Page 132 of Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

“No.”

“Do you want some peanut butter?”

A laugh fell from his lips. “Why would I want peanut butter?”

“One, because peanut butter always makes me feel better, and two, I figured it would get you to say something other than ‘no.’ Or, at the very least, smile.”

Hewassmiling, but it quickly faded. Of course, she noticed. Clasping her hands in front of her, she said, “I am assuming you acquired blood?”

He was too ashamed to say anything about it, so he just gave a curt nod.

“I would have given you some, you know.”

“I would never ask that of you,” Axel said sharply, still leaning against the door.

“Yet I will still offer it if you need,” she countered, lifting her chin in a way that made him want to kiss her all over again.

Instead, he said, “You shouldn’t,” before finally pushing off the door and stalking to the closet, where he changed clothes for what felt like the tenth time that day. He slid on loose pants, again not bothering with a shirt.

When he emerged, she once again startled him by being right in his face.

“For the love of the gods, stop doing that,” he griped, stepping around her and heading to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

But, of course, she followed him. “It’s not like you have to drink itfromme,” she was saying as he started cleaning his teeth. “I can fill a glass or something.”

Fuck me.

Because now he was thinking about taking blood directly from her. Again. And instead of making him sick at the thought, it was doing other things.

He spit toothpaste into the sink, trying to ignore her and her words and those fucking curves and the way she’d tasted when he’d kissed her?—

“I did it before for Legacy at my estate,” she was saying.

Before he knew what he was doing, he turned on her. “Never again,” he snarled.

Her eyes were wide, and she took an unsteady step back from him. “Never again what?”

“Never give your blood to another Legacy again.”

The room was so silent, he could hear every drip of the faucet.

“I have to give my weekly donation, Axel,” she said slowly. Carefully. Clearly trying to avoid whatever had come over him happening again.

He knew it was an irrational demand. No, it was animpossibledemand in Devram. Fae were required to donate blood weekly to supply the rations. The only way around it was if the Fae was a Source.

“I don’t understand it either,” she said quietly, moving to put away his toothbrush he must have thrown in his absurd outburst.

“Don’t understand what?” Axel ground out, exhaling sharply when her arm brushed against him.

“Why I’m drawn to you and you to me.”

“You shouldn’t be. I’m not a good person, least of all for you,” Axel returned, stalking past her once more.

She scoffed.

Fuckingscoffed.

That had him rounding on her again. “You disagree?”

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