I fought against the urge to lean closer, to breathe him in deeper, to taste the power coursing through his veins. I was a wolf, and wolves don’t prey on each other. But the struggle was becoming more difficult with each heartbeat as my body reacted to his presence in ways I couldn’t fully comprehend.
“What are you waiting for?” Irritation dripped from his rich, cultured voice, each syllable a sharp jab. “Drink!”
“Who do you think I am, vampire?” I hissed, fighting against the primal urge within me. I willed my fangs to retract, but they remained defiantly extended, a cruel reminder of my hunger, which was intensifying with every passing moment. My muscles cramped, a taut reminder of my desperate need.
“A bit shy now?” he sneered, the amusement in his tone cutting deeper than any blade. “Considering how you used to be insatiable and drain everything in your path, this is quite the change.”
I frowned at him, “Don’t pin all this shit on me like the others!”
I struck a leg out toward him. He didn’t duck but let me hit him. I knew why now, as I winced at the blooming pain spreading through my ankle. I’d probably just slammed into marble.
I swayed where I sat, not from the pain of kicking the vampire but from resisting his blood. Hunger made my vision blur as the scent of his blood rushed toward my nostrils like Manna from the heavens. Or Birkins.
Jason sighed in exasperation and shoved his bleeding wrist to my lips.
“What the—”
As soon as his blood touched my lips, some magic seeped into me, rendering my will useless. I nearly let out a moan at the taste.
"Drink deeply," he said softly, his voice carrying a quiet intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. "You need strength to get out of here. I can’t afford you being a liability." His gaze bore into mine, unwavering and cold, but beneath it, there was something almost desperate. "It took a lot to get to you, and I don’t plan for the mission to fail simply because you can’t stand on your own two feet. Not after everything."
His words held a gravity that made my chest tighten, but I was too weak to argue. I tried to speak, but my throat was parched, the words catching like sandpaper. Before he could continue his lecture, I grabbed his arm with trembling hands and clamped my cracked lips around his wrist. My fangs sank in with little effort, piercing the already scarred skin. The familiar rush of copper and warmth filled my mouth, and I felt the subtle tension ripple through his body as his blood spilt into me.
I glanced up at him, my vision blurry with exhaustion, and caught the fleeting expressions that danced across his face—need, pleasure, and something I almost didn't recognize—regret. For a moment, his eyes softened, but the cold detachment quickly returned, hardening his features once more.
His blood flowed thickly, warm as it rolled over my tongue and down my throat, each drop smoothing the raw thirst that had clawed at me for hours. It wasn't just nourishment; it was life. I drank deeply, the sweet, metallic taste sating a hunger that gnawed deeper than I had realized. The moment stretched as my senses dulled, and I lost myself in the sensation.
Somewhere in the haze, I became aware of a low, primal sound in the air. It took a second longer to recognise it as my own—a mix between a growl and a purr, echoing from deep within my chest. I was making satisfied, monstrous noises, and for a split second, I felt shame creeping in, but it was drowned out by the overpowering need to drink more.
I didn’t stop until he pulled his wrist away, his arm slick with blood and the faintest tremor running through his hand. "That’s enough," he murmured, his voice strained.
No, I don't want to stop.
I was a bit shocked at my unbecoming behaviour and ordered myself to pull back, but I couldn’t let go of his wrist. I wasn’t strong enough to fight my own hunger, and nothing had ever tasted sweeter, more exquisite, or more powerful than the Vampire King’s blood.
Just one more mouthful, I told myself, not willing to dwell deeper on what I had become or would become while I succumbed to the temptation. Well, everyone had weaknesses, and I’d never said I was perfect.
One more mouthful of blood wouldn’t do any harm. The vampire was right that I needed strength to get the fuck out of here. Drinking his blood was the right thing to do. If I became a liability, I’d get him killed, and no one wanted that.
I wrapped my lips tighter around his wrist to suck in his blood faster. It was really tasty, and I hadn’t had a drop of water for days.
Then a sudden déjà vu crashed into me, as if I’d done this hundreds of times. Thousands of times.
A flood of witches speared my head, violent and jagged, tearing through my mind in relentless waves. I hadn’t just drunk from the vampires; I had drained entire human villages, their lifeless bodies strewn about like discarded dolls, piled at my feet. Their faces, gaunt and twisted in agony, burnt into my memory. The smell of death, the taste of fear—it all felt too vivid, too real. And no one—no one—had been able to stop me until—
A black wall slammed down abruptly, severing the stream of horrific visions. The flood of carnage ceased, but the aftertaste lingered like poison in my veins. My heart raced, pounding in my chest as if trying to break free of the memories that still clawed at the edges of my mind.
I blinked hard. The weight of the silence that followed was deafening, my thoughts a chaotic whirl. Fuck. What had just happened? I realised too late that I had glimpsed something I shouldn’t have—his memories, his impressions. The Vampire King’s dark, predatory gaze locked with mine as he erected his mental shield, cutting off the nightmare i witness before they could overwhelm me.
Shock reverberated through me. I had seen myself through his eyes, and what I saw was nothing short of monstrous. I was horror incarnate, a nightmare made flesh. The realisation left a bitter taste in my mouth. If he thought so little of me, then perhaps... I should drink more. The dangerous thought coiled in the back of my mind. Maybe if I took just a bit more, I could pull more fragments of his memories. Learn more. Control more. The ones I’d caught were harsh and unflattering, but knowledge was power, and I was ravenous for it.
"That’s enough, Ollivara!" he snarled, his voice low but sharp as a blade. He yanked his wrist away from me, though the pleasure was still evident on his face—his lips slightly parted, his expression twisted in a mix of ecstasy and anger. His reaction betrayed him—the conflict between his desire and his control. I could feel his restraint fraying.
But I didn’t want to stop. It was intoxicating, like a child tasting candy for the first time and unable to let go of the sweetness. His blood thrummed through me, filling the hollowness inside, and I hungered for more; I craved it like a drug. My grip tightened as my fangs dug deeper, pulling more of his life force into me.
His patience snapped.With a growl of frustration, the Vampire King cupped my cheeks with both hands, his grip bruising, forcing me to meet his gaze. The pressure was sharp and unbearable, making it impossible for me to take another swig from him. I growled in defiance, but my protest was swallowed by his unyielding strength. The fury in his eyes was scorching, and yet, beneath it, there was something darker—something that mirrored my own hunger.I glared up at him, my lips stained with his blood, my displeasure seething behind my narrowed eyes. The power surged through me, and for a moment, I considered fighting him, breaking free, and taking more—but the weight of his grip and the command in his gaze made me pause.As soon as he released my cheeks, he shoved me back, his muscles tense, as if barely containing his own urges. I stumbled, regaining my balance, but the shock had passed, and with it came a wave of shame that curled deep in my stomach. The high of the feeding ebbed away,
The fact gnawed at me, filling me with dread. My kind was rare, powerful, and unpredictable. I mean, since ancient times, I've been the first in this millennium. I heard a myth about hybrids—half vampire, half wolf—but it was just a myth from a very long time ago. There were people, creatures even, who would do unspeakable things to harness that power. But not him.No. I shook my head, trying to dispel the grotesque witches, forcing myself to focus. This vampire—this dangerous, vicious being standing before me—wouldn’t do that to me. He was lethal, no doubt about that, but he hadn’t betrayed me yet. I’d seen something in his eyes back when he found me, half-dead and surrounded by witches. They were about to slice me open like a lab rat, and he’d stormed in, unleashing hell and tearing them apart with raw, destructive power. His fury had been terrifying, but it hadn’t been directed at me. He’d saved me. He’d killed nearly all of them.I couldn’t forget that.“How did you get in?” I ask
“Will you stop thinking?” Jason purred. His unnatural eyes floated back to mine as I rolled my eyes at him.The vampire king sighed. “Stop thinking, woman!” He said as he opened the via while I blink at it, curiosity buzzing through me. “I can’t sit very straight, but I can be still,” I offer, trying to sound helpful. My body ached from the restraints, but still, I wasn’t in the mood for more scolding.He shot me a look, one that could freeze water in its tracks. “Don’t talk.”I nodded, my lips closed tightly to keep myself from asking whether he knewI was looking at his neck.I bit my lip to stop the retort that nearly slipped out, but it was hard. “I’m sorry that I distracted you,” I added quickly, unable to help myself. “But I have a mouth, and I love chatting. I’m a people person. I need to talk. I can't stop talking when I'm nervous. I…”“Just shut up!” Jason shook his head, his patience clearly wearing thin. With a sharp twist of his wrist, he opened the vial and carefully poure
With my renewed energy, provided by the vampire king’s blood, I shot to my feet. This time, I stood steady as a rock, a sense of strength humming through my bones. The expected vertigo didn’t hit. My vision was sharp, my senses heightened, and the dull ache in my limbs had vanished as though it had never existed.Adrenaline streamed through my veins, making me feel invincible. My heart pounded in sync with this newfound power, each beat echoing the surge of energy coursing through me. But I warned myself not to get ahead of things. That kind of arrogance could easily get me killed in this place, especially considering the dangers lurking beyond these walls.I jogged out of the cell, my legs steady, my breath even, and followed the vampire down the dim, shadowed corridor. His broad form moved with a grace that was almost unnatural, barely making a sound on the stone floor, but there was a tension in his shoulders that I didn’t miss. He was focused, his eyes scanning the darkness as tho
It was close to midnight by the time we had crossed the endless valley, traversed a couple of mountains, and stood at the base of a rusty-red rocky hill.I was spent, but I hadn’t bitched about it. Jason had offered to carry me, but he was very tired too, as he was unable to fully recover from the sun without replenishing his strength by taking in blood.We overlooked a terrain of low bushes and hard red dirt.“That’s the border,” Jason said, looking ahead, then glancing at me to check my state again.“We’re going to make it, sweety pie.” I grinned at him. “Let’s race for the final few miles.”Once we crossed the red terrain and reached the other side, the shifters wouldn’t be able to track us as easily, and they might just give up. As for the witches and other hunters, they wouldn’t be in their element in the western wilderness.“Halt,” Jason called before I sprang, ready to put the past behind me forever.The wind stirred, then stilled, then picked up again.A sheet of red dirt asce
I hadn’t been able to familiarise myself with this compound. None of the shifters were nice enough to offer me a tour. The shifters weren’t a polite species.First, Oldy and his goons had shot me down from the wall of the Shifters Uni, then they drugged me, blindfolded me, and dragged me to this compound.When I woke up, I’d found myself in confined quarters. Then I’d pick a fight with the Alpha’s son and split his lip since I refused to be his mate. While I was riding him, not in a sexual way (no way would I ever let him touch me again), but pounding my fists into his ears,Oldy and his minions shot me with enough drugs to take down a horse.So I’d kissed the ground again, waking up in that special cell. So, no, I wasn’t going to run blindly and then end up where I’d started.“Trust issues?” Jason asked, arching an eyebrow.“I bet you aren’t a regular here,” I said against the wind.“And I don’t plan to be,” he confirmed.“The shifters would wait for hell to freeze over before they l
The shifters thrived on power and control, and I was a pawn in their game—an expendable asset they would use and discard without a second thought. It was clear that any attempts at negotiation would be futile, and I wouldn’t fall into that trap. I had no choice but to brace myself for conflict, to accept that I would need to make an enemy out of the very beings who had taken me captive.But there was a silver lining to this grim scenario. Jason had risked everything to venture into the heart of enemy territory for me, and I would honour that sacrifice. I owed him that much. In a world where loyalty was a rare commodity, I was grateful to have someone willing to fight alongside me, even if it was a vampire I had initially considered my adversary.With Patrick, Diane, and Paris absent, there was no issue of divided loyalty weighing on my conscience. They were my friends, my allies, and I knew they would have my back if they were here, but they weren’t. It was just Jason and me now, and
“So she spied for you in Luther’s ranks?” I asked.I’d learnt from the textbooks and the lectures that Luther was the shifters’ number one enemy. We shifters—before they cast me out—were about to go to war with that vampire and his army.“That’s not your concern,” Jason said, trying to dismiss me again.“It is my fucking concern,” I said. “I’m now involved in all the things you’re involved in. I won’t fly blind, vampire, not even for you.”He shot me an annoyed look, his eyes narrowing in that familiar way that told me I was pushing my luck. His lips pressed into a thin line, and he inhaled slowly, as if trying to hold back a tide of frustration.“This journey will be more difficult than expected,” he muttered, almost to himself, his voice barely above a whisper. It wasn’t meant for me, but I caught it nonetheless. The weight of his words felt heavier than they should have, like there was more beneath them—something that Jason wasn’t sharing, at least not yet.I wasn’t a fool. I had a