Page 37 of Princess Broken

Good. I step forward, my legs still unsteady, my body overheated and craving things I don’t understand. I want Phil to fuck me. I want to feed from him as he fucks me. I want him to take my vein while he fucks me.

My fangs tingle, threatening to release, and I run my tongue around the inside of my mouth as if it’s hoping to find one last drop of his blood. When I bit down on his finger, Phil’s blood tasted of Kobe beef and whiskey. I want more.

“You need blood,” he says, his voice deep, his tone unexpectedly kind, and I nod before I even let myself consider whether I want to admit that he’s right.

“I told you she’d need to feed soon,” another voice says, and I spin toward the sound.

Blade, Flame and Crusher file into the room and then form a semi circle around me. Phil, remaining on the other side of the room, moves behind a wing-backed chair, probably to hide his still bulging arousal.

Looking up, I meet Blade’s kind gaze. “We’ll arrange a vein for you,” he says. “Vampire or human?”

“Vampire.” The request comes out softly, and I realize my need is urgent. It’s been far too long since I’ve fed, and the events of the past few days consumed my last resources like a fire through dried grass.

And after what’s just happened, I don’t think I can take a vampire’s vein without needing sex.

“Anything else you need?” Blade’s hips shift, drawing my attention to his midsection, and my thirst becomes even more apparent.

My mouth bone dry, I sway on my feet.

“Steady.” Crusher reaches out to support my back, his firm hand barely touching me before he moves it away, re-joining it with his other, clasped behind his back.

“I’m fine,” I assure the men. “It’s not that urgent.”

“You sure?” Blade glances at Phil, then back to me as the latter slowly approaches.

“There is one thing I could use besides a vein,” I say, and the three men lean in.

“My dress…” I look down at the wrinkles and bloodstains. “The silk did not survive my impromptu swim very well.” I grin. “And cold water alone did not removed the blood.” My eyes and throat pinch as I brush my hand over the blood-speckled, lilac fabric.

“Our stewards can fix your dress,” Flame says staring at the stains. “And we’ll find you something else to wear.”

“Something less formal,” Crusher adds.

Relief floods through me. “Great. Has the sun set?” I glance toward Phil, but he’s looking the other way.

“Why?” Crusher asks.

“So I can shop for new clothes.”

“Oh.” Flame shakes his head. “We’re not going Above. There’s a clothes exchange set up off the square.”

“An exchange?”

Blade nods. “Everyone admitted to Freetown pledges to limit their exposure Above.” His head tips back slightly as he says the last word. “We only go up when it’s absolutely necessary.”

“So you stay underground—all the time?” I tip my head to the side.

“Don’t look like you just ate shit,” Phil barks from across the room. “I know our home can’t possibly live up to princess standards, but—”

“Your home is lovely.” Smiling, I gesture around, avoiding Phil’s gaze. “And as to what I’m used to, the vampiric palace is also fully underground.” I arrived there only days after I was turned, and then barely walked the earth’s surface for the better part of the last hundred years.

“But I need to get back to DEFTA,” I tell them. And eventually home to the palace, or perhaps somewhere else… Nowhere feels like home anymore.

“Not possible,” Crusher says.

I snap my attention toward him. “So I am your prisoner.”

Phil grunts and I resist the urge to look at him.

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