Page 156 of Bonds of Starfall

Among the sadness, the wild rush of love. It made her wish he were hers, utterly.

Their Souls were strung together.

Rhyden seemed to feel it too—whatever consuming thing that filled the room, shifting in the shadows. "Mine," he growled against her mouth, just before he kissed her, biting down on her lower lip.

A muffled scream fell from her lips; he swallowed it, his fingers diving between her thighs.

She came undone in a rush of stuttered moans, and she swore the very air warbled around them, shadows stretching. He didn’t stop. Breathless, she grew lax, letting him work into her body to seek his own release. Her eyes drifted to the side, finding a strange shape on the wall.

A man-like shape.

Rhyden’s hips snapped, bruising her insides.

The silhouette flickered over the wall, a hand reaching out for her.

Fangs teased the thundering pulse point at her neck.

Rin tilted her head to the side, eyes on the shadow as she whispered, "Drink from me."

Rhyden was tooundone in his chase for pleasure to focus closely on why Vesperin was so willing to let him drink from her.

She felt like heaven around him, clenching, warm, tight.Fuck.

Rhyden’s nose swept down the side of her neck. The blood racing in her veins roared in his eardrums. He licked the sweat from her neck, hips stilling. He opened his mouth wide. Finally?—

His fangs pierced her flesh with a low pop. Her warm, cherry-scented blood filled his mouth in a surge of ecstasy.

As he drank greedily, she clenched around him. Her nails cut into his shoulders, and he fucking loved it. He wished she would scar his physical body forever, something to match the scars she’d left on his Soul.

He could fuck her for eternity, leave her unsatisfied and dripping in his bed, and it still wouldn’t be enough for his revenge.

His senses grew hazy, body languid, unresponsive. He groaned around her neck, realizing his fangs had come free. Red stained the sheets and his mouth and her pale skin.

Rhyden was shoved to the side—too easily, unable to fight it. His cock slipped out of her, and he groaned, limbs useless, eyes half-lidded. He blinked blearily, and her face came into view,cheeks flushed, teeth digging into her swollen lower lip. Her white hair hung over her face as she stared down at him.

"I’m sorry," she said, but the words were too echoey.

"What… did you… do to me?" he slurred.

Vesperin lifted his arms above his head. Something tightened around his wrist. He jolted as panic crept through the daze.

Rope.

"No." Rhyden strained against the bindings. She looped them through the headboard, forcing his arms above his head. "Vesperin!Vesperin, goddamn you for this!" he slurred. "Come here… come to me, Vesperin!"

Her face came back into view. Through the blur of his eyesight, he saw the tears in her eyes.

"I trusted you," Rhyden managed to get out past the numb tingling in his lips. His sluggish mind worked to understand:

She’d done something—taken something—tricked him into drinking from her.

Vesperin’s delicate hand touched his cheek. "This is not betrayal. This is to keep you safe, even if you hate me. I don’t want anyone to get hurt for me, not anymore." She bent down, and he felt her warm, slick lips kiss his temple. "I hope you can forgive me for this," she whispered.

He blinked. Everything went out of focus.

When Rhyden opened his eyes again, he felt a warm sheet being draped over him, and Vesperin stood at the weapons wall, pulling free ammo cartridges.

Blinked again, and she was at the door, staring at him with longing in her eyes, breaking through his drugged haze.