I growled quietly, glaring into his own furious eyes—his tolerance flittering away. “I am upset, Bel. I think we should shut up now.”
His mouth snapped shut, and he hissed between his teeth, “If that is what you wish, fine.”
I think he wanted to punch me right then.
We scowled into one another’s eyes, quiet.
This was honestly too much to process with my addled mind, my gaze slowly lowering to his beating pulse. I unconsciously licked over my bottom lip. His sun-warmed skin would be perfect for pressing my mouth against and tasting that beautiful blood again.
My stomach cramped painfully.
I muttered pathetically, “I need blood.”
Belshazzar straightened against me, studying my face—clearly still furious—but he growled, “Take what you need.”
“I need a lot,” I slurred honestly, inching closer to his neck. “I’ve only had a few sips of blood in two weeks.”
His head jerked back in fury. “What?That crazy bitch did that to you?”
The others all stiffened where they sat, now peering in my direction, evaluating my features.
“I didn’t go mad,” I mumbled, my eyes on the prize—a pumping vein of rainbows on a dark night. I licked my dry lips again, homed in, not a care in the world. “The stones from Ota’ano kept me safe in my cell. I need to drink now.”
I struck fast, slicing my fangs into his throat.
I moaned instantly and wrapped my arms around his neck, tugging him even closer. His blood wasmine. I could truly say that now—a soul mate’s obsession in the making. Because…
His powerful blood was so delicious.
Bel grunted quietly at the fast strike, wrapping his free arm around my waist and pulling me tightly against him. He tipped his head farther to the side, a subtle groan of pleasure rumbling inside his muscular chest. His hair fanned down around my head, hiding my face from view—his damned hair even knowing this was private.
Rilen cleared his throat, emphasizing quietly, “Let’s give them some space. We can ride ahead.”
“Go on,” Dorian rumbled. “I’ll stay here and make sure she doesn’t take too much.”
I gulped a mouthful down, my eyes sliding shut. I needed this blood on tap—holy fucking hormones.
Hoofbeats trotted ahead on the trail, one horse staying close to us—Bel’s twin observing cautiously.
Dorian did tap on my shoulder after a minute of my extremely greedy gulps. “That is enough.”
I whimpered under my breath.More.
“Leave her be,” Belshazzar whispered. “She is fine.”
“Your face is turning white, you gods-damned dumbshit.” Dorian gripped my shoulder, wiggling it fiercely, his tone turning brutally dangerous. “Gwen, I said that is enough. Or I will stop you myself.”
I rested my tongue against my soul mate’s skin, with my fangs still sliced deep. I sighed happily…and fell back asleep in the next blink, my stomachoh sohappy with the most delectable blood I had ever tasted.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Kimber
I brushed the prettydun who had carried me through the rest of the Barren Mountains, through the Short River, to the town.
She was part of the royal livery. All of the horses we had used were. We couldn’t take them on the train, and we weren’t going to need them where we were going.
Someone needed to care for these animals, so I came up with an idea to gift them to a small stable. The addition of six horses would bring them more business.
