Page 26 of Taste of Fate

“I can get you another.” Her arm came around my shoulders, lips ghosting over my ear.

“Nah.” I held the nape of her slender neck, angling her for a comfortable bite. “This is what I really want.”

She arched with a soft sigh, giving me more access, and I wasted no time in sinking into her vein.

When her blood hit my mouth, it was all I could do to not let out a groan. Of disappointment, that was. Something tasted off about her too. The spicy, rich taste that I’d enjoyed in the past was now bland, almost watered down. What the hell?

I’d barely drawn two mouthfuls when I unlatched my fangs and flicked my tongue over the two points to seal the wounds. It was quick, perfunctory, not the playful neck licking that I was known for. I pulled away, not meeting Irina’s eyes with the confusion I knew would be in her stare.

“Cy, what’s going on?” She dragged her nails over my scalp, an affectionate gesture I used to love, but now made my skin crawl with wrongness.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “Maybe I’m coming down with something. Everything I taste is just…off.”

“Aww, getting the vampire flu?” She touched the back of her palm to my forehead. “Can your kind even get sick?”

“It’s rare, but it happens.” She wasn’t getting off my lap, so I pushed her off as gently and non-offensively as I could. “I should get some fresh air or something. Sorry we couldn’t have more fun.”

Her lips curved in a coy smile, accepting my apology. “Call me when you feel better. It’s been a hot minute since I came to the compound.”

My immediate reaction was no, hell no. I did not want to bring my casual fuck-slash-blood source around where Tavi was. And then I felt something like guilt. Shame. Like Irina was a dirty little secret I didn’t want Tavi knowing about.

But I gave her a tight smile in return. “Sure. See you, Irina.”

I couldn’t leave the club fast enough. And yet the cool night air didn’t feel any better. My mind was back in that cycle of missing Tavi, wondering about her taste, then chiding myself for being tempted to fall in that trap. The more I avoided her, the greater the temptation seemed to get.

I hit the pavement, going nowhere in particular, just needing some movement. It was busy tonight in the Cap. People crowded the streets and storefronts were bustling with activity. A pair of motorcycles rolled slowly down the road, taking care with the pedestrians. I recognized Desmond and Laith, and gave a quick wave, which Des returned.

We patrolled our turf in rotating pairs, so that everyone could watch over different areas, have different days off, and work with a different partner. My clan mates were family, and of course I loved them all. But no one had made a better pair than me and Kalix.

“Fuck,” I muttered aloud, watching Des and Laith’s tail lights get smaller as they maneuvered down the street. Guess I was feeling sentimental about all kinds of things tonight.

Kal would’ve slapped me upside the head over how hard I was avoiding Tavi. He’d encourage me to accept my responsibility, to jump headfirst into taking care of my blood pet. To provide her with protection and a comfortable life.

“It’s the least you can do when you’re taking her blood, her life force. When she’s trusting you not to drain her dry,” he’d say.

“Well, I haven’t fed from her once so how’s that for a loophole?” I’d retort. And he’d snort and call me an idiot.

He was always right, of course. I was an idiot. And a coward. I let him get imprisoned when it should have been me, after all.

Fuck, I wished he was here. I knew exactly what he’d say, but I’d give anything to hear it straight from him.

My aimless walking brought me to the restaurant district. The night was warm enough that most places had their windows open to the street. Scents of food, alcohol, and all kinds of species poured out of those establishments. Human, brusang, vampire, and dragon shifter. I drew in a deep breath and nearly gagged. None of it appealed to me.

Except…one.

One scent that was light, sweet as dark berries, and comforting like home.

I followed the direction it came from, turning toward the restaurant window as if manipulated by a puppet master, and almost laughed at the cruelty of the universe. Tavi was sitting right there, at a table directly next to the window, with Bea across from her.

Of course the human I was trying to avoid and forget would pop up right in front of me.

Their heads were turned away from the window, focused on some third person who I assumed to be their waiter, until another scent drifted across my path. One that made me gag. Sunlight and rot with an undercurrent of burning.

Fuck. If the scent wasn’t enough, the vampire’s face confirmed it. His red eyes were tinged with yellow and his skin looked dry and faintly blistered. All signs of coming off a draitrium high. When he pulled out a vial and held it out to the women, I didn’t think. I just acted.

My feet carried me through the restaurant’s entrance, and once I spotted the back of his head, no one could unlock me from my target. I headed toward him like a bull after a red flag. He was so out of it, he never even heard me coming.

With my hand around the back of his neck, I slammed his face down on the edge of the table with enough force to call attention to the whole restaurant. Good. He needed to be made an example of.

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