Page 31

Lorcan

B riar’s chest rose and fell rhythmically as she succumbed to sleep. I could feel her soft, steady breath on my skin, the beautiful warmth of it. Underneath that, the muted thud of her heartbeat called to me.

As quietly as possible, I eased myself from under her, placing her head on the pillow.

I smoothed back her hair, taking in her serene beauty and kissing her forehead for what I was sure would be the last time.

My lips lingered a fraction too long, as if hoping I could hold on to this moment for eternity.

I squeezed my eyes shut. I couldn’t believe I had given in to my desires, but thankfully, not all of them.

I gathered my clothes from the floor at the foot of the bed and glanced at Briar one last time.

Almost instantly, I was downstairs in my room.

I poured myself a glass of whiskey, emptying the contents in a single shot.

The whiskey burned its way down, and I welcomed the sharp punishment.

Running my fingers through my hair, I sighed. How could I have been so stupid?

Even Ashdowne had never fallen this far. Lady Isobel had never let him into her bed, so I had no idea where my descent would end. But I had no intention of falling any farther.

She deserved someone who would worship her daily and allow her to embrace her own pleasures—someone who would shatter her every night.

Love required stability and togetherness, yet my family was built on blood and war. A war I refused to bring Briar into, regardless of what Cormac had told me to do. He didn’t understand how much I longed for her blood—to feel her release around my cock as her life flowed into me.

I didn’t need my family’s money to get away from them. I would watch over her and protect her from Aiden myself if I had to, but she didn’t need to know about it. But who was going to protect her from me?

I couldn’t risk being this close to her any longer. I ran my tongue along my upper gumline. My hands curled into fists, the sensation of her warmth still clinging to me. When her sweet cunt had been grasping at my cock as I emptied inside her, I was the one who almost hurt her.

My fangs had been fully distended, ready to bite and pull her nectar into me. It was only a matter of time before I lost control and emptied her of her blood entirely. Thankfully, I stopped myself at the last moment, nibbling at her neck in the way that made her melt in my hands.

The hunger gnawed at my ribs, sharp and relentless. Cormac kept a flask in the drawing room. I’m sure it was only for me. I prowled down the hall and over to the shelf of family heirlooms, but the flask wasn’t there. I gritted my teeth together.

Laughter came from the family library, and I followed the sound. Rory and Cormac reclined on the leather sofa. Rory lay with her back to his front, his hands resting on her abdomen, while she held a book.

Cormac looked at me and smiled. “Maybe you can help us out. What do you think of the name Winifred?”

I narrowed my eyes. “It might be good for some people, but it’s certainly a departure from our family.”

Rory glanced at the seat beside the sofa. “Lorcan, come join us.”

I shook my head.

Cormac must have seen the look in my eyes because he sat up, shifting his mate from leaning on him like she were made of glass. He pulled his leg around and put his feet on the floor. “Brother, something has happened. What’s wrong?”

I ran my hands through my hair. “I can’t do this, Cormac. She has what she needs.” The words scraped their way out of my throat, bitter and final.

Cormac tilted his head. “But you’ve been upstairs with her for hours. What have you been—”

I narrowed my eyes at him and glanced at Rory before he finished his question. “I cannot fall in love.”

Cormac chuckled. “You can’t fall in love, but you can make love?”

Rory slapped his arm as she giggled. “Cormac, stop. Lorcan, would you like me to get rid of him for you?”

I smiled, my eyes catching hers, noting their jovial look, but I couldn’t laugh with her. “Thank you, Rory. But no.” I took a deep breath, and their faces became serious again. “I just need to—I just need to leave.”

“But surely—”

“No. I almost bit her, Cormac. I almost bit her, and if I had, I doubt I would have been able to stop. Don’t you understand? The only thing I wanted was her blood.”

Ashdowne had said the same thing about Lady Isobel when he gloated about the desire to consume her, control her, and command her to be his. I couldn’t do that to Briar, and every moment I spent with her was a moment closer to enslaving her.

Cormac leaned forward, then stood and went to the small bar. He picked up a flask and handed it to me. “You need a drink.”

“I was coming to find that.” I twisted the cap and raised it to my lips. As the blood rolled across my tongue, my face scrunched in horror.

“This is bitter, Cormac. How long has it been in here?”

His eyes opened a little wider. “Less than a day. It should still be fine.” He took the flask from me and brought it to his lips. He looked at Rory. “Not nearly as sweet as yours.”

She smiled at him. “Don’t worry, I’m not getting jealous.” Their laughter was warm and easy, unlike the cold weight that pressed on me. I needed to get home.

He tilted his head and looked at me. “You were used to drinking from the vein in Australia, weren’t you?”

I nodded.

“All right, just a moment.”

Cormac went to the intercom and pressed the button. “Dani, can you please bring the acting executive trustee to the library?”

“Do you care which one?” The response crackled in the speaker.

“The female, please.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What’s an executive trustee?”

“They are our most valued human employees. We, the executives, trust them with our secret, and in exchange for compensation, they provide us with blood when needed. There is always one male and one female here, but there is a staff of them who rotate, so we don’t feed from them too often.”

The idea of drinking from a willing donor made my stomach twist in ways I didn’t expect, especially given my relationship with my mail carrier back home.

I shifted from one foot to the other as a young woman with cropped auburn hair strolled into the room, her hands tucked into the pockets of her tailored vest.

“Hello, Cormac. Dani got caught up with something, but she said you needed me?”

“Julia.” Cormac nodded with a smile. “Yes, my brother requires a drink. When was the last time you allowed someone to feed?”

She tilted her head, considering, then shook it with an amiable smile. “Cormac, you know you’ve got more than enough of us on staff. I haven’t been needed for that in, what—six weeks?”

Cormac’s expression softened. “As I explained to Lorcan, the Executive Trustees are our most valued employees. It is my responsibility to ensure your well-being above all else.”

Her smile turned wry. “I appreciate that. But we all know you run things differently than some of your kin. You make sure no one’s taking advantage.” She glanced at me, curiosity flickering in her hazel eyes, before returning to Cormac. “Who’s the lucky brother?”

I stared at her, the sound of her blood rushing through her heart consuming my ears.

“This is Lorcan. I’m sure he’ll introduce himself when he feels better.”

Julia let out a nervous giggle and held out her hand. “Well, Lorcan, it is nice to meet you finally. I’m sure you know what to do with this?”

I took her hand, looking into her eyes with barely a hint of gratitude, and brought it to my lips, greeting her. “Thank you for this,” I choked out, turning her wrist toward me. She smiled, and her eyes seemed to sparkle.

The moment my fangs broke her skin, warmth flooded my mouth.

I had made sure to hit the artery, allowing her pulse to push the blood to the back of my throat.

But there was no sweetness, nothing that gave any satisfaction other than the feeling of nourishment, no desire to pull the life-giving force into me.

I limited myself to a few swallows before running my tongue over her wrist to seal the wound.

Julia looked between Cormac and me, her eyes wide. “Surely, that wasn’t enough, Lorcan. You can drink until you are full. Cormac won’t let you hurt me.”

I looked at Cormac from the corner of my eye, and the corners of my mouth turned down.

Cormac smiled at her. “Thank you for your trust in me. That’s just all that he wanted right now. Your services are appreciated.”

She nodded. “Not for another six weeks.” She turned and walked from the room.

Cormac looked at me. “Still bitter?”

I narrowed my eyes. The taste clung to my tongue, weak and lacking substance. “Like partially sweetened lemonade or that thin gruel they used to give the kids in the workhouses.”

Cormac’s face twisted into a look of concern, his eyebrows knitted together. He looked deep into my eyes. “Lorcan, are you sure—”

I wasn’t even going to consider it—not daring to give credence to his idea that Briar could be my mate.

“If she were, Cormac, would I want to leave her? Would I want not to be around?” My stomach bubbled at the thought.

If she were my mate, walking away wouldn’t just be difficult—it would be impossible.

He shrugged. “I would do anything for Aurora. If I felt she was in danger, I would put myself in any peril to save her, even denying my own happiness. Much like what you’re doing with Briar.”

I looked between the two of them. “Yes, well, I will never have what the two of you have.” I sighed as I sank into the leather chair.

Cormac pulled in a deep breath, resignation flickering in his eyes. “We still need your help. But if we can figure out how to find the Cure, I will put Jacob at your disposal. You may return to Australia—on one condition.”

“And what is that?” I lifted an eyebrow, aware I could walk out the door and book a commercial flight at any moment. But I deferred out of respect for my brother.