Page 27 of Deadly Cravings

ELEVEN

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The followingafternoon I woke up after a restless night of sleep. I showered, worked on my computer for my scheduled hours, then spent the rest of the day slothing around, feeling guilty, scrolling my phone, and acting like I wasn’t peeking at the door every other hour. There was no way I anticipated seeing a vampire. None at all. It was pure madness.

Yet, the sex dream that had torn me out of sleep shouted otherwise. I rubbed my fist against my temple. Maybe I should just embrace my little vampire kink. That was all it was, some psychological reaction to the traumatizing time I’d spent in that disgusting cave. The fangs... I shivered.

The cat meowed on my lap, purring and rubbing his face into my boob. Soon after twilight came, the cat appeared and was inseparable from me. I had to draw the line when he followed me to the bathroom, though. Yeah, it was an animal, but I got skeeved out when he stared at me with his eerie blue gaze.

“It’s a good show, huh, Binx,” I mumbled, raising the volume. It wasn’t an original name, but eh, I liked it, especially since he seemed to hate it. His little nails were partially out, so he pricked my legs. My nose scrunched at the sting.

My phone dinged and I lifted it, hoping for . . . I didn’t even know what, but it was just an email about the debt. There.Thatwas my reason for my anticipation—paying the money I owed.

“I suppose I should get ready to head over.” My neck rested against the back of the individual used couch I’d found and paid for with the last of my funds before I’d arrived at this God-forsaken town. It had taken a hell of a lot of effort to get it into my house, but at least the people who’d sold it had been willing to drop it off.

My alarm rang, notifying me I had about thirty minutes to get ready. I tapped the notification off and puffed out my cheeks, rubbing my face. Heat spread in my belly like a trigger and I groaned as the unbidden image of Asher came to my mind. The sexy smirk... the flirting touches . . . the ravenous touches like he wanted me more than anything. I shook my head, pressing on my temples with both hands.

It was just because I was touch-deprived and had a twisted vampire kink that should have remained in my fantasies.

I should get therapy to work through it not write about it, or else I’d end up dead and drained if I continued down the route I was on, but what would I tell a therapist? I was trapped in a cave by a vampire who feasted on me repeatedly for days and ended up developing a craving?

Nudging Binx to the side, I scooted off the couch. He wasn’t a fan of being picked up, he grumbled so much I was surprised he didn’t speak.

I donned a cute midi skirt with tights under and platform wedges. Yeah, it was chilly and gloomy outside, but looking cute mattered, especially if death could come at any point. Over my dead body would I die in some ratty outfit. Still, I’d selected a simple top in case it ended up torn or blood stained.

Shaking out my styled hair, I left the house, the door clicking shut behind me. I strode off the porch and slowed to a stop . . .my van sat in my driveway as if nothing had happened, as if it were always there. Which vampire had brought it back to my house? I’d heard absolutely no one drive up and that freaked me out more than anything. I rushed to the driver’s side and peered through the window to find my car keys sitting on the seat.

They’d given me a way to escape. I worried my lip. Were they testing me? I rubbed my bare arms.

Binx stared at me steadily from the porch, like he could look into my soul, his tail flicking behind him. I released a steady breath. I’d already made my choice.

A loose rock crunched under my heel as I took a sharp turn toward the manor. Asher was in there... My heart rate picked up, the thud deep and increasing. The way his hips ground on my core, rubbing and dominating me, was seared into my brain. I pressed my lips together and patted the inhaler I’d tucked into my skirt pocket. I was fine. Everything would be fine.

My pep talk didn’t stop my stomach from squeezing when I approached the manor. My fist raised but before it came down, the door swung open to Asher with his lips curved slyly. Brisk air caressed my cheek from the air conditioner.

He grinned down at me, his pearly white teeth flashing, and he gripped my arm, tugging me inside.

“Hey,” I squeaked, at the swift manhandling. His arm curved around my waist, and he pulled me to his lips while lifting me. I left the ground as he straightened, keeping me attached to him. My lips parted on a gasp and his tongue flicked into my mouth.

Every inch of me froze up. It was a crime for it to feel so shattering, but what was his deal? This was too quick to—he wasn’t human. Right.

On his second prodding flick, my shoulders relaxed like he’d put a spell on my body and I groaned into his mouth, giving into to the kiss.

This wasn’t so bad... it was good. So good. Teases were nothing to him. I could tell in the ease he touched me that flirting was second nature, but I couldn’t help the shivers he caused.

The hard prod of his cock dug into me and I whimpered, my legs automatically lifted to the sides of his hips, my reaction instinctive. His fingers dug into my thighs where my skirt had risen up as he clasped me tightly to him, bunching the sheer nylon tights.

Asher angled his head, licking my tongue. Warmth bloomed at the apex of my thighs, and I tipped my hips toward him as if my body had a mind of its own.

When his mouth detached from mine, my head tipped back, exposing my throat. Lips grazed along my chin and he pressed butterfly kisses to my neck.

Shivers coasted to my pussy and I ground against him harder.

“Oh,” I moaned.

“Is this the training you mentioned, Asher?” Tobias drawled crisply.

I yelped and shoved his shoulders. Asher released me and my arms windmilled without his secure grip. I squeezed my eyes tightly, waiting for my back to slam into the ground. Hard biceps slipped under my thighs and behind my neck. It wasn’t anywhere near as hard as it would have been had I fallen to the ground.

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