Page 1 of Feeding Frenzy (Crimson Coven #3)

ONE

catalina

I squeezed Asher’s silk sheets under my cheek. How much time had passed of me just sobbing into the bed to the point that tears no longer flowed?

I sniffled. It had to be a minimum of a few hours. Even after letting all the negativity out, the throb in my chest hadn’t disappeared.

This all had to be some joke. Some alien controlling my life was out there laughing at my misfortune.

I weakly flopped over and scooted to the edge of the bed. It even hurt to sit up. I groaned and scrubbed my face. With all the effort I could muster, I pushed to my feet and trudged to Asher’s bathroom.

I nudged the door open the rest of the way and my reflection stared back at me. Messy hair, red face, blood shot eyes. Oh, God. I dropped my gaze. Best not to focus on how bad I looked.

Instead, I focused on my products nicely lined up to the left of the sink. Maddy, the human they brought to look after me, must have set them all up for me. The serum for my frizzy hair, a blow dryer, face wash, and hyaluronic acid serum . . . the expensive bottles laughed at me. All that and I looked like I’d had a fight with a vacuum, and the vacuum won.

My knees buckled and I leaned against the wall. It’d only been a night since she arrived, and I was drained, emotionally and physically.

I slid down until my butt was on the floor and my knees scrunched against my chest, close enough to rest my chin on.

I exhaled shakily and shoved my fingers into my hair. This was a fucking mess, and I held it together by a thread.

That female vampire—I clenched my teeth. Imogen. Her torn clothes, her ragged appearance. She had suffered away from my—her vampires. The way she broke down about being captured? No one deserved that, but I couldn’t help fixating on what her appearance meant.

Would they kill me now that she’d returned? Or maybe keep me around, feeding on me only when the craving struck. My stomach churned unpleasantly. That seemed exponentially worse. I groaned and pressed my fingertips into my eyes.

The uncertainty killed me.

A touch on my shoulder saved me from drowning in the doom my thoughts evoked. Asher crouched next to me, a soft smile on his lips. His palm slid behind my neck, and I stiffened. What was about to come out of his mouth?

“I’m sorry it took me so long to come check on you,” he whispered, bending low to look me in the eyes. His long golden hair fell forward, and his light blue eyes peered into mine. “Catalina.”

He clicked his tongue disapprovingly. “Nothing will change, ?lskade .”

It took my sluggish brain an extra moment. I understood his words, but I didn’t believe them. It was impossible for nothing to change.

“B-but she’s here,” I croaked.

His eyebrows furrowed and winged down.

“Pet,” he sighed. “You will never be rid of me. I told you this.”

For a brief moment, elation expanded in my chest and just as quickly it was smushed under the heel of my thoughts. Did that mean they would keep me while she still remained here? I jerked my head to the side to try to get him to let me go, but I was unsuccessful. I simultaneously wanted to fight him and take off running. If that was what they wanted to do, I couldn’t do anything to stop it.

“I will not stick around like a second option?—”

“Catalina,” he interrupted me, exasperated. “You’re not understanding. Nothing will change. We will keep you. Imogen has no place here.”

I blinked. Had I taken some sort of hallucinogen? Asher clasped my face between his large palms, pursing my lips with the grip. “But.”

My stomach hit the ground. “Don’t look at me with those eyes,” he said huskily. “We have to tread carefully when we convey that to her. She has to get healed up and . . . the vampires she Sired: me, Jaxon, Tobias, and many others thought we were free when we believed her dead. But now?” He shook his head. “There is a certain respect that must be extended to your Sire.” His eyes flicked to the side. “She’s always been impulsive. She’d easily kill you,” he whispered the last part. Agony flared through his eyes, forcing his brows together. “We need time. I need to talk to everyone, without her around, so we can plan.” He swiped his thumb across the dampness lingering on my cheek.

“And everyone is on the same page? About me?” He knew what I was asking. Jax’s love had returned, what he’d been bitter about from the start. No way would he stay with me.

“Ren is and Bastien goes without saying. Tobias will agree as soon as I get a moment to speak with him. He’s been making calls, attempting to get information on how to best proceed against Wrenhaven. Jax . . .” He cleared his throat. “I haven’t had a moment alone with him. If he wants to leave with her, then I will not fight him on it.”

I hugged myself, as if trying to hold my insides from spilling out. Jax would leave me. He would choose her. Nausea twisted my stomach. He’d been so protective recently. In a way I could have gotten used to. I squeezed my eyes tightly shut. Every time we seemed to make headway with each other, we were ripped a hundred steps back, and there was no return this time. “Will you be patient, Pet?”

I bit the inside of my cheek.

“If I say no?” I finally whispered after a few breaths, because it hurt to try to talk past the thickness in my throat.

Red bled through his irises, and his lip curled up. He grabbed the back of my neck, drawing me to his face while he leaned down to look into my eyes. His fingernails felt like claws prickling my skin and I winced. His gaze returned to normal and his hold softened.

“Catalina.” His sharp incisors flashed and he paused, closing his eyes. “Let us untangle her webs. We are yours. Just give us time.”

Time? I clenched my teeth. Okay, if I took a step back and observed this like an outsider, I understood the need for time. They thought she was dead, for God’s sake. On top of that, she’d been held captive and by the looks of it, tortured. But understanding didn’t make it hurt any less.

“It doesn’t sound like I have much of an option.” Did I sound a little pissy? Yes, but I could only be so graceful about the situation. His nostrils flared with an audible inhale.

“Blood.” He gripped my forearm and dragged the sweater down to unveil the bandage. Blood seeped through the thin wrap I’d found under his sink. He held my arm in a hard grip that continued to tighten. By the look of his moving jawline, he was gritting his teeth. He looked pissed. He ripped the bandage off my arm to look at what lay underneath it.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” His fangs flashed with his chastising words. They extended from his gums. “Sorry, Pet, you smell so good that I can’t control them.” A genuine smile perked the corner of my lips. The first one since the event . Lifting my arm, he brought it to his mouth to slide his tongue over the jagged wounds. He licked the dried blood clean off. I closed my eyes, sighing from the relief of his tongue spreading his healing saliva across the punctures. “Fucking Tobias never should have asked you to feed her,” he snapped. “She shredded your precious skin.”

“I was the only human around,” I said in defense of Tobias, but I didn’t sound convincing even to my ears. Asher raised a single blond eyebrow at me, not even a little in agreement. A ticklish sensation spread across my wrist. The wound looked the same, no, it was smaller. So freaking weird. I focused on Asher’s tight expression. He continued fussing over my wrist and muttering under his breath.

They were choosing me, or at least most of them were—I wouldn’t lose them. He continued staring down at my ticklish bite marks with eyebrows furrowed. His concern seemed so poignant and real. Warmth crawled through my veins. I tossed my arms around his neck, pressing my lips to his.

He grunted, taking my full weight to the chest. I clung to him, angling my head to slip my tongue into his mouth. He softened under my touch, arms sliding around my waist to band me tight to him. I flicked my tongue against the inner side of his fang.

Asher groaned, fingers flexing into my waist and in a whirlwind of motion he was on his knees with me hoisted against him, clasping me against his chest. His cock shoved against my belly and lips against mine. My God, he tasted so good.

“I want.” Kiss. “To take.” Lick. “A shower.” Nibble.

“My ?lskade gets what she wants,” he said gruffly against my mouth.

His fang pierced my lip, and he sucked on it. I gasped. Pleasure bloomed from the wound with each of his sucks. My eyes closed.

He hoisted me high enough for me to wrap my legs around his waist. He was moving, but I wouldn’t be able to tell up from down. The shower sputtered to life. Asher’s hand slid to my ass, and he lifted me a little higher. Water sprayed my back, plastering my shirt to my body.

“Asher,” I gasped, pulling away from his mouth. He chuckled, turning to shield me from the spray, set me down, and started pulling the clothes off me with a sharp tug. “What is it with you vampires and ripping clothes?”

The tattered bits of fabric plopped on the shower floor with a wet splat.

“Makes getting to your delicious body faster,” he whispered against my ear, eliciting a shiver. “And you know how much I love it.”

I jolted from the word. He said it so flippantly, as if it held no meaning. He clasped my face in both hands and tipped my face up. His blue eyes searched mine.

“You are all that matters to us.”

Again, with the ‘us’.

I hummed.

“What, you don’t believe me?” His eyebrow twitched. I said nothing and pursed my lips. “Looks like I’ll have to prove it to you,” he purred. Asher dropped to his knees in a smooth glide.

“What are you doing?” The spray of water pelted my chest and his shoulders. He wrapped his hand around my calf. “Asher, I’m going to fall—” My complaint turned into a squeak. He hooked my leg over his shoulder, while simultaneously corralling me against the side. My shoulders hit the tile of the shower’s wall.

“Trust me, Catalina,” he purred. “I’ll never let you fall.” There was a promise in his vow that made my heart take a staggering leap. His blond hair was plastered to his shoulders as he lowered his head, burying his mouth at the apex of my thighs. He dragged his tongue up my slit. I gasped, my hips twitching up.

He repeated the motion, then rolled his tongue around my clit at the apex of my pussy. He was painfully good at teasing. Asher peeked up at me through wet lashes, a playful look in his blue eyes. Dangerous vampire. I could only imagine him as a human. Just as unrepentant as he was right now. He dragged his front teeth along my clit. I gasped, my head thumping against the tile.

Hoisting me up a little higher, he widened the gap between my thighs. Asher grazed his blunt teeth on the bundle of nerves again. I jolted as if electrocuted.

He chuckled and the sudden invasion of his fingers sliding into my core shocked me so much I stiffened.

“Relax,” he murmured against my sex.

At the order, my body listened, my legs becoming limp around his shoulders. I caught the slightest smirk on Asher’s lips, and then his mouth covered my sex, sliding his tongue under my clit to flick it expertly.

I closed my eyes, feeling every bit of his skill. My toes curled and I couldn’t have formed a coherent word if I wanted. I tried to move my hips up to grind against him, but he kept me firmly pinned. Instead, I grabbed and yanked at his hair with the swell of my orgasm.

Asher groaned, angling his head to slide his tongue even deeper into my core. His chin pressed against my inner thigh.

Sharp cries echoed off the bathroom walls. My whining moans would have embarrassed me as an outsider, but all I could focus on was his tongue and the spine-tingling tension taking hold of my tender core.

Asher hummed against me, thrusting his tongue in and out, incessantly, wringing every bit of my orgasm free. I could feel my channel gripping onto his tongue like it was his cock.

I whimpered, rolling my head against the tile at my back. He was so good at licking me. I floated down from the pinnacle of my release, my breaths tuning into harsh panting. Asher pulled away from my swollen flesh. I kept my hands delved into his hair, gripping onto it like it was rope.

“Sorry,” I croaked and untangled my fingers.

He chuckled and gently set my feet on the floor. He stood and water ran down the shirt plastered to his body in rivulets.

I ran my hands down the dips of his chest. He shuddered at my caress and smiled down at me with soft eyes.

As I finished washing off, Asher removed his wet clothes and stepped out. He hooked a towel around his waist and turned to me with a fresh one, holding it open for me.

I leaned forward until the soft fibers touched my front. Asher swept me into his arms and carried me to the bed, tossing me on the surface. My body bounced with squeaks escaping my lips. Asher landed on top of me, his damp hair falling around his shoulders. He grinned down at me.

The loud bang of the door shutting turned our attention to Ren.

“Everyone in the house can hear you,” Ren announced. “Next time, close the door.” He directed the order at Asher, who just scoffed. “I brought your computer.” He waved it at me and set it on the chair to the side of the door.

I glared at him. He didn’t mean everyone, he meant Imogen. Before, it wasn’t a problem if the door was left open, but now it was?

“Sorry to have bothered your precious Imogen,” I said through my teeth, yanking the towel around my chest. My face burned.

“Ren,” Asher groaned and closed his eyes, head tilting back.

Imogen this—Imogen that. Stop. I needed to quit that line of thought. They were useless to me and only put me in a bad mood. I yanked the towel securely under my armpits and scooted to the edge of the bed. Asher cupped my shoulder.

My lips thinned and I shoved him off me. He grabbed at me again. I took advantage of the fact that he was gentle. I slipped out of his reach again, heading directly to the door.

I fisted my hands at my side, practically stomping toward the door. I didn’t know where I was headed but fuck this. A thick arm banded against my stomach and swept me back. I yelped, suddenly airborne, then I landed on the bed with an explosive breath—again. Ren hovered at the side of the bed, lips turned down.

“What did I do?” Ren’s confusion would have sounded cute, if it didn’t piss me off. I slitted my eyes up at him.

“Upset her,” Asher snapped.

“I’m lost.” Ren scowled. Of course he wouldn’t get it.

His eyebrows raised even higher, but why did he look like he was enjoying this? I grabbed a pillow and threw it at his face with all my might. The pillow stopped an inch from smacking into his face because he swatted it to the floor. I couldn’t even have that. Frustration bubbled over and manifested into tears. I wish I was a more violent person. One that took pleasure in hurting things like them. Yet, here I was, blubbering like a baby.

“Don’t,” I shouted as Asher reached out to touch me. He retreated.

“Well done, Ren.” Asher sighed.

“Explain it.” He snarled at Asher, no longer sounding smug.

“You seemed concerned for Imogen.”

“Shut it,” I snapped at Asher, scooting to the end of the bed. “I’m just extra sensitive right now.”

“This is because of Imogen?” He scoffed, shaking his head. “You were to explain that nothing would change. Catalina will remain under our protection. She is ours,” he said it almost accusatorially.

“I explained it to her.” The biting tone in Asher’s voice turned icy.

“Then I do not understand the issue,” Ren said scowling.

I didn’t either. I really was just extra sensitive.

Ren reached for me, and I stiffened my spine, avoiding his grip.

“Come here.”

“No.”

By the look in his eyes, he took it as a dare. He suddenly pounced, much too fast for me to throw myself out of his way.

I tried to keep my back straight, but he leaned so close to my face that I couldn’t help but flinch a little. His brown eyes studied mine.

“No?” he said it as a question, then grinned until his dimple made a showing. He kept coming. I used my heels to push off his thighs and slide back. The towel slipped free and I scrambled backwards naked.

His large hand gripped my ankle. I flipped over, struggling to get onto my knees, but he dragged me. My breasts rubbed against the silk sheets.

I fought against him, kicking frantically to free myself. A slap stung my butt. I yelped, and the crying cut off, due to my shock. The sharp sting radiated toward my sensitive sex. I stayed frozen and in silence, trying to figure out how to react.

I didn’t have time to catch up to my feelings, because Ren flipped me over. I landed on my back with a grunt. He climbed up the bed, jostling me until his mouth hovered over mine. He hooked my leg up and around one hip.

“Naughty human,” he said, slapping the meaty part where my ass met my leg. I jolted, my entire body tensing. Oddly enough, a swell of lust flamed to life. He lowered and claimed my lips. He shoved his tongue inside my mouth, leading the kiss with violent flicks. A touch on my jaw forced my chin up and he deepened the kiss.

I became mush under his skillful touch. Sinking my fingers into his hair, I kissed him just as fervently. One of his sharp incisors sliced into my lip and they weren’t even extended. Ren sucked on my tongue. I jolted against him, hiking to grind myself against his hard body hovering over me.

He moaned and his palm settled on my hip, jerking me tighter to his body. My clit quivered and fanned the flames of my lust. Whimpering, I hooked my legs more securely and dug my calves into his back to hoist myself onto him. He hissed against my mouth and I could feel his fangs distend.

I flicked my tongue against the smooth side. Ren pulled up with a gasp. His hands moved at lightning speed to yank his cock free of his jeans.

He fed himself into my sex, with a sigh against my lips. I shuddered, arching my hips upwards to take his full girth. The stretch made my eyes cross.

Ren pumped the entire length out and then inside me. The silky shaft wrenched more moans from my mouth.

I no longer had control of my neck, and I found myself facing Asher. As Ren continued gliding in and out of me, Asher had positioned himself at my side, his golden, damp hair grazing my arm. His blue gaze devoured my features, and his thumb slid across my lip. Ren pounded into me hard, wrenching a cry from me. Asher’s tongue flicked across his lower lip and his gaze wouldn’t release mine as Ren continued thrusting.

“Look at me,” Ren snarled, forcing my head straight. He thrust so hard that the bed jolted and the sound of our skin slapping together rang through the room.

Asher chuckled.

“The bastard got jealous.” His sweet breath fanned across my cheek. “And, Pet, Ren doesn’t get jealous about anything.”

Ren snarled and his pace picked up. Cries spilled from my mouth with each violent thrust. I could feel him so deep inside me. He angled my head and sank his fangs into the side of my neck. I gasped, my entire body clenching up.

Asher’s lustful gaze snagged mine again.

He almost seemed fascinated. He reached for my face, his fingertip hovering over my lips. Ren thrust again, the release crashed into me, and I cinched my eyes closed. Sensation coursed through every part of me. The ache throbbed through my sex, manifesting in a trembling of my legs I couldn’t control.

Ren grunted into my ear and my channel responded to the jolt of his cock inside me.

“I fucking love the look on your face when you come,” Asher murmured huskily. I dropped my gaze to his hand wrapped around his stiff shaft. My body reacted, tensing up with the throb of lust.

Ren grunted, pulling his fangs from my neck.

“Yes,” he hissed. “Grip me with your tight little cunt.” He pumped lazily. My legs wouldn’t stop trembling. Ren leaned down and kissed my nipple. His shaft popped out from my sex and liquid trickled free. I squeezed my legs closed, as if I could hold their release and my need inside me.

Ren tucked his arms under my waist and scooted down to rest his cheek against my belly.

I shivered from the remnants of the pleasure fading. Asher tossed his arm across me, tucking himself under my boobs.

I sighed, nuzzling into the crook of Asher’s embrace. As the panic and pain of the last few days abated, reality crawled forward. So much had been happening with me, I hadn’t checked my email.

“Can I borrow your phone?” I whispered to Asher. Ren had brought my computer, but it seemed like too much effort to get up and grab it. It was definitely laziness.

Asher leaned away to rifle through the nightstand.

Ren rolled to the opposite side, propping his head on his palm while his other hand stayed on my thigh. He dragged his fingertips up between my breasts and down to my belly button. Again and again. A shiver coasted down my spine.

“I’ll make sure to order you one,” Asher said as he handed me his device. I found myself staring at a picture of myself—sleeping. I peeked at him from the corner of my eye.

“Stalker activities?”

All he did was smile.

I swiped the phone open and navigated to the web browser to log into my email. Yes! Peter had finally emailed me. I grinned.

“I don’t believe she’s ever smiled at us like that.” Asher tsked. I peeked up under my lashes to glare at him, but his attention was on Ren.

Whatever. My brother was different from them. I refocused on Peter’s words.

He’d arrived and magically, somehow, he’d found Asher’s contact information saved in his phone and would call me when he caught up with everything he’d left up in the air. When had Asher saved his information on Peter’s phone?

“You guys really did know I would get him away.”

Asher smiled.

“Thank you.” I slid my arms around his neck, leaning so close until my cheek rested against his chest.

Asher hooked my leg over his hip. With a smooth twitch of his hips, he seated himself deep inside me. My sensitive sex clasped onto him. I wiggled to move on him, but his hold stiffened on my knee. The bed jostled from Ren moving higher on the bed.

“Keep it right here, Pet,” Asher murmured huskily.

Ren’s hand at the dip of my waist tightened and his cock prodded at my entrance. The same one as Asher. I sucked in a breath, bracing for the stretch.

“Wait,” Asher groaned, and his cock throbbed inside me. I sank my teeth into my lower lip. He reached behind him, his hand patting at the nightstand. He tossed Ren something and whatever it was crinkled like plastic. Asher hadn’t been talking to me. He must have tossed Ren a small packet of lube.

Ren’s hands slipped off my waist, and I could only imagine him slathering the gel onto his shaft and guiding his tip into position. He prodded at my entrance again. Upon the first touch, it was so cold that I flinched, but he didn’t give me a moment to shy away. He moved, sliding inside me, causing the bed to shudder.

I gasped on an exhale. The already tight fit became even more snug, making Asher’s piercings pressed against my insides.

They filled me up too close to the point of pain. Ren returned his palm to my waist and squeezed.

“You have the sweetest fucking pussy,” he murmured. I wiggled my hips, in a circle. The wet sound of my movement caused another throb to travel through my channel. They both groaned. Ren slowly pumped out and slid back in. I thumped my forehead against Asher’s chest. He shuddered, just as affected by Ren’s thrust.

“Sleep, Pet. We’ll take care of you.” My eyelashes had grown increasingly heavy. Each time I blinked it took a little longer for them to lift back up. I wiggled again, making their soft groans echo in my ear.

“You’re doing it on purpose,” Ren said gruffly in my ear. He lifted his palm from my waist and swatted the side of my butt again.

I laughed. My channel clasped onto them as if trying to grip onto them forever.

I nuzzled into Asher’s neck, and he hummed. A pleased, satisfied sound. Ren grunted and ground his hips against me. My eyelids dropped shut as I settled into a satisfied, sexual fog. My eyes became impossible to keep open.

I didn’t want to leave this room. Everything was too fresh, too raw. I needed to brace myself. To mentally prepare myself for whatever I would face. I had to be strong, but in my gut, I acknowledged I wouldn’t play second fiddle, no matter what. I’d wait, I’d see how this panned out, but I wouldn’t accept less. Or God forbid, sharing my vampires.

As selfish as it was, I wanted them all to myself.