Page 63 of Blood Day

A cup of rice. Grilled meat. Green vegetables. And a strange red fruit.

Strawberries, I thought, recalling a visual of this berry from long ago. I’d never actually had one before.

I picked up that item first and took a bite. Sweetness touched my tongue, making me groan at the delectable flavor.

It was almost too much, the sugar going straight to my head. But I devoured it anyway and enjoyed a second one before switching to the vegetables.

The servings reminded me of the bag Master Cedric had given me the other night. I usually received a quarter of this amount of food, but the more I ate, the hungrier I became.

I was picking up my final strawberry—something I’d saved for last on the tray—when Master Cedric returned. He paused on the threshold of the room, watching as I brought the fruit to my mouth.

Part of me wondered if I should stop.

The other part of me couldn’t because I really wanted that piece of fruit.

He said nothing as I bit into it and swallowed, his dark eyes going to my throat before trailing a hot path down my still-naked form.

I’d eaten while standing beside the tray, as I hadn’t known where to sit. I also hadn’t really considered sitting down. The meat and vegetables had already been cut into bite-size pieces, making it easy to spear them with the fork. I’d been too consumed with the strawberries to focus on much else. They were my reward for finishing the other items on the tray.

Master Cedric started toward me as I popped the rest of the strawberry into my mouth, his palm wrapping around my throat as I started chewing.

“You’re supposed to remove the stem part,” he said, his thumb massaging the side of my throat. “It’s not bad for you, but it can alter the flavor.”

As the taste hadn’t bothered me with the others, I swallowed.

His gaze narrowed, then he released me and turned toward his bedroom once more. “Follow me. You need clothes.”

Irritation and hunger continued to roll off of him, the emotions an intoxicating cloud that swirled around me as I trailed behind him.

He pressed a button on the wall. “I need clothes for a human. She’s five-foot-four and petite.”

“Of course, Sire,” a male voice responded. “Would you like them in your quarters?”

“Yes. And I don’t need blood, so don’t come in here and kneel. I’ve already been fed.”

“Of course, Sire,” the voice repeated. “Anything else?”

“Shoes for the human, too.” He glanced at my feet and accurately guessed my size. “Nothing else.”

The male reiterated the same phrase, then the room fell silent.

Master Cedric faced me, his expression giving nothing away. “You’ll tell no one about your experiences here.You’ll forget the name I provided for you. And if anyone asks about your miraculous recovery, you’ll tell them your injuries weren’t severe or that you faked them. Understood?”

My throat felt tight again, my mouth dry, which made my voice a bit raspy as I replied, “Yes, Master Cedric.”

“Good. Answer the door when they knock. Get dressed. I’ll return you to the university in an hour.” With that, he left again for the balcony. The sliding glass doors seemed to slam behind him with a finality that said whatever this had been was done.

We were done.

And I was left gaping after him, never having understood the game at all.

He hadn’t even given me a chance to properly play.

Which is what I wanted, right?

But if that was the case, why did I feel so cold and empty?

I shivered, suddenly feeling more naked than seconds ago.