Page 107 of Claimed By Fangs and Darkness

I barely had time to register what was happening until it was too late.

Aster’s tongue followed the trail of blood. He sucked.

“No,” I said, tears burning my eyes.

The saliva entered my bloodstream, dulling my senses. Aster pulled back, his mouth stained with my blood.

“Just clotting your wounds, dear,” he said. His voice was strained, his eyes ravenous. He swallowed. His lips formed a faint smile. He dabbed at his mouth with a napkin.

The attendant came back with a bandage and salve.

It had only been a small amount of saliva. He hadn’t fully fed.

I was fine. Everything was fine.

Aster cleaned and bandaged my hand. He slowly pulled the bloody chocolate cake toward him.

My stomach soured.

“I’ve never tasted blood like yours in my six hundred years of existence,” he whispered, his gaze fixated on me.

Juliette’s glare burned into the side of my head.

“Unique. Perfect,” he whispered.

I wanted to sink into the floor. An unwanted, sickening pleasure spread from my palm in gentle waves.

The moment a bloody bite of chocolate melted on Aster’s tongue, I felt a deep, unyielding hatred slam into me in the etheric plane. The lights flickered.

Juliette smiled. She batted her eyelashes. Her eyes were pure venom, a splash of darkness against her lacy white exterior.

Dread and panic and shame coated my skin. On the old clock, the arms were two minutes past my time limit.

“It’s time for me to leave,” I said.

Vampires stared at me. They looked to Aster, as if not even they knew what was going to happen next.

I resisted the urge to scan the doorways, to listen closely for any sign of Kylo breaking down the front door.

Aster nodded in disappointment. He set down the fork. “I’ll escort you out.”

A breath released from my lungs.

“I hope next time we get to play, Evie.” Juliette’s ire had completely disappeared. She smiled cheerfully as Aster led me past the powerful, wealthy monsters eyeing me with controlled fervor.

One of the born women twirled a hand in a wave, her lips forming a taunting smirk.

They were all fucking with me. They showed me exactly what they’d wanted me to see, nothing more and nothing less.

Tears welled in my eyes, my palm still radiating decadent warmth.

Aster had fed from me. I felt violated, uncertain, and frightened of Kylo’s reaction. And worse, my anger and hurt were both muted, like they were trapped behind a gentle stream of ecstasy.

“I hope I didn’t cross a boundary,” Aster said, glancing over at me. “I’d love to see you again soon.”

The lump in my throat returned with a vengeance as we descended the steps at the front of the property. My freedom was within reach.

My mother’s scolding voice was loud in my ear, telling me to be quiet and agreeable. I was being too sensitive and dramatic; it really wasn’t a big deal.