Page 62 of Deadly Cravings
I dragged my palm down Bastien’s back, he groaned and leaned into my touch.
“Fuck.” Asher reappeared and hooked his hands behind his neck.
“I guess we wait.” Tobias sighed and leaned against the wall while Asher paced. Jax remained in place, his attention fixed on my face. I pressed my lips together and lowered my eyes as warmth spread in my cheeks. He was so intense. I couldn’t get a feel for Jax. Sometimes it felt like he hated me, but his actions pointed otherwise. Then there was the fact I felt no true danger from him anymore.
From the time I could remember anything, I’d never felt safe. My parents were a bit unreliable and absorbed in their toxic relationship, mix in some drug addictions that landed them dead and by eighteen, Peter and I were on our own. All my life there was work, worrying, and providing.
Then that vampire had taken me and opened my eyes to the supernatural world.
From early on, feeling ‘safe’ or ‘protected’ wasn’t something I had the pleasure of experiencing. But these vampires somehow brought all of it forward, everything I’d ever wished for.
Bastien nuzzled my leg. I kind of liked this.
Okay, I liked it a hell of a lot more than I should admit. Bastien’s thick lashes settled on his cheeks and he stilled preternaturally. From observing the other vampires, I noted they didn’t really breathe. The only time I’d seen one of them suck in a lungful of air was during or after something stressful.
It was interesting to be around people that didn’t have to do the thing I struggled most with.
Bastien didn’t move for many minutes, nothing, not a twitch. If I wanted to get out of his hold, this was my chance.
I scooted more into a sitting position and slowly removed my hand from the tangles of his hair. He gripped my hand.
“Don’t—” Jax’s sentence cut off at my scream. Bastien continued crushing my fingers as he clutched them to his chest.
My bones ground together, and something snapped.Mother fucking shit.A sharp pain radiated up my arm and I whimpered as I collapsed in the bed. Sweat beaded my forehead and I heaved out a sob. He still hadn’t let my broken hand go.
Jax was on the bed and at my side, arms wrapped around my upper body while Bastien stared him down with a snarl curving his lips.
“Calm him down, now,” he snapped in my ear. Tears trickled my face as I lifted my uninjured hand and rubbed it against his arm as my entire body trembled.
Bastien curved into my hand and settled, even as Jax’s legs corralled my sides so I could lean against his muscled chest.
I pressed my cheek against his chest, tears streaming down my face.
“It hurts,” I whimpered.
He went on in a stream of curses I didn’t understand.
“As sexy as it sounds, cursing at me in your native language right now isn’t going to help anyone,” I whispered roughly.
Jax stopped the angry cussing and his chest moved once against my cheek in a deep breath. His arms wrapped around me tightly.
“How’s your hand, Pet?” Asher paced nearby, his face tight.
“Hurts,” I muttered. “Jax, can you put the inhaler to my mouth.”
Jax’s hand patted to the side and he did as I asked. Better able to breathe and see without spots dancing in front of my eyes, I found Asher inching closer.
A sharp ringing in the room interrupted abruptly and I tensed as Bastien tightened his hold on my hand. I screeched as Jax’s lips settled in the crevice of my neck.
“Hold on, Kitten. Just hold on a moment.” The words tickled my neck. I lifted my head so I could press my mouth against his cheek to stifle my cries of pain.
“Fuck,” Tobias shouted crisply.
“Go, we’ll watch her,” Asher snapped. “You’re aggravating Bastien.”
Steps were the next thing I heard. The pain was still stabbing, but I sucked in shallow breaths.
“Move carefully, Pet.” Asher inched close, making sure to keep an eye on Bastien. “Switch your hand out so Jax can take a look.”