Page 19 of Nightshade

Leo shrugged. “It’s nice to be working on something for everyone. I think Cash and Aleks have appreciated the quiet of Mama’s house being a bit away from the rest of the pack, but I’m eager to get us all back in one place, you know? It’ll be easier to make sure everyone’s getting what they need.”

Heavens, he really was lovely, wasn’t he? And there I was, taking advantage of him, taking his clothes and his blankets and his blood.

I’d gone quiet for too long, because Leo tilted his head curiously and frowned at me. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Fine!” I flashed a fanged smile his way. “Just fine, thank you.”

“Okay.” He sat on the edge of the bed, the only seat in the space, and pushed up his sleeve. “Are you hungry?”

My nose flared, like I could scent out the blood beneath his skin. But no, he only smelled like sunshine, sweat, and pine dust.

I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry again, and sat beside him. While I held his wrist, I decided I would only take two sips. Two full mouthfuls.

It was more than I’d gotten most days in captivity, and if I drank deeply of him each time he came, he’d catch on to what I was doing. He’d withdraw, and I⁠—

I was already banking on this, him, to keep me safe. I couldn’t risk taking too much.

“Thank you,” I whispered, and I bent my head to sink my fangs into his arm.

His breath caught, and he shifted. The bed creaked under him.

I took one drag, and when I swallowed, I tried to do it slowly. I imagined his blood filling up every inch of me down to my toes.

That was good. One sip, and I was already full.

I sucked him in, the salty sweetness of him bursting across my tongue. Humming, I closed my eyes and let it linger. Let my mouth fill up.

Just one more sip, and I let him go, licking his skin clean even as it stitched back together.

“That’s all?” he asked, voice caught and so rough I worried I’d hurt him.

I shrugged. “You’re building houses.”

He scowled. “You took more yesterday.”

“Yesterday, I was starving. Today, I’m satisfied.”

To make my point—and yes, perhaps to avoid temptation as well—I adjusted his sleeve so that it covered his arm.

“If you’re sure . . . ”

“I am,” I said.

I stood up, and he followed suit, reaching into his back pocket. He pulled out a paperback book. “I found this, if you want it. There are others, but⁠—”

Well, his pack would probably notice if their books and blankets went missing en masse.

“I asked Evie for one and she gave me this.”

I read the cover. “Well I do like blood, and I’ve heard good things about chocolate.”

He snorted. “Apparently, it’s about werewolves, so I don’t know what it’s got to do with either.”

I flipped through the pages. “Well, I’ll certainly let you know when you return.”

A strange look crossed his features—something almost distressed, though that didn’t feel like the right word for it.

“Yeah, okay. Evie’ll probably appreciate if I actually know something about it. I didn’t tell her it wasn’t for me.”