Page 5 of Desired for Her Blood

“Because,” Zuben responds, “clearly you cannot control yourself when you feed her, and I do not think it would be wise to introduce any unnecessary variables into the equation.”

“She is not a fucking equation!”

“Of course not.” Zuben shakes his head. “That was ametaphor. Do you understand the word metaphor?”

“You condescending motherfu—”

“Vampire blood,” Zuben cuts Ryker off, “will provide Ember with nourishment and energy, and I hope it will revive her from this comatose state. But I also expect it will have a very strong effect on her libido.”

Ryker shoves Zuben. “Youdoplan to fuck her.”

“No.” Zuben’s voice is louder and firmer than I have ever heard it. “I assure you that fornication is not my objective.” Zuben strokes my cheek.

“Good.” Ryker crosses his arms over his chest. “Wait! What are you saying? You are so fucking cagey.”

Ryker returns his gaze to me, and look into his eyes, hoping to calm the situation, to reassure him that what happened between me and Zuben doesn’t cut into my feelings for him. But that’s a lot to convey without speaking.

And I’m so weak, I can barely keep my eyes open, can’t move my limbs. But every instinct inside me tells me Zuben is right about one thing, I need one of them to feed me. It could be the only way for me to recover from whatever happened.

Whatdidhappen?

Axe!Horrific memories flash in my mind.

My eyes move, trying to look for Axe, but when I try to turn my head a pounding ache slams through my body.

“The bear’s okay.” Ryker says as if he can read my mind, or maybe I spoke? “He went for a swim.”

The splash I heard earlier?

I still can’t make sense of what happened, how I ended up lying here too weak to move, but the parts that are coming back are horrific. That vampire was trying to force Axe to penetrate me, while four of her guards held me aloft.

Sex with Axe is something I want, someday, I think, but not like that, not against both of our wills and with strangers watching.

And I also remember how it felt when Octavia was controlling my movements—my horror and lack of control. I’m sure she was doing the same to poor Axe, and if I know one thing about Axel, I know that even thethoughtof hurting me would nearly kill the sensitive, gentle giant.

In spite of Ryker’s reassurance, every part of me yearns to see Axe for myself and make sure he’s okay.

“You really think it shouldn’t be me?” Ryker asks Zuben, his eyes full of worry. “Last thing I want to do is hurt her.”

Zuben inhales audibly, and then strokes my hair as he exhales. “After further consideration, and knowing that she has already tasted your blood, I do not expect that her reaction will vary based on which vampire provides the elixir.”

The side of Ryker’s mouth quirks up. “Was that the long way for you to say, you go?”

I don’t see Zuben’s response.

Ryker’s fangs release. He tears open a gash in his wrist and then places it over my lips.

Chapter Three

Ember

“That is enough!”Zuben shouts, but I can’t stop.

I’m sucking and swallowing frantically, a tight grip on Ryker’s arm, holding his wrist against my mouth.

Every nerve in my body is sparking at once, a million volts of electricity racing through me, but instead of pain I feel…I feeleverything. Energy, power, pleasure—and lust.

Zuben pinches my cheeks to stop me, but I pull his fingers off my face and his shock is palpable. I don’t care. All I care about is Ryker’s blood and getting as much of it as I can.