Page 79 of Fallen

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” I murmured, afraid that if she attacked Leclerc again, he’d wring her neck and toss her into the ocean.

Leclerc shoved me up against the hard stone. His scratched hand was bleeding. His fangs glinted whitely in the murky light.

My mouth dried. I shoved at his chest with one hand, but he had me trapped.

“Hungry,” he said hoarsely.

His pupils had filmed over. It was like he wasn’t really inside there, just a mindless, ravenous monster.

Demon flung herself out of my arms and escaped along the wall. I twisted and turned, fighting to break free of him. He grabbed my braid and jerked my head back, exposing my throat. Somehow, I managed to get my knee between us. I brought it up sharply, but he knocked it away with his free hand.

His bleeding hand came back to my throat. Blood trickled down the side of my neck, cold and sticky. His blood.

His gaze snapped to his injured hand. His eyes flared blue, and he let go of me.

I staggered backward with Demon, coming up hard against the stone wall.

Leclerc grabbed his bleeding hand and dragged it toward his mouth. I watched, horrified, as he sank long, razor-sharp fangs into his own hand. He snarled like a dog and tugged, tearing off his own flesh, and sucking eagerly at the spurting blood.

For a couple of beats, I stared at him, too shocked to move, as he gnawed at his own hand like a dog with a juicy bone. Then my breath shuddered in. I backed away.

He didn’t even look at me.

I took off for the tower. As I dragged the door open, Demon shot out of nowhere and raced down the steps. I slammed the door shut, hoping it would stop him long enough for me to get away, and hurtled after her.

18

BRIEN

It was done. Prosper had notified me that Jules had agreed to our terms and was confined to his apartment. We’d had to bring Kerry and William in on the secret—someone needed to see to my father’s needs—but they’d sworn a blood oath not to tell anyone else.

Now, though, I could turn my attention to Twilight. It had been two nights since I’d last seen her. I’d deliberately stayed away to focus on syndicate business, and to prove to myself that I could.

But my craving for her hadn’t eased. No, I’d woken with my fangs extended and a hard-on that wouldn’t quit.

Starving, but only for her. Her blood. Her body. Her touch, her scent…hell, even her smile.

I showered and dressed in worn jeans and a black linen shirt. As I slid a dagger into my ankle sheath, I glimpsed Twilight in the garden through the French door’s darkened glass.

I crossed the apartment and opened the door. She stood the other side, fist raised to knock on the glass.

“Brien.” With an uncertain smile, she brought her arm back to her side.

I knew the uncertainty was because of the way we’d left things the other night, but that was fine with me. I liked her a little off-balance. The gods knew, she had the same effect on me.

“Twilight.”

She looked fuckable in black fishnets, patent-leather Doc Martens and a lipstick-red dress that was the next thing to being naked. She’d slicked her hair into a ponytail and painted her mouth the same red as the dress.

My gaze returned to her mound, clearly visible beneath the tight dress.

Did she have on any panties under that tiny excuse for a skirt?

Folding her arms under her breasts, she cocked a brow at me. “See something you like, Prince?”

“Yeah. Turn around.”

“Say please.”

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