Page 169

“Yes, my Queen.” I did as she ordered, and she inched closer, her brow pinching with a quick wince. My stomach dropped. “Did I hurt you?”

Her eyes rose to mine again. “You’ve already asked me that question five times.”

“Seven times, actually.” I only had brief memories of feeding from her—at her wrist and then at her throat. I remembered enough to know I hadn’t been gentle. The larger-than-normal wounds on her throat were proof of that. “Did I?”

Poppy saw what I stared at. “Your bite barely hurt.”

She’d said that before, and I knew she lied. I also knew I hadn’t exactly taken care with all that had come after. “You winced.”

“It wasn’t that. Just a bad pain in my temple or jaw. Nothing to do with you. It’s already gone.”

I wasn’t sure I believed her. “I was rough with you. Then and after.”

The washcloth stilled just above my wrist. “I enjoyed every moment of that and then some.”

A rush of satisfaction hit me, but there was no ego-fueled smugness. Another burgeoning worry took shape as my mind continued putting itself together. Poppy had shared a lot with me, but there was one thing she hadn’t mentioned. “Did you ever find out if you need to feed?”

Poppy sat back, still holding my arm as she nodded. “Apparently, all gods have to feed—supposedly not as much as Atlantians, and a god doesn’t have to feed off another god or an Atlantian. Any blood works, as long as it’s not a draken’s.” She paused, her brow pinching. “It’s not really clear how often I need to feed. Using my abilities will speed up the need, as will injuries.”

“Then you need to feed.” I started to lift my wrist to my mouth—

Poppy stopped me, her grip on my arm warm. “You need every drop of blood you have. You need even more blood.”

“I took a lot, Poppy.”

“I feel fine right now,” she said, tilting forward once more, her gaze steady on mine. “And I did have to feed a couple of days ago, right before we hit the road between Three Rivers and Whitebridge. I’d started to feel the need to feed. I…I had to.”

“Kieran,” I said, my eyes searching hers. “You fed from Kieran.”

Her head cocked to the side. “Why am I not surprised that you somehow knew that?”

Knowing that Kieran had given her this aid brought nothing but relief. He would’ve made sure she was comfortable and safe, and that there wasn’t even an ounce of shame to be felt. Gods, I owed him so much. “I couldn’t see you going to anyone else. You’re close to Delano and Vonetta—and the others—but Kieran is…it’s different with him.”

“It is,” she whispered, bending and kissing the damp skin of my arm. “I also figured he was the one person you wouldn’t mind feeding me.”

“I wouldn’t care who you used if you had that need.”

She raised a brow. “Really?”

“Really.”

“So, if I had decided to feed from Emil?” she suggested, and my jaw clenched. “Or Naill—”

“Okay. You’re right,” I admitted. No matter who she sought aid from, I never would’ve held it against her. The other person? Thoughts and prayers for their ass, though. “Kieran is the only one.”

Poppy laughed softly. “I waited for as long as I could because I didn’t want to do it with anyone but you.”

“Because of my selfish-as-hell nature, I appreciate the sentiment. But, Poppy, I wouldn’t want you to wait. You know that, right?” I searched out her gaze. “Your well-being trumps my illogical jealousy.”

“I know. I really do.” Her teeth dragged across her lower lip. “It was different than feeding from you. I mean, I could read Kieran’s memories, but it wasn’t like it is between us.”

“It’s not always like it is with us.” I reached over with my right arm, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “It’s not always so intense. We can control the emotions surrounding the feeding to a certain extent, just like we can make the bite something one should fear or crave.”

“I was wondering about that,” she admitted with a grin. “If you felt like that when you fed from others. You know, for…knowledge purposes.”

“Yes, for knowledge.” Smiling, I trailed my fingers down her cheek.

Her chin lifted. “Why else would I be asking, if not for educational purposes, Cas?”

I trembled. There was no stopping that reaction. “You shouldn’t call me that.”

Her nose wrinkled. “Why? You like it when I do.”

“That’s the problem. I like it too much,” I told her, and she smiled, wide and bright. And, gods, I could live on those smiles. Thrive. “There’s still a lot we need to talk about.”

A whole hell of a lot.

Poppy’s smile faded just a bit as I dropped my right hand back to the side of the tub. “I know. I figure we can talk about how we’re going to get out of Carsodonia once Kieran and your brother return.”