Page 50 of The Duke’s Bloody Bargain

“Alex isn’t a monster.” Her voice cracked.

Bethlen stepped closer to her. “He isn’t a hero either.”

I put a hand on his chest to stop him. “Leave her alone.”

Holding up his hands, he stepped back. “I will. You know how you feel right now. How powerful you truly are. Think about it.”

And he was gone again. The air didn’t stir with his disappearance.

18

A TINY, LITTLE THING

Alex

The excitement of the killing began to fade during the ride in the carriage to Raven Hall.

My first drained victim left behind emptiness and numbness, although I wasn’t sure if they came from guilt or the need to experience killing again. Dawn was close, which weakened me. Not to mention Irene’s cross made me want to throw up. I had to look away every time I caught a glimpse of it.

Sitting next to me, Irene wiped her wet cheeks. “I can’t believe you drained a person.”

“It was Tanner.” Why wasn’t she happy I’d killed the bastard?

Darius finished eating one of his beloved brandy balls. “You’ve doomed yourself. There’s no going back from taking a life, no matter how evil the man was.”

His words whispered the truth in my mind.

“It won’t happen again. You’re overreacting.” But Irene’s tears were a stab to my chest.

“We care about you.” Darius sounded disgusted. “If you really want to kill someone, it should be Bethlen. He’s a rogue, and it’s only a matter of time before he starts draining thousands of people in a day. Besides, if you kill him, you’ll return human, too, and have a normal life.”

What Darius had said was true, but my throat was stirred by the thought of draining someone else, someone who deserved it.

Darius shook his head. “I can’t believe I’m having this conversation with you. Damned Cara’s spell. This isn’t you. The spell poisoned your mind, and I don’t know how to reverse it. How useless I am!”

Irene squeezed his hand. “It’s not your fault, and you aren’t useless.”

He drew a shaky breath. “He saved my life, and I can’t help him in his darkest moment.”

Hell. The bond with Irene became painfully taut, and my head throbbed. “Darius. You don’t owe me anything.”

“I do, because you’re my best friend.” He faced the window, jaw clenching.

“You’re like a brother to me,” I said as a lump swelled in my throat. “We’re even.” I had to blink quickly to clear my vision.

To make matters worse, the sun was rising when the carriage rolled to a stop in the yard. I had barely time to enter before the red light of dawn hit me; I was trapped in the mansion.

My skin had pricked unpleasantly before sunrise. I’d felt the dawn coming, and my instinct was to run as prey would from a predator.

Darius and Irene talked in the entrance hall in the sunlight, but I needed darkness and rushed up the stairs.

The relief when I entered my dark bedroom was immediate. The heavy drapes and wooden shutters calmed the throbbing in my temples.

“We should talk.” Irene’s soft footsteps sounded from behind me.

My first instinct was to tell her to leave because I didn’t trust myself, but a second voice whispered that she was aware of what I was. She didn’t need a warning.

“I need to feed.”