Page 40 of Beast

“Do not run from me, consort.” My fangs pop out, filling mymouth and forcing me to speak around them. “I am only barely in control now. Ifyou try to flee, I think I’ll lose it, and I’ll take you without any kindness.I don’t want that between us.”

Oh, but it’s there. The desire to take her because shebelongs to me is right there beneath the surface. My senses fill with her. Herskin glows, and I can smell the soft, musky scent of her desire. Her lips arefull, swollen from the way I shoved my cock in between them. I’ll shove my cockinto her pussy, too. She’s mine. I bought her, fought for her. It’s only rightthat I take her.

Kaja swallows and gets to her knees. “I do not want thatbetween us, either.”

It’s the gentle hitch in her voice that pulls me from theedge. She’s seen so much violence, known so little kindness. I closed that oddconnection between us before I saw too much, but I caught the edge of Kaja’sreality. The last thing I want is to be another person who uses her.

But that’s what you’re doing. That voice in my headdoesn’t seem to care about my hunger. I’m not using her. I’m saving her. If Ididn’t buy her, Beck would kill her, or she would spend a lifetime alone,wandering the forests. I did her a favor. And when she pays me back by convincingmy father I have settled down, I’ll find her a nice home. She’ll have luxurylike she never imagined.

“What should I do?” Kaja asks.

I can think of a million things she should do. She shouldrun because I’m not worthy of her. I’m a selfish bastard, and I always will be.I can’t commit. It’s simply impossible. This raging passion I feel for her willfade. It’s inevitable, so if I had a heart in my body, I would save her thepain.

“Come to me.” I hold out my hand and indicate that sheshould sit on my lap.

She gets to her feet and steps forward, placing herself onmy lap, the soft flesh of her ass kissing my thighs. The minute her skintouches mine, I feel something ease deep inside me. That nagging beast thatrages below the surface lets up the tiniest bit.

“Put your arms around me.” My hands drift to her waist as Ibreathe her in. Her hair is mostly dry, and it blooms around her delicate facelike a halo of softness. I let my nose run through it. Kaja’s hands find theirway around my neck, and I can hear the way her heart speeds up. She may befrightened, but there is obviously a part of her that wants, too. She knowswhat I’m going to do, and yet she wraps her body around mine, allowing me tofill every sense with her.

My heart begins to pound in time to the rhythm I hear.Kaja’s chest thuds as I run my nose along the line of her neck. I hear theblood running through her body like a river of life. My fangs scrape her skin,and she trembles.

“Don’t be afraid.” I can’t stand the thought now. Her armsare around me, circling me in her light. Her very touch softens my predatoryinstincts and brings out a need to please her. A consort has her power, too.

“Will it hurt?” The words come out on a breathless whisper.

I keep my mouth close to her neck. I can’t seem to move it.She’s far too tempting. But I soothe a hand down her back. “I don’t know, love.I don’t think so. Consorts seem to love the bite, and it’s always followed bysome righteously nasty sex.”

I feel her chuckle, and something eases inside me. “Yousound like Dante again.”

I feel more in control. Her very nearness allows me to pushthe beast back. It’s still there, simmering below the surface, but I feel morelike myself.

And I’m hungry. So fucking hungry.

It gnaws at my gut, but it’s so much more than physical. Ihunger for her. If someone offered me a pill at that moment, I would smack themdown. I don’t need fucking nutrition. I need her.

But there is a process. Every royal knows it. Every royal isforced to study it right along with an embarrassing course in sex education. Ilaughed my way through it, from the talk on safe feeding to the teachingplastic model every student is forced to “feed” from to prove we won’t rip itsthroat out. Delicacy is given high marks. If I simply bite down, she’ll be inagony. Persuasion is the key.

“Look at me, Kaja.” I look into her eyes, not allowingmyself a moment to blink.

“They’re so beautiful. So green. Like the forest in highsummer before the winter takes everything away.” Kaja stares at my eyes, notfighting at all. Her mouth is slightly open. This is what the class taught.Persuasion. It feels good to pull her in and know she’s mine for the taking.She won’t feel the pain of my fangs penetrating her smooth neck. All she’llfeel is pleasure with every drag I take from her.

“You’re the beautiful one, Kaj.” I smooth back her hair. Hercrystal-blue eyes are a bit cloudy, but I can’t mistake the affection there.She’s fully in the moment with me.

And this is more than a feed. I pull her close, her nipplesbrushing against my chest. They’re hard little points. I can feel her wet pussyrubbing against my thigh. Kaja is ready for a long, hard fucking, and I’ll giveit to her. After.

Instinct leads me. I forget about the class and everything Iever learned about this act. This is between me and Kaja, and no one else inall the planes of existence can know what it feels like. The world narrowsdown, and Kaja fills it. There’s only the scent of her, and the glow of herskin, and the sound of her heart.

I gently grab a handful of silky hair and pull her headback, exposing the long line of her neck. A single vein seems to pulse andtempt me. I lick from her collarbone to below her earlobe, following that sweetriver that will feed my hunger.

“Please, Dante.” She squirms.

I chuckle. There is no fear in her voice now. She wants it.She’s ready to beg for it. And I’m done playing. My cock aches, and everymuscle in my body screams to take her.

“Yes. Yes, it’s time.” It’s time to join with her. Thephrase sticks in my head like a song I can’t get rid of. Joining. Being.Kaja.

I strike. I don’t question how I know where to strike. Isimply let that primal piece of me take over, and my fangs pierce the vein withflawless accuracy. Not too deep. I feel the small hollow in my fangs fill forthe first time with sweet, living blood. So warm and rich. I didn’trealize how cold I was before, but as Kaja’s blood begins to flow through mysystem, I know I’ll never look at a meal pill again. This is what it means tobe full and complete. Her blood invades me like the sweetest drug I’ve everknown. She’s better than alcohol, better than anything.

I drag blood into my body as Kaja moans in my arms. Sheclings to me, her hands clutching as though she never wants me to stop.