With her nod of approval, the girl proceeded to pour some into my wine.
“Now that your Vampiri side is awake, it is important for you to begin to get used to this part of you.”
A strange excitement rushed through my being, igniting a thirst inside me at the notion of blood.
She motioned for me to try it, but as I picked up my glass, André’s heated gaze burned through my skin. My hand halted, and I glanced at André, his eyes hot on me. I wasn’t sure how to take his concern. He was a Vampir too. He drank blood. So, what was his problem?
Realizing what was happening, our Vampiri Mother glanced from me to André, and her perfectly groomed eyebrow rose defiantly at him. “Is there anything you want to say?”
The thirst stirred inside me, urging me to take the glass, its presence becoming stronger just as Star’s apprehension joined the party.
“It’s alright, Natalia,” Mother assured. “The thirst is only a small part of you. Not the ruler of your existence.”
“The way André is looking at you, I think he is just afraid that won’t be the case if you drink again…”
“Or perhaps he is just horrified to see his precious Natasha drink blood.”
“I almost forgot.” I offered her a small smile, pulling my gaze away from him, but not before I saw his regret erase the concern.
He’d heard us.
Placing the glass back on the server’s tray, I cramped the thirst as far down as it would go into the dark recesses of my being. “I already took my first drink.”
“You did?” Mother asked, taken aback.
“I drank from Dante earlier today.”
Her gaze connected with André’s, his concern increasing as she looked back at me. “You did?”
“Yes, but I didn’t hurt him, as you can see,” I calmly explained. “I drank for only a few seconds and then I let go when Natasha asked me to stop.”
“I’m perfectly fine,” Dante assured, his gaze saying he didn’t like the way they were taking the news either.
A hint of relief entered Countess Dariah’s features, and she assessed me. “Only a few seconds is fine. Ten seconds used to be my mark.”
“Used to be?” I couldn’t help but ask.
Her expression softened. “I don’t drink from people anymore. I have spiced drinks or…”
“Or?” Interest rose in me.
“Sometimes I enjoy a taste with my husband during intimacy. It’s something we can enjoy in those moments. Nevertheless, I don’t recommend you do that again until you are fully accustomed to this new part of you and in full control.”
“I understand.” I actually did, especially because the thirst wasn’t too glad that I was ignoring it right now; I could feel it trying to gain strength within me. I licked my lips, forcing myself to forget there was a glass ofspicedwine only a foot away from me.
“Oh, shit…”Star whispered, feeling the same thing I had.
“Don’t worry, I got this.”
Of course, André heard that too and the concern took over his entire being. A certain sadness suddenly exuded from him, and the troubling emotion returned to his eyes.
“Okay, you know what? That’s enough,”I snapped, standing from the table and facing André while everyone reared back on their chair.“Can you please stop looking at me like a sad puppy that just lost his toy? I know you are disappointed that I’m here instead of Natasha, but I’mnotdoing this. I’m not keeping her from you. I don’t know why I’m the one out and about instead of her, but I am. So how about we all just fucking deal with that?”
Huffing, I began to sit down but straightened once again.
“Also, I don’t know where the red eyes come from, or what they mean. But here we are. This is who I am right now, so you might as well get used to them. Or not. I don’t really give a fuck.”
“Natalia…”Dante’s reproaching tone was the last straw.
