He turned to me. “I’m thirthty,” he lisped. “She smellth tho good.”
I fought down a smirk at how adorable he sounded, and motioned to Dalziel. “Might be an idea to get moving with the feeding,” I suggested quietly. I wondered idly how come he didn’t seem moved to thirst by Eleanor, but decided there would be a rational reason. Heaven knew if it was possible, but for all I knew, Dalziel had a mage in his employ who provided dampening spells.
I moved to a far corner of the room while Dalziel became all business. Breathing shallowly through my mouth, I watched as Rosie rolled up her sleeve and smiled encouragingly at my mate.No,my friend. I dare not think of him as anything more. Dalziel’s own fangs descended and he bent over Rosie’s wrist, demonstrating what to do. He beckoned Charley closer still, and I saw him lick his lower lip awkwardly as he navigated his fangs. I dragged my earphones from my back pocket and plugged my ears, queuing up the first playlist my phone found. I didn’t need any sound effects of him feeding.
Charley said something quietly to Rosie, and they exchanged a chuckle. Then her head suddenly reared back and she whipped her arm away. “Whoa, dude, back up there a moment.”
I unplugged my ears. “What’s the matter?” Surely she wouldn’t refuse to allow Charley to feed now he was riled up and gagging for it? There was no way she could know he wasn’t fully vamp, was there? And why would it even matter if he had human blood? It was obvious his vampire needed the sustenance.
Everyone watched as Rosie removed her mobile from a pocket, then undid the clasp of the activity tracker around her left wrist. Laying them on a nearby table, she patted herself down as if checking for other items she might have forgotten about. I sidled nearer, not keen to be close to Dalziel with his fangs descended, but unwilling to be too far from Charley when he appeared shocked and confused. “What’s going on, Rosie?”
Her oversized eyelashes fluttered as she rolled her eyes at me. “Just making sure I’ve removed all my electronics before your man here has his way with me. Don’t want him frying anything. Would have been nice if one of yous had bothered to mention up front about him being Fae as well as vamp.”
20
CHARLEY
Everything screechedto a halt at Rosie’s indignant pronouncement. Eleanor gasped. Dalziel’s head snapped up so quickly, I was surprised he didn’t break his neck. I stood bemused, her words individually making sense, but her meaning a mystery. What the fuck did she mean, Fae? I wasn’t Fae, I was a half-human vampire, or a half-vampire human. I thought we’d established that.
But then my gaze rested on Luc, and my heart stuttered. His tan skin had the sickly green tinge of someone trying desperately not to hurl, and his fists were two white-knuckled clumps, his trembling lips cemented into a tight line, but it was the utter despair in his amber eyes that broke me. I recalled what he’d said when I’d first become aware the Fae existed;rather unpredictable, and prone to random acts of fuckery.With the benefit of hindsight, I realised what he’dnotsaid was more telling. He hated them.
He hatesme.
I didn’t get time to dwell on this horrific revelation. Dalziel spoke sharply but politely to Rosie. “How do you know?”
Her retort was equally sharp. “How come you don’t? One look into his eyes and it’s obvious.” She frowned, and her gaze flitted about the room. “Isn’t it? Doesn’t everyone see it?” She sounded a little nervous, but not afraid, which I think I’d have been in her shoes.
“What about my eyes?” God, was I marked as a freak? How come nobody had mentioned this before now? How comeIhadn’t seen anything?
She smiled softly at me. “They’re…I dunno how to explain it exactly.”
“Try,” Dalziel said tersely.
She glared at him. “I’m trying, dude. Right, it’s like there’s a crystal, I guess, like something almost 3D behind your iris. It’s not as obvious with you, but I suppose that’s because you’re not full blood anything. It’s less intense. But it’s definitely there.”
“Show me.” Dalziel grasped my chin and tilted my head. Being taller than him, it wasn’t the most comfortable position, but I refrained from complaining about the crick in my neck, knowing it would heal within minutes. Dalziel tipped me about until he had a good view of my eyes. “Don’t blink,” he muttered.
I snorted, because this would never not be funny. “Really, a Dr Who reference at this point? You can do better, Dalziel.” I’d noted he’d not mentioned our family connection to Rosie, and while I wasn’t convinced she’d overlook how alike we looked, perhaps she’d think it was coincidence.
“I mean it, don’t blink,” he repeated. Oh, he was serious. I fixed him with an open-eyed stare and didn’t move a muscle until he released my head. “Shit, it’s there. I can’t believe I didn’t see it.”
“You mean you knew?” I squeaked, rubbing the back of my neck.
He shook his head. “Not exactly. I’d heard it rumoured pure-blood Fae have four dimensional eyesight but I’ve never seen it in reality. I don’t generally attend Council meetings.”
“That you don’t,” Eleanor murmured somewhere behind us. “I’ve not got near enough to a Fae to look into their eyes either,” she said apologetically.
Dalziel dismissed her apology with a wave of his hand. “No matter, I don’t want you near them.” To me, he said, “Well, this complicates things. You’re a bit of an enigma, Charley-boy. But first, you drink.” He jerked his chin at Rosie. “Presuming you are still willing to feed him?”
“I am,” she confirmed. She smiled at me again, this time one I knew was meant to be reassuring. My fangs, which had partially retracted, slid down again, filling my mouth and sharpening my hunger.
After the bomb shell Rosie had dropped on us, feeding seemed almost anticlimactic. With Dalziel guiding me, I studied the underside of her pale forearm, and found a vein. Then I bent my head and my fangs pierced her skin. She inhaled a gasp, but didn’t move. I sucked gently. As the first coppery drops of fresh blood hit my taste buds, stars burst behind my eyelids. I slurped harder, and swallowed deeply as I drank, euphoria blossoming in every cell of my being.I should have been doing this for years.I was also vaguely aware I had a hard-on, but although I fancied a fuck, the blood reigned supreme in my mind.
All too soon, Dalziel was saying my name. Once, then more firmly. “Charley!” I paused, my lips still hovering over the opening I’d made. “Charley, seal the wound and give Rosie some space.”
I couldn’t seem to resist the man when he spoke in that commanding way. I licked at the slightly ragged tear, and watched in fascination as the edges began to knit together. Within a few seconds, the skin itself was forming a join, a faint pink line the only remnant of my attack. According to Dalziel, that would disappear within half an hour.
I sighed, and licked my own lips as I stood upright, cursing as I caught my tongue on a fang. Rosie giggled, and even Dalziel grinned. “You’ll get used to them,” he assured me. He gave a little bow in Rosie’s direction, nudging my side until I did the same, then told Eleanor to take her to the kitchen. “Ensure our guest has a good meal.” To Rosie he said, “I would like to speak more with you about your…talents. And especially about your claim regarding the power of the Fae to alter electronics. Might I trouble you to stay the night? Eleanor will provide you with everything you require.” It didn’t sound as if he’d take no for an answer.
