A softer rendition of his predatory clicks emanated from him, but it sounded muffled, like he was trying to hide the fact that I had piqued his interest—or his appetite.
“I want to trade,” I said firmly. “Your blood for mine.”
“You want . . .myblood?”
“Yes, I want to study you,” I said plainly.
“Why would I let you do that?”
“Because you’re hungry. You’re not eating.”
His brows furrowed, and he sat up straighter. “Nonsense.”
“I had spent many nights wondering why you would be so wasteful. I assumed that you were feeding well with the number of bodies you were leaving around until you interrupted my visit to my father. Then I saw how truly exhausted you were. You weretrembling. Every part of you wanted to do it, but you didn’t.” I paused for a moment, thinking carefully about my next words. “Then, you said you couldn’t do it. It had me wondering, why don’t you just kill me? Why do you act like you need permission?”
“I don’t.”
“Then why?”
“Tension spoils the blood.”
“Liar.” I poked my finger into his chest. “Tension doesn’t spoil the blood. You want to taste it paired withpleasure.”
He averted his eyes, refusing to answer like the stubborn child he was.
“Please feel free to contest if it isn’t true. Unless it is due to a change of morals,Creature? What happened to wanting to kill me and ravage me for your own uses? Have you grown a heart as fast as you healed the wounds I have left on your body?”
He was unwilling to look at me.
“Answer me, you vile thing!” I shoved his chest with both my hands. “Why did you stop?” I shouted.
He snatched my wrists, yanking me forward, our noses nearly touching. Every tense muscle, every tic in his jaw, every stern expression concealed words left unsaid—I wanted to poke and prod at every single one of them.
“Why haven’t you killed me yet?” I asked shakily. “Why did you hesitate?”
“You ask as if you were hoping I would.” His eyes narrowed dangerously, and I could feel a vibration against his chest. He was holding back so much—I feared he would combust. “Like you would not mind dying if it meant your assumptions would be correct.”
My chest rose and fell quickly despite my attempts to appear calm. It was becoming harder knowing our proximity—the danger of being within biting distance of a thing that could not help himself any more than the next savage animal.
“You want to know why I haven’t killed you yet? My mouth runsdrywhen I think of killing you. I didn’t understand it. It frustrated me for a long time. I would usually be skippingheartbeatsat the thought of ripping through something as divine as you.” The darkness in his eyes had disappeared when he looked back at me. It was replaced by pain. “It would not be the same. I wanted to hear you dedicate your cruel words only to me. I didn’t care if you were yelling at me, screaming at me, telling me no... as long as it was for me. Soon, I didn’t want you to leave. When I was away, you danced around my mind like a man’s deepest regret, ferocious and intoxicating. You want to know what I want? I wantyou, Alina.All of you.Every hair on your head, every tear, laugh, and scream that rips from your delicate vocal cords will all becomemine.”
This was one of those times when I forgot whatever clever thing I had to say next. The simmering anger inside me mingled with a knot I did not want to acknowledge.
“You are a cruel, wicked thing, Silas Forbes,” I bit out.
“There. That’s it.” His hand shot up and gripped my jaw, squeezing. “I want to taste every venomous word performed by your lips until you have to invent new ones just for me.”
“You are just hungry.” I gulped. “You think you want me, but you want to feed. I have no qualms with that. Just don’t pretend it’s anything more.” I pried myself from his grip, backing away. “Take my deal, or leave it. That is the only way you will continue to see me.”
“How often?”
“Excuse me?”
“How often do I get to see you? Under this proposed deal, of course.” He stood from the desk.
I retreated farther. “Once a week.”
“Seven days a week.” He advanced.
