Page 138 of Blood Lovers

He stops climbing and sets me on my feet, holding me up as I lean against the door. Paul’s mood is light and airy, like this is the best summer day of his life. “Don’t fall now, Ryet. Let me get the door open…”

The door does open, and I manage to swivel my head so I can see inside the room.

“Lucia!” Paul bellows this.

Lucia is standing at the edge of the bed holding something in her hand. My vision is blurry and my stomach hurts now. It’s the blood, I realize. I can smell it. It’s so strong, I bend over, ready to retch from the cramping. And as I do this, I see it.

A cooler right next to the door. And I know what’s in that cooler.

The blood.

The cravings hit me in an instant.

And in that same instant, Paul is across the room in his demon form, wings outstretched so all I see is his back. There is a scream—Lucia’s scream—and a noise. Like claws through flesh. A thump. Then something is rolling towards me, with red hair and white face, and when it stops at my feet, Lucia’s lifeless green eyes are looking up at me in a frozen state of disbelief.

I laugh. Loud. Because she has always been expendable.

Then I laugh again. And again. Until I can’t stop and Paul is helping me over to the bed where Syrsee is lying, eyes closed, chained to a wall. There is an IV line in her hand and a syringe sticking out of the port, half of the drug still inside, the other half already working.

“Shit.” Paul is distressed as he helps me lie down next to her. “One moment, Ryet. We have a situation here.”

I want to ask, but then again, I don’t.

Whatever I thought I had with Syrsee is over now.

She knew.

She fucking knew who I was. And she has been feeding me.

“Let her die.” I croak these words out past my dry throat. “Just let that bitch die.”

Paul laughs now. “That’s absurd.” He’s not even looking at me. He’s looking at Syrsee. He’s beautiful again, the wings gone, his demon face put away. Then I watch as he bites his lip and a trickle of blood squirts out.

I lose my mind when I see this and attack him. I want that blood inside me so bad.

But I am weak and he simply places one hand on my chest and presses me flat to the bed. “Soon, Ryet. You can have some of me soon. But you need to fill up on Syrsee first. Then we’ll do the exchange. I have a gift for you.” He swipes his fingertip across the blood on his lip and he’s reaching down towards Syrsee. He’s going to give her that drop. But then he pauses, just for a moment, like he’s having second thoughts. He even glances over at me, like he’s asking for permission.

“Don’t,” I tell him. But I’m not really telling him not to give it to Syrsee. I’m just telling him to give it to me. And he knows this, so his hesitation ends and his fingertip presses between Syrsee’s closed lips and he gives her that drop of blood.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR - SYRSEE

Filled with cravings.

Him. Himself. The vampire Paul. He’s standing over me as I attempt to force my eyes to open all the way. It’s a losing battle. “Lucia…” My mouth is dry and this word is really nothing more than a rasp.

“Don’t worry about her, darling.” Paul is actually smiling. “She’s been dealt with. How are you feeling?”

How am I feeling? I take a deep breath, but just end up coughing it back out.

“Yes. I can imagine.” Paul’s fingertip swipes against my lip and I taste blood.

I spit and writhe, trying not to take his blood. But I’m still chained to the wall and there’s not much I can do. He forces his finger inside my mouth and then he leans down to my face, so close to me I can feel the heat of his breath. “If you bite me, I will enjoy it. And you will get more than your share of my blood, sweets. So don’t do that. Just take what I offer. We need to get going now. Ryet is here. Right next to you.”

I turn my head and I swear, the pain shoots right through my brain. Like a spear has pierced my skull.

“She gave you some nasty, nasty stuff, Syrsee. But it will only take a moment to wear off now that my blood is inside you. Did she make promises to you?”

I don’t answer him or even open my eyes.