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Carden McCloud stared at me, my blood all over his mouth and chin. Some unreadable thing was in his gaze. Was it fury, joy, ferocity, surprise? And then I gasped, realizing what I was witnessing.
Desire.
And then he kissed me.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Carden kissed me, and I mean, he kissed me. He grabbed me, and pulled me to him, and took me. A thousand flames ignited to life inside me—instantaneous, searing flares—his touch lighting my body from within.
It was a shock. He was a shock. He was a stranger to me, his mouth, his touch, so foreign; yet his every aspect was suddenly so familiar. Recognition cut through me, something deep in my core knowing him and welcoming him.
I’d fantasized about my first kiss many times—wondering about Ronan, Alcántara, Josh, even Yasuo. But never had I imagined this. This was deep and passionate and hungry, as if he might consume me. Flames danced across my skin, and my woozy head buzzed. I couldn’t get close enough.
He nicked himself with his own fangs, and I tasted the familiar tang of the drink. I felt the familiar kick of vampire blood coursing through me. I rose, needing more, and he met me halfway, pulling me to my knees and then up off the ground, fitting my body snugly, perfectly against his.
I pressed closer, twining my fingers deep in his hair, now so lustrous and thick. He growled with pleasure, and it reverberated through me, echoing in my veins, becoming my pulse, until my every heartbeat affirmed this joining, marking, utterly profound kiss.
Until he shoved me back with a snarl.
I landed hard on my bottom and could only stare, my heart pounding, suddenly bereft to my soul. My hand flew to my mouth. My lips were hypersensitive, still thrumming from his kiss.
Confusion reeled me. Why did he kiss me? Why did I feel this way? Something told me I should run, but I couldn’t bring myself to. My voice came out weak and confused. “Why did you—?”
“What have you done?” He cut me off, sounding furious, his eyes narrowed to hard slits. “What have you done to us, little girl?”
His words were like waves of frigid seawater slapping me and swamping me. “I saved your life. ”
“Saved me? You’ve doomed me. ”
Despite the kiss, I had to remember he was a stranger to me—a very volatile stranger. And yet I couldn’t run; I couldn’t fight. I scooted away from him, on my guard. “You’re welcome. ”
But he leapt toward me, keeping close. “This isn’t a game, girl. ” He grabbed my chin and made me face him. “Heed me, because you don’t seem to understand. You must never tell anyone what you’ve done. ” He gave my chin a little jiggle. “Swear it. Swear you’ll not tell anyone that you’ve fed me. ”
I flinched from his touch, pulling my chin free. I tried to muster anger, but all I felt was this strange desolation. “Fine. I swear. ”
“We have to get out of here. ” He stood, and even though his words had been harsh, his touch was gentle as he pulled me to standing. “Can you make it?”
I nodded. My pride had been puffed up for some time now, and this talking-to left me feeling stupid and embarrassed. I’d thought I was doing the right thing by saving his life. If feeding him was a mistake, I needed to make up for it.
He wiped the blood from his mouth. “I know you and Hugo had a plan, but now there’s a new plan. ”
Breaking from Alcántara’s strategy would be a mistake. It was Alcántara’s opinion that mattered, and he’d be pissed if I improvised. He’d be pissed, and I’d be under scrutiny, and I’d never escape.
But somehow I couldn’t muster a care for all that. Somehow all I wanted was to redeem myself in McCloud’s eyes. He was staring at me, waiting for my reply; he was so big and powerful, I wanted to lean into him.
I gave my head a shake. That kiss. That kiss had done this to me. I struggled to keep a clear head. “What just happened?”
He took my hand and gave it a tug. “Later. There’ll be time to discuss this later. We need to escape now. ”
I pulled my hand free. “I’m not budging till you tell me what you did to me. ”
“Oh girl, it’s what you did to me. ” He stared at me a moment, his expression softening. I expected a different response—something more akin to Ronan’s exasperation, maybe. So, when a smile bloomed on his face, it took me aback. The amusement had returned to his eyes; yet that unsettling sadness remained. “We bonded. ”
I stared at him, wide-eyed. “Bonded?”
He took my shoulders and turned me, guiding me out the cell door and talking as he went. “What happened was this: Hugo sent a dangerously untrained child into the world, and now you’ve bonded us. ”
“I’m not a child. ”
