Craving Her (The Bloodlust Duet Book 1)

by Kay Maree

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Shaya

  I snuggle deeper into his pillow. That wild scent that seems to devour every one of my brain cells floats through me— calming me. Certainty wraps itself around me knowing we are where we are supposed to be.

  In the blink of an eye, a flash of light and the world as I knew it disappeared, and instead of feeling emptiness, hope burns bright and fierce inside me, rekindling a new kind of worth. The broken parts that felt scattered through me never to be joined again feel like they are forming a whole new life right inside me, and Draven is standing stock center just waiting for me to fall into him.

  I soft smile curves my lips at the thought of this being my new life— a beginning I didn’t realize I wanted. In the distance, I hear the elevator ding and I shift over a little so there will be enough room for my vampire. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as the room seems to close in on me, and I sit up fast as soft cries hit my ears. I’m frozen to the spot when I see Lorna stroll into the room with a look of disgust over her features— features that seem rigid and transformed. Her cheeks are drawn in, her skin seems whiter and has an unearthly glow.

  “How did you get in here?” I demand with as much strength as I can muster.

  Ignoring me, she shoves a petite woman in front of her, dressed in a long dark red dress matched with a deep green cloak. With the force of the push, the hood falls back revealing hair like fire that seems to glow against the moonlight shining through the huge window that takes up one side of the room. Tears splash down her cheeks, her eyes flash from green to orange before they begin to dim, sadness swimming in their depths.

  “I’m sorry,” she mouths.

  Goosebumps break out across my skin. Pushing from the bed, I grab the first thing I see laying on the floorboards to cover up my naked body. Draven’s scent engulfs me and I realize I picked up one of his shirts. Breathing in his scent, I draw on it hoping to pull in as much strength as I can.

  Pushing the girl again, a sob breaks free from her open mouth at the motion.

  “Don’t do this,” the girl screams out, her voice bouncing off the walls. It’s so high-pitched I hear glass in the apartment shatter. Cringing, I slam my hands against my ears.

  “Oh shut up, you little bitch. I don’t need you anymore,” Lorna hisses throwing the poor girl to the floor so hard the walls shake before cracking. My eyes go wide seeing the dent left on the floor.

  “Oh god,” I gasp.

  “He ain’t saving you now,” Lorna spits, snapping her head in my direction, eyes flashing vibrant red, sending chills racing through me. I open my mouth to speak but no words come, my body shakes with uncontrolled fear.

  “You were always a self-righteous little bitch. I don't know why I put up with you for so long,” she spits her eyes flashing again but brighter this time and my skin crawls as pure, raw fear slices through me. I go to scream but she's already in front of me, faster than I can blink. A hard hand slams over my mouth as searing pain shoots through my midsection. My eyes go wide as tears pour from them.

  “Why?” my words are muffled behind her hand. Pushing me back, I stumble, feeling myself begin to fall. Strong arms wrap around me and I melt into the touch as Crowna slams Lorna into the wall with a sickening thud.

  “I have you, little bit.” Draven’s worried voice washes through me, drowning out the chaos going on around us. Bringing my eyes to his as warm blood begins covering my lower half, I feel like I’m floating as he lays me down on the bed. Softness engulfs me as numbness begins to seep through me.

  My eyes flutter shut as the blood in my veins begins to cool. It’s a weird feeling— everything inside begins to slow, the flame of hope from minutes ago flickers as if a soft breeze blows through it. I reach out in my mind to shield it, not wanting it to leave me but I’m torn back when sorrow-filled words hit my ears. My eyes open slowly, my body moves from cool to sluggish in a matter of seconds and my heart beats out a slow tune as if in slow motion.

  “I need you to keep those beautiful eyes on me, can you do that?” he gruffs out.

  I go to talk but I can only wheeze out a breath as blood began to gush out of my mouth. My eyes go wide and I bring my hands up to wipe it away but they seem lazy, not wanting to move. I’m trapped in his fear-filled eyes and my body doesn’t want to cooperate.

  “Fuck,” he spits out raising his wrist to his mouth, biting into his flesh.

  “I need you to drink, my Queen,” he grits out blood coming off his teeth, and the scent of the metallic richness flows through the room making my skin vibrate. Placing his wrist over my open mouth, thick drops hit my tongue.

  “Drink,” he demands and I close my mouth around his wrist, drinking as much as I can get. The rich blood coats my throat and the burning sensation from earlier hits full force. My eyes fly open, everything inside me picking up speed.

  My heart gulps in my chest as I try to push his wrist away. A scream bubbles up my throat, tears leak out the corner of my eyes, and my vision goes blurry. Pain shoots through every cell in my body— I feel like I am being stabbed repeatedly with tiny needles and I can’t stand it anymore. A sharp pain hits my neck and my back bows off the floor as pure ecstasy runs through me mixing with the pain from drinking his blood.

  “Just a little more,” he grunts out on hiss as my teeth slide over his wound. As much as I want to pull away, the look in his stormy eyes has me holding on just a bit longer. Closing my eyes, I succumb to the pain as the rush of ecstasy from moments before dissipates. Pain tears through me and I don’t know what’s worse— the thought of the girl that was supposed to be like a sister to me turning so dark and disgusted by me or the fire lacing through me.

  My mind swirls around mixed thoughts and emotions but then everything goes quiet— nothingness for a split second then everything explodes, hitting me all at once. My body bows off the floor, my mouth opens on a blood-curdling scream as pain spikes through every inch of me. A loud roar echoes in my ears and my name echoes around me but I’m so lost in pain and blackness I can’t respond. Then everything just shuts down— my body drops, no sound, no scents, utter darkness, and I’m floating through a thick static fog— it’s peaceful here, yet warm.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Draven

  The old grandfather clock in the corner of my room ticks out the seconds, reminding me how long it’s been since she smiled at me and it tears through me like a knife. Running my hand softly down the side of her face, I push her hair back, noticing my bite mark has fully healed, leaving a scar. I grunt in satisfaction that she took my blood so easily and that it’s flowing through her veins as I stand here staring. But unease still sits heavy inside me that she hasn’t woken yet. She should have woken after twenty-four hours but it’s been three days.

  “Draven.” Turning my head at my name, I notice Crowna standing at the open doorway of my bedroom. Nodding, I allow him to enter and that’s when I notice the little witch is behind him. Shoving a hand through my hair, I grunt in frustration and anger that this even happened at all.

  “How is she?” Scarlet’s soft voice flows through my room.

  “The same,” I manage to get out, turning my back on the pair of them as I look out through the window at the inky black night covered in stars. Stars that seem duller each night that passes without my Queen by my side.

  “What do you want to do about the other issue?” Crowna comes to my side as Scarlet goes about fixing the blankets and pillows around Shaya. At first, I wanted to kill the little witch for working alongside that bitch Lorna but the minute Crowna took a protective stance in front of her, I knew I had to hear her out on some level. I’m glad I did because it unearthed a great deal of information— including that she wasn’t working with Lorna. Quite the opposite actually. She had been forced into the situation and blackmailed that her mother would have been killed if she didn’t help distract us so Lorna could get to my woman.

  “Let her fucking rot,” I
grit out at the mention of Lorna.

  “I understand,” is all he says. Turning, he looks over his shoulder at his new mate before looking back to me.“We may have another issue on our hands,” he grunts running a frustrated hand through his hair.

  “What’s that?” just as the words leave my mouth, a small gasp draws my attention to the bed.

  “My Queen,” I get out rushing to the side of the bed and without a word, Crowna and Scarlet leave us.

  “Draven.” Her soft voice floats around me, pulling me in all over again but this time, a slight hypnotic tune coats her words.

  “I’m here,” I murmur bringing the back of her hand to my lips, relishing in the coolness of her skin. Her eyes flash open and the violet shines brighter than ever before, captivating me even more with the swirling emotions. Reaching her free hand down, she runs it across her stomach where the wound once was.

  “What happened?” Her eyes capture mine again.

  “You were hurt, my love, but no longer.”

  “I am one of you,” she breathes out awe coating her words and all I can do is nod as a brilliant smile overtakes her face.

  “Where is she?”

  Without another word, I know who she is talking about. “Locked up in the basement.”

  “I want to see her,” she grits out anger and sadness coming off her in waves.

  “My Queen, Shaya, my love—”

  Her racing thoughts cut my words off as anger, sadness, and betrayal bounce on an endless loop through her mind and deep inside, I know she needs this.

  “Let me feed you first, my love,” I breathe out laying beside her on the bed. Raising my wrist, I graze the skin with my teeth and hold it out for her. Her nostrils flares as she grabs my arm and brings it to her lips. I groan at the sensation of her mouth on me, feeling it vibrate through her.

  Without words, her eyes lock with mine— lust, passion, a deep sensual need swims in the depths. Pulling her lips from my wrist, she runs a nail between her neck and shoulder, and I growl at the first drop of blood that bubbles above the skin. Leaning down, I trace the tip of my tongue over the crimson drop capturing it before it has a chance to slide down her chest. The pleasure intensifies through me as her lips wrap around my wrist again.

  “Your taste is like forbidden fruit, my Queen. Rich, sweet, and absolutely intoxicating.” I run my nose up the curve of her neck, feeling her throat move as she draws more of my blood inside her. In the blink of an eye, I’m on my back with my woman straddling me. Running her nails down my bare chest, I hiss in pleasure.

  I want to taste you, claim you, bite you as we float into ecstasy.

  Her thoughts scream at me and my already hard cock pushes against my jeans. The thought of her teeth sinking into my skin has my need pushing forward.

  I’m yours for the taking, claim me, taste me, bite me.

  I push through her mind, making her gasp as those eyes lock on me again. Her lips land hard on mine and I savor her taste as it explodes across my tongue. Running my hands through her hair, I grip the silky strands and feel her submit to me. Pulling back, I groan out loud as her body slams down on mine and I’m buried to the hilt not even realizing in a blink of an eye, she managed to remove my shorts.

  “Fuck,” I grit out as her body moves over mine.

  This isn’t going to be slow and gentle. This is rough and hard as fuck but we have plenty of time for gentle another time, I think. She nods as small gasps leave her parted lips. Right now, after so many days of missing her touch and seeing her smile, I need to be buried deep inside my Queen

  “I don’t have to be gentle anymore,” I murmur more to myself than her as my thoughts click into place. With that thought, I flip her over and slam in and out. Her nails slide down my back as she screams out my name. Lapping at the wound on her neck, the taste of her thick, rich blood coats my tongue making me hungry for more. I greedily drink it down. Her fingers lace through my hair, holding me in place as she chants my name like a prayer.

  “I love you,” she gasps out just before her sharp teeth piece the side of my neck, sending pure ecstasy racing through every part of my body. Pulling back, she slides her tongue over the wound, sealing her essence inside me. Sliding my lips up the side of her neck, I pull back, sliding my thumb back and forth across her smooth cheek.

  “I have loved you before I saw you but the reality of you brings me to my knees. My need for you is unmatched and driven and has me wanting to submit to everything that is you,” I breathe into her mouth. Her eyes shine like the stars as we both get lost in the pleasure over our release.

  I will never get enough of this woman.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Shaya

  “I want to see her.” My voice comes out on a smoky whisper, capturing my attention. I’m not sure if I will ever get used to the sound or the brightness of the violet in my eyes. The gray they once were is only coming through as flecks now.

  “Are you sure, my Queen?” His voice rumbles over me and I melt into him as his arms wrap tighter around my waist from behind. Tilting my head back against his hard chest and looking up through my lashes, I lick my lips at the sight of those stormy gray eyes looking into mine.

  “I need to do this,” I murmur.

  It takes him a second before he nods in agreement. “The girl you knew, my love, is long gone.”

  I told him everything as I laid wrapped in his arms earlier— my parents, how Lorna and I became friends and for the first time in a long time, I finally felt whole like this is where I was supposed to be all along. It’s like breathing but not since I don’t breathe anymore.

  I snort at my own joke.

  “What, my Queen?” he murmurs low in my ear and I can’t help the way my body automatically reacts. It’s like it has a mind of its own.

  “Hmmm.” I turn into his strong chest wrapping my arms around his neck, bringing him down so his lips hover just above mine. Licking my lips, my eyes lock with his. My body vibrates from the storm that is swirling through those gray orbs. Closing the distance, I brush my lips across his in a smooth caress once, twice, three times, before a deep rumbling sound like thunder shatters through him.

  He grips my hair tight, closing the distance quicker than a flash of light before slamming his mouth down on mine. His kisses are like white lighting, the intensity zaps through me and has my toes curling into the white rug. Enticing image after image of our bodies entwined together as we made love flashes through my mind. Having this man inside me, our bodies straining for release, is like him creating a whole new religion and bringing me to my knees as those smooth hands ran roughly over my quivering flesh— flesh just as smooth but hypersensitized by just his scent cocooning me and sending my head floating to whole new atmosphere.

  Breaking the kiss, our eyes lock and I know he read everything I was just thinking and maybe I should feel embarrassed but I’m not— maybe because embarrassment is a human feeling or the simple fact that this man was created just for me.

  “Just for you, my Queen,” he murmurs as his eyes flash quicksilver. Reaching down, he grips my ass in his hands, squeezing before lifting me off my feet and heading toward the elevator.

  “If we don’t do this now, I will tie you to our bed and show you just how yours I really am.” My eyes cut to his, my lips curl into a sexy smirk. “Later, my Queen, let’s get this done.”

  Leaning in, I slide my lips over his and nod my agreement.

  Dread fills my belly knowing I need to do this but it doesn't mean I have to like it. We may have had our ups and downs the past year, but Lorna was there for me through so much it’s hard to come to terms with the fact the girl I once knew turned so nasty. I’m jolted out of my rambling head as Draven slides me down his marble-like body till my bare toes hit the smooth polished floor of the elevator. Wrapping me in his arms again, I rest my head against his chest. His lips hit the top of my head and a small smile curls my lips at the feel.

  “None o
f this is your fault, my love. So many things in this world happen that we can’t stop and sometimes, there's just no explanation for them. You did nothing wrong to cause this, Shaya.” I snap my head up to look into his face when he says my name and without thought, I nod knowing what he is saying is true but it still doesn’t mean I can’t feel sad.

  “Mourn the friend you lost, my Queen, but do not dare mourn the evil she became,” he grunts out and again, I nod knowing he isn’t saying anything I don’t already agree with.

  This thing she turned into wasn’t the Lorna I knew. This new Lorna is a monster and tried to kill me because she didn’t get her way. Anger swirls through me. Gripping my fingers into Draven’s shirt, I hear the material stretch against the stitching. Releasing my grip a little, I roll my shoulders to loosen the anger running through me.

  “There is the fire and strength I knew laid in you, you just needed the right connection to bring it out.” He winks before planting a soft kiss to my forehead and I relax a little more as the doors slid open into the basement.

  Looking around, I expected darkness and stone walls with cobwebs in the corners. What I’m really seeing is light-colored sandstone walls, soft gray marble flooring with a massive white rug thrown underneath a full-size pool table, black leather catches alongside one wall and a widescreen TV attached to the opposite wall. My eyes bug out when I see a whole wall has been made into a floor to ceiling bookshelf with a rolling latter. Snapping my mouth closed, I notice the high-polished wood top of a bar tucked into the corner with high-priced and aged liquor placed on glass shelving.

  “Wow,” comes out on a gasp not believing my eyes. It’s like his own little retreat.”You have a mancave,” I murmur loving the feel in this room. Draven’s scent lingers around me stronger as if welcoming me into its private oasis.

  “Our very own retreat, my Queen.” He waves his free arm around the space and I’m thanking the stars above he still has an arm securing around my waist cause I could have probably melted into the floor at this breathtaking sight. I bite my lip not believing this is now mine as well.