Page 11 of Crave Me

Only for the sound of metal whizzing through the air to cut through the moment and ground me in reality once more.

My hand flew upward to catch the knife aimed at my fated mate’s head. Her eyes widened, her focus going to my palm and the deadly blade embedded into my skin. I’d caught it by the sharp end.

Rather than pocket the item, I dropped it and looked at the source of the throw.

Kaspian. I growled at him.

“She’s enchanting you,” he warned, another knife already in his hand. “She’s some sort of goddess-witch hybrid.”

Nyx made a sound of protest, suggesting his terminology had insulted her.

I ignored her and stared calmly at my best friend.She’s my fated mate,I told him. Not all vampires possessed the ability to speak into another’s mind. But I did.

Kaspian couldn’t reply that way. But his expression told me he’d heard me just fine.

Because his cheeks had gone white.

She’s also the entity we’ve been hunting, I added, in case that wasn’t clear.So I’m not enthralled, just surprised.

Each word spoken into my second’s mind further cemented me in reality.

I could still feel the pull totake, but the overwhelming shock of the moment was slowly yielding to sense once more.

Kaspian’s dark eyes rounded. “Fuck.”

Yeah, I agreed. Though, I wasn’t sure if it was because that was what I wanted to do—fuck—or because of the situation.

While Nyx certainly reminded me of a succubus, I wasn’t under her thrall. I was just a slave to our joint fate.

A fate I could reject with a few carefully spoken words. They would free me instantly and give me back my steadfast control.

Except I found myself struggling to voice them.

Because I can use this,I thought to myself, my link to Kaspian having disappeared shortly after my last reply.I can use this to make her explain herself. Then I can reject her.

It would hurt. But I didn’t want to be mated to this creature. She had no House affiliation. She shouldn’t even be here.Andshe’d killed Klas.

I’d gather information, escort her to the appropriate portal, and then send her back to her realm of gods.

Or maybe I’d reject her and kill her.

Being here without an association to a House was a death sentence anyway.

Depending on how she answered my questions, maybe I’d make it quick.

Or prolong the agony if she showed no remorse.

My experience with gods fell firmly in the latter scenario—they very rarely seemed to regret their choices. They were all-knowing and arrogant as fuck as a result.

The ancient mate magic tying my soul to a goddess seemed appropriate, given my history with the gods.

And fate loved to test me.

Fortunately, I’d always enjoyed a good challenge.

This one just happened to be wrapped up in a sexy midnight dress that hugged her assets in a way that tempted me to admire andtouch.

Instead, I returned my attention to the goddess’s alluring golden irises and focused on my task.