Page 22 of Deadly Cravings

I nodded slowly. It didn’t matter why they needed me because they were paying me the money. The baggage that came with vampires was something I’d already accepted as soon as I’d climbed their steps. Involving myself with vampires lead in one direction. Death . . . unless I ran. I understood that.

“There is one more thing I musthumblyrequest,” the mischievous twin announced. “Since your services will be paid for.” He waved his fingers toward the ceiling.

I frowned at Asher as he clasped his hands in front of him, smiling so wide his pointed teeth were on full display. My stomach lurched at the excited look in his eyes. So, this was what it was like selling your soul to evil.

I really should have asked for more money.

NINE

catalina

“We getto bite you whenever we want,” Asher finally said. I opened my mouth, heart thundering in my ears. “Without killing you, of course.”

I blinked quickly.Well, it’s a good thing he mentioned not killing me. The sarcastic thought faded with thoughts of biting...

I shivered, stomach churning with discomfort and something I didn’t want to face.

“That’s a bit unreasonable,” Tobias lashed out.

“She’s skittish around us and that doesn’t exactly scream vampire-lover,” Asher drawled. “Pet. You’re jumpy and I don’t see you surviving around vampires long enough to get what we need if you don’t learn how to curb it. You have to act like you want to be around our kind, that you crave our bite.”

That wasn’t too far from the truth. I wetted my lower lip, trying to wrap my head around his words. It was true; vampires put me on edge—in too many ways, and what he insinuated was that I would be around many of them while doing whatever it was they had planned.

“Exposure therapy. What better way to make you relaxed than to bite you until you’re used to it?”

“He has a point,” Jax mused. Sounded like a load of bullshit to me.

Asher invaded in my space, and grazed his nose against my ear.

My mouth dried, eyes widening.

“See, Pet, you tighten up like a clam.”

“No,” Tobias snapped, shoving off the wood and stepping to my other side. The crippling effect vampires had on me was a detriment. If I managed to not tense or freeze up, and the vampire ever came after me, I might be able to slam a stake into his chest just as I’d seen Tobias do to the one that attacked him.

“Let’s leave it to a vote, then.”

“Asher—”

“What?” He blinked innocently. “I vote yes, Jax already voiced his thoughts. This is for Ren, so I’m sure he agrees. What was that?” He cupped his hand behind his ear. “Bastien is in agreement too which means you’re outvoted.”

So they decided on things by voting. As interesting as it was seeing their little interaction, I weighed the pros and cons internally. Yes, it would help my phobia, but it meant getting close and personal with them. Also, there was a Ren and a Bastien? I knew Ren was the one I was helping them find, but this was the first I’d heard of Bastien.

“But of course, none of that matters without you,” Asher purred, slipping his arms around me and peering down at me. I craned my neck to look into his eyes, offput by his touchiness.

“I-I don’t know ...” Anything vamp related freaked me out, but it had more to do with the fact that I’d loved when Tobias sank his teeth into my wrist and Asher bit my neck. I didn’t want to face the ugly truth of my addiction. I’d much rather just keep writing about it, thank you very much.

My morals were so screwed.

“Consider this just a training of sorts, a physiological test in effort to help you.” Asher pursed his lips, waiting.

There wasn’t a doubt in my mind he was doing this purely for selfish reasons and pure self-interest but it kind of made sense. Plus, if what they were going to have me do was be around a lot of vampires, the thought of freezing up surrounded scared the shit out of me.

“And what am I going to have to do?” My voice held an underlying tremble.

“Hm, just a little bit of this, a little bit of that. We’ll explain more later.” Asher flexed his hands against me. I was really doing this.

I nodded slowly . . . helplessly. I licked my lips, squeezing my nails into my palm.