Page 58 of The Female

Gray makes no movements as I scan him, but he does suck his cheeks into his mouth in a visible attempt to keep any hope or excitement off his face. I hope I don’t come to regret my decision as I cup his cheeks and press a kiss to his chin.

“Then, well,” I start, blushing, “I’d rather you feed off me tonight than another.”

13

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CHARLOTTE

MY HEART ISpractically beating out of my chest as I lie in the center of Gray’s bed. It’s surprisingly comfortable, and I pull myself into a sitting position before leaning against the headboard.

The dress I wore on our date tangles around my thighs and bunches at my waist, and I take a moment to straighten it out before continuing my search around his room. I thought I’d taken it off before bed, but as I rub my eyes, I figure I must have forgotten.

Did Gray carry me in here after I fell asleep? It’s the only explanation that makes sense. If he did, where is he?

The room is dark, the moonlight streaming through the window giving me just enough light to make out his furniture’s vague shapes. I don’t remember him feeding on me tonight, and I wonder if he somehow took my memory of it.

I’m going to be pissed if he can do that yet chose not to the first time he slipped inside my dream.

My eyes narrow as I search around the large bed for any signs of Gray’s form, feeling both relieved and disheartened as I note I’m here by myself. There’s a tightening in my chest as I look around the room again, almost frantic.

What if he left to feed on somebody else?

Did he not think my offer was genuine? Has he carried me to his bed to soften the blow? My jealousy spikes. Why has he chosen another woman over me? I’ve never asked if being a human means I can’t feed him as well a stronger breed female could, and I’m now regretting that.

“Why are you so angry?” Gray asks from somewhere in the darkness. “I thought the mystery of waking in my bed would turn you on.”

My head snaps toward the direction of his voice, my stiff posture relaxing as I realize he’s here with me. He stands in the corner of the room, hidden almost entirely by the shadows.

If it weren’t for him speaking, I don’t think I would’ve ever spotted him.

I watch through wide eyes as he approaches, his features materializing as the moonlight touches his body. My palms grow sweaty as he crawls onto the bed, his movements almost predatory.

“Why am I in your bed?” I ask. “I thought you were going to feed through my dream.”

Despite my attempts to sound confident, my voice comes out in a whisper. I don’t know how comfortable I am feeding him outside of sleep. It feels different when it’s just a dream, and knowing it’s not real brings me comfort.

“Youaredreaming, Charlie,” Gray says. “I thought you’d appreciate the sense of normalcy over the confusion of our last feed.”

I stare at him, unsure how much I believe that. This feels so real, a far cry from how I felt the last time. Gray chuckles and gestures to my body as if he can feel my hesitation. Following his line of sight, I glance down at myself and gasp.

I’m naked.

I scramble to grab the forgotten covers off the bed, my cheeks flaming as I rush to cover myself. I could’ve sworn I was just wearing the ugly dress Gray put me in for our date. He sits by my feet as I pull the sheet away and glance at my naked body.

This is not what I look like.

My eyebrows furrow as I glance over the changed slope of my breasts and my unmarred skin. It’s hard to tell in the dark, but it even looks like the stretchmarks along my thighs and hips have been removed. Why did he change my body?

“Do you not like the way I look?” I ask, trying and failing to keep the hurt out of my voice.

Gray detects it anyway and frowns as he crawls over me and tugs at the sheet. My grip tightens on it before I sigh and let it go. He’s already seen everything.

“I’ve only seen you naked at the auction, and I admittedly wasn’t paying much attention. I had to make some guesses to fill in the gaps of what I don’t know,” he explains, trailing his finger down the side of my breast. “Tell me what I’ve gotten wrong.”

I blink, unsure how to put into words what my body truly looks like. The differences he’s made are slight, and it would be hard to fix every one of them.

“I don’t understand why my mind doesn’t fill in those gaps for you,” I say. “It’s my dream.”

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