Page 163 of Trapped By the Blood Ruby

“What are you doing, pet?” Lily shook her head. Her eyes were bloodshot. “Well, never mind. Our fun is only just beginning.” Lio strode to her and dragged her to her feet. “I’d kiss you in front of him, but I dare not remove your gag. So instead⁠—“

Lio spun her to face Laurent, wrapping his arms around her before wrenching her head sideways to expose her throat. Laurent roared, leaping forward, only to be cut short by his chains. Lio grinned, leaning close to Lily. He dragged his tongue up the length of her throat, hesitating over her fluttering pulse.

Lily’s eyes locked with Laurent’s. Time seemed to stop. There was so much he wanted to say. He wanted to tell her what a fool he’d been to fight this thing between them, to waste an entire month battling over something that seemed so stupid now. He wanted to tell her that he’d never forgive himself for this. Never forgive himself failing to make it clear to his family exactly what she meant to him.

Everything—she meant everything.

Lily’s hands twitched, pulling apart as the ties binding her unspooled. He didn’t dare zero in on the movement, but he caught a hint of it. In one motion, she pulled her bonds loose and they fell away. He kept his expression frozen, not letting Lio see his surprise. Lio was too intent to notice, too focused as he baited Laurent, hoping that every touch upon Lily would send him into another rage.

Lily’s hands surged upward. Lio had only a moment to widen his eyes as she pulled her gag free and shouted, “Take your hands off me, asshole,” in that beautiful, melodic, commanding voice. “Back against the wall. Now. Take off the blood ruby. Lay it on the floor. Do not move. Do not speak a single word.” Order after order fell from her lips with fluid precision, so quick that even Lio couldn’t work past his surprise to fight them.

Pride filled Laurent’s chest to near bursting. She was so strong. So brave.

He should have predicted something like this, after all those times she’d tried to escape his clutches. He shouldn’t have doubted her ability to stand before Lio and hold her ground, just as she’d done against him. She was magnificent.

“Sit on the floor and stay there,” Lily added, a final command to hold Lio in place as she snatched up the ruby.

She rushed to Laurent. He froze, captive to the glistening jewel, trying and failing to cower away from it. His mouth formed the word, “No,” but nothing came out. His lips didn’t even move.

Lily brushed the ruby over his skin, where his blood still trickled from Lio’s bite, his body too tired to heal. He knew the moment something changed. It was like a switch had flipped. The intense paralysis disappeared.

He sagged with utter relief. How she’d known to do that, he had no idea. He was too tired to question it. Instead, he simply trusted. Trusted that she knew exactly what was necessary to save him.

She moved over to Zola and crouched, exposing the ruby to her blood, then draped the chain around her neck, tucking it beneath her top. Her eyes continued to dart in Lio’s direction as he fought her compulsion. “Don’t even think about fighting it,” she commanded. Fury flashed across his expression. Lily merely lifted her chin.

His mouth opened like he wanted to scream something awful at her, but nothing came out. Her command to keep him from speaking also kept him from calling for help. She’d been thorough.

“Lil…” It was all he could manage.

“Here,” she said, holding out her wrist. He whimpered but fought the urge, turning his head away. “You need my blood to heal.”

“Can…can’t.”

“Why not?” She seemed to realize it at the same moment she’d asked. It had been over twenty-four hours since she’d taken his blood into her body. With his hunger what it was, he wasn’t sure he could safely feed and resist her amplifier blood, even with the remnants of his own flowing through her.

The uncertainty over the mere possibility terrified him.

Somewhere above, the commotion grew louder. The walls shook, then fell silent before the noise started up again. Had they brought in reinforcements? He didn’t have the energy to question it.

“Drink, Laurie.”

“No!” he cried, even though his mind screamed, Yes! It might kill her. “What if…I cannot…stop.”

“You have to do this. We need you at your full strength.” Her eyes held fierce determination. “Drink.” She placed her wrist at his lips and he groaned. “Drink,” she repeated, “or I will simply command it of you.”

His fangs elongated against his will. He moved before he could stop himself, striking. His hands were chained, but he lifted them to press her wrist to his mouth, sinking his teeth in deep. The monster in him surged to the surface. He didn’t think about her pleasure, didn’t think about the pain this might cause. He was single-minded, with only the thought of blood as his basest instinct took over.

The first drop on his tongue was like warm sunlight and honey. He sucked her essence down, gulp after gulp, groaning. The taste of her, the scent of her surrounding him, was like an aphrodisiac. He was half aware of his hardening cock in his pants, pressing painfully against the zipper.

“That’s it,” she murmured, running her fingers through his tangled, bloodied hair, fussing over him. “Keep drinking.”

He planned to. No! He needed to stop. He couldn’t take too much. Even now, he had no idea how much he’d already taken. He greedily gulped her down. Strength began to return to his bones, and with that strength, he dragged her fully against him, ensnaring her until she went limp. The chains on his wrists and feet rattled.

A deep groan left his chest. On and on he drank. Every gulp brought him back to himself. Enough to know now that he needed to stop. He tried to pull away, but his body didn’t respond. His mouth continued to drag her in.

A slice of fear cut into his chest. This time, the sound he made was a worried whimper. He couldn’t stop.

“It… It’s okay…” she breathed, soothing him.