Page 22 of Fang Fiction

“You’re right,” Isobel reassured him softly. “Of course you’re right.”

“Callum doesn’t think so.” Felix laughed bitterly. “He said he’d rather risk death every single day than take orders from me. He said…”

Felix’s voice caught in his throat, and Isobel ached with sympathy.

“What, my love?” she asked softly. “What did he say to you?”

“He said Konstantin never took me seriously. And that Callum never would, either.”

Felix looked down, his face flushed with shame.

“Oh, you can’t listen to that!” Isobel cried out. “I know you were loyal to Konstantin, but he’s dead now, Felix. You have to make your own way, do what you think is right.”

“But how?” Felix looked bereft. “How can we go on when that clan is out to obliterate us? Not just Callum and Octavia—all of them. Tristan is a vicious killer, and Hamish is just as cunning as he is deadly. Antoinette and Angelique look like sweet teenage girls, but I saw them tear off a grown man’s arm and drink blood from his mangled flesh. And Nantale…”

He trailed off. The mere mention of Nantale’s name sent a chill down Isobel’s spine. Nantale was the leader of Callum and Octavia’s clan, rumored to be the oldest vampire on the Isle and the strongest as well, capable of murdering anyone she chose. And Isobel knew that if Nantale got the chance, she’d end Felix’s immortal life without a second thought.

“How did you escape?” Isobel’s voice was tender, but her need was primal. She had to know that Felix could hold his own against this beastly clan, could keep himself safe. Nothing could happen to Felix. She couldn’t go on without him.

“We ran.” Felix shook his head with disgust. “We had no other choice.”

“I’m glad.” Isobel’s heart swelled. She climbed into his lap, straddling him—and even though his face was lined with humiliation, she could feel his desire straining against his breeches.

“How can you be glad?” he whispered. “How can you feel anything but embarrassment to be with a coward?”

“You’re not a coward,” she assured him, squeezing her thighs against his. He pulled her closer, his hands warm and firm at the small of her back. “It’s no mark of humiliation that you’re nothing like Nantale and her ghouls. Felix, it’s a badge of honor.”

Transcript of Here to Slay podcast, episode 87

Cat: Hey, this is Cat!

Ruby: And this is Ruby. We have some very exciting news today—Cat, do you want to tell them?

Cat: I’M READING BLOOD FEUD!

Ruby: Yeah, you are!!!

Cat: Only took you four years to drag me onto this train, kicking and screaming, but now I am fully on board and basically the conductor.

Ruby: Okay, Shining Time Station.

Cat: Wow, deep cut.

Ruby: PBS millennials rise. How are you liking the books so far, Cat?

Cat: As my grandma always says: I don’t like them. I love them.

Ruby: Your grandma loves sexy vampire novels?

Cat: You know that’s not what I meant, but as a matter of fact, she does. Shout-out to Grandma Vidya!

Ruby: So today, in the interest of furthering Cat’s Blood Feud education and appreciation, we’re going to get into the differences between the two main tribes in the novels.

Cat: Two vampire clans, both alike in dignity.

Ruby: Precisely. So the simplest way to break this down is that on the Isle, the heroes live on the east side and the villains live on the west side.

Cat: Joke’s on the heroes, the villains get better bagels. Okay, so the east side is Felix and Isobel?