Page 45 of Wicked Heirs

“I can’t allow them to make me a victim.”

“I know and I’ll stop this.”

“And then you’ll compromise yourself with them, your two closest friends. No, I don’t want that for you, for anyone. I don’t want anyone to end up lonely and ostracized.”

His expression softened. “Because that’s how you feel, isn’t it? It’s what your life has been?”

“Maybe,” was all I could offer without allowing emotion to take me over.

That would lead to pain and I didn’t do well with that.

I couldn’tallowthat while I was working on my magic and abilities. I needed a clear head. And I definitely didn’t need doubt and regret poisoning things.

“If you need somebody to talk to, or turn to, know that I’m here. Unfortunately, it will have to be like this… in the dead of the night, or in the shadows. For now, at least. Getting them to back off is one thing, but getting them to see you as an acceptable friend to me is a whole other thing.”

“I might take you up on that… in spite of the complications that abound.”

We both chuckled at that.

But then that seriousness and worry I’d seen from him returned all too quickly, and he went to make his escape.

I snagged his wrist before he could.

He stilled, then spun back to me.

“What’s going on, Xavier?”

He looked me up and down, desire sparking, then he swallowed hard and averted his eyes. “I came out here to feed.”

“You didn’t have dinner?”

“Squirrel blood.” He stared at our joined hands. “I can feel your pulse jumping. Hell, I can hear it pounding. It should be fear at standing in the middle of a deserted forest in the dark of night with a hungry vampire. But it’s not, is it? It’s excitement. Arousal, even.”

“I’m a strange one, what can I say?”

He smiled for a moment, then told me, “I was meant to meet Artemis out here to feed on him, but he texted telling me he was hooking up with a girl instead.”

“Being denied that for a vampire is intense.”

“Yeah, it is,” he said, looking at me in wonder for getting it. He blew out a breath. “The diet they have us on here makes me weak. They forget or don’t understand my hybrid nature. With my sorcerer side, I need proper sustenance to fuel my magic. The diet here barely fuels the vampire and keeps it going. It’s been over a week since I fed properly at the party. Now I’m really feeling it.” He sighed. “I’ll try again tomorrow.”

“Xavier—”

“No, I know. I shouldn’t have laid all this on you. I just wanted to explain why I was being so skittish around you and probably coming off as standoffish and rude.”

“I didn’t think that. I figured something was up.” I held my wrist out to him. “Feed on me.”

“What?” he choked.

“Feed from me,” I encouraged him. “I have celestial blood. It will sustain you for weeks. It will buy us time to do something about this ridiculousdiethere.”

“Do something about it?”

“With all the hatred toward my mom that I’ve experienced since coming here, people forget her great side and what she can put into being. I’ll talk to her and have her overturn it and bring in some human blood bags.”

“You’d do that?”

“Of course. You’ve helped me out, I’ll help you out.” I walked closer to him. “Now, speaking of that, take my blood.”

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