Oxford Blood (The Cavaliers: Book One)

by Georgiana Derwent

  ***

  By the end of the week, the deaths of the two Cavaliers had been oddly hushed up. Since the initial flurry of police and press activity on May Day, there’d been no obvious legal investigation and no further news. People even stopped talking about it. Harriet understood the extent of the Cavalier’s power and influence in a way she hadn’t before.

  Each night that week, she brought another friend to Tom - first Caroline, then a much cheered up Olamide, and finally Josh. Conscious of the latter’s dislike of her boyfriend she’d hesitated before involving him, but ultimately decided it had to be done. After Josh, she’d insisted that she had recovered and he should feed from her again. Tom agreed.

  “It’s so good to taste you again, and to have someone who’s conscious after all the mind control and random donors,” he said, coming up for air momentarily, before suckling gently at her neck once again.

  By the end of that night, he seemed entirely recovered. All trace of a scar had disappeared, and once again, he could pick her up as though she weighed nothing. He yearned for revenge on George, but Harriet begged him to be careful.

  “You’ve got me,” she said. “You know that means you’re already the real winner in his eyes.”