punch.
“Well, had I known you swung that way…” Xavier winked and blew me a kiss.
I laughed and shook my head. “You’re not my type!” I sprinted toward him. Just as
I reached him, I unleashed a flurry of punches, making sure that one of them landed
in his cocky mouth and another to his stomach.
Blood sprayed from his busted lip and the beast inside awoke with a howl. Xavier growled
as he failed to block the punch to his stomach.
His blood was unappetizing; I could smell the Chorý taint. But it was the hint of
his victim’s blood that sent me into frenzy. The beast stirred low in my belly, and
I wanted nothing more than to give in, to take that last meal’s O-neg.
My fangs descended, and I reached for Xavier’s neck. Before he had a chance to stop
me, I sank my teeth deep into him. He screamed, surprised. I closed my mouth harder
over his neck and drank.
Xavier kicked and screamed. The tainted blood burned my throat, but I continued to
drink, to please the beast. I’d learned before that my torment was his pleasure.
“What are you doing?” Xavier gurgled; his fighting started to cease as his body sagged
to the floor. “You’ll kill yourself as well!” Each swallow burned and branded my belly
with the proof of his tainted blood, but stopping was impossible. The beast purred,
and my belly was full.
Chapter 7
Ella
Sounds woke me. A soft accented voice, a metallic clang, and hushed footsteps pulled
me from the fog that was my dream, but fear of the unknown stopped me from opening
my eyes.
I kept my breathing steady and lay deathly still, hoping that the person in the room
wouldn’t suspect that I was awake. I remembered Kale taking me in the woods, and the
look on his face as he left me there to return to Jace and fight off Laurent’s men.
The soft female voice spoke again, but this time in a language that sounded like French.
I continued to lay there and wait, doing a mental inventory of my limbs and assessing
my aches and pains. I was but whole and able to move if I tried. My hands and feet
weren’t tied down. I was glad for that.
“Are you awake, miss?”
I lay silent, unsure of whether to reply or not. She sounded innocent enough, but I was lying on silk sheets.
A fire crackled in the corner, and I was sure that I was not wearing the jeans and
tee that I was in the Elmwood, so trusting the soft voice wasn’t happening.
“You do speak English, don’t you?” the soft voice asked, tempting me to open my eyes.
Fabric swished as she moved closer. I flinched, and my eyes flew open.
I choked back a gasp of surprise. She was very beautiful and very young—maybe even
younger than I was. Her blue gown seemed to swallow her. Her honey golden eyes held
a wisdom that came from things that a girl our age should have never witnessed, and
her light brown hair was placed neatly on the top of her head in a tight bun, pinned
with flowers and bright verdant vines.
She smiled, blinding me with her sharp white teeth.
She was Chorý. This girl was probably older than me by hundreds of years, and she
had called me “miss”. In her pale hand, she held a glass of water that looked so good
my throat blazed. I was too afraid to take the water. What if it were poisoned?
As if reading my mind, she handed me the glass. “Here. Master wants you to eat and
drink before you see him.” Her gaze took a serious cast. “Please eat and drink. Master
said I must make you.”
I wondered if this “master” would hurt her if she didn’t comply. Her eyes darkened
as she urged me to take the cup. I tried to sit up, but my body was stiff, and I felt
shaky.
“Here. I will help you.” Her cold hands skimmed my shoulders as she used her Chorý
strength to help me up.
The room started to spin. I placed my hand over my eyes, closed them, and counted
to ten, willing my body to adjust to the new position. Once I was ready to drink,
I uncovered my
“Well, had I known you swung that way…” Xavier winked and blew me a kiss.
I laughed and shook my head. “You’re not my type!” I sprinted toward him. Just as
I reached him, I unleashed a flurry of punches, making sure that one of them landed
in his cocky mouth and another to his stomach.
Blood sprayed from his busted lip and the beast inside awoke with a howl. Xavier growled
as he failed to block the punch to his stomach.
His blood was unappetizing; I could smell the Chorý taint. But it was the hint of
his victim’s blood that sent me into frenzy. The beast stirred low in my belly, and
I wanted nothing more than to give in, to take that last meal’s O-neg.
My fangs descended, and I reached for Xavier’s neck. Before he had a chance to stop
me, I sank my teeth deep into him. He screamed, surprised. I closed my mouth harder
over his neck and drank.
Xavier kicked and screamed. The tainted blood burned my throat, but I continued to
drink, to please the beast. I’d learned before that my torment was his pleasure.
“What are you doing?” Xavier gurgled; his fighting started to cease as his body sagged
to the floor. “You’ll kill yourself as well!” Each swallow burned and branded my belly
with the proof of his tainted blood, but stopping was impossible. The beast purred,
and my belly was full.
Chapter 7
Ella
Sounds woke me. A soft accented voice, a metallic clang, and hushed footsteps pulled
me from the fog that was my dream, but fear of the unknown stopped me from opening
my eyes.
I kept my breathing steady and lay deathly still, hoping that the person in the room
wouldn’t suspect that I was awake. I remembered Kale taking me in the woods, and the
look on his face as he left me there to return to Jace and fight off Laurent’s men.
The soft female voice spoke again, but this time in a language that sounded like French.
I continued to lay there and wait, doing a mental inventory of my limbs and assessing
my aches and pains. I was but whole and able to move if I tried. My hands and feet
weren’t tied down. I was glad for that.
“Are you awake, miss?”
I lay silent, unsure of whether to reply or not. She sounded innocent enough, but I was lying on silk sheets.
A fire crackled in the corner, and I was sure that I was not wearing the jeans and
tee that I was in the Elmwood, so trusting the soft voice wasn’t happening.
“You do speak English, don’t you?” the soft voice asked, tempting me to open my eyes.
Fabric swished as she moved closer. I flinched, and my eyes flew open.
I choked back a gasp of surprise. She was very beautiful and very young—maybe even
younger than I was. Her blue gown seemed to swallow her. Her honey golden eyes held
a wisdom that came from things that a girl our age should have never witnessed, and
her light brown hair was placed neatly on the top of her head in a tight bun, pinned
with flowers and bright verdant vines.
She smiled, blinding me with her sharp white teeth.
She was Chorý. This girl was probably older than me by hundreds of years, and she
had called me “miss”. In her pale hand, she held a glass of water that looked so good
my throat blazed. I was too afraid to take the water. What if it were poisoned?
As if reading my mind, she handed me the glass. “Here. Master wants you to eat and
drink before you see him.” Her gaze took a serious cast. “Please eat and drink. Master
said I must make you.”
I wondered if this “master” would hurt her if she didn’t comply. Her eyes darkened
as she urged me to take the cup. I tried to sit up, but my body was stiff, and I felt
shaky.
“Here. I will help you.” Her cold hands skimmed my shoulders as she used her Chorý
strength to help me up.
The room started to spin. I placed my hand over my eyes, closed them, and counted
to ten, willing my body to adjust to the new position. Once I was ready to drink,
I uncovered my
Similar Books
