Page 40 of Blood Day: Part One

“I should have let you die tonight,” I confided out loud. “Expedited the process by drinking you dry.” It was a notion that had crossed my mind. But I’d killed it almost immediately. “I’m not ready for you to wilt yet. Which I suppose makes me a selfish bastard, but it’s been a long time since something has intrigued me like you do, Lily.”

It was probably just a result of boredom.

This new world took the surprise and excitement out of every situation.

“I didn’t understand why you enrolled in my course,” I continued, aware that she couldn’t hear me at all. But I felt like talking to her, so I did. “I immediately pulled up your records and saw they were almost flawless, so it became apparent to me that you were one of the many humans attempting to qualify for the Immortal Cup.”

I checked my email once more, noted that I’d gone through enough for the day, and set the tablet aside so I could lie down beside her in the bed.

I’d already lost my shirt and shoes when I’d grabbed the washcloth earlier, and I’d swapped my dress pants for a pair of sweats. But I’d left Lily in her clothes, unsure of how she preferred to sleep.

She was still on her back, her beautiful body healing.

I went to my side, propping my head up on my hand and placing my opposite palm on her stomach. Then I pulled up her shirt to study her creamy skin. The initial signs of bruising had disappeared, confirming my blood was doing its job.

I drew my thumb around her belly button, sighing. “It’s true that scores can help you qualify for the Immortal Cup. But genetics play a large part in it as well. And your genetics mark you as ideal for a harem. You’re beautiful and petite, and I imagine your advisor—if that term is even accurate—is pushing you toward sexual arts classes. That’s likely why you’ve taken two in the last year.”

It would also have something to do with her age.

But the powers that be would want to know how she performed sexually to confirm their harem assessment.

“Prospects are preselected for the Immortal Cup. Sometimes a prospect with insanely high scores can qualify as a replacement, but it’s not what you think. None of it is. They choose nearly three dozen, then immediately cut the numbers by allowing each royal and each alpha to pick one candidate for their harem. Then only twelve go on to compete.”

That competition was then televised for all the mortals to see.

Giving them all a false hope of a future they could attain if they just worked harder.

And it seduced humans like my Lily to kill herself trying to become an immortal.

“It’s a sadistic system meant to break the spirits of your kind,” I added softly, my knuckles brushing her flat abdomen. “I’m sorry, Lily. If I could help you pursue this path, I would. But you were destined to fail before you even began.”

I leaned down to brush a kiss against her forehead.

Then I sighed again—a sound I seemed to make a lot in her presence—and settled into my pillow. “We’ll discuss more when you wake,” I said, my palm flattening against her abdomen.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had another person in my bed.

A century or two ago, maybe?

Silvano often gifted me his used-up harem members, but I didn’t fuck them. I fed them and left them to heal in a guest room instead.

It just wasn’t all that appealing to me to have his leftovers.

There were only two that I’d killed just to put them out of their misery. They were going to die anyway, and their lifeless eyes had seemed to beg me to do it.

Unlike Lily.

She was so full of life and determination, even when she’d started to fall asleep in my arms tonight. I’d felt her desire to live like a push against my conscience.

It’d been refreshing and made my gift to her all the more worth it.

Maybe I could find a way to keep her.

Of course, that would set her in Silvano’s sights.

So perhaps not.

However, she was mine for the moment.