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“Mmm,” she softly moaned after stealing a tiny sip and licking her lips. “It’s not at all what I expected.” She pressed her fingers to her lips and smiled. “You taste so sweet but earthy, like cinnamon sugar and cloves.”

Adriel tried to maintain a clinical tone but her voice quivered. “Y-you’ll need more than one single lick.”

Her gaze got lost in the dusting of freckles across Juniper’s nose. Her full lips darkened around the edges, and the thick line of her lashes accentuated her deep-set eyes in a way thatentranced Adriel. She had never noticed how gorgeous Juniper was, but now it seemed all she could see.

“Maybe if we…” Juniper glanced at the pillows. “Is it weird if we lay down?”

“Not at all.” She cleared her throat, once again second-guessing herself. We can do it however you’re most comfortable.”

Juniper scooted to the center of the bed and turned to face the far wall, giving Adriel room at the edge to lay her body behind hers. “Like this?” She looked back with such trust in her eyes that it stole Adriel’s breath away.

Throat suddenly tight, she nodded.

They rested on their sides, staring straight ahead, swallowed by the heavy silence. Adriel scooted closer, aligning her body with Juniper’s. She slowly draped her arm over her and swallowed.

Juniper took her wrist and pulled it closer to her mouth. Her breath fanned across Adriel’s skin, and chills chased across her chest. The bed creaked as she adjusted her position so they lay even closer. Juniper’s heartbeat fluttered erratically. “Is this okay?”

Adriel stared over her shoulder, afraid to look anywhere else. “I offer my blood freely to you, Juniper. Please take all that you need.”

Her delicate mouth closed over Adriel's vein, and she sucked in a sharp breath, this time somehow more excruciatingly poignant than the last.

“Did I hurt you?”

“No. It just felt…different than other times.”

“Oh. Sorry.” She nestled closer, a soft flush tinging her cheeks. “I’ll try to be quick.”

“No rush.” Adriel breathed in the soft scent of her hair. With her belly pressed so close to her back, she worried she might feel how it fluttered and swooped with each gentle sip. Something warm twisted inside of her. She leaned closer and whispered, “You smell like the rain.”

A soft moan answered as her lips pressed tighter to her flesh. Every pull of her warm mouth made a delicate kissing sound, awakening something inside Adriel.

What was happening?

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, her free hand gently sifting through her hair. “You’re doing very good.”

She loved the scent of rain when it first hit the earth. Juniper had the same fresh scent, perhaps because she was soft and delicate, one with the elements.

She’d been so frightened when she collapsed in the kitchen. The thought of anything happening to her was too terrifying to entertain. Adriel shyly lay a hand over her and a wave of satisfaction washed through her.

“We need you at your strongest.” Her fingers loosely twirled a strand of her hair. “You take as much as you need.”

Adriel looked up at the headboard, but there was no making sense of the feelings rushingthrough her. She had no basis for comparison. Her body was hot and needy. She didn’t trust herself to move.

Juniper released her wrist all too soon. She twisted, turning her body so they faced each other. Adriel searched her eyes, unsure why she was looking at her in such a way. It was like being caught in a secret where only the two of them existed.

Juniper smiled and slid a hand into her hair. “Is this too close?”

Her heart stilled, unsure of her intentions. Their breath mingled as Adriel shook her head. It was purely indecent, but she couldn’t pull herself away. She needed to know what would happen next.

Her fingers laced together with hers. “I’ve never done this before,” she whispered.

It seemed clear she wasn’t speaking of feeding anymore. Perhaps this was a good time to point out their age difference and the fact that they were both female. But Adriel remained quiet, her heart now thumping wildly against her ribs.

“My heart is beating so fast,” she whispered, unsure what else to say.

Juniper cocked her head and laughed. “I can hear it. Is that from the blood?”

“Feeding does have a way of heightening the senses.” Her throat was parched but she was too nervous to swallow.