Page 150 of Claimed By Fangs and Darkness

I threw out an earlier date to appease Aster, but mostly because I wanted to kill Juliette as soon as possible. Next visit, I’d need to plant the seed to lure her away, to meet her on my terms for once.

“I’m willing to spend time with Juliette too,” I added, as if begrudgingly.

Aster’s face softened. He stroked my shoulder, delighted when I didn’t pull away. “Very well. Then tell your handlers you overheard guards mention a new shipment arriving tomorrow. They’ll see it arrive, perhaps attempt to intercept it, all thanks to you. Blood replenishing potions and the like. To ensure your return.”

I offered a demurethank you. I let him whisk me through the maze of bodies. I swallowed my nausea as Aster danced with me, his amber eyes locked on mine. He inhaled deeply. His eyes were tinged with vampiric desire.

Sequined girls in my periphery were performing burlesque amid multicolored lanterns that dropped from the ceiling. Thirsty born men and women circled them, perhaps waiting patiently for the show to end so they could feed off their most desired performer.

Everything in this space radiated a delicious, chaotic form of magick. Lillian’s magick. I was caught between the sick feeling in my stomach and the unavoidable influence of wave after wave of energetic pleasure and power.

Intoxicating darkness, violence, sex, and wealth flaunted without shame or restraint. Here in this cocoon of mindless hedonism, there was no guilt, terror, or fear of death.

No one here knew what it felt like to be mortal. To be in love for the first time with a vulnerable, open heart. To fight powers greater than themselves. To bravely believe in something more than what can be known from flesh and ego. To hope or dream or sacrifice for the good of people they will never know or meet.

As I looked around the room, I wondered if any of these vampires had known Vernon, the man who traumatized my brother when he was only seven years old. How many of these vampires had hurt children themselves?

“May I?” a voice asked sweetly.

Juliette was in a new dress, a white gown with floral detailing that was sickeningly familiar. I wasn’t sure why her copying my wardrobe bothered me as much as it did.

I took a deep breath. Here was my chance to ask Juliette what the fuck she was doing with my blood, and then I could leave and shower this night away.

Aster grinned when I willingly let go of him and moved toward Juliette. Even if every fiber of my being protested the action.

The witch who killed Princeton smiled warmly. She looped her arm around my waist and pulled me close.

“You look really pretty today,” she whispered in my ear.

All around us, vampires had stopped what they were doing to stare at us. Their eyes lit up, auras flushed red. Aster didn’t move, watching us as if he were straining against his own dark desire.

Juliette and I were being fetishized. My skin crawled, wanting to be anywhere but here. I heard my mother’s voice in my ear, telling me to behave. To take it. To be grateful I was pleasing my born masters.

“Why did you take my blood?” I hissed with a smile. The music and revelry were loud enough to cover up our whispers.

Juliette frowned.

As much as it hurt, I finally switched tactics.

“You look pretty today too,” I forced out.

Juliette glowed as if I’d given her the whole world. “I’m not going to hurt you, Evie—not unless you try to hurtus.”

“So you took it as insurance?”

She cocked her head. “What does that mean?”

Oh, good gods.

“Isn’t this nice?” Juliette asked. “We don’t have to be alone anymore.”

I studied Juliette, and I hated the way my mind let even a drop of pity bleed through the cracks.

“Oh,” she murmured, reaching for her nose.

Blood trickled from her left nostril. Juliette stared at her finger. Her eyelids fluttered. She collapsed.

Aster rushed to catch her with vampiric speed. Her small body spasmed in his hold.