Page 100 of The Veil of Blood and Magic

“Swallow,” I hear the commanding tone from somewhere deep in the back of my mind, and I do as the voice says. I nearly cry out in relief as the slightly sweet taste of the powder Sirius created for me hits the back of my tongue, sliding down my throat.

The magic concoction works its way through my body, spreading its warm tendrils wide and waking up every numb piece of me.

I'm no longer cold. Instead, I’m downrighthotas I sit on something warm and comforting. The smell of smoke and sandalwood and some hint of floral oil hits my senses, and I take a full deep breath, reveling in the smell. Another flavor hits my tongue, a weak and subtle note of desire, like spun sugar and citrus.

I try to drink it in, but it's like trying to breathe through a straw, and the frustration of not getting what I need has clarity snapping through my fog-addled mind.

I snap my eyes open, taking stock of my heart, and being thankful for its normal rhythm.

It takes me a few seconds to adjust to the darkness in the room, only a lone candling flickering on the mahogany table next to us.

Us.

Because I am not sitting in the armchair next to the books.

I’m sitting in the lap of theprincein the armchair next to the books.

I immediately scramble off of his lap, glaring at him as I stumble to the other side of the room, putting as much distance between the two of us as I can.

Those silver eyes track the move with amusement, and he crosses one long leg over the other as he surveys me. He holds up one of my vials, a fourth of the powder left in the corked glass bottle.

“You know, after saving your life, this isn’t the reaction I expected.” He waves the vial in front of him, illustrating the space I put between us.

“You haven't saved my life,” I fire back, but do my best to breathe and quell the rage rippling inside me. The bastard had me in hislap!

But he hand-fed me my meds. Was that just good timing, or had he been waiting for me to reach my breaking point before he swooped in with what I needed?

“No?” he asks, rolling the bottle between his fingers before setting it on the table next to him.

My shoulders drop, and I remember I'm supposed to be playing a role.

I'm supposed to be agoodlittle pet, and snapping at him likely isn't the right way to do that. But fuck me, he took me by surprise.

“No,” I say in a much softer tone, slowly walking to the edge of the bed and sinking atop it. The simple act of standing is difficult, and the last thing I want is to pass out in front of him.Again.

“From what I felt,” he says, his eyes trailing down to the center of my chest, as if he can see my heart beating there. “Your heart was about to sputter out.”

I furrow my brow, remembering the power he’d used to knock me out. Could that same power sense what’s happening in my body? A shiver races down my spine. My main focus has been the Collector for so long, I'm realizing that I’m severely underprepared to deal with the prince.

“The medication helps my heart,” I say. “But...” I do my best to wet my cracked lips, but I'm so thirsty for things water will never slake.

“Oh, yes,” he says. “My succubus is starving. Forgive me, I've been away on business.”

I curl my lips at him, wishing I could dig my nails into his throat. “You would think that if you were going to covet creatures to keep as your pets, you would at least feed us properly.”

Irritation and anger shift over his brutally handsome face, but he smooths it out quickly. “I'm here to remedy that now.”

Apprehension blooms in my chest.

“You need to feed,” he says.

“I do,” I answer.

He visibly swallows, uncrossing his leg and leaning forward, his elbows on his knees as he looks at me. “I'll allow you to feed from me.”

“Never,” I immediately answer. “I willneverfeed from you.”

He leans back in the chair, shrugging. “Then it will be interesting to watch you die. How long do you think it will take?”

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