I feel faint.
The ravens in the tree suddenly crouch and ruffle their feathers, calling out shrill and angry.
I struggle to tilt up my head. “Good. They can feel the fangs of a wild wolf too.”
Daire nuzzles against me, calming his pheromones and soothing me. “I’ve already felt the fangs of a Blood. I admit that it was a revelation. Because I may be into both biting and blood play, but I didn’t know that it would feel like being flown to both heaven and hell at the same time. I planned to make Sin addicted to drinking from me but I’m a damned fool because I may become just as addicted to his fangs in my throat.”
I swallow at that image.
I push my thighs together, squirming in frustration.
Flying to heaven and hell? Addictive?
How many times did Lanlin make me come with his untrained but talented fingers? How incredible would it feel if he also drank from me…?
My mouth becomes dry.
Daire cocks his brow. “Do you want that too, love? For Sin to…?”
“He’s starving. His fangs have been in agony. On the moon, if I could give him life?—”
“Life?” Daire’s voice is surprisingly flat. He shifts beneath me in the water. “Have you forgotten why we’re here? Our mission?”
Frustrated, I shake my head. “Are we still playing Lanlin? Areyou?”
Please, say no.
“Do you think that revenge is something that you can just stop because you fall in love?” Daire looks anguished. “I am still me, and he is still… He only tolerates me because he believes that I amDove. He has become friends with someone who doesn’t exist. Bloody hell, the idiot hasarmedhis enemy. If he knew who I truly was — the Shadow Queen Slayer, the fae whokilled his ma — he wouldn’t fly to save me.He would destroy me.And we’ve seen him how he ends his enemies.”
I stiffen.
It’s so easy to forget that all this time Daire has been living a secret, double life amongst his enemies.
If Lanlin discovers that he is truly King Daire, however, would he destroy him like Daire fears?
Execute him?
“Hey,” Daire strokes a strand of wet hair out of my face, “we need to work out a plan that saves the fanged idiot anyway because whatever happens to me, I’m not breaking another king or treating him like I have been.”
“How? Ourhorned idiotis flying here now. And the Blood Moon is only a week away.”
“Sometimes, you need to play the long game to get where you want in the end. You bluff weakness to gain the strong hand and win.”
“Like this?” I brush my fingers against the bite on Daire’s neck, which is almost healed already.
Shadow Vampire bites normally heal in a couple of hours, but whatever happened last night, Lanlin was a littleenthusiasticwith his bite.
To my shock, Daire groans. “Fuck, do that again.”
My eyes light up. “Like this?”
I trace over the imprints of where Lanlin’s fangs broke Daire’s pale skin, and Daire’s eyelashes flutter.
He throws back his head, humping against me.
“Now I really like vampire bites,” I murmur, leaning to kiss the bite.
“Shit.” Daire’s eyes snap open, as he humps even more forcefully up against me.
