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“No.” He caught my hand. “I’ve never had someone happy to see me.” His expression turned chagrined, and the slightest pink flush rose up his neck. “I mean?—”

I slid my arms around his waist again, flushing myself tight to his hard body.

“Where is everyone,” I asked, muffled by his shirt.

“Getting everything settled.” I was glad I didn’t have to take charge of anything like that. A perk of being around centuries old vampires that knew how to handle themselves. Not being relied on to keep things together felt really fucking good. I’d always had to worry about someone. I still did—Peter—but it wasn’t as hard anymore. I had them.

The simple phrase ‘I had them’ shouldn’t drown me with such relief, but I couldn’t help it.

“I’m here to feed you.”

As soon as he brought attention to blood, a burn infested my throat.

I pulled back so I didn’t sink my teeth into him. Liquid sloshed and my gaze dropped to the blood bag in his hands. I curled my lip, dropping my arms. I was not a fan of human blood. It didn’t satiate the cravings or taste good.

“No thanks.” His gaze followed mine to the bag in his hand.

“This is for me.” He tossed it on the bed, and it bounced once before the bag settled, blood swishing side to side. Jax grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it up in a quick drag. He bared his chest, allowing me the full view of his long torso.

My fangs burst free, and I slapped my palm over my mouth. My eyes dropped to the golden hair trail leading to the waistband of his jeans.

“I don’t . . .” A burn in my gums overtook my words. He looked absolutely delicious. He strode directly toward me. “We should get someone else in here. I don’t know if I can control myself.”

He did not, in fact, stop. He crowded me until my legs hit the bed and I sprawled onto my back.

Using my heels, I slid up on the bed, still trying to get away from him. He placed his knees on the edge of the bed and crawled up. I was trying to keep him safe, for God’s sake.

I licked my lips, and a cut opened on my tongue. My blood was nowhere near as delicious.

“Jax,” I breathed, my eyes wide as his face hovered over mine. I scanned the chiseled line of his jaw.

“Yes, Kitten?” he said gruffly, his accent thicker.

“Are you sure?” I wasn’t sure what I asked about. Choosing me, turning from Imogen, feeding me—maybe it was all of it.

He ran the back of his hand up my jaw until his thumb petted my cheek. There was such warmth and affection in his lapis blue eyes. There had been the slightest hint of it before the urn situation—or because of this elusive ‘ring’ they mentioned to Calliope that day she had us come to her place for that dumb test, but I didn’t buy that for Jax. He’d been holding on to the idea of Imogen.

“If you change your mind again.” I pursed my lips, shaking my head.

“Feed, Kitten.” Jax scratched a thin line at the base of his neck. Blood welled to the surface. I dragged him down, burying my fingers into his hair and pressed my mouth flush to the cut. Upon the first taste, need roared through my veins.

I hooked my arms more securely around his head and opened my legs to cradle him on top of me. His hips gyrated forward, and I snaked my legs around his waist until his shaft rubbed against my core. We simultaneously groaned.

His neck craned to the side allowing me even closer. Every part of the front of my body touched him. I moaned, running my tongue against his skin. He jerked his hips up, driving into my sex.

My fangs burst out and I sank my fangs into his neck. His skin popped satisfyingly, eliciting shivers from me. The rub ofmy nipples against his chest felt so good, even with clothes between us.

“Fuck. You feel so good,” he groaned in my ear. A hot flush worked though my sex. Even his husky voice made me wet. I gyrated my hips in a circle. The motion rubbed me against the hard seam of his jeans. I cried out against his throat. A bit of his blood trickled out of the corner of my mouth. I pulled back to lick my lips.

Warmth traveled through my veins. He felt so good and tasted even better. Jax’s chest moved up and down in a sharp movement. He cupped my jaw, staring into my eyes.

“Gorgeous, female.” The blood I just took from him filled my cheeks. Jax wasn’t sweet like this.

“What have you done with Jax?”

He chuckled.

“What haveyoudone to him?” The heat on my face didn’t get any better. I opened my mouth to say I didn’t even know, but his lips caught mine. His tongue delved into my mouth and caressed with demanding sweeps. We kissed with the desperation of two lovers coming back together. Tears trickled from the corners of my eyes.