“Oh, I’m counting on it,”I replied, a smirk lifting my lips before I sank my fangs into the base of Oakley’s throat.
While Saros and Lynx’s blood had nourished me, building up my confidence enough to feed on Oakley, her taste was addictive, silky with hints of plum and clove. It was as if every ounce I consumed of her was rushing through my bloodstream and heading south. She sighed, resting her palms on me, magic leaking from them.
Fuck.
Thismust be fang-fever.
Desire thrummed through me, a heady buzz, and my hips searched to close the gap between us, every part of me begging to have her in this moment, savoring her clamped around me while I drank from her.
But I wouldn’t. Not yet.
I was still much too strong for my own good, and I wouldn’t touch her until I knew it was completely safe to do so.
Swallowing down the ecstasy of her life essence and magic, I looked at Lynx.“How are my eyes?”
He squinted a moment until his response finally came through our shared connection. “Good.”
“Good.”Lapping up the last bits of blood, I retracted my fangs. Oakley stared at me in equal parts lust and awe when I pulled back. She wiped her hands on her jeans, then shoved them into her pockets, as if embarrassed she’d released her magic as I’d fed.
“Find the tether that binds us and tug,” Saros instructed her aloud. “It should be like having a radio frequency dialed in just for the four of us.”
Interesting.
“Sorry,”she finally responded through our connection.“Guess I got a little carried away.”
“I intend to get carried away with you more later.”
She smirked.“It’s a date.”
“One you’ll be chaperoned for,”came Saros’s stern voice.
“Don’t tempt me with a good time,”she replied playfully, huskiness and need flavoring her tone. Her eyes fluttered and she zipped her legs, the fang-fever seeming to affect her.
“Wicked, we are always going to tempt you with a good time.”Lynx flashed us a devilish smirk before putting his arm around her and pressing a kiss to her forehead.
The echo of someone clearing their throat broke through the silent woods. “Now that you seem to have it handled, I must depart.” Vivaldi motioned to his goons. “Business to attend to and such. Archon, come and find me when your thirst has settled. There will be much we’ll need to discuss.”
Before I could reply, the three of them walked off into the darkness, disappearing into their territory—a place I’d need to familiarize myself with soon enough.
For now, though, I’d enjoy this chance at a new life.
For Oakley. For Aspen. For us all.
Chapter28
Saros
Istared at the orbs hovering in front of the board, now with the addition of Aleander and whoever had put him up to getting answers from Aurora. I knew it couldn’t have been sanctioned by SNO-OPS, and the fact that Atlas didn’t know meant the government wasn’t publicly backing this. Just some small devious facet within, either its own operation or a few corrupt people placed in strategic spots for their hidden agenda.
Crack.
The sound of Aleander’s neck snapping rang in the back of my mind. I didn’t regret it. Not for a moment. But taking someone’s life still took a toll. Each time I’d hoped it would be the last.
One of the shittiest parts of having a photographic memory: I never forgot anything. And those moments, especially the horrific ones, replayed with so much vibrancy when I was alone and it was quiet. It was hard to get them out of my head.
My breath stuttered, and I looked over the orbs, moving Aurora’s to the edge of the board with a flick of my wrist. No clue where she’d gone to, but my gut told me she wouldn’t be a problem, and my gut usually wasn’t wrong. I didn’t regret letting her go. I knew what would have happened to her had headquarters found out about her Incarnation.
Knock, knock.
