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‘You’ve already done it once,’ she says. ‘I know what it feels like.’

Not hesitating this time, I bite the inside of my wrist. My skin splits easily, the blood flowing out immediately. She takes my arm confidently, her lips warm to the touch. She drinks, slow but steady, and every nerve in my body comes alight. An odd, tingling sensation crawls across my scalp, rocketing down my spine like a live wire.

Her hands move to my chest and I groan at the feeling of them. I love how the warmth of her skin seeps through the fabric of my shirt. I like how delicate her fingers feel against my muscles. I crave her touch and closeness like a drug. I curl my hands around her hips, dragging her to me to the point where she mounts my lap. She settles into me, my erection digging into the inside of her thigh. She rotates her hips, grinding herself against me and the guttural groan that leaves me sounds wildly inappropriate, given that she is injured and needing my help right now, and instead, we look like we’re a moment away from ripping each other’s clothes off.

My hands inch up underneath her jumper, her skin soft and smooth beneath my fingertips. So warm. So alive. I want to feel every inch of her.

I drag my tongue up the side of her face, capturing the blood sitting on her skin. An explosion of heat slips down my throat and when she tilts her head back, I sink my fangs into the soft part of her throat, taking a long, deep drink as she continues to gulp my blood.

I’m going to lose my damn mind.

When she lets go, she exhales like she’s been holding her breath for hours, and it’s like a cool bucket of water is washed over me as she climbs off, looking dazed. I watch the colour return to her face. Her pulse evens out, her pupils dilating as the high kicks in. She wipes her mouth on the sleeve of her jacket and leans back against the pillows.

‘I hate how good that feels.’

I shrug. ‘Better to feel good, than not.’

‘I’m not sure about that. Feeling this good is dangerous,’ she murmurs, eyes drifting to mine. ‘It feels very … intense.’

‘Mm,’ I murmur in agreement, adjusting my pants. Her eyes track the movement and I notice the way her thighs clench together, which only makes me feel even more hot and bothered.

Standing, I grab a clean shirt from the bag of stolen things I’ve collected so far as she disappears into the bathroom. I hear the water turn on and I begin pacing the room, buzzed from her blood, and acutely aware of how close she is to me, and how very naked she is right now. Too bad a part of vampirism isn’t x-ray vision. When she returns to the room, hair wet and clothes changed, she flops onto the mattress. I stay where I am, leaning against the wall. My arms are folded across my chest as I turn my eyes back to the front door.

‘Are you going to watch the door all night again?’ she asks after a while, sinking into the pillows and pulling the blanket up to her chin.

‘Probably, yeah.’

She lies back, eyes already slipping closed. ‘You didn’t sign up to be my bodyguard.’

‘Yeah, well,’ I lift a shoulder.

‘You haven’t slept for a long time. You should rest.’

‘I’m okay.’

‘You’ll hear them, Theo,’ she says quietly. ‘Come to bed.’

Her words have me turning my head to stare at her. Like joining her in bed is the most natural thing to do. I stride across the room, and the bed creaks as I sit down beside her. She shifts just enough to make space. I lie back slowly, careful not to jostle her. The mattress is stiff, but her warmth overrides any discomfort. I make a mental note to get a room of a higher standard next time.

She doesn’t speak again, but I feel the change in her breathing. It’s deeper now, as if she feels comfortable and safe having me beside her. Warmth oozes through me at the thought, and I can’t help but allow a small smile to stretch across my face.

I close my eyes and within seconds, darkness consumes me.

13

TARA

The Host

The world is orange.

Hot, angry and flickering. Heat dances behind my eyelids, pulsing like a heartbeat. Somewhere far off, something cracks, eerily sounding like bones snapping. The smell reaches me before anything else. Something clogs my nose and fills my throat. Thick and heavy, like smoke. I cough, feeling something over my body weighing me down.

Someone screams. An awful pitch that surrounds me, like it is everywhere, but I don’t know where it’s coming from. I twist under the sheets. I need to get out, but I can’t move.

‘Come on!’ a voice says, sounding close but somehow far away at the same time. ‘Tara!’

The person repeats my name, it echoes inside my skull, and then my eyes snap open and Theo’s midnight eyes are locked onto mine. I choke on a breath, gasping for air as the heat of the flames dies away and the dark motel room comes back into focus. Sweat dots my skin and the sheets are wrapped around me. He frowns in concern, his hand hovering midway between us, as if wanting to comfort me but unsure whether he is crossing a line.