Page 41 of Fangs and First Aid

“Oh,” I say, surprised. “I thought you got your blood from the butcher we met at the market.

He closes his eyes and releases a deep, bone-weary sigh.

“I do. But I can’t drink it.”

“Why?” I ask with growing concern.

I remember Auggie from the night I crashed-landed in Ravens Hollow. I remember thinking then his coloring was unusually pale. This close, I can see the deep circles under his eyes and the unnatural tone of his skin.

Auggie slides his hands up my arms to interlace our fingers.

“I don’t know,” he says, kissing the back of each hand.

“I’ve never been able to feed like other vampires. The taste of blood makes me gag. The smell is awful. And my body doesn’t absorb it properly. My parents found different ways for me to ingest it, and I’ve built upon those methods.”

He pauses, hesitating for a moment.

“Ever since the night we met, no matter what I try, it won’t stay down.”

I gasp, remembering how he practically ran away from me that night. The way his fangs dropped when I cut myself at the market.

“Is it because of me?” I ask, horrified, and try to scramble out of his lap.

Auggie drops my hands and places his firmly on my hips, adjusting my position so I’m straddling him.

“Look at me, Cordelya,” he says.

My eyes meet his, which are shining with an emotion I can’t name.

“You are not making me sick. I’ve struggled with this all my life. But your blood…” he trails off before licking his lips.

“It’s the most delicious thing I’ve ever smelled.”

“Oh,” I whisper as my pulse stutters.

I watch his gaze drop to the curve of my neck, lingering for a moment on the veins that pulse beneath the skin, before dragging his eyes back to mine.

“So, my blood smells good to you?”