“Why?” I asked, concerned.
“I have not provided you with the best that I possibly could. I could have demanded one of the private compartments with an actual bed and a private bathroom, however minuscule the space is, but they were already fully booked. I thought you would protest,” she paused and frowned, clearly thinking of the word she wanted to use, “at displacing others. Despite the fact that I am Marchioness of the House we are traveling to and heir to the throne,” she continued.
I nodded. “By displace, do you mean turn up and kick out?” I asked. She didn’t reply, which was answer enough. I sighed. “You’re right—I would have been upset,” I told her. “I don’t want to take things from other people.”
“Yet you should be able to rely on me, to trust me to provide for you, and now we are here.” She waved her hand around the space and scrunched her nose.
“You have provided everything for me since we met,” I reassured her. “And I love this,” I said, copying the way she had waved at the compartment.
“I don’t need fancy things, Selene. I just need you, and to be safe—for everyone I care about to be safe,” I explained and stood slowly, hoping Selene would not sense how even standing was challenging for me, given my continued state of exhaustion, before settling myself in her lap.
She opened her arms, welcoming me in a warm embrace.
As I settled down, my head resting against her shoulder, I knew that this was what I needed.
The physical closeness of Selene—a quiet moment where she revealed her softness to me.
I reminded myself that despite her flaws, Selene was my soul match, and I hers. She cared for me, even if her care sometimes manifested in dangerous ways.
“Wherever you are, if I’m there too, that makes me happy,” I said, trying to reassure her.
It had been a difficult day for both of us. We were both clearly drained—I felt it in the way Selene held me, lazily leaning her cheek against my head, her nose pressing into my hair. I knew Selene was doing her best, even accepting a lesser class of cabin for my sake.
“You are far too sweet, little pet,” she said, moving my head to the side so she could mark me.
Her lips kissed my neck softly, her tongue swiping out warm against my cool skin, her teeth nipping me.
I allowed myself to enjoy the process, relaxing my head against my shoulder and providing her as much access as I could.
Her open mouth and teeth lingered in a soft bite against the junction of my shoulder and neck. I felt the way she became still—the way her bite slowly increased in pressure as if teasing herself.
“Are you hungry?” I asked. She hummed in the affirmative. “You can have a drink if you want,” I told her.
It had been almost a week since she last fed from me. Technically she could have fed from me two days previously. We had learned through trial that I required three to four days between Selene drinking from me to recover. Any closer in feedings and I would become lethargic and anaemic. The shifter and vampire parts of me allowed my blood to recuperate much faster than an average human. Much to Selene’s enjoyment, and admittedly mine. Selene’s markings and feeding were something that I had come to very much enjoy. To give into the pain and the pleasure. It made me feel connected to her, deeply, and I craved that connection. I wondered if perhaps the constant desire I had to be closer to her, to be connected to Selene had anything to do with our soul match bond not being fully realised, due to Selene’s enchantments.
I whined in pain as her fangs pierced my skin without warning—no pause to acknowledge my offer or to confirm acceptance. I was startled by the immediacy and desperate nature of how she drank from me. Clinging to me tightly, swallowing fast, digging her teeth in harder.
How long had it been since I last saw her eat? How hungry was she? Selene was never like this, not since the first time she had drunk from me.
Her hands clung to my hips painfully as she pulled me closer to her. Being reminded of that first night made fear prickle down my spine and arms.
“Selene, not so rough,” I tried, attempting to calm her. It was almost like a frenzy had taken over her.
She growled and moaned in equal measure as she squeezed me tighter. I attempted to push her back; she stopped and I felt relief—before seeing her bright silver eyes, eerily as lost and frantic as she had been back at the academy while attacking Rylan. Then she pushed my head to the opposite side, quickly dipped her head back to my neck, and painfully took a new bite.
She growled animalistically.
“Selene,” I cried, pushing her away as I called her name, but it was useless.
“Stop,” I told her as I began to feel lightheaded, and her bite grew into a painful burn.
She gave no response. Panic filled me, and before I knew what I had done, I had taken a fistful of her long black hair and pulled—hard.
“Stop, Selene!” I cried, and her mouth left me instantly.
Unseeing, glowing silver eyes watched me for tense moments.
She wasn’t in control. Or maybe she was in some way, but her vampire was certainly in control.
