Page 40 of The Duke’s Bloody Bargain

I nodded. “I’ll see you at the mansion.”

He licked his lips, and his fangs flashed. “Send the footman for Darius. Stay away from my bedroom.”

With these ominous words, I headed for the carriage, leaving him in the shadows.

14

BLESSED WATER

Alex

Ihadn’t realised how much I wanted to drink Irene’s blood until she’d helped me walk along the alley.

The moment she’d touched me, I’d known that, if I’d travelled with her in the confined space of the carriage, I wouldn’t have been able to control myself. I would have fed from her. Whether she’d wanted it or not. Just the thought made me sick to my stomach.

That was why I’d sent her home.

Now that I lay in my bed, groaning and fighting the thirst, I forced myself not to leave the bedroom and search for her. Staying calm required all my energy, and my healing power was so slow that I might bleed to death.

Every part of my body ached and throbbed, but instead of quenching the thirst, the agony exacerbated it.

When the door opened, I smelt Darius’s spicy scent immediately and groaned in frustration, which didn’t make sense because I’d asked for him, but my body needed Irene.

“What the hell happened to you?” Darius studied me, concern etching his face.

“I need to feed.” Telling him about my sire could wait. “It’s urgent. I’m not healing.”

“And why didn’t you ask… Oh no.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Fine. But from the arm, not the neck. And be gentle. And don’t leave any marks.” He paled as he lay down on the bed. “Hell’s bells. It’s so painful.”

I exhaled through my teeth. “I haven’t bitten you yet.”

“Be quick, but slow.”

“Darius.” My gums hurt. I was dizzy from pain and blood loss.

“And be—” He shouted when I bit his arm.

He clenched his fist tightly and released it, which helped pump blood into my mouth. I drank with greedy sips. The magic in his blood left my tongue tingling as if I were drinking sparkling lemonade. It was rich and flavoured like an old wine, but the fact he felt only pain and not pleasure added a bitter taste.

I grabbed his arm with my hands and kept drinking. With each sip, my body regained energy.

“Alex…” Darius’s voice sounded weak and distant. “Enough. I’m nauseous.”

My skin tingled, a sign that my wounds were healing quickly, thanks to his magic. But I wanted more.

“Alex, you bloody bastard!” He groaned. “Dammit!”

He sprayed me with something, and pain burst on my skin as it burnt. I leapt back and hit the wall with my back. Blisters grew on my hand, sizzling like lard melting in a hot pan. He’d used blessed water against me.

Anger turned my vision darker.

“I wasn’t finished.” My voice sounded deeper than usual.

He propped himself up on his elbows. “You drank too much.” He was panting.

“You sprayed blessed water on me.”

“My magic doesn’t work after you feed from me. What else was I supposed to do? Stab you with a silver dagger?”