She swallowed hard, sweat beading on her upper lip and forehead, then nodded.
A big breath left Bal, and his shoulders tilted forward, his relief evident, though I doubted he realised it. One of Bal’s canines grew, and he slit his skin. Just as he had for me, he held his wrist above her mouth. She flinched as his blood dripped on her lips. I almost rolled my eyes. He really had no idea how weird it was for a non-vampire to drink from an open wound, or that it was even more disconcerting to have blood splashing onto their mouth. With my free hand, I took a firm grip on his forearm and guided him low enough that if she wanted to, she could put her mouth on his skin. That thought sent a bolt of lust through me.
He raised a brow, probably scenting my desire, but this wasn’t the time for that. “So it doesn’t spill,” I explained at his questioning look. Thankfully, he didn’t resist. Instead, he looked right back at Sorcha, whose eyes had fluttered shut.
“How much will she need?” I had to work to keep my voice steady when my wolf was clawing at my insides, his distress infecting my own emotions.
“Not much. Humans respond to the healing properties in my blood more quickly than other species.”
I nodded, trying to damp down my need to go and find the prisoners Bal had mentioned, and rip them apart for hurtingher. Minutes ticked by, and it seemed an age before Bal whispered her name and gently pulled his arm away. Sorcha immediately went lax. My stomach lurched.
“Don’t worry, she’ll sleep heavily while she heals.”
My shoulders relaxed. “Okay. Good.”
Awkwardness settled between us. At least, it did on my part. I inhaled, and his familiar scent made my heart flip. I tore my gaze away, still mad at him for forcing me to kneel while he walked away, leaving me weak and vulnerable.
“Shane…”
“I won’t hurt her. I’m not leaving.”
There was silence as he stood and walked around the bed to stand beside me. He lowered his wrist in front of my face. “Drink. Then, at least, you're less likely to fall into bloodlust. It will also finish healing you.”
I hesitated. It wasn’t that long ago that he was face down on the floor because of me. I wasn’t a saint. I’d hurt plenty of people in my lifetime and hadn’t given two shits, but, for reasons I didn’t want to admit to myself, I didn’t want Bal to be weakened by my insatiable need for his blood. Not when his enemies were closing in.
He moved his arm closer, an edge of steel in his voice that had my cock jumping. “Drink. You lost a lot of blood, and I’m fully recovered. You will not hurt me. When I’m done here, I’ll station Elliot at the bottom of the stairs with two more guards. You’ll be safe. If you need me, shout my name. If I’m otherwise occupied and don’t hear you, Elliot will know where to find me.”
With my heart slamming against my ribs, I took his arm and sealed my lips around it. I shifted my pelvis, though I had no idea why; it wouldn’t hide my reaction to him. Bal didn’t say a word, just fisted his other hand as if trying not to touch me. I groaned and sucked harder, losing myself to his taste, feeling his power mix with mine. My wolf snarled, pacing restlessly beneathmy skin, his need to fight or enjoy me fucking Bal’s brains out made my head spin.
“Enough. That should keep your cravings at bay.”
That. Fucking. Voice.
With a dissatisfied snarl, I released his arm, panting hard, but I nodded and withdrew. Part of me still felt guilty for what I’d done to him. If he told me to stop, I would; even if it was the last thing I wanted to do. His throat bobbed, his gaze fixed on where I knew a small drop of blood had escaped my lips and fangs. He reached out and scooped it up with his finger.
“You shouldn’t waste any.” And he placed his finger against my lips, pushing it into the heat of my mouth. “Suck it clean.”
Damn, I’d thought I’d been hard before. Now I had a steel rod trying to escape my waistband and balls so heavy they were aching. Holding his intense gaze, I sucked off the tiny drop, swirling my tongue around the tip of his finger. His irises bled red, and by the time he pulled his wet finger from between my lips, his breaths were as deep and fast as mine.
“Fuck, what are you doing to me?”
My stomach flipped at his whispered words. He was just as turned on as I was, but before I could ask him to stay, he’d disappeared.
Bloody vamp speed…
Suddenly worn out, I grabbed another blanket to cover my nakedness so it wouldn’t be awkward for Sorcha when she woke up, and stretched out on the bed beside her. Careful not to wake her, I pushed her covers aside so that I could see her stomach. Thankfully, it wasn’t any more swollen, and the bruising hadn’t got bigger. Releasing a swift breath, I covered her and turned onto my back, twisting my head so I could study her delicate features. The slight flush to her cheeks eased some of my worry. Her skin had been way too pale. I wanted to pull her into myarms, but didn’t want to assume she was okay with that, so I took her hand in mine and held it.
Her skin was cool, her fingers delicate in my grasp. Knowing she was hurt made me want to kill those fuckers all over again. My growl was low, too low for her to hear. I wasn’t sure exactly when our friendship had become more, but I couldn’t deny my feelings. Probably weeks ago. Before we’d gone to the handfasting, I’d even disliked Owen being in the same room and smiling at her. My reaction had surprised me at the time, but it didn’t now. My wolf had been too weak to claim her, and I’d been too focused on my situation to consider how she was the one good thing in my shitstorm of a life. Sorcha was beautiful, inside and out.
I knew she’d suffered badly from the betrayal by those she trusted. What happened to her was utterly sickening, yet she still had it in her to help Balthazar and me. I wondered if Balthazar even realised how much strength it took for her to be around vampires, when they were the ones who had abused her so badly. He seemed to have no understanding that every time he slurred her human heritage or called her weak, it hurt her almost as much as Nikolai had done with all the physical abuse he’d inflicted. It didn’t matter to me whether she was human or supe. I wanted her by my side. She deserved protection from the evil in this world. My heart constricted. I never wanted her to leave my side, but I didn’t want to scare her away by becoming a possessive asshole like I’d seen other alphas do. I groaned quietly. Though growling that she was mine in the haze of bloodlust had probably outed me on that front. Yet, she wasn’t mine. Not yet. And if Sor was my mate, what did that make Bal?
I stared at the fine cracks in the ceiling plaster as my fingers curled tightly into the bedspread. He was getting to me through bloodlust, that was all. There could never be anything more than maker and fledgling between us. Not when I was a half-breedand he was an Original. It was ridiculous to even consider a relationship with him. I snorted softly. Relationship? Who was I fucking kidding? Neither of us did relationships. I wouldn’t regret what had passed between us, but nothing more than feeding would happen again. I’d survive without him.
My eyelids drooped. Gods, I was tired; too damned tired to worry about how I’d manage my over-the-top feelings for an unobtainable and out of my league beautiful male, whose darkness called to me in a way no one else ever had. Maybe these useless feelings would settle when my bloodlust was all over and I’d distanced myself from him. The thought of leaving him behind made my stomach churn, but I’d never relied on anyone else before. It would be fine.
I swallowed against my tight throat. I knew little about vampire life. I’d never needed to. Even when I’d been a rogue shifter on the streets, I’d survived by the skin of my teeth. Would I have to use a blood store? I’d never been in one, but buying bags of blood seemed more appealing than feeding from a complete stranger at a registered feeder clinic. I’d have to find work, too… My eyelids drooped, and I inhaled Sor’s sweet scent, releasing a soft breath as my mind and body relaxed. My wolf settled and rumbled his satisfaction at being so close to her. I shuffled onto my side, studying her relaxed face. Her long, lush lashes fluttered against her smooth cheeks. Damn, she was beautiful, even with bruises. And, asleep like this, she looked so small and vulnerable.
“Nothing will hurt you again.”
