Page 11 of Feeding Frenzy (Crimson Coven #3)

ELEVEN

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How long had she been hurting me? My vision faded around the edges. Every breath I took sent fire down my body. I hurt everywhere . Jax held my limp hand.

He took hold of my thumb.

“I am sorry, Kitten,” Jax croaked. My lip trembled. I kept hold of his blue eyes. My body hurt so much.

I couldn’t have stopped the screech if I tried.

Jax’s face crumpled. He grabbed the next finger—I think. I couldn’t distinguish between them because everything hurt so much. Snap.

My ears rang, turning my screams muffled.

A choked sound escaped Jax.

“Please, just kill me,” my voice trembled. Red spilled from the corner of his eyes, leaving a faint redness along the path it traveled to his chin. He grabbed the last fingers and, with a crack, finished the job.

Bile rose. The sour taste settled on my tongue, and I gagged. Vomit made it’s escape.

“Turn her head, she’ll choke,” Jax snarled. Imogen only laughed that tinkling laugh. Everything sounded far away.

I weakly coughed up, liquid trickling from the corner of my mouth and the nasty taste mingled with blood.

Asher was going to be pissy about his sheets.

“Kill me,” I slurred. His face was a blur. Good. The look on his face almost hurt as much.

A clang broke through my ragged panting.

The shutters trembled and descended. It would be morning soon.

Imogen stretched her arms up with a yawn.

“Time for bed, we can continue this in the morning,” she announced cheerfully. She clapped her hand on my already stinging cheek.

I wouldn’t last much longer.

“What did you do to the others?” Jax barked.

She looked at him, hand on her chest.

“Nothing at all. I would never harm them.” She almost sounded offended. “But you have nothing to worry about. They are otherwise occupied. Now, sit pretty and do not move from that spot. You are not to release her. Or touch her.” With that she turned, the length of her skirts fluttering around her ankles as she disappeared through the open door.

“Catalina. I’m compelled to do as she says.” Like humans were to vampires. Just how Asher had stood by the orgy.

I struggled to move my heavy head. The taste on my tongue was awful. I clawed back to consciousness.

“Is that her ability?”

“No, it’s because she’s my Sire.”

I hummed. I floated on a bed of nails. Pinpricks across my body hurt like I was being stabbed with mini swords. So many things were broken. So much of me was broken.

“I shouldn’t have—” his eyes shuttered and his nose scrunched from how hard he closed them. I pried my eyes open. He looked so off. So dejected. So defeated. I shouldn’t feel sympathy, but I couldn’t help it. I didn’t want him in pain.

“Tell me something?”

“Anything,” he said it like a vow.

“How did you meet her?”

He went quiet and I waited, because what else could I do? Finally, he spoke.

“Asher sold his body. I thieved.” His lips twisted bitterly. “Until I tried to steal from the wrong group.” He paused. “She appeared like a vengeful goddess.”

Ouch. His eyelids began to lower. “That’s what I thought when I first saw her. I was close to death, the stab wound to my throat caused me to slowly bleed out on the dirty street. As I lay there, half dead, she arrived. I believed she was my savior. She offered me strength by turning me and I wanted the same for Asher, so she changed him for me.”

He struggled to keep his eyes open.

“All she wanted was to use me.” He went quiet. “I realize it now, Kitten. I fought this crippling urge to make you mine . . .” His voice faded and he fell into his vampire slumber.

The sun had risen. Now that he was no longer aware, body-wracking sobs exploded from me. I lay in sweat, vomit, and blood, hoping for death.