Panic gripped me as I placed my palm on my stomach. I was finally understanding what it meant to be Famine’s daughter. My hunger was endless. No wonder fate had seen fit to give me multiple mates. There was no way one being could possibly supply everything I needed.
The house was quiet when I entered, not even the tap of a keyboard from Cole’s office filtered to my ears. So far he’d spent the mornings working on his new book. I didn’t have the heart to tell him the world really was ending and he’d never publish again. It seemed cruel to take that from him when he loved it so much.
“Cole?” I called tentatively, not really wanting to run into him while I was in this state. Relief washed through me when there was no answer. He must also be having a nap or something.
That potential land mine avoided for now, I turned down the hall and headed toward my room, my steps faltering when I approached the bathroom. Light spilled out from underneath the door, and the unmistakable sound of running water hit my ears.
The image of a wet and naked Cole bloomed in my mind, and I swayed as a pang of hunger slammed into me. I had to shoot my arm out to catch myself on the wall.
“Fuuuuck.”
I held my breath as Cole’s obvious groan of pleasure came through the door. Oh, no. He wasn’t doing what I thought he was doing, was he? I knew what it sounded like when Cole jacked off. I’d listened to him do just that more than once. But a girl could hope, right?
“Merri,” he moaned. “Yeah, baby, just like that.”
Shit. I was so screwed. The temptation to give in and feed on the sexual energy Cole was about to put off would be my undoing. I had to get out of here before I did something really stupid and accidentally killed the only friend I had left.
“You weren’t supposed to use this bathroom,” I hissed as I sprinted to my room and slammed the door closed behind me.
The urge to let loose and feed on every ounce of his lust had me squirming in discomfort. I wouldn’t kill him. I. Would. Not.
“I’m so close, baby. Fuck, you’re so beautiful.”
Oh, this was terrible. All of it. He was using me to get himself off, and unknowingly tempting a shark with a freely bleeding arm. My mouth watered, my body ached, and I had to get the fuck out of here before I did something I couldn’t take back. A single wall between us was not nearly enough to ensure his protection. At least, I wasn’t sure one way or the other, which meant I couldn’t risk it.
As I flung open the door and raced down the hall and back out of the house, I gave in to the frustration throbbing in my chest along with each beat of my heart.
“Damn you, Grim. Why did you have to go and fuck everything up? If you hadn’t gone and broken my heart, we could all be happily fucking our way through this stupid apocalypse. But noooo.”
I couldn’t feel any lust from Cole from this distance, but the damage had been done. I was a ticking time bomb, and if I didn’t figure something out soon, I would be burying Cole right next to his family dog.
Chapter
Nine
LUCIFER
Merri was in quite a state this morning when she woke. I could feel the hunger radiating from her in waves. Sweet creature she was, she wouldn’t give in and take from Cole without permission. Or perhaps at all. But that just wouldn’t do. I needed her strong and willing, able to accept me into her body so she could carry my child. None of that would happen if she starved herself.
Which meant it was time to take matters into my own hands. Literally.
I timed my plan perfectly, starting the shower the second I spotted Merri turning up the path to head back to the house.
“Places everyone,” I murmured, stepping under the steamy spray.
I glanced down at my already swelling cock and smirked. “Well done, you. Rising to attention like a good soldier.”
Listening intently so I could time everything just right, I waited for the sound of her footsteps coming down the hall. Angelic hearing was certainly a gift I’d made good use of every day of my long existence. Today was no exception.
Reaching down, I grabbed my throbbing dick and gave him a nice hard squeeze. The pulse of pleasure that shot through me was far more intense than I anticipated, telling me that this show of mine wasn’t all an act. I wanted her. But that wasn’t a surprise.
Outside the bathroom, Merri’s steps faltered, and I heard the impact as she hit the wall, followed by a tight gasp.
I’ve got her right where I want her.
A long, slow stroke from base to crown and back again had me grunting and throwing my head back before I released a loudly groaned, “Fuuuuck.”
She stayed put, and dare I say... whimpered faintly?
