Page 12 of B Negative

And what else had he gotten wrong about Cypress City?

Devon offered his wrist once more. “Your lips are pale, Eden. You need to feed.”

My mouth watered at the sight of that delicious vein. I drew in a shallow breath, and my fangs descended once more. I took his wrist in trembling fingers, lips brushing against his warm skin.

Devon’s pulse picked up at my touch and my head went spinny.

I pushed his wrist away. “I think portioning out a reasonable amount into a cup would be better,” I said, voice hoarse with that strange mixture of hunger and desire and the need to rend flesh.

“Eden, you can drink from a cup in the cove. But you’re not in the cove, you’re here. Allow yourself to enjoy all the benefits Cypress City offers.”

Tempting. Seriously. Who was this guy, the Cypress City brand ambassador or something? “Believe me, Devon, I want to.”

“I know.”

I cleared my throat. “It’s just that I have a history. Self-control isn’t really my strong suit.” Plus, the only person I’d drank from the vein from, aside from my post-turn victims, was Julian, and I wasn’t too keen on reenacting those moments with a stranger.

Devon bowed his head. “Of course, Eden. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” In moments he was up and across the room grabbing a rocks glass from the wet bar. I didn’t see him open a vein, but I sure as hell smelled it.

Fresh grass and warm spices cut with that telltale metallic tang filled the room as Devon bled into cut crystal for me. He brought it to me, placing it in my hands.

“You look lovely with your eyes blacked out,” he whispered as I tipped the glass toward my lips.

My eyes had gone full dark with hunger, and as easy as that sentence could have come across as creepy or strange and fetish-y, it simply wasn’t.

“You truly enjoy your work, don’t you?” I asked.

He nodded. “I come from a long line of caregivers. Nurses and physicians and the like. I didn’t have the test scores for that line of work, but taking care of your kind had filled me in a way I doubt I could find anywhere else.”

I stared at him, letting his words settle in me. It was such a different take on feeding than I’d ever experienced.

I raised the glass to him. “Thank you, Devon.”

He dipped his head low. “You are most welcome, Eden.”

I took the first sip and my eyes rolled as the warm, thick liquid coated my tongue and slid down my throat with ease.

I might have also groaned a little.

I downed the rest, hardly tasting it. When I pulled the glass away, Devon stood staring at me, a small smile on his face. He came closer, but I backed up, unsure I could trust myself so close to him despite being sated.

“This is my personal number, Eden. You may call me twice a day for feedings if you like.” He pressed a card into the palm of my hand and sauntered out of the room just as he’d entered it.

As the latch clicked behind him, my mind whirred with all the new information I’d received.

Cypress City wasn’t at all what I’d been led to believe.

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