Page 12

My lip trembled, but I forced myself to my feet to descend the rest of the way. I left my slippers at the entrance of the basement living room. My door was ajar. Doubts festered liked a fresh wound with Imogen here. I nudged the door the rest of the way open.

Bastien’s flowing white hair moved like a wave. He stood and took a step toward me. The chain rattled. They’d installed chains to the wall above my bed. They were the same color and blended in well.

His head tilted and his eyebrows furrowed. Seeing the concern on his face punched through the wall I’d erected around me, and I ran to him. He swept me to his chest and his palm rubbed against my back.

Another gut-wrenching sob escaped.

“Shh, Little One,” he croaked.

“It hurts.” I sniffled. Then I froze.

Bastien spoke?

I had to be hallucinating.

“You can talk?” I gasped, pulling back enough to look up at him.

His expression rippled and there was none of that awareness that he’d been staring at me with. I untangled myself from his grip, and he kept hold of my wrist. I pressed my palms into his hard stomach.

“Sit down, you’re making me nervous looming like that.” His huge body followed my guidance.

He only stared at me, his gaze focusing for a spilt second.

I speared my fingers through my hair. He watched me through pensive, expressive eyes. Each day he seemed more aware, and I was noticing he got the clue about things faster than normal. He was reacting less immediately than usual . . . but only when he was alone with me. “You can understand me, right?”

Bastien stared steadily, and I held my breath. Finally, he nodded.

“I knew it,” I breathed.

Bastien cocked his head and then tipped it forward toward me.

With the speed of snapping my fingers, the awareness fled his gaze.

Bastien gripped my hip and dragged me close, until I stood between his widespread legs. His palms slid up my sides, stopping at my hips with a squeeze. He set his cheek on my breasts, nuzzling me.

His fingers delved under Asher’s shirt I wore, and his cool hand slid up my side.

Their temperature tended to change, if they didn’t feed after a while.

“Don’t rip it,” I breathed and pressed my palm over the back of his large hand. Mine was laughably tiny over his. I pushed it down until it spanned across my belly so I could yank the shirt over my head. It landed on the edge of the bed. My bra landed on top of it. Bastien hummed, his thumb rubbing against my belly button. He made me breathless. I hooked my fingers into the hem of my undies and pants and shoved them down my ass. They pooled at my ankles.

Bastien ran his nose over the swell of my breast, and he hummed against my skin. His shoulders moved with his inhale. His red eyes flicked up to mine.

He sank his teeth into my nipple, and my knees gave out, with a smooth motion, he pulled me onto his lap with my legs spread around his thighs. He pulled me close, until I was flush against him. Chains rattled with the movement of his arms.

I slid my palms between the split robe and smoothed my hands over the steel-like skin as I pushed the robe back to expose his shoulders. My fingers played across the thick muscles that twitched at my attention. His cock flexed under my ass, and I pushed up a bit to pull the tie from his midsection. The end flicked against my wrist with how hard I yanked it free. I settled on top of him, feeling his hard shaft nestle against my core.

His head tipped back with a groan. Slickness throbbed from my sex, making me glide against him.

I groaned, moving my hips to grind down on him. I sank my fingers into his hair and arched my spine. He held me up as he leaned me back, so his mouth covered the tip of my breast. He sank his fangs into the soft flesh. He sucked, causing lust to flare to a painful level. A shiver coursed down my body, and my pussy throbbed from the need to be filled.

“Bastien,” I moaned. His hands flexed against my back, clasping me so tight.

He held me with such possession—almost verging on desperation. In a sudden movement, he pulled his fangs from my flesh. Droplets trickled from the wound, painting my skin. Bastien’s bright red eyes scanned my face. He stood with me in his arms. I squealed, scrambling to hold onto his shoulders. He tossed me on my back, high on the bed.

I popped onto my elbows. Bastien was already prowling up the mattress, his gaze focused on me, and very aware. A smile curved his lips, edged with madness.

“Bastien?” I whispered.