Page 66 of Clash of Kingdoms

“I’m so glad you’re alright.”

I turned around to look at her. She was a young brunette who had two dots scarred along her neck, scars from my fangs that had pierced her flesh over and over. I could feel her need burn inside her, along with all the other emotions I didn’t reciprocate. All I wanted to do was feed, grab her lithe body and tear her flesh with my fangs, but I had to be polite about it. “As am I.”

Her eyes looked into mine, and the sensations inside her chest deepened. “Why don’t you feed from Princess Harlow?”

The question provoked me, made me angry, but I was so hungry, I didn’t give in to it. “Because I don’t want to.”

“She won’t let you?”

“No,” I said harshly. “I don’t want to.”

“How can you be with a woman you don’t want to feed on?—”

“I’m very hungry, Annabella. I served your kingdom in a war that wasn’t mine to fight. I prevailed and will continue to fight for your people so the demons don’t enslave or drive you to extinction. I’m here to feed. Can we get on with it, or should I leave?” If she really asked me to leave, I wouldn’t know what to do. The hunger was driving me insane. I’d never been so weak. When Harlow and I had left the shower, I normally would have carried her, but I was so weak I had been afraid I would drop her along the way.

Offense moved through Annabella, but she tried to hide it from her face. “Sure.” She flipped her hair back over her shoulder then tugged her top down, revealing her bare shoulder and the top of one of her breasts.

The sight of her pale flesh made my fangs pop out quicker than daisies in spring.

I moved into her, my arm circling her lower back to support her against me, while my hand slid deep into her hair, pushing it back to enable my fangs to sink deep into her flesh and then latch on.

Once the blood started to pour into my mouth, I instantly felt invigorated. It was so good, the metallic taste, the strength it provided me. With her tight in my arms, I fed, feeling the last few days of exhaustion slowly evaporate.

She was breathing hard against me, those breaths turning into gentle moans. Her hand fisted my hair, and she tilted her head farther, loving the feeling of my bite. She loved it so much that her fingers moved down the front of her trousers and into her panties. She touched herself, blood draining her body and entering mine, her arousal so profound that it was like the sound of drums in my ears, so loud that I couldn’t hear anything else.

I fed as she rubbed herself, as she made herself come while I gripped her hard and bit her harder. Her fingers dug into my scalp as her hips started to buck uncontrollably.

I finally felt satiated, finally felt my hands and fingertips again, and I knew if I didn’t stop, I would take more than I should. Her pleasure had passed and my stomach was full, so I slowly withdrew my fangs and saw the two little rivers of blood.

Her eyes were heavy with satisfaction and weakness, and she could barely stand since the life-force had been sucked out of her.

My arms circled her waist, and I escorted her to the couch, helping her lie down, the blood staining the cushions. Just as I pulled the blanket over her, I felt it. It was weak at first, like it was far away. But then it became louder and more prominent, like it was beside me.

It was Harlow.

I could recognize her mind in a crowd. Could feel it even from a distance.

And she was…devastated…broken…angry.

It came out of nowhere, was so sudden that I didn’t know how it had crept up on me without my realizing it. My mind immediately went to the window, and I stilled when I saw her face.

With tears down her cheeks and eyes so watery they looked like pools, she stared back at me. She conveyed so much with so little that I didn’t need to feel her emotions to know exactly the turmoil that flooded her mind. She was hurt by my betrayal, but also so furious she could kill me if she had a sword.

For the first time in my life, I was rooted to the spot, completely paralyzed. All I could do was stand there and feel the damage I’d caused, feel the heartbreak my betrayal had elicited. She’d witnessed everything through that window, and I had been too hungry and overloaded with Annabella’s emotions to feel Harlow’s.

Fuck.

I moved for the door to go after her.

She took off, disappearing from the window.

I made it out the door and onto the road, seeing her run as fast as she could, desperate to get away from me.

“Harlow.”

She ran like her life depended on it, wearing one of my shirts and her lounge trousers, putting on whatever she could find when she’d decided to follow me. She must have kept her distance so I wouldn’t feel her mind.

“Harlow.” She was fast, but I was faster, especially now that I had fed. I caught up to her and grabbed her by the arm. “Let me explain?—”