Page 18 of Unkindness of Crimson Ravens (The Crimson Duet #1)

Snowdrop

M y eyes were captivated on the neck of the man in front of me.

The sound of his heartbeat quickened. I had to leave before I did something I would regret. Yet, I could not move, could not escape the temptation.

“Do it,” Francis’ raspy accent swept through the room, as he took a step forward. “We both know you want to,” he whispered.

My nostrils flared, taking in the aroma. The smell of jasmine and dew in his veins welcomed me in. Failing to calm my treasonous mind, I closed my eyes shut.

“It’s all right,” Francis’ breath tickled my ear. “This is how it should be, Princess.” His hand brushed over mine, sending fire through my skin.

My head shook in disagreement or simply in an attempt to strip my restless mind of any thought—I was unsure.

The sound of the clasp on his tunic being undone reached my ears. Despite the winter, my whole body felt like the sun itself. My stomach ached and twisted with new desire.

Good Gods.

My treasonous body was at this man’s mercy despite my mind’s protests.

Who was this stranger living inside of me? Where was the delicate self control I’d been taught since birth? Where was my dignity and self preservation?

Like a starved man, the beast within me longed for its next meal.

My eyes flew open. Francis’ tunic slid down his shoulder, revealing his smooth bronze skin: revealing his neck. His pulse sang serenades as I lost this unfair battle. In a mere second I stood before him, unable to refuse my body's demands any longer.

I devoured his blood as my teeth pierced his thin, soft skin.

Pleasure overwhelmed me, refusing me any clarity.

His blood was as fresh as a dewdrop on a summer morning, as fresh as the rain, and as cold as the snow.

It melted on my tongue in delightful satisfaction, corrupting me into the unknown.

Sweet as honey, raw as briar, it consumed me, depriving me of my own mind: how could one go a whole life without this pleasure?

Slowly I relinquished any remaining control left within me. What a luxury it was to let go of everything and just be. A luxury I’d just been granted and was taking every bit of, not letting a drop go to waste.

Suddenly so aware of our bodies in the embrace, I felt Francis’ heartbeat slowing. The sound of his pulse excited the beast within me, and I begged this joy to never end. Like the rain after a hurricane, we found our peace.

I was at peace.

A peace I already longed for, addicted to it, willing to exchange my own life for it. More.

My mind calmed, allowing clear thoughts to reenter my nature, allowing me the privy of his low moan.

Oh, Moon! Did I hurt him? The realization hit me in my chest, the danger of the situation I’d welcomed made my body freeze.

I slowly opened my eyes, ashamed of my desires, ashamed of what I’d allowed to happen. I slowly pushed myself from his neck, fighting through the craving, fighting with my own hands to let go.

The crimson wound I’d left on his neck challenged me to repeat our ritual: bright red, deep, delightful wound.

“Are you all right?” He cleared out his throat. Me? I should’ve been asking him this question. “You didn’t hurt me.” He read into my expression.

Francis let his hands fall from my waist slowly, as though afraid I would collapse without his support. Our gazes collided. Mesmerized by the intensity of his hypnotic amber eyes, my heart stopped.

You are a fool, Cordelia. A fool indeed. Yet I could not force my body away.

“Cordelia?” He crooked his head.

His low voice vibrated through my chest, warming my heart, poisoning my mind.

My name on his lips sounded heavenly and peculiar all the same.

Like the first snowdrop flower blooming in the cold winter, decorating nature with its beauty despite the cool cruelty of the surroundings.

I wanted him to say my name again. And again.

Francis’ gaze dropped to my lips before his hand gently grabbed my chin. I held my breath in anticipation and excitement. What would his lips taste like, I wondered, as he cleaned the blood off my lips with his thumb.

His gentle touch sent a chill through my body, my lips parted at the impact without my permission when a shaky breath escaped them.

The room suddenly felt small. Or infinite.

“Cordelia?” Francis said again, making me drunk on the word alone. Yet his worried expression forced me to sober up.

Only then I realized I hadn’t said a word since he walked into the room.

Say something. I screamed at myself, but the words didn't come.

“I was shocked too the first time I bit someone.” He let go of my lips; I already missed his cold rough fingers.

The bite. I’d just bitten someone for the first time, yet my mind was somewhere else entirely. What was wrong with me?

Fool, fool, fool!

You are a fool, Cordelia! Moon help me, stop this nonsense.

“You will be all right,” Francis offered a small smile. “I promise, Your Highness.”

Your Highness.

“It is time.” The voice pulled me out of my dreamless sleep. Francis shook me by my shoulder, forcing my eyes to open. “Your Highness, we have to leave now if you want to get home by dawn.”

The moment he’d left the room this morning I’d fallen asleep almost immediately, not wanting to spend another moment alone with my own thoughts. Thankfully, the trip to the cabin had exhausted me enough for my mind to have mercy on me and allow me the rest I desperately needed.

Sitting up on the bed I’d claimed as mine for the day, I wondered where Francis had slept. Was there another room upstairs?

“I will go prepare our horses for the trip. I will be waiting outside. Hurry up!” Francis ordered me on his way out of the room, without waiting for my reply: as if I was a puppy that would follow him around.

Francis being back to his rude, arrogant self was nothing new to me, yet somehow it made me upset. How could he act as though nothing had happened? Had something happened? I thought we... We what? I shook my head, laughing at the ridiculous line of thoughts.

He’d told me about his past, let me drink the blood from his throat—that had to mean something, right? Did it mean anything to him, or did he do this with everyone?

Well, what did you expect, Cordelia? That you are going to talk about what happened, share your feelings perhaps?

I rolled my eyes at my own foolishness. I needed to quit thinking about him right this moment!

Tonight was not the night to allow any distractions into our already very dangerous journey.

Putting on my cloak, I checked if the map was still in my pocket. I studied it for a moment, memorizing the quickest route back home in case something did indeed go wrong.

Home. Calling Francis’ castle my home felt odd, even in my own thoughts. Was it my home, or was Francis waiting for me to learn how to tend for myself in my new being to finally throw me out? Guest was what Roxanne had called me.

Stop it, Cordelia! Why was I suddenly so sentimental on such an important night? Getting the documents needed to be the only thing on my mind: I would figure out the rest later!

If I survived.

Rebraiding my hair into a tight bun, I secured it with a hair pin, hiding it underneath the hood. By dawn I would either be dead or happily celebrating my success. I could do it. I would do it! For Sandra, for Frederick, for Eleanor... for every human my mother chose to neglect.

“Princess, we have to go!” Francis’s voice brought me back to reality. “Hurry up!” He loudly knocked on the door.

The banging did not stop until I opened the door with more force than it required. I officially loathed this man. What was his problem? I walked right past him, ignoring his outburst altogether.

Getting up on my horse, I sent Francis an annoyed, impatient look that he returned with even more force. Splendid!

If this interaction was any indication of how our night was going to go—it would be really bad.