Page 122 of Wanted

“Not to take away from what we’re doing,” Chloe says, “but if you asked me to do this before I was turned, I might have thrown up everywhere.”

I want to chuckle at that because I don’t doubt it.

This isn’t exactly a normal vampire practice, either.

A warm pulse hits me unexpectedly right as I’m about to respond to Chloe.

Like an electrical jolt straight through my chest.

What the fuck?

“Whoa! Shit!” Chloe exclaims.

And I’m forced to look over at her.

All the blood flowing onto the mark is being completely absorbed now. Not a drop is going to waste.

“How long has it been doing that?” I ask, and feel my wrist closing up again.

“Only a few seconds,” Chloe says.

Using the knife, she slices my arm open wider.

Quickly biting my wrist, I press it hard against Alena’s mouth.

The sickness living inside of Alena’s blood is a cancerous cell. And I can sense her body trying to repel it.

Whatever the prophet truly is, he wants Alena as his own.

I know it in my bones.

That’s the prophet’s endgame.

He wants to bond with her.

That’s too fucking bad.

She’s mine!I scream across the bond to him.

“Bleed me fucking dry,” I snarl at Chloe. “I want my blood to flood so hard, the gates of Hell won’t be able to stop the flow.”

Chloe starts severing all the tendons and arteries in my arm with her slices.

With fucking hope, she doesn’t cut my arm off completely.

“Don’t you fucking die on me, Raph. Alena needs you just like I need Asher,” Chloe begs in a panicked voice.

I’m growing more sluggish by the second. Vampires, even with our heightened regeneration, can only handle so much.

Forcing my mind to settle itself, the berserker begs to be freed, but this isn’t the time.

Tugging on the bond, I slowly pull it closer and closer to myself.

The rot is receding.

And I know it’s because of all the blood I’ve given her.

It’s the very essence of my life, and I’ll willingly trade everything for her.

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