Would it be so bad forthe Quorum to find out I was directly linked to an Original? No one had really explainedthe end results for me if everyone found out. But since Ryder looked worriedand usually nothing fazed that man, there was definitely room for me to startstressing.
Ryder tilted his head tothe side, exposing his neck. “Bite me,” he declared.
Heck yes! I mean … what?
I raised one eyebrow asJayden looked at me, grinning. Okay, I’m not gonna lie, I had fantasized aboutRyder saying those exact words, but not in front of Jayden. And not in responseto the stupid Quorum. I hadn’t fed directly off anyone before and now really didn’tseem like the right time to start – the freakin’ Quorum was on its way. I closedmy mouth abruptly, trying to figure out what he was on about. “You want me to …bite you? Why?”
Ryder grabbed my hand andpulled me closer to him. “Feed from me and then from Jayden, and when they takeyour blood it will be a diluted mix. It’s the only chance we have.”
Holy. Shit. Was it man-candyMonday?
Realizing there wasn’ttime to ponder this, I slipped one hand behind Ryder’s neck and stood on mytiptoes as instinct kicked in and my fangs slid from my upper gums. I had abouta thousand-percent more control over my fangs now than when I first turned, butright at this moment they wanted Ryder. As I leaned in, I barely even noticedthat Jayden turned and left the room, giving me privacy. My nose grazed againstRyder – Mmm, he smelled so good. I lightly scraped my fangs against his neck,but paused. I had never fed from a living person. Would I hurt him? Would warmblood be gross?
His hands clamped down onmy hips. “Do it, I want you to.”
That was all I needed tohear. I sank my teeth into his deliciously plump vein and his warm bloodtrickled into my mouth. We both moaned at the same time. He tasted likecinnamon and copper. Holy shit – bottled blood was like old ass compared tothis. Ryder’s blood was potent and warm, filled with power and energy. It waslike hitting an electrical socket and frying a thousand volts through me, butinstead of pain all I got was the huge boost of power.
I gulped greedily as hishands tightened on my hips. I lost sense of time completely, but still sort ofknew that he let me feed from him for an extended period.
Finally he halted me.“Stop, Charlie.”
I pulled away gasping, feelinghis warmth in my body, and the burning of my cheeks. I knew they would bebright red. When I met Ryder’s eyes I could see desire flashing there.
A bang on the door rippedme from my trance.
Ryder silently grabbed myarm and pulled me into Jayden’s room. My best friend was ready.
“Bite me, bitch – but youbetter tell me everything later,” he whispered softly. I nodded and sank intohis neck without any of the sensuality that I’d reserved for Ryder. It was moreuncomfortable without the intimacy. Let’s just say I was much more aware that Iwas feeding on another person. After a few big gulps, I pulled off.
Ryder nodded and handed mea type-O blood bottle.
“Answer the door,” hemurmured as he slipped inside of Jayden’s closet. For some reason he did notwant the Quorum to know he was here.
I chugged the bottle,throwing it in the trash as I crossed the space to answer the door. As I openedthe door, strong vampire energy flooded through the entrance and I almost tooka step back. A group of very pissed, very powerful looking vampires stoodbefore me. My eyes catalogued them, wondering if I was about to find out howstrong the Quorum really was.
“Hello, Charlene, werequire your presence in the medical wing,” one of them told me with a grittyvoice. It took me a second, but I realized that I knew his distinct voice. Thiswas the vampire who had spoken with Ryder outside of the medical wing when Iwas first brought in, who told him I would be treated like every other ash andjoin in the culling. He was tall, with slicked black hair and a bent hookednose. He must have been an ugly mofo before the virus, because even with allthe smoothing out he was still fugly as hell.
I acted dumb. “Okay.What’s this about?”
“Just a routine bloodtest.”
Damn liar.
Where was Lucas? Therewere – I quickly counted in my head – nine of the members here, but no Lucas.“Wow, the entire Quorum accompanying me to a routine blood test. I must bepretty important,” I mused out loud. I couldn’t act too dumb.
I stepped out and theyclosed rank behind me, boxing me in.
Ugly sneered at me as wewalked together. “We just want to see with our own eyes that the test is doneproperly. Your…talents… don’t seem to line up with your lineage.”
I tried to slow my heartrate, knowing they could sense it. “Whatever.” I shrugged. I was getting goodat feigning disinterest. But in my head I was allfuck-fuck-fuck. Mydamn unicorn blood better not shoot rainbows when they looked at it, or I had afeeling I was a dead woman.
I was led to a medicalroom, where a male doctor I had never seen was waiting in a lab coat with aneedle kit before him.
“How many doctors does theHive need? You guys heal,” I said in the sweetest voice I could muster.
One of the Quorum memberssmiled, a woman with reddish hair. “She’s bright.”
Another Quorum memberscowled at me. “They aren’t just doctors, they’re also scientists. The humans allowa small number of vampires to be privately educated. We have a highlycontagious virus that the humans aren’t keen to catch. Now sit down.”
