Not one of the girls they gave me interested me.
I hadn’t found a single one of them attractive.
Until her.
She’d caused something to crack open inside me, and a monster had crawled out.
I should feel guilt for touching her without her consent.
I didn’t.
I should be disgusted that I’d kissed her with my blood.
I wasn’t.
I was hungry.
Fucking feral to finish what I’d never started. To abandon the only control I’d ever had and finallybewith someone.
Which was why I was officially done with all of this.
Tomorrow, it would all be over.
No more death or pain or blood.
I would be free—
The door creaked open behind me. The soft thuds of predator paws.
Choking on rabid craving, I muttered, “You’re finally back, you traitor.”
The sleek panther came to my side and snorted.
Catching his golden eyes as the moon shone in them, I did my best to stand tall and ignore the tangled mess my body had become. “Abandoned me to hang out with your new friend, huh?”
A pang of jealousy.
Fuck, I was jealous.
Of a cat.
Because he’d gotten to be with her when I couldn’t.
My temper simmered, even at my best friend.
He cocked his head, the tips of his fangs showing as if he took offence to my tone.
Turning back to the flaming world below, I peered past all the torches and braziers, wishing I could see through walls and watch Rook sleep.
Whisper stood up on two legs, digging his claws into the parapet. His whiskers flared as if he scented her on the breeze, a sharp longing in his eyes that made my gut clench.
I recognised that longing.
It crippled me too.
Yet another emotion caused by her.
It was getting crowded inside me and I had no idea how much longer I could cope.
