Stepping into the two open double doors, I was immediately brought into an inner hallway that led to another set of double doors. Outside those were two beefed-up vamp security guards. My hand absently went for my silver stake only to remember it wasn’t there.
Some vampires can be friends, I reminded myself.
Gunner bowed slightly to the guards. “Miss Aspen Rose, feeder to Luka Drake.”
One guard held out his hand and Gunner produced some paper that had an official looking seal. He inhaled as if smelling for my humanness, and I suddenly wondered if Luka had ever smelled the fourteen percent fey on me.
The guard’s eyes ran down my body in a way that wasnotrespectful and I instantly wanted to throat punch him.
The security dude nodded and opened one of the double doors.
Gunner bowed to me. “I’ll have lunch ready when you get home.”
He reminded me a lot of Kenzley and how he always cared for us and made sure we were fed. I never had a dad but Kenzley was the closest thing to a father figure I would ever have. It made me sad that I would never see him again.
“Thank you, Gunner.”
He backed away and the security guard gestured for me to step inside. “You may join the other feeders.” He pointed to a corner of the room.
Feedersounded dirty in his mouth, like he was saying the wordwhore.
I quickly stepped away from him and waltzed into the room, taking stock of my surroundings.
The far most right corner he had pointed to was really just a space with collapsible chairs. Eight of them. A mixture of human male and female feeders sat there. Some were reading, one was knitting, and a few were talking.
My gaze swiveled to the left, where grand bleachers were set up in ascending height.
Holy mother of Drakes.
My head nearly exploded as I scanned the faces of the people present. Keres, Georgio, Morgana, Isabella, Theo, Vera, Nico, all the bigwigs were here and all sitting as far apart from each other as possible. Each one had a significant other on their arm, and when my gaze landed on Cassara, I realized she was watching me, her eyes piercing right through me with hatred.
I smiled and gave her a little wave.
Luka hadn’t seen me yet, but must have felt Cassara go rigid beside him. She leaned in and whispered something into his ear and he turned to look at me.
Good God, he was so good looking it actually hurt to stare at him. The moment our eyes met, his flared a hungry honey-yellow. He was shirtless, surprise, and his fists were wrapped in strips of cloth like a boxer ready for a match. Low slung basketball shorts hung off his hips, showcasing all of the taut yumminess. The wound from the other night was gone, hidden within the myriad of tattoos and scars across his abdomen.
The way he looked at me then made me feel like I was the only woman in the room. My heart thumped so loudly in my chest I was sure every single person could hear it.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Luka Drake had this effect on me, an effect I’d tried to hide before, one I was in denial of, ashamed of. My mouth went dry as he raked his gaze slowly down my body, his dark hair pulled like a messy mop in front of his eyes.
I wanted him in the worst way possible.
‘Are you trying to kill me?’he huffed into my mind.‘If I had a beating heart, it would stop right now.’
I grinned, holding his gaze, delighted that my outfit had this effect on him.
‘But seriously, Aspen, you need to play it safe or Cassara will erase you.’There was concern in his voice and it soured my mood.
I glared at her as she glared back, unaware I could speak into Luka’s mind.‘Let her try.’
I was a vampire hunter! Did he not realize that? I could take that witch down any day.
He shook his head sadly.‘It won’t be her. It will be her security team, or she’ll force me to remove you as my feeder. Please, Aspen. Next time, try not to be so damn…’
He looked at a loss for words.‘Sexy,’he finally said, sounding resigned.
