Page 12 of Awakening the Dhampir

“My turn,” Jared growled.

Before I could stop him, pain erupted on that soft flesh where my shoulder met my neck. Jared’s fangs plunged through skin and muscle. With his first swallow of my blood, a wave of magic raced through my veins. My entire body lit up like a thousand-watt lightbulb. My physical hunger faded, and my thirst for blood tripled. A foreign—yet very welcome—strength soaked through my muscles and into my bones. My entire body shuddered as it absorbed wave after wave of magic. I felt like I could pick up the Earth and tilt it off its axis.

It still wasn’t enough.

I ripped Jared’s face away from my neck and tore into his. Blood flooded my mouth, and I lapped it up like a kitten. My rescuer made a strange gargling noise, and I commanded him to shut up. He did. I continued to feast on his deliciousness. Every time the blood flow stopped, I just tore open another vein. He had so much blood.

It still wasn’t enough.

When he fell limp in my arms, I let him slide to the floor.

My dhampir smiled and licked her lips, then reached down and tore Jared’s head from his body. Mallory was horrified, Lorna was conflicted, and Gale gave her a high five. Just like that, my dhampir overpowered all my other personas. Including D’laej, who obviously never stood a chance.

The only thing that existed was my monster and her hunger.

Right before my eyes, Jared’s body fell away, transitioning from a bloody mess to a pile of sticky ash. He wasn’t the only one transitioning from life to death. A metaphysical curtain fell between me and my dhampir. I could sense everything around me, but she had complete control. I was nothing more than a spectator, and I honestly didn’t mind. Maybe when all this was done, I’d look back with loathing, but not today. Not now. It was time to escape.

“Cool,” I quipped, then stepped around the pile of dirt and blood. I giggled some more and strolled down the hall. “Look at that! There is a little exit sign telling me how to get out of this hellhole.”

There it was. One of those EXIT signs hanging from the ceiling, glowing red. I skipped down the hall and pushed the door open, then squealed in ecstasy.

“No one move!” I commanded. My magic shot out like a huge fishing net trapping the dozen or so vampires waiting for me. “I need to count you before dinner.” My own little buffet. How sweet and thoughtful of Conrad to have them waiting.

“No, you fools! Kill her!” Conrad’s panicked pleas fell on deaf ears.

I searched the sea of faces now looking at me with love and adoration. The master vampire cowered in the back of the group. Apparently I needed a little more oomph to snare him.

“Conrad, my dear,” I said in my most sultry voice. “I think you and I can come to some sort of arrangement here, can’t we?”

He nodded, making his locs fall into his face. He didn’t even try to push them back. “Sure, we … we can make a deal,” he stuttered.

“Very good.” I rubbed my hands together and strolled across the large open space. It was sort of like a hotel lobby with chairs and sofas intimately grouped. “Here’s what we’re going to do,” I sang, pointing at the entranced vampires as I strolled by. “Everyone find a seat with your favorite bloodsucker.”

My little puppets smiled and did exactly as I asked. I counted them as they gathered into small groups. One, two, three, four … Yes! Thirteen, counting their master, who now stood alone in the center. Just like I wanted. I sauntered up to him and grinned. His eyes met mine, and I felt a little tug. I almost had him. Almost.

I leaned into his personal space and drew in a deep breath. His blood was so strong. Like rich, dark chocolate layered with chocolate mousse, a touch of citrus, and sprinkled with chocolate shavings. I hummed against his skin, my lips brushing his jaw.

He shivered and leaned his cheek against mine. My dhampir’s magic raced toward him. His breath hitched, and I knew I had him.

“Where are all your staff who aren’t vampires?” I asked, allowing him to run his tongue down my neck.

“I sent them away,” he replied, his breath hot on my skin. “I couldn’t take the risk of the fae finding out you were here.”

Just what I needed to know. No one would interfere with my feasting.

“Time to play,” I cooed.

Chapter 5

Kenrid

Iforced myself to breathe as we drove down the two-lane highway, following the directions Jonah had given us. We’d met with the shifter only forty-eight hours ago, but it’d been seven days since Jonah had seen Lorna. Seven more days for Conrad to torture and break the other half of my soul.

As soon as Nathan had awakened that evening, we’d packed our stuff in Elliott’s truck and hit the road. I would’ve insisted on leaving earlier, but we needed a plan to bring Lorna home. We couldn’t assume we’d be able to put her on a plane, so Elliott and I suffered through the thirty-hour drive. Damon and Nathan flew into a small airport about an hour from our destination, where we picked them up.

We were nearly there. Worry, dread, and guilt swirled in my gut. It was all my fault that she’d been taken. There were so many things I should’ve done to reassure her about my wards. I shouldn’t have let myself get distracted by the wolves at our meeting. I never should have ignored my phone when she called.

I’d done it all wrong and now feared the price we’d all have to pay.

---