“He’ll do it out in the open,” Beckham finally said. “If he can make Visage seem like a savior, then he can make people want this, too.”
“I agree,” Washington said. “Easiest way to hide is out in the open.”
Sydney sighed. “Perhaps Penelope has some inside information. She might know if something is coming up that we need to direct our attention to.”
Reyna couldn’t suppress her cringe. She’d forgotten about Penelope. The argument they’d had this afternoon felt like a lifetime ago rather than a matter of hours.
“I’ll get in touch with her,” Beckham said.
“Good. Let me know immediately if she has any idea what might be coming,” Sydney said, standing. “Otherwise, I’m going to have to reach out to Tye to organize a group to scout the camps. I need someone on the inside to verify Everett’s information. I won’t act until I know for sure what we’re up against.”
Sydney strode out of the room, dismissing everyone. Reyna felt a wave of exhaustion hit her. She’d thought today would be a fun day of wedding dress shopping, but nothing could be that simple. It never was.
Beckham tilted his head toward the door, and she followed him out into the empty hallway. The idea of feeding farms was so outrageous that all she could feel was disbelief. She wanted Sydney’s people to find out Everett had lied to them. That it wasn’t possible for even Harrington to stoop that low. She had firsthand experience with how low Harrington would stoop, though.
She and Beckham returned wordlessly to her room. She flopped back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. “Are you going to Penny’s?”
“Yes. Our conversation needs to be had in person.”
“She’s going to love that.”
Beckham crossed to the bed and hovered over her. She could feel his dark shadow looming over her, but she didn’t look at him.
“Why didn’t you pick me up?” Reyna asked quietly instead of talking about Penny.
Beckham tensed. “Why?”
“Because you were supposed to get me, and then you weren’t there. Penny didn’t know where you were, either.”
Beckham glanced away from her when he said, “I must eat.”
“Oh.”
Beckham tugged her off the bed and deposited her on her feet. “I must eat and eat regularly. It is a necessity. Before, I could go a week, sometimes two, where I didn’t need to eat anything unless I wanted to regain strength. Now I must eat anytime I am going to be with you.”
“Why?” she asked.
He clenched his jaw and then released it. “If I did not, then I could not be around you as I am. The bloodlust would be overwhelming. Even eating as I do, I want you. To taste your blood and drain your life force and take from you all you will give me and more that you won’t.”
She trembled at the dark words and the force with which he delivered them. This was her predator. The one who could destroy her with a flick of his hand. And yet, he spent so much time actively trying to keep her fragile body alive.
“I don’t believe you would do it,” she told him with her chin tilted up.
“Believe me. I would.” His fangs flashed. “I desire you even as we stand here. I can feel your blood pumping through your veins. I can scent you. I want nothing more than a taste. But I won’t stop at a taste. Especially not after I saw you take down Everett.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Oh yeah? You liked that I was able to hold my own?”
He brushed her hair off her face and knotted it in his hand. He tugged her head gently to the side and trailed his lips down her throat. “I enjoyed watching you stand your ground. You are not quite as fragile as when we first met.” Then he moved. Infinitely faster than a human. Before she could even blink, he had her body laid out on the bed, her neck bared, while he straddled her hips. Then he came down on her as if he was about to devour her. “Do not think the same moves would work on a vampire. It is best to allow me to protect you instead of constantly putting yourself in danger.”
Her core heated despite his harsh words. She knew getting turned on probably wasn’t the right reaction, but her body didn’t seem to care. Nor did she. He was on top of her. So close to biting her. She ground her hips in circles against him, begging for whatever he had to offer.
“Little One, look what you do to me,” he groaned, releasing her gently.
“Don’t stop.”
“I threatened to kill you, and you beg for more. What manner of creature are you?”
“One who is not afraid of the monster lurking under the surface. One who desires the monster and the man equally. I’m not ashamed to admit it.”
