Because I was now immortal.
I’d died. Come back. I’d broken the Moon Goddess’s curse, and now I had a chance, albeit not the one I would have ever expected, to have Oakley, my son… A family. “And you’re really okay with this?”
“You want her?” Saros asked, stepping next to Oakley. “You’re stuck with us.”
“Both of us,” Lynx added, coming to her other side.
“What about my gift?” I asked, attempting to cast. Nothing happened. “Am I still a witch?”
“You are and you aren’t,” Dante explained. “You still have your gift, but it will be amplified. You still have magic, but you will need to feed to maintain your strength and be able to use it.”
Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
Saros stepped forward with his hand extended. Hidden among the constellations, small scars peppered the flesh, sets of twin marks where he’d been fed on before. And he was right, I would rather keep Oakley safe. The truth was, we all would. And three men to fight for her and our son might not have been how I imagined our family looking, but that didn’t mean this couldn’t be better than any illusion I might have conjured.
They loved her. I loved her. And she loved us all fiercely—fiercely enough to let me die to save our son while refusing to lose me. She would have been okay with them. Safe. But my greedy witch wanted more than that. She wanted it all.
And she fucking deserved it.
I took Saros’s hand, his jaw tensing as I did. I knew he’d see my memories, the worst memories. I’d been briefed on it before ever working with the agent, so I’d never touched him. Hopefully whatever he saw would only be momentary while he let me feed.
Opening my mouth, I rested my fangs against his fluttering pulse, then slowly sank them into his flesh. When that coppery tang touched my taste buds, it was like a bolt to the brain. Laced with a subtle smoky undertone and peppery notes, it was divine. Like the first sip of water after wandering the desert.
My eyes clamped shut, savoring each gulp of iron-rich salvation.
“How will we know he’s had enough?” Oakley’s voice quivered, and I snapped my gaze to her, continuing to drink. She was transfixed, biting her lip in a way that had me wanting to bite it for her.
“His eyes will return to their normal shade and his fangs will be able to retract if he wishes,” Vivaldi said, observing from afar. “You will probably feel a bit offang-feverafter he’s fed from you.”
Fang-fever?
I’d have to ask more about that later. Right now, I was using all my concentration to figure out what I was doing and trying not to be disgusted with myself at how satisfied I was consuming blood.
This was going to take some adjusting to.
After a few minutes, Saros gripped my throat, making me hiss, but my fangs popped out of his flesh. I was still starved, but before I could object, a paler wrist was shoved into my mouth. Instinctively, I dragged my teeth down Lynx’s forearm until they found the perfect raised vein to descend into. Along with the powerful earthiness of his blood, serene calm washed over me. His Empathy. I was grateful for his assistance. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt any of them, not after everything they’d done for our family.
It was important to me that they all trust me. And I’d have to relearn how to trust myself. I had to admit that part of me was scared out of my mind for what this new life would entail.
But I would figure it out. I wouldn’t waste this second chance.
“Anything else we should know?” Lynx asked with a languid sigh, eyes fluttering. Was he actually enjoying this? Maybe this was fang-fever?
“He will need to feed and rest a lot over the coming days,” Vivaldi said, gaze meeting mine. “Much like a newborn witchling.”
Oakley chuckled, her smile radiating beneath the moon’s glow. “Lucky for him, I’m a bit of an expert with newborns.”
Then her hand reached out and clasped around my throat, surprising me in more ways than one.
“My turn,” she said, thumb grazing the column of my neck.
She lifted to her toes to kiss the corner of my mouth, and when she pulled back, a little blood trailed from her lips. With a growl, I gripped her ass and dragged her closer, kissing her until I’d lapped it all away.
“We’re watching you.”Saros’s warning filtered through my thoughts, startling me.
I arched a brow, not surprised in the least that he could get in my head.
This would be interesting. I took a deep breath, seeking that tether in my mind before pulling on it.
