Ihad every intention of sneaking out of camp without making a fucking nuisance of myself.
But as soon as I passed Haley’s tent, the soft, off-key melody of a badly butchered Led Zeppelin song floated to my ears, and I fucking tripped over my own stupid feet.
“Fuck,” I muttered, barely catching myself before I face-planted into the still-smoldering fire pit.
Gods be damned, Haley Barnes. Forget the dangers of Midnight. You and your insatiable appetites are going to kill me before any of them get another shot.
The tent unzipped with a whoosh.
And there she was, blinking up at me with a wide, dreamy gaze, her cheeks stained with some new blush.
I knewexactlyhow that color had gotten there, too.
“Fuck,” I muttered again, because when it came to Haley, there just weren’t enough of them to cover it.
“Elian?” Her voice was soft and low in the quiet dark. “I thought you guys crashed already. What are you doing?”
Resisting the urge to climb into the tent, tear off your clothes with my teeth, and fuck you with my mouth until you’re singing loud enough to wake the dead of Midnight…
“Just wondering if you’re taking requests, little sparrow.” I smirked and tapped my lips. “Radiohead, perhaps?”
Her sweet blush darkened, making my cock twitch. The taste of her intoxicating blood still lingered in my mouth—reason number one why I had to get the hell out of Blackbone Forest—and soon.
“Oh my God!” she whisper-shouted. “Were youspyingon me?”
“There’s a rumor Thom Yorke is fae—that’s how he’s able to hit those otherworldly notes.”
“Elian!” She huffed out an exasperated breath, but she couldn’t hide the smile curving her lips.
I tried not to gloat. The naughty little witchlikedthat I’d caught her.
The more things change, the more they stay the same…
Her green eyes flashed with mischief, then narrowed, finally noticing my pack. “Going somewhere?”
“Amaranth City.”
“Alone? Now? In the middle of the… well, whatever the hell time it is?”
“I can move faster on my own.”
“But… Why? We’d planned on a two-day hike. We haven’t even talked about our next mission yet.”
“Jax was right—the cold blood bags aren’t cutting it. It’s not just the gryphon attack—it’s this place. It’s more draining than I remembered.” I hauled my pack higher on my shoulder and glanced around. The trees were still and silent. Fucking eerie, this place. I was pretty sure I’d never get used to it. “The longer I go without access to a live blood source, the more danger I’m putting everyone in.”
“Right. I’ll be sure to expedite your Martyr of the Year nomination.” She rolled her eyes and pushed up her sleeve, revealing her creamy skin and the blue veins pulsing beneath. “You need a top-off? I’m good to go—promise.”
My mouth watered at the sight of it, at the soft pulse throbbing in her veins. It echoed in my eardrums, damn near hypnotizing me.
Bite her,the asshole on my shoulder said.She’s offering the vein—fucking take what’s yours…
I closed my eyes. Bit back a curse.
I wanted nothing more than to drop to my knees and do just that. Fucking take it. Feed on her in all the ways I still fantasized about. Ways that would leave usbothbreathless and ruined.
But that was a sure path to disaster.
“Thanks,” I said, meeting her eyes once more. “But it won’t be enough. We can’t risk it, Haley. I need to go.”
