hate him, I wanted to see him as an ugly person, because the alternative was too much for me to handle.
“I don’t know! Clearly that was a mistake!” he yelled.
Now it was my turn to clench my fists. “I should have taken your head at that club!” I bellowed.
We stared at each other, chests heaving in frustration, which was comical since vampires didn’t need oxygen.
Then his eyes fell to my lips. “I made a split decision to save the pretty girl. Don’t make me regret it.” He spun and started to walk back to his bedroom. “I’ll see you in Portland!” he called out behind him, slamming the door.
“Hah! You saved me?” I hurled at him in fury.
Okay, technically he did, but my ego was bruised and this mother effer was going to learn just how badass I could be.
After I stopped staring at his ass…
Luka Drake had gotten on my last damn nerve. I should have just let him die. It would have been a lot easier.
I was all packed. Fancy dress, check. Skinny jeans and cute top for networking, check. Hunting bag in case shit went awry while away, check. Senior hunter pin affixed to the top of my thigh-high boots. Check. Check. Check. I was going to the freaking Hunters’ Gala and I couldn’t be more excited!
“Stop grinning like a fool.” Liv tossed the kitchen hand towel at my face.
I tried to wipe the smirk off my face, to no avail.
“I’m going to be among legendary hunters. This is a huge honor.”
She nodded. “With Sterling and your imprinted vampire in tow.”
“Shhh!” I hissed. Even in the privacy of our own apartment I didn’t want to talk about that. I’d told Liv everything that went down at Luka’s and how we’d agreed to have him tag along for the trip. She’d just facepalmed the entire time and then offered to kill him for me.
As she sprinkled more parmesan on her pizza, my phone buzzed with an incoming text.
Random Dude From Bar: Just checked into the Duniway in Portland. Presidential Suite. Key for you at desk.
Damn, the Duniway was a nice hotel and just a few blocks from The Heathman, where the Hunters’ Gala was being held. Bold of him to stay so close to where over two hundred hunters were about to be gathered. If he was seen … he was supposed to be dead.
Me: Don’t leave your room. My boss thinks I killed you.
Random Dude From Bar: Yes my lady.
“Eww, he’s so charming. That’s weird.” Liv spoke from over my shoulder and I jumped.
“Don’t read my texts!” I shouted, clutching my chest. Then I quickly deleted the text exchange in case someone went through my phone.
Liv was frowning, staring down at me with a wild look in her eye.
“What?”
“He’s evil. A creature placed on this Earth to tempt you, Aspen.” Liv
looked at me like I’d slept with him or something.
“I know that!” I screamed, suddenly feeling defensive. “I’ve read the Hunter Scriptures more than you have!”
She recoiled as if she’d been slapped and I softened my tone. “He’s different, okay? He saved my life. What kind of evil demon does that?”
Liv chewed her lip. “Maybe you’re right. Just … be careful, okay? I don’t like this.”
I nodded, stepping up to pull my bestie into a hug. “I’m so glad I have you to talk to about this. I feel like I’m going crazy.”
“You are,” she said flatly and then chuckled. “But I’ve got your back and I think you are following the moral code of conduct … for now. He saved your life and that’s good … until it isn’t. His true colors will show and then we will take him down together. Okay?”
Her surety that Luka was evil and would someday turn on me made me sick to my stomach. Was I totally being brainwashed and deceived? He’d said he hadn’t used compulsion on me, but that could be a lie.
Those thoughts spun around my head until Sterling knocked on my door, prepared to accompany me to the Hunters’ Gala.
Why was he wearing the powder blue shirt that he knew I loved? Why was he sneaking casual glances at my lips when I wasn’t talking? Most importantly, why did the universe hate me!?
It was a five-hour drive to Portland, six with traffic. Maz sat up front with Finneas while Sterling and I sat in the back row. Two more SUVs full of security trailed behind us. I was still tripped up on Maz’s comment that someone in the hunter force was “in bed” with the vampires. What did that mean exactly? And why was she worried about being attacked herself? Traffic downtown was bad, but we finally reached our hotel just before dinner.
The second the driver put the car in park, Sterling jumped out and ran over to my door to open it. Finneas did the same for Maz, handing the key to the valet.
I rolled my eyes at Sterling. “I can get my door, thanks,” I told him curtly.
He tapped his chest with pride. “Head of security.”
I snort-laughed, touching the pin at the top of my boot. “Senior hunter.”
He growled low in his throat. “I missed your fiery personality.”