Fuck, that’s hot. I’m a woman doomed.
Then he reluctantly slides off me, fixing his clothes as he leaves the room. With a snap of his fingers, the door fits itself back into the frame, separating us once again.
Afterwards, I spend most of the night tossing and turning as the bond between us tugs hard at my chest. The feeling is almost throbbing. I loathe it.
And despite his pretty words and lustful promises, I’ve gone back to hating him. It’s easier to compartmentalize without him in my room and crowding my personal space. I don’t feel as foggy when I think about the situation. It takes me a few hours to come down from the orgasmic high, but when I do, I’m finally able to separate what I’m feeling and what the bond actually is. It—yes, I’m now referring to it as some kind of sentient being—begged me to be close to him during the night. It was torture not giving in, but I managed it.
Just barely.
Anxiety plagues me the next morning. What will it be like between us after last night? Will he still treat me like a burden, or will he devour me with his hungry stare?
Tired and irritated, I emerge from my room. The smell of pastries and fruit hits me square in the face. My stomach immediately growls.
“You look like shit,” he mutters.
I glower in his direction as he lays on the cream-colored chaise lounge, wearing a similar dark suit as last night. Grey sickles of exhaustion cut beneath his scarlet eyes that peek over a newspaper.
“You don’t look too good yourself.” I grimace at the hoarse sound of my voice.
“Don’t you bother to get dressed before you eat?” he scorns.
“I’m a messy eater,” I mumble as I begrudgingly take the empty seat beside him. I serve myself breakfast, noticing that the pain in my chest eases the instant I’m in close contact with him.
Damn bond.
I’m not a morning person and I’m comfortable with that fact. I don’t care if I wake up with messy hair and bad breath. I have bigger fish to fry. My motivation for annihilating every vampire I can get my hands on reignited inside of me during the night.
“Looks like we need to book you in for lessons on decorum as well as jumping through rings of fire.”
The silver spoon drops from my hand with a clatter onto the serving tray.
“Rings offire?!” I exclaim. “You didn’t say shit about jumping through fire last night!”
Knox reaches over and gently closes my gaping mouth. “I was a bit preoccupied with trying to hold myself together whilst you bared that glorious pussy of yours to me.”
I blink in surprise as heat crawls up my neck.
He continues slowly, “Besides, you’re not supposed to know. That’s the entire point.” His gaze intensifies, and the bond hums. I fight the urge to reach over and rip his clothes off.
This needs to be shut down. And fast.
“First of all,” I huff, “there’s no need to be crude about it. Last night was the bond’s fault and you know it.”
His expression turns cold, his jaw clenching at my words. Then, Knox rolls his eyes and turns his attention back to the newspaper. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
“Second of all, why are you telling me if I’m not supposed to know? Why do you even care? Is fire jumping really what’s happening today or are you just trying to scare me?”
He leans back, his arm stretching around the back of the seat. I sneak a side glance at his hand resting dangerously close to my shoulder. We need a bigger couch.
“Questions, questions, questions. I fucking hate questions.” A long sigh follows his words before he continues, “Familiars need to be able to provide first class entertainment. Today you will be put to the test to prove you can give us a rousing performance. In case you hadn’t already figured it out, we can smell your emotions through your blood.”
My hands itch for my notebook as vampiric secrets spill from his mouth.
“We can’t drink your blood if it’s poisoned with negative feelings. So yes, we really do make all your dreams come true down here, but it’s purely for our own benefit. Familiars help with that, as you’re expected to do our bidding.”
I blink as I try to process everything. “So, I have to jump through fire to get everyone’s blood tasting good?” I don’t hide the horror that laces my tone.
Knox gives me a devastating smile. “Exactly that. Aren’t you so clever?”
