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Would her face look the same when my fangs pierced her skin? Would the hate and disgust she held inside her be directed at me instead?

It was so easy to hate others. It removed the responsibility from yourself. All the anger and pain could be projected onto any object of your choosing. I wanted to see it. Wanted to see as she tried to fight the disgust as it took hold of her.

Or would she somehow be able to surprise me again?I hope so.I wanted her to hate me as much as she wanted my fangs to pierce her. Unlike the prince, the willingness was what made it worthwhile for me. But maybe too similar to him, I craved to watch humans give into something they wanted yet hated so deeply at the same time.

What did that make me, then?I met my own gaze in the mirror. Hate was brewing there too. But hate for what?

Hate for the prince? Of course…but also for myself. A violent, uncomfortable weight unfurled in my chest.It tookrealstrength to hate yourself.

I couldn’t move my gaze away. The mask that I had been so carefully putting together threatened to crumble.Strength…right? Is that what they call kneeling for a monster while he drains you and thanking him after?

I stood up, unable to handle looking at myself in the mirror any longer.

“No, send a regular feeder, please.”

Melia hesitated for a moment. “Now,” I hissed when she didn’t move. She looked like she wanted to say something but scurried away regardless.

Good.She’d probably make a pit stop in my stepmother’s room to give her an update about the prince.

I stiffly walked to my bed and waited for the arrival of my feeder.

The feeling from before grew stronger as the moments passed. Traveling from my chest and settling in my belly.Hate. So hot and heavy, it threatened to pull me to the floor.

Hate for myself. For Father. For Icas.

But through it all, images of her warm brown eyes broke through.Who is she? Why does she have such an effect on me?

I wanted her.Neededto understand what on earth was going on in that mind of hers. She was an obsession I couldn’t help but latch on to.

My musings were cut short as the feeder arrived, knocking twice before letting himself into my dimly lit room. It was a man this time.

I didn’t have to tell him to sit on the bed. I maneuvered myself in front of him, trying not to look him in the eyes. I didn’t want it to be him. In my mind, it was her sitting on the bed, hate brimming in her eyes.

“No touching,” I warned. He gave me a stiff nod. “If it’s too much, say something. Make a noise, anything. As soon as I hear a peep, I’ll stop.”

Another stiff nod.

He tilted his head to the side. Swallowing thickly, I leaned closer and, without hesitation, sunk my fangs into his neck. I paused before drinking, letting the venom work its way into his bloodstream.

It never took long, but the ache in my throat was pushing me to go faster. To drain him even before it had a chance to work through him.

When he relaxed against me, I began. The blood hit my tongue, and sweetness exploded across my taste buds. Blood was the single most powerful and addictive thing in this universe. I couldn’t help but moan into it.

It changed based on who you drank from, but it was sweet, sometimes tangy, and, oftentimes, the single most delectable thing a vampire ever tasted.

The liquid traveled down my throat, coating it and chasing away the ache before settling in my stomach. It calmed the hate, even for just a moment, because of its sweetness.

His legs opened, allowing me to get closer to him as I gulped down mouthfuls of his blood. I shouldn’t have entered his space, but I was so lost in the taste of it that I forgot myself.

It had been weeks since I drank from the source, days since I had blood at all. I had been too careless.

When his hands grabbed my hips, I pulled away, ripping my fangs out of him.

My hand gripped his chin, and finally, I got a look at his dilated pupils and flushed skin.

“No touching,” I hissed. Before pushing him away, I licked my bites, making sure to coat them with my venom so they would heal faster. It was too nice of a gesture from me, especially since he went against my orders. This was the type of human I was tired of. “Get out.”

He scrambled out of my hold, his heart pounding in his chest and the smell of fear permeating the air as he left.