Page 50 of Deadly Cravings

Asher smirked.

“Or, more likely, he’ll seek retribution by using the sweet cunt of your female. After all, he’s already fooled her once.”

Calliope came flying at us. Asher let me go, sweeping me behind him in a rush of movement to block the attack. He met her in the middle with a swipe of his fist.

Matt wrapped his palm over my mouth and dragged me into the hall.

I scrambled to reach my thigh to press the button, but his corralling thigh didn’t allow me the movement as he slammed me against the wall. I grunted from the force, yelping from the jolt to my shoulder.

“Wait,” I heaved, having a difficult time breathing.

“Asher fucked my Beloved, so I will steal his little human whore.” Matt sneered down at me.

“W-what does that have to do with me?” I wheezed and his nose touched mine. My chest moved hard against his as he pressed his dick into me. God, the grip he had on my shoulder hurt. His nose grazed the side of my neck as he sank his teeth in.

I was so tense it hurt. I sucked in a breath, trying to get oxygen through my panic. He sucked and the drag lessened some of the hurt, but not enough. A panic-inducing curtain of pure black undulated at the peripheral of my vision, beginning to steal my sight. Memories clawed to the surface, dragging me back.

“Let me go, please?—”

“Your taste . . .” He squeezed my shoulder, and I cried out. Okay, then. I didn’t want to tempt him into doing more so Istilled, letting him drink from me. A flame lit in my core and I hated it more than ever as he swallowed my life’s blood. His lip curled down at me and he tore my dress from the front. The rip jerked my torso as I was exposed to my navel. I cried out from shock. My heartbeat felt like hummingbird wings. I needed my inhaler.

“I see why he’s so protective of you.” He hoisted me up easily and spread my legs, hooking them around his shoulders like I was nothing and causing the bottom of my dress to bunch at my hips. I grabbed his head for purchase and an ache shot up to my shoulder. I scrambled to close my legs?—

Fangs sliced into my thigh, invasive and painful. My hand shook as I reached for the button, but my lungs couldn’t take it. My breathing became erratic and the spots took over my sight.

“Asher,” I cried, coughing.

I slumped against the wall as he slid his fangs into another spot by my knee. A low heat dragged from my clit, and it throbbed with each of his sucks. I didn’t want to be turned on, but I couldn’t help it. A groan wrenched from my mouth and his hands gripped my ass.

The vampire’s legs were taken out from under him and I was caught in a tight grip. My body ached on impact, and I groaned, blinking up at furious blue eyes. Light flooded into the hall from the room we’d been in. Now that it was open, I could see.

“I’m here, Pet,” Asher rasped and pressed his lips to my forehead. His jaw twitched as he took in my state. His eyes flashed red, and he dropped me as gently as he could.

Asher slammed Matt into the wall and a fissure opened on impact.

“You dare feed from her,” he hissed into the guy’s face.

I scrambled back at the violence, having a hard time dragging breaths into my strained lungs. Hearing him call me his clenched every muscle in my body.

I tipped to the side, my knees weakening. A hard chest pressed into my back. Stiffening sent a stab through my shoulder and I bit my lip to keep my cry in. Whoever I’d leaned against swept me up into their arms.

I whimpered, curling into myself. Jax’s lips tightened and he lifted me, tucking me tight to his chest. He adjusted me so my legs hung over one arm and his other propped my back while my head laid on his chest.

“Catalina.” Tobias’s gaze swept over me, his eyes narrowing in on the torn bodice where my breasts were exposed. I curled my good arm in front of me and angled my chest toward Jax, flattening against him to hide everything. Tobias’s lip curled. That was the last I saw of him before he disappeared and rammed into Matt, pounding his fist into the other vampire.

“Jax,” I whispered. The corner of his eyes were pinched as he looked down at me.

“What is it, Cat?” That was the softest tone he’d ever used with me.

“Inhaler. Asher.”

I coughed hard, my body jerking against him. His eyes widened and he set me down. My hand shook as I kept my arm across my breasts. He disappeared and I squeezed my eyes shut while the sounds of fighting continued. A gentle touch ghosted against my neck, calling for my attention.

Jax lifted my medicine and tugged me toward him. My cheek smushed to his chest, and I couldn’t stop my heart’s erratic thumping nor the pressure in my chest. It was a physical urge—fight or flight.

His hand wrapped at the back of my head to brace me and he pressed the lip of the inhaler into my mouth.

I wilted against him with my head lolled. Calliope observed from a few steps away, eyebrows arched. She winked and bled into the darkness, seeming to disappear into the walls.