He shrugs. “Just seems a bit more spiritual that way. Not really much of an elixir if it’s in a brightly labelled bottle.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “So now what?” I ask.
“I’ve got Diesel to bring her some soup,” he adds.
“Soup?”
“Yes. She’s not like us, remember?” he says, arching a brow.
I nod, having momentarily forgotten that if we were left starving, we would become ravenous, out of control. The thirst, the hunger for blood, drives our entire being. It’s an ecstasy like no other when that crimson liquid passes your lips. We become the monsters we are designed to be. But her… She slowly wilts like a dying, delicate flower.
Diesel enters, carrying a tray of soup and bread rolls. She tries to sit up, but her body is too weak. I am instantly at her side, helping her sit while taking the tray from Diesel with my other hand and gently placing it beside her.
Once she’s settled, I take the spoon and hold it out to her. Her dark, sunken eyes bore into mine as she slowly parted her lips. Delicately, I glide the spoon into her mouth. Her eyes flutter closed as she tastes the soup, a slight moan escaping her as she swallows.
I place the spoon down and tear off a small piece of the bread roll, dipping it slightly into the soup. Her eyes follow the movement before flicking back to mine as she parts her lips, allowing me to feed her the soup-soaked bread. Her bottom lip lightly grazes my fingertip.
Hex clears his throat behind me, but I don’t look away from Evelynn. “What?” I ask.
“Shall I wait for you in court with the others?” he asks.
I want to say yes. I want to stay, feed her, care for the fragile mortal before me, but I know I cannot. I swipe a small droplet of soup from the corner of her mouth.
“I have to go. You promise to eat?” I ask, though my tone makes it more of an order.
She swallows and gives a small nod. “Yes,” she rasps.
Reluctantly, I stand, placing the tray on her lap. “I won’t be long.”
I turn to face Hex, his disapproving gaze locked on me. “Not fucking now,” I hiss.
He leads the way. Diesel stands at the door waiting, his eyes constantly flickering to Evelynn.
“I suggest you keep your eyes to yourself, or you’ll find them clawed from their sockets,” I growl.
“Sorry, Prez,” he mutters, turning on his heel.
As Hex and I follow the corridor toward Court, he speaks. “It is not my place to say?—”
“Then fucking don’t,” I snap, cutting him off.
He plants a forceful hand on my chest, halting me. I snarl.
“She cannot be part of our world. She cannot be who you want her to be. Fuck her, do with her as you please, but that is all. You risk everything falling for a mortal. History, if nothing else, has taught us that,” he bites out.
I wrap my hand around his wrist, wrenching it away from my chest. “Whatever you think you see, you don’t, and you’re right. It is not your place to say. If I want your opinion, I’ll fucking ask for it,” I seethe.
Entering court, all my brothers’ eyes land on me,watching, waiting for me to brief them. I hold out my hand.
“Cigarette,” I demand.
A packet is slid across to me. I take one, light it, and drag in the smoke, taking my time before I face the barrel of questions I know are coming.
“Start,” I sigh.
“We are all concerned with how you are treating the girl,” Silas states, his voice firm but wary.
I stare him down. “And how would that be?” I counter.
