Page 35 of Claiming the Dhampir

The truck skidded to a stop, flinging me into the back of the passenger seat. Nathan didn’t release my arm, and Mir didn’t relinquish control. A sliver of panic chilled me to my core. Had I just taken away Nathan’s free will? Surely he didn’t want to die, right?

He cannot die! Mir snapped. Elliott would not have sent you, and Damon would not have allowed you to get in the truck if they didn’t want us to feed him.

Then why is Damon upset? I asked.

Mir didn’t answer. Dread danced down my spine as Damon jumped out of the driver’s seat and raced around to the back passenger door.

Chapter 12

Nathan

Something smooth and warm slid down my throat, like a fine wine or rich bourbon. No, it was better than anything I’d ever tasted.

Blood. Fresh. Spicy. Straight from the source. If I didn’t know better, I’d say it was a magical source. Human blood didn’t have this much flavor.

Not flavor … something I couldn’t quite identify, but I liked it.

I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d had anything other than blood from a bag. Maybe that lack of memory made this treat so incredibly tantalizing. It had to be. My team knew how I felt about taking blood directly from a human.

But I had been dying. Even before I passed out, I could feel my body getting weaker by the second. The pool of blood at my feet made it hard to believe there was anything left pumping through my veins.

As I swallowed the next slow trickle, a hum of magic raced beneath my skin.

“Nathan,” a soft voice whispered in my ear. “Wake up.”

I knew that voice and felt the pull of her magic, demanding that I respond to her. I had to be strong, had to resist the urge. I needed blood, but it could not be hers. I refused to end up like Conrad, a walking addiction with no recovery in sight.

Another swallow of her magical essence slid down my throat.

“That’s it, my love,” she purred, lacing more magic into her words. Magic I couldn’t deny any more than I could deny the life she was willingly giving.

Just this once, I thought, knowing it was a lie. Dhampir blood was worse than humanity’s most addictive drugs. One sip and I was done, which meant my life was already hers. She’d already given me several swallows. I’d worry about the consequences later, after I wasn’t on the brink of death.

I snapped my eyes open and gripped her arm. A pair of dark eyes stared back at me—not Lorna’s beautiful hazel—deepening the spell. Careful not to pierce her already broken skin with my fangs, I drew deeply on the open wound on her wrist. Lorna smiled. No, her dhampir smiled, showing her own tiny fangs. Her tongue darted out and licked her lips.

Her desire filled the air around me, tossing all my coherent thoughts out the window. I wanted her more than anything else on Earth. I needed her mouth against my skin and her body naked against mine. I needed to feel her hot —

“Lorna, no!” Damon bellowed.

Damon’s voice pulled me back from my lust-filled haze, and I realized we were in a vehicle. Damon slammed on the brakes, tossing Lorna away from me. I groaned in frustration as her wrist left my mouth. I was immensely grateful that I didn’t bury my fangs in her flesh. The damage it would have done when she was ripped away from me would’ve been horrific.

Lorna snarled at Damon before leaning over me once again. My second in command jumped out of the truck and disappeared from my view. I had no doubt he’d be opening the door next to me within seconds.

“You need more, Nathan,” she whispered. “Please take it.”

I glanced at her still-bleeding wrist, the smell of her blood intoxicating.

“I shouldn’t,” I said, hoping my refusal sounded stronger than it felt.

“I can’t let you die,” she urged. “You might have had enough to open your eyes, but your wounds are not healing. You’re not even bleeding.”

The door flew open, and Damon loomed over us, blocking out the sun with his wide shoulders.

“Lorna.” Damon growled her name, but there was no sexual intent in his voice. It was a warning.

Lorna’s dhampir growled back, leaning over me and baring her teeth. Protectively?

“He doesn’t have enough blood to tempt me, demon,” she snarled. “Would you prefer I let him die?”

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