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The floor to ceiling mirror reflected my blood-stained clothes. So much blood. I slowly lifted my hand to the smear across my cheek.

Steam filled the bathroom, fogging up the mirror. I squeezed Bastien’s hand.

Perhaps I was giving in much too easily. He’d sodomized me, and that remembered trauma would never fade. I wouldn’t be okay with that . . . but why did I want to keep hold of his hand. I should be running the other direction. Now that I was a vampire, I could run—yet I stayed.

I could attribute it to a fear of Imogen, but she didn’t know I lived. And as defective as these males were, they wouldn’t betrayme. They may hunt me down and search for me until they found me, but I didn’t believe they would harm me anymore.

“All ready,” Jax said, flicking water from his hands. “I’ll get you a change of clothes.”

“And for Bastien too, please,” I mumbled, still half lost in my thoughts.

I let go of Bastien’s hand to shuck my ruined clothes. I stepped one foot into the bath before turning back to the still clothed vampire who hadn’t taken his eyes off me.

Wrapping my fingers into his hem, I studied the clothing stained with gunk that would never be fully rubbed out of the fabric. Instead of struggling to take it off him, I tore it, baring his chest. The shirt fell to the ground. I reached for his pants and unhooked the loop. With a little shove, they pooled at his ankles.

I ran my fingers over the divot of Bastien’s chest. He made this rumbling sound, shuddering as his eyes slitted shut. If I continued feeling him up, then we’d run out of nighttime.

I stepped into the shower, making sure to scoot closer to the water pelting into my hair, so Bastien fit with me. Water splashed my face. I just stood there, allowing the spray to fall over me and the pinkened liquid to swirl down the drain.

I sank my fingers through my hair, but palms settled on top of mine, taking their place.

“Bastien?” he hummed in answer. His mind had returned. I let my hands drop to my side and embraced his long, strong fingers rubbing into my scalp. Soap dripped down my chest. I let him wash me off. The soothing rub of his hands calmed my racing thoughts. It felt good to have him touch me.

“You seem more comfortable with the Hyde version of me,” Bastien murmured. His deep rumbling voice vibrated in my chest.

“The irony isn’t lost on me,” I said wryly. “This Jekyll version of you—I don’t know him.”

His palm settled on the side of my neck. His hand was so large he could probably wrap one hand around my entire throat.

“Your heart stuttered.”

“You do have your hand around my throat.”

“I would never hurt you.” He grunted. “I’m yours to command.”

And butterflies shouldn’t go off in my stomach at his dark promise.

“For such a big guy, you’re a softie, aren’t you?” I said wryly.

He laughed breathily.

“Only for you, Little One.”

I didn’t doubt it one bit, after watching him tear someone’s head off.

“I have the clothes,” Jax announced from the bedroom. I shook myself from the thrall of our intimate conversation and shut off the water. I plucked the towel from the cubby to the side of the shower and wrapped myself in it, quickly stepping out and into my sneakers.

Bastien didn’t say anything. A good thing because he made me feel fluttery and unsteady.

I shuffled to the bed, where Jax had placed the pile of clothes.

Asher opened the door in the middle of me pulling on sweats and a long-sleeved shirt. The scratchy material sucked, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.

“The girl is here,” Asher said, brushing my wet hair back. I tossed the towel I’d scrunched my hair with.

Stepping out into the main room that webbed into all the bedrooms, I scanned for her, but there was no sign. Steps echoed from down the hall. I hurried around the couch as Talia entered with Sydney right behind her.

Sydney didn’t look at me, she stared straight ahead with a blank look on her face.