Page 50 of The Veil of Blood and Magic

It doesn’t.

Damn, he’s good.

Tiny beads of sweat pepper my brow despite the cold air, my body temperature rising the longer I run. I take another left, then hurry to the right, ducking under an outward slope of earth, tucking myself beneath the covering.

I go silent, willing my breathing to slow as I listen to the area surrounding me. Luckily, my heart is only racing thanks to the chase, not because of my condition.

Slow and deliberate footfalls sound above my head.

“Tsk, tsk,” Zev sucks his teeth. “You’re cheating.”

His scent permeates the thick night air, and need pulses in my core as his desire hits my tongue. Goddess, it’s not as bittersweet as usual. It’s…spicy and melty and a little sharp.Damn.He wants me.

Badly.

I smirk, pride and confidence making my core clench. I knew Zev would be into the chase, but I didn’t realize justhowmuch.

He moves farther along the outcropping over my head, moving past where I’m tucked beneath it.

I grin, celebrating my triumph silently. Guess I’m one monster the drifter can’t track.

Slowly, carefully, I move away from the outcropping, peeking to make sure that he’s gone. There’s no sign of him, so I push off with my feet, bounding into a run again?—

I’m slammed into a tree trunk next to me, Zev’s muscular body securing me there so quickly I don’t even have time to dodge.

My chest heaves against the bark of the tree as he pins my wrists behind my back, dipping his head over my shoulder, golden eyes gleaming in the darkness.

“Caught you,” he says, the deep tenor of his voice making me tremble.

He breathes heavily behind me, our bodies matched in exertion…well, mine clearly more than his.

I struggle in his grasp, which only makes him press me harder against the tree. Desire pools in my core, and my fangs distend, aching.

“Fine,” I relent. “You win.”

He smirks, something so close to a smile I part my lips in shock as I study him over my shoulder.

“I’ll feed,” I say. “Fair is fair. You can take me to Jagger?—”

He spins me around, cutting off my words, his body locking mine against the tree, only now I’m facing him.

“To Jagger?” he growls. “Is that what you want?”

My eyes widen, noticing his pupils are nearly blown out, the black almost overtaking all the gold. He moves against me, almost like he can’t help but get closer until our bodies are flush.

“I promised if you caught me, I’d feed?—”

He slants his mouth over mine in a kiss that is almost punishing.

I whimper, shock and desire stealing my breath. I don’t fight it. Not with how damn good it feels. His kiss is sharp and broken, just like him.

And dominating. Goddess, he’s so damn possessive.

I love it.

He jerks back, glaring down at me like I’m the one who broke the distance between us. His hands are rough as they trail the length of my body, like he’s searching for weapons. It makes me laugh.

“You afraid I’m going to stab you?”

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