Page 106 of Her Vampire, His Ruin

“No.”

“For fuck’s sake. She’s an Aegis.”

“You think I don’t know that?”

“Damn it, Dorian, you didn’t just risk your own life. You endangered all of us by exposing yourself, and for what, some pussy?” Logan snaps.

Fury surges through me, and I’m up in an instant, my hand crushing his throat as I drive him into the wall. “Do not speak about Edie like that,” I warn, my fangs dropping as I squeeze his throat.

“Dorian, easy,” Viktor says, stepping into my periphery, his hand on my shoulder. “Logan’s concerned for you, for all of us. What you did was reckless. You broke your own rules. You always said if you ever did, we should remind you of the consequences, no matter the cost.”

My jaw tightens. I don’t need another lecture about my failures. Still, I release Logan with a shove. “Insult Edie again, and next time I won’t hold back.”

Logan nods, straightening his collar. “I apologise.” He clears his throat, a muscle feathering in his jaw as he glares at me. “But you said you had this handled. I know you, Dorian. This isn’t just a passing fling, is it? She means something to you.”

“I don’t know what this is,” I lie, refusing to acknowledge the truth.

I can’t fathom why caring for Edie hurts so much, or how to even start explaining it to Logan and Viktor. My hand trembles as I rake it through my hair, stung by my own weakness.

“She’s different.”

“She’s an Aegis. Of course, she’s different,” Viktor says. “Just like her sister and Henrietta.”

“No, Henrietta isn’t the same,” I reply. “She can shield against Logan’s compulsion, but not mine, and not Sybil’s. I’d hazard a guess she’d be the same with you, too.”

Logan folds his arms across his chest and scoffs. “Trust her to be an entirely different species altogether. She’s fucking infuriating.”

“I like her. She’s⁠—”

Before I can intervene, Logan lunges at Viktor, his fingers locking around Viktor’s throat with the same violent intent I’d shown him moments earlier. “Stay the fuck away from her.”

“Whoa. Easy now, I have no interest in Henrietta. None at all,” Viktor reassures him.

“Is Elizabeth more your type?” Logan throws back knowingly as he releases him.

Viktor schools his features, but we both catch the twitch of his brow, a telltale sign that beneath his carefully placed mask, he’s ruffled. “Stop projecting. This isn’t about me. This is about how hung up on Henrietta you are.”

“I don’t get hung up on anyone.”

“Tell me that again the next time you try to rip my throat out when I compliment her,” Viktor cuts back.

“Don’t fucking test me,” he warns.

“You like her, Logan. Just admit it,” Viktor persists. “Maybe, after all this time, you’re starting to feel.”

“Fuck that. This is just a passing annoyance. I’ll get over it.”

“Maybe you’re evolving. It’s not a bad thing. You don’t need to hide your human side,” Viktor says. He looks at me. “Dorian, you asked how I stop myself from feeding on humans, and I told you that I remind myself of my humanity every day. You can do that too. You care for Edie, and from what I’ve witnessed, she seems to care for you. There may be another option.”

“Fuck’s sake,” Logan mutters. “You really think she’ll keep this secret? This will end badly.”

“Not if Dorian lets his human side show. You can fight her blood’s draw. You’re powerful, Dorian. Talk to her, explain. Maybe she’ll keep our secret.”

I flinch. “I can’t do that.”

“You can.”

“I fed from her, Viktor. Her blood… Fuck, I want more. I want to drain her.”