Page 71 of Wicked Heirs

I dug my nails into the door behind my back, trying to ward off his fucking words swirling around my mind.

“One of the reasons I came here was to give you some good news.”

One of the reasons?

“What’s that?” I asked. Then I gestured to the modest seating area consisting of a two-seater cobalt-blue couch and an armchair around an antique coffee table. The fabric being the precise color of my magic was no coincidence. My dad had ordered them for me, his bid to both give a nod toward my power and as what he’d figured would be a comfort to me. As was most often the case, he’d been right. It was both.

Alena took a seat on the couch and I perched on the edge of the adjacent armchair.

“So, basically, as of next week, there will be a testing period of human blood bags for vampires at Electi Academy.”

“What? You’re serious?”

She grinned from ear-to-ear. “Absolutely. It’s happening.”

“You did this for me?” I asked, shooting to my feet with excitement and amazement.

“I said I’d help you. Technically it was my mom who actually did it and pushed it through, but—”

I threw my arms around her. “Thankyou.”

She giggled as I kissed her cheek, then held her to me. “This means more to me than you know.” I eased back, crouching in front of her. “You had no reason to do this,orto allow me to feed from you.”

“You were kind to me.”

I frowned. “I blew you off when you offered an olive branch of friendship.”

“You did that to protect everyone involved inObsidian’svendetta against me.”

“I did, but still.”

“It’s all good. And what matters is now all that’s over, wecanbe friends.”

“Friends, you say?”

She smiled at my teasing tone. “A little more than friends?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, is that what you want?”

Moment of truth, X. Don’t fuck it up.

Handle your business.

I rose up and slid my hands into her hair, then brushed my lips over hers.

She responded right away, sinking into the kiss and linking her arms around my neck, essentially pulling me down onto the couch with her, making me cage her in as I had to slap my hands down either side of her head to avoid crushing her beneath my weight.

I slid my tongue into her mouth, tasting her, learning, exploring, and she tried to escalate it to a whole lot rougher all too quickly.

I couldn’t.

Not without tempting the demon to come out and play.

She calmed a little when I stayed soft and easy, and then I felt her hands sliding under my t-shirt, feeling up my abs, my pecs, then swirling all over.

Hell.

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