Page 67 of Claimed By Blood

I can smell her blood, racing beneath her fragile skin with every harried beat of her heart.

That scent… haunts me.

The first and last time I tasted Eve, was when her sire forced her to break our thrall bond. A huge part of me is terrified to ever drink from her again because she could say those words again.

A smaller part of me doesn’t care about the risk. It just wants Eve.

And all of this worrying is cut off the second she strikes.

“Fuck, Eve.” I groan, supporting her with one arm beneath her ass as my other hand winds into her hair and holds her in place. “Drink from me, baby. That’s it. Fuck.”

Pleasure sears me from the inside out, spreading further around my body with every second. I’m so hard it’spainful,and my hips rock against her, seeking whatever relief I can get. She’s not holding back on her venom, and she’s old enough that it’s powerful stuff. All my instincts scream at me to lay her out on the nearest sand dune and fuck her until we’re both spent.

My sanity is holding on by a thread. Only the knowledge that she hasn’t fully forgiven me, and that I definitely don’t deserve to lose myself in her body keep me from driving into her. I’m this close to coming in my boxers, but I will not let myself take those kinds of liberties with her.

My mouth doesn’t get the memo.

“You know what you’re doing to me,” I accuse. “Use as much venom as you want, Eve. I’m going to remember this, and when you decide to let me loose on your body again, I’m going to wreck you in revenge.”

Her smile whispers across my skin a second before Eve proves just how much of a brat she can be by pumping another huge surge of venom into my neck.

“Fuck.” I erupt into my pants with a strangled curse. My orgasm lights up every single nerve ending, damn near blinding me with its ferocity, and my knees shake as she slowly slips her fangs free of my vein and gives my neck a long, slow provocative lick to seal the wounds.

“Oh dear, I guess your stamina hasn’t improved with age?” she teases, tugging her way out of my arms and striding back to the edge of the ravine before flashing a smile over her shoulder at me. “Such a pity, but I hear they have lubricant to help with that.”

I’ll show her stamina. “Just wait, baby. Eventually, I’m going to earn you. When that day comes, clear your calendar for a full week because you won’t be able to walk anywhere.” I suck in a breath and take a step, grimacing at the wetness trapped against my skin. “And you won’t need any lubricant, because I’m going to make sure you’re dripping for me before I take you.”

Her blue eyes heat, and I shoot her a cocky grin in response. Deep inside, I feel the click as the thrall bond winds itself a little tighter, inching closer to completion—no matter that we’re still a long way from feeling the full bond—but Eve doesn’t say anything. Turning her back on me, she steps over the edge and free falls back down to the base of the ravine. I hesitate a second before following after her.

CHAPTERNINETEEN

EVELYN

The soundof Mia and Morwen leaving from across the hall wakes me up. I haven’t seen them since I returned to the base after Frost’s date yesterday, but I know the two of them have been holed up in their room, exploring and preparing excitedly for their sand kiting trip. I can’t say I understand the urge to surf over dunes, using a giant parachute to ride the powerful desert winds while getting pelted by sand. The amount I inhaled while scaling the ravine was enough for me.

But it seems Morwen has finally found someone who can match her unique brand of crazy.

Most of my thralls are still asleep when I hear their door slam shut. Only Gideon is awake. He’s sitting at the desk that Finn set up on our arrival, swiping through things on the holo display too fast for me to follow.

Workaholic. Doesn’t he know he’s supposed to be resting?

He was doing the same thing yesterday when Frost and I got back from our date… His dedication to the cause—and his pack—softens me a little, and I watch him through my lashes for a few moments as he clenches his jaw in frustration, glances over his shoulder at the sleeping bodies of his pack, and then sighs and gets back to work.

Gideon might be a bossy, commanding, controlling ass, but I’m beginning to think he is that way because he doesn’t know any other way to show he cares. It doesn’t mean he couldn’t work on his people skills, though.

When I finally manage to untangle myself from Finn and Silas and sit up, he doesn’t acknowledge me.

The alpha is so grumpy I can practically feel the force of it pulsing at my skin, so I don’t linger. Pushing out of bed, I head for the bathroom and dress, using a baggy bomber jacket to hide the knives strapped along my forearms—because as much as I like Samuel and Noha, I don’t trust anywhere enough to walk around unarmed. When I emerge, I head straight for the hallway without stopping.

If Morwen and Mia are gone, then that means Immy has been left alone in their room.

Which means no one is there to keep an eye on her.

Knocking quietly at her door yields no response, so I enter quietly and sneak around the screen that separates her bed from the one Morwen and Mia share. My youngest sister is wrapped in the covers with her arm flopped across her face.

“Go away,” she grunts. “It’s too early.”

“The moon’s out.” Crossing to her bed I perch on the corner of it, trying to smother my grin.

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