“Aiden made a run to the clinic earlier. There’s some in the kitchen.” She tried to get up, but Gabriel grabbed her hand, tugging her back down.
“It’s gone, Jace. Dorian… He was in bad shape after the meeting. I told him to finish it off.”
Jaci took a deep breath, trying not to freak out. More blood was on the way. The Redthornes were in rough shape, but this wasn’t insurmountable. Not yet.
But until Viansa was out of the picture—permanently—this would always be a race against time.
Without another thought, she lifted her hand and pressed her wrist to his mouth. “Bite.”
Gabriel let out a soft laugh. “Are you trying to kill me?”
“The poison we used on Renault is already out of my system.”
“Jacinda, I just fed from you the other night. And after all the magic you expended at the warehouse, not to mention the stress of dealing with Viansa… No. You need to recover—”
“Recover?” She glared at him, letting her eyes turn black. “Feed, Prince. Or I’ll light you up andre-coverthis room with your ashes.”
“Tough words from such a little witch,” he muttered beneath the insistent press of her wrist. “I should punish you all over again.”
“Yes, youtotallyshould. But later. Right now, you’ve gotonejob.” She shot him another demon death-glare. “Stop talking and start sucking, vampire.”
“Sucking. Right.” He cupped her breast, dragging a thumb across her nipple. “I do like the sound of that.”
“The blood, dickhead.”
“Fine.” He let out a put-upon sigh, then took the offered wrist between his fingers, rubbing it lightly to stimulate the vein. “But only because you’re so adorable when you boss me around. Even more adorable than your precious Aiden.”
“Nowthat’shigh praise.”
Gabriel laughed and tried to act like he was merely indulging her, and she laughed and let him think he was getting away with it.
But when his fangs finally descended and pierced her skin, not even the deeply erotic thrill of his bite could chase away the worry churning through her insides.
Gabriel and his family were getting weaker.
The curse was getting stronger.
And time, as it so often did, was about to kickalltheir asses.
* * *
Wake up, lab rat…
Jaci’s mind skimmed along the border between asleep and awake. She thought she’d been dreaming, but something tugged at her subconscious…
Lab rat...
A dark whisper against the back of her neck. A prickle of unease skittering down her spine.
That’s right, lab rat. Your sister’s back…
“Hmm?” she murmured.
Was she still dreaming? Where was she?
Was someone calling her? The voice sounded so familiar. So close…
I’ve got a surprise for you, lab rat…
