Page 31 of Fated In Blood

Guilt flashed in his eyes. “That’s exactly what I’m afraid of.”

18

EVANGELINE

Igripped the window tighter and heaved, shoulders straining.

How many fucking layers of paint were gluing this thing together, anyway?

One more wrench tore off a chunk of splintered wood. Then another. And another, until the entire window frame disintegrated. I slammed both palms into the glass and the thick pane shattered outward, spraying shards into the ivy-covered bushes.

My head was clear, but my body was drunk, like there was a disconnect between my brain synapses, the well of power building at my center, and these weak, worthless muscles. My skin itched like I had poison ivy and beads of perspiration dotted my upper lip, dripping between my aching breasts.

But my instincts worked just fine. I had to get out of here.

Get back to my apartment. Regroup.

Even though my fingers had ripped through solid wood and smashed through leaded glass, I didn’t even have a broken nail. When I leapt through the opening, I landed perfectly upright, soft as a cat…with not so much as a strained muscle.

I’d never considered the benefits of being a bloodsucking scourge, but I couldn’t deny I felt pretty fucking invincible.

I wasn’t even winded after racing away from the monster who’d brought me here against my will. Well, the joke was on him, because I’d left him clutching his crushed balls, looking at me like I’d hurt hisfucking feelings.

I chuckled and accidentally nicked my bottom lip again with my new fangs, blood flooding my mouth, rich and salty and warm. One swallow sent shivers skittering across my skin, my stomach a twisted knot of want. I didn’t understand this strange, driving urge, only that my cravings were getting harder to control.

I clenched my fists, trying to decide which way to go.My apartment. I had to get to my apartment. I needed time to sort through last night, to figure out what went wrong and what to do next. I should go to Valentine’s…there were lots of people there, drunk, unsuspecting humans, and I was so, so hungry…

My eyes flew open.No. I might be starving, but I wouldnevergive in to this hunger.

I would not become one ofthem. I wouldneverbe a monster.

I dug my bare feet into the ground, barely feeling the glass cut into my soles. The next second the garden blurred, bushes and trees speeding past as I raced away from the building, hair whipping against my back as I barely avoided crashing into a tree.

I’d never realized how fast vampires moved. Or how bad my body could hurt when I slammed into a solid object at this speed.

Blake—he of the highly chiseled cheekbones and sultry yet broody personality—appeared in front of me out of nowhere, a solid wall of muscle with zero give.

One second I was closing in on freedom, the next I was flat on my ass, barely covered by the tattered remnants of myblue dress, staring up at fathomless hazel eyes and a full mouth curved in what I’d bet my last dollar was a perpetual smirk.

He looked like some pagan god of death, surrounded by an unnatural darkness, almost like the shadows had gathered behind him.

“Going somewhere?” The bastard just stood there, nostrils flaring. Didn’t even have the decency to give me a hand up, not that I’d take it. “Most newborns can barely walk on their first day, yet here you are, tearing through the gardens like a fucking deer.”

“You can’t keep me here.” A musky smell hit me and that knot in my stomach became a writhing snake of need, my gums aching.Thump, thump, thump.His heartbeats filled my ears. His sweet-spicy scent filled my nose, saliva gathering in my mouth as I climbed to my feet, never taking my eyes off him. “I’m going home.”

“There’s no going back. You’re a danger to anyone around you until you learn to control your hunger,” he said like that was a given. “You’ll stay here until you’re through your transition, then the king will decide what happens to you.”

I snorted. “Nobody makes my decisions for me…Blake.”

His pale skin pulsed with light, that thumping heartbeat echoing inside my head like an unstoppable drumbeat. I twisted my hands together, digging my fingernails into my palms to stop myself from lunging for him.

Because so, so badly…Iwanted.

I wanted to do things to this male I could barely wrap my head around. Wanted to suck him dry. Wanted to fall on my knees before him and…

“Your eyes are glowing. You have to feed. Another few minutes and your hunger will turn you into an animal.” He tugged the collar of his jacket to the side, tendons stretchingtaut. “Take my blood now while you can still reason, that way I can walk you through the process, explain what’s happening.”

I couldn’t describe what it did to me, that triangle of warm, tanned skin, bared for the taking.

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