I’ve never seen the professor fight, but I’ve always sensed his magic. It’s almost as strong and as powerful as Thorne’s. Cold, icy; not hot and fiery like Thorne’s, but deadly, nonetheless. If he could join us, I’m sure we’d have a chance of escape. We might even have a chance of bringing down Bardin too.
“Briony,” Beaufort warns, unable to resist the urge to order me about as usual. “Be careful.”
And then with his sword in both hands, he charges towards Bardin.
I release my magic and, mimicking what I’d seen the Princes do last night, use it instead to create a dome of protection; one I hope will keep the demons at bay for just a moment, especially with the dragon pouring hot fire their way.
And then I turn my attention back to Fox. His eyes are still blood red, and he looks at me.
“You know what I’m going to say,” I tell him, “and you know I’m not going to take no for an answer. We need you, Fox. Otherwise none of us are going to get out of here alive.”
“Briony,” he pleads. “If it goes wrong…” He trails off. “I’d rather we all died than turn you into a monster like me.”
“That won’t happen,” I say. “You’ll only take a little. You’ll only take as much as you need.”
“I can’t guarantee–”
“Fox,” I say. “We’ve been here before, and I trust you.”
His gaze drifts to my throat and lingers there, and I tilt back my head, elongating my neck and running my fingers down the artery that thumps there.
“Just one bite,” I tempt him. “Just enough. Just a little.”
I press my fingers against the vein, making the blood jump in my throat, and his eyes flash.
“Come here,” he says, lisping, his fangs sharp once again. “Come a little closer, Briony.”
I bend over him and his bony hands rest on my shoulders. I nearly start crying all over again. He’s so weak and I can’t bear it.
“You smell so–” He groans. His tongue licks against my skin, icy cold and making me gasp. I wait for the pinch of his teeth. But it doesn’t come. “I can’t,” he says, rocking away.
“Fox,” I say sternly. “We’re going to die unless you do this now.”
I cover my hands over his, forcing him to grip my shoulders more tightly.
He hisses, and his breath, just as cold as his flesh, stings against my skin.
“I never wanted it to be like this, Briony,” he says, pained.
And then I feel the first sting of his teeth as they sink into my throat. At first the bite is weak, barely penetrating my flesh, and he sucks feebly too. I wonder if any of my blood is even reaching his mouth. But then he growls, his fingers tighten on my shoulders, his teeth sink right into the depths of my neck, and he sucks more urgently. I can feel the pull of it; my skin and my blood drawn into his mouth.
A bright light crashes across my vision, an ecstasy like I’ve never felt before pours through my body and takes all my thoughts, all my fear, all my reasoning with it, till all I’m aware of is that sucking at my neck, making me dizzy and languid and lazy. He’s right – it’s addictive, utterly addictive.
I cry out as an orgasm ricochets through my body, and I’m too weak to hold it at bay. The man could kill me; he could drink me dry, and I’d beg for him to do it.
I see how dangerous this is now, why he’s always wanted to avoid it at all costs.
“Fox,” I whimper, and I have no idea if I’m pleading with him to stop or begging for him to continue.
I’m barely aware of the demons screeching above us, of the fire roaring from Blaze’s jaws, of Bardin cackling and crowing and Beaufort’s grunts and groans. I have no idea if we’re moments from death. I’m not sure if I care. And yet there’s something tethering me to reality, and I think it’s the magic in my chest – not Fox’s – that sings and dances, but Beaufort’s and Dray’s and Thorne’s magic, attempting to pull me back to where I belong.
“Fox,” I moan. “Fox, stop!”
Because my head is not only dizzy with this bliss, I’m lightheaded. I can feel more and more of my blood flowing away from me and into him. And how much can he take before …
But he doesn’t hear me. Or maybe he does, and he’s too consumed by this to care. My hands, lying on top of his, barely grip him now, weak and useless.
I fight to stop my thoughts from fading away and send my magic buzzing, delighted with this ecstasy, shooting from my fingertips and into Fox.
