Page 40 of Deadly Cravings
Lowering my head, I paused near her neck. The scent of her skin made my nose wrinkle. There wasn’t necessarily anything wrong with her smell, but it was overwhelmingly off, like it didn’t suit my taste.
It wasn’t the liquid sunlight I’d been surrounded by for the last few days.
I pursed my lips and gripped her wrist to my mouth, forcing my reluctant fangs out. The tip grazed the thin line of her skin. The paper-thin flesh housed blue veins running down her arm.
Nothing like Catalina’s. Her scent not only attracted vampires, but humans as well. Like that filthy human at the shelter.
The knot tightened painfully. Aggression lashed at my insides. I clenched my hands until blood dripped from my palms.
What was this emotion?
The girl whimpered in pain. I loosened my grip as she jerked away with pain marring her expression. Gouges graced her arm. Ten of them, all from my fingers.
“No noise.” I tsked.
Lifting my fingers, I licked my bloodied fingertips. I grimaced. That was disgusting compared to the delicacy of Catalina’s blood.
I sighed and tipped the girl’s face up, peering into the pained eyes.
“Forget everything that happened as soon as the door opened. You made your delivery and on your way out, caught your arms on a jagged gate.” She nodded and turned on her heel, closing the door behind her. I didn’t bother healing the slices in her wrist.
My loafers shuffled over the carpet leading to the living room where Catalina waited for me. A grin tugged at the corners of my lips. I was only away from her for a split moment, but I wanted back in her presence.
She perched at the edge of the diner seat, her arms crossed as she looked at her tapping foot engulfed in one pair of my slippers.
“All done?” The question sounded light and even. Her gaze didn’t sparkle with that happiness she’d had while nuzzling into my chest.Was she getting sick?
I pressed my palm to her forehead and it was rather hot.
“You’re coming down with something.” Panic squeezed my chest and the dead heart in my chest tightened. I knelt in front of her, peering into her eyes to look for any cloudiness. My prior training rushed to the forefront, something I’d never turned to.
My thumb pressed into her wrist to time her heart rate. It was accelerated but there were no other irregularities.
Her shoulders seemed especially tight and there was a little indent between her brows. I leaned over and smoothed it with my finger. Her brown eyes met mine, tension bracketing her mouth. She leaned away from me.
“Are you nauseous?”
Her eyes flitted to the side and she nodded tightly.
“We’re going to the lounge soon, but if you continue not to feel well, we’ll postpone it.”
Cat cleared her throat and nodded tightly.
“I’m sure I’ll be fine, but I should go wait at home until you’re ready to leave.”
“Stay here, I’ll watch over you.” I trailed a finger up her leg. A shiver trembled her hand but she jerked her leg away from my touch, smiling tightly. My brows furrowed. What was wrong with her?
She shook her head.
There seemed to beangerto the line of her flattened lips.
I pinched her chin and peered into her eyes, but she refused to meet them.
“Are you unwell?”
Her chin tipped in a jerky head shake, and shefinallylooked at me. It wasn’t easy to read what she was thinking, but the irritation practically shouted from her gaze. I couldn’t understand where the swirling anger came from. Catalina’s temper had hinted out before, but she’d never released it, like right now.
“What’s wrong, Catalina?” I murmured, my mouth hovering over hers.