Page 45 of Feeding Frenzy (Crimson Coven #3)

FORTY-FIVE

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My mind snapped to awareness, but my body refused to respond as quickly. I almost felt sore. I groaned, squeezing my eyes tight. The last I remembered, I was holding Imogen to my chest and waiting for the sun to turn her to dust . . . until it had, then I’d let go, allowing my body to fall under the pull of the sunlight. Those last moments I’d pinned her against me, I’d believed I wouldn’t be waking up, but if it meant the safety of everyone I loved, I was okay with it, yet here I was.

I stretched my fingers into the comforter. Tobias was suddenly leaned over me, staring into my face.

“She’s awake,” Tobias shouted, his crisp accent gruff. His gray familiar eyes. My stomach soured, and I dropped my head. “Be careful, you’re still healing.”

“I’m sorry,” I croaked. I couldn’t look him in the face. I’d murdered his sister. My stomach lurched unpleasantly. She’d been bad news, but I hated all that violence. Tobias lifted my chin with one finger. His gray eyes weren’t horrified, angry, or sad. Pure affection reflected in them. “You’re not upset with me?”

He scoffed and my shoulders drew higher to my ears, and I waited for him to curse me out—something. His hand slid to cup my cheek.

“Why would I be upset?”

I furrowed my eyebrows. Was this a trick question? It had to be, right? He was messing with me, or something.

“I—” I licked my lips.

“Love,” he breathed, wafting sweet breath across my face. I breathed him in and froze from the aroma filling my nose.

My gums and throat burned. I winced and my face stung from making the expression. My cheek felt tender. With each ache, my hunger swelled. I couldn’t take my gaze away from his throat. The pop of skin and explosion of blood on my tongue sounded heavenly.

The door swung open, but my attention would not be taken away from Tobias’s neck.

“Love?” Tobias said. I lunged at him, attaching myself to his neck. My fangs sank deep. I sucked down blood and he went limp, arms snaking around my waist.

I couldn’t get enough. Such sweet blood. I swallowed and with each drink the burn in my body and gums abated.

“You can’t take too much from him,” Bastien murmured. “He’s still healing.” His hands flexed on my waist. “Feed on me.” I fastened my grip tighter around Tobias. Bastien pulled me again. I whirled to hiss at him. He gripped the back of my hair, bunching it to keep me from feeding on Tobias again. I would have, if he hadn’t held me still.

He guided me to his neck. I sank my fangs into the column of his neck. He groaned, craning his head to the side so I could take more from him. The sweet taste coated my tongue, flooding my system, and flaring lust to life. I curled my legs under me and grabbed his shoulder to fit my face into the crevice of his throat. The burning of my gums and throat abated, as if water had doused the flame. I moaned against him. Licking every drop of blood that came. I breathed freely, wanting to taste every bit of him.

“Sorry,” a high-pitched voice broke through the seductive haze.

I yanked back.

“Sydney!” I shouted before she shut the door. I withdrew from Bastien’s lap and scooted to the end of the bed.

She shuffled from foot to foot right outside the door, her face bright red.

“Sorry for interrupting.”

“Peter?” I asked, jumping to my feet.

“He’s okay,” she said quickly. “He’s uh, feeding on one of Calliope’s Progeny.” Sydney grimaced. She said it almost bitterly. My heart hurt for her. It was obvious she had a thing for him.

“Why is Calliope here?” I hissed. Had she had something to do with all of this? Was she the reason?—

“This is the thanks I get for coming to help you lot?” Calliope announced, appearing next to Sydney and jamming her fists on her hips.

“Were you in on it?” I said, unable to hide my suspicion. I took another step forward, eyes narrowed.

“Whoa, relax with those fangs.” Calliope eyed me. “Jax called me right before he conked out per the sun. I had one of my humans bring me over via coffin transport.”

“What and you came to help out of the goodness of your heart?” I asked leery.

“Of course not.” She wiggled an emerald stone ring at me. “Now, you can’t take this away. They traded their most prized possession if I made sure to take care of you in case something ever happened to them.” Prized possession? This was the elusive ring they’d had in Imogen’s urn that she’d wanted from the start. The entire reason they turned on me? They’d traded that for me ?

“The damn ring,” I huffed. “What’s so special about it anyway?” When they thought I was trying to run off with the ring, they’d freaked so epically that I still bore the emotional scars from it.

“The sunlight won’t turn me to ash if I’m wearing it.” She continued admiring it as I reeled.

They gave it away so easily now—for me.

Elation and anger battled inside my gut. How could they have made such a big deal to the point that they’d kicked me from the house? On the other hand—they cared that much for me? That they would give something with that much power away?

I forced my fangs back into my gums and sank my front teeth into my lower lip, studying Calliope. Her lips twisted as she waited.

“Thank you,” I said through a tight throat.

“You sound verrrry thankful,” Calliope’s sarcasm couldn’t be missed. I shrugged. It was the best I could do. She couldn’t be trusted in general, but doing something self-serving? I believed that.

She huffed and rolled her eyes.

“Tobias, Talia asked me to tell you that some of Crimson Coven’s Progeny will be coming to help clean up and re-install the windows and shutter system.” Tobias opened his mouth. “And yes, she will vet them. Can’t have anyone going for all your throats, again.”

I didn’t like Calliope’s smirk. I narrowed my eyes at her, pointedly. She lifted her hands in the air and backed away. “Ren and I are taking care of the dead, so I’ll get back to it.”

Those two really behaved like siblings. Hated each other one moment, threatened to kill each other the next.

“So, we’re not leaving?” I didn’t take my eyes off the broken glass I’d thrown Imogen and me through. The sheer curtains fluttered from the wind. It would suck leaving. I really liked this place.

“We’re not going anywhere,” Asher said from behind me as his arms curled around my waist. I peeked up at him. His grin almost split his face.

“You seem happy?”

“The bitch is gone,” he whispered in my ear. He nuzzled me closer. “Thank you.”

“Oh,” I mumbled, red-faced. I preferred not to think about it.

“She no longer has a hold on me or Jax.” He shuddered against me. “Knowing someone out there could order us to do whatever they wanted . . .” He exhaled harshly and huddled me even closer to his body. I didn’t know he’d felt that way. It sounded like a weight had been ripped from his shoulders.

As much as I hadn’t liked killing Imogen, I wouldn’t take it back. She was bad news, and she would have eventually used Asher, Tobias, or Jax to hurt the rest of us. Good riddance to her. I hugged his arm curled around my belly.