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They will fall.
***
Voices hum through the air of the casino floor, and I pull myself away from Monroe long enough to peek around. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a place so filled with people, not even the Aris. My heart swells, but a lingering fear clings to me. I feel as if all donors should go into hiding or some shit. Where would they would go? I have no fucking idea.
“Hayley! Fuck, Hayley!” Mya shouts and waves her hands from near one of the poker tables.
Tears burn my eyes. It’s been a while since we’ve been together, and I wasn’t sure if I would ever see her again. The other performers hug each other, hanging around her, looking more frightened than ever. I’m just so relieved to see them safe and away from the Aris hotel.
I don’t even have to ask Monroe to take me to them, because he zooms the distance at vampire speed and Mya jumps into the air, wrapping the two of us in a full-body hug, sandwiching me in the middle. She snuggles her face to the crook of my neck and releases a whimpering cry. Her body shakes as her emotions break free, and it sets me off even more and I begin to sob.
“I thought you were dead. No one told me what was going on. Govan showed up for us and then...fuck. Are you okay? Where have you been?” Mya heaves a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm herself enough to strengthen her voice.
I open and close my mouth. I don’t want to talk about it. I feel as if saying the words out loud will only bring me pain again. What I’ve been through was far more than I realized I could handle. I never want to go through it again, but fear lingers, because I know that this isn’t the end of things despite it feeling as if we’ve reached a turning point in our existences.
“Mya, how about we give them some room and time to calm down and settle in. It’s a fucking warzone out there. I’m sure Hayley wants to get cleaned up and eat something. Let me take you and your friends to the rooms. I bet you could use some attention as well.” Govan rests his hands on her shoulders and carefully detaches her from me until she stands on her feet.
Monroe shifts me in his arms so I can look at her, and I watch as she smiles at Govan. I’ve never seen her look at anybody like that before, and she slowly nods her head, agreeing with his suggestion. And I’m so relieved. As much as I just want to hug Mya to feel her affection as my best friend, Govan is right. I need time to process. My mouth doesn’t want to work anyways. I don’t even know exactly what to say to her. So much has changed with me.
“Meet me for dinner?” I manage to say, licking my dry lips. I can taste the blood now turning sour on my face. It makes me more self-conscious as if I’m being paraded around after the blood rain. But this is far worse. I’m practically bathed in the blood of Lawrence. I just want to rinse it away with every thought of him. With every thought of the Fright Fights and The Whiskey.
“Yes, of course. Call me if you need anything. I’m here for you. I’m so happy that we’re together again.” Mya grins and reaches out her hand, squeezing my arm. “It’s probably better if you showered anyway. You’re looking a little bit too appetizing for these vampires, I’m sure.” Her teasing words are far from true, considering that it’s a vampire’s blood coating my skin, but I humor her and laugh. It sounds forced and shaky, but it’s the best I can do.
Knox motions to Monroe to hand me to him, and Govan snatches Mya up and takes her back to the other performers who watch us in silence. It’s the strangest thing seeing them out of costume. None of them even wave at me or anything. I think they blame me for ruining their lives. I just hope they can forgive me one day.
“Why don’t you guys help Tatum get the donors settled on their floor.” Knox motions to where Tatum stands on one of the tables, giving instructions to the crowd.
“I’ll go over security measures again. Take our girl to your suite and make sure she’s healing properly.” Sawyer stands tall and crosses his arms. He turns to Cooper. “I’ll show you where you’ll stay. It’ll be on our floor. We keep it limited to just those in our inner circle.”
“Are you good with that, little bird?” Monroe asks, rubbing his fingers through his beard. “We can make some time to—”
“Just come to us after you’re done. This takes precedence.” I motion to the craziness of the casino. I want so badly to beg them to stay with me, but I know they’re needed elsewhere.
“We’ll be fast.” Monroe kisses me despite the blood on my face.
Sawyer hugs me and Cooper squeezes my hand, clearly unsure of what to do. I don’t even know what to do. I feel something growing between us, but I don’t want to think about it. I don’t want to deal with it. Everything else is already complicated enough.
Knox runs with me through the casino and to the elevators. The second the doors close, he searches my face and I lean into him, kissing him. I’ve been dying to do so since seeing the torture he’d been through. I’m more concerned about him than I am myself. Because I’m okay. I’m shaken and nervous, but I’m healed from my injuries already.
“Bite me. You need to drink. You have burns on you, and I’m not sure if your body is healing.” I murmur the words against his mouth, loving how he doesn’t even hesitate to return my affection.
He groans against my lips. “Hayley...”
“Do it. I demand it.” I tighten my jaw with my words. I don’t know where I get the nerve to speak to him like this, but it ignites silver sparkles in his eyes.
The elevator door dings open, and Knox spins without giving into my demand. I find myself standing in the bathroom of his room, and he kicks the door closed behind him. His body ripples as he flexes his muscles, his blood hunger turning into lust. I bet he’s thinking about my command over and over again.
“Bite me. Let me take care of you.” I strip my dirty shirt off and toss it to the floor, exposing my boobs to him. I shimmy out of my pants next, leaving them piled at my feet. “You know you want to. Bite me. Right now. You’ve been through enough, and it’s my turn to see that you are okay.”
His fangs extend from beneath his lip, but again, he doesn’t obey me and just drinks in the sight of me standing before him.
I can’t stand it another second. Striding toward him, I grab his shirt and yank it over his head before unbuckling his belt. He groans as I slide my hand into his pants and lace my fingers around his hard cock, stroking it as I pull him to the shower.
“Hayley, I—” His words cut off with another moan, and I grin as I lower myself to my knees.
“Stop talking. I want to make you cum. I want to make you feel good and reward you for being my hero. I’m going to get you to bite me. You can’t resist me, Knox. I know you’re trying to, and you need to know that I’m not a doll. You can’t break someone who’s already been shattered.”
He braces on the wall as I lick his tip and suck him into my mouth, digging my fingers into his ass cheeks as I bob my head. All I can think about is pleasure and blood and everything we’ve been through to get to this moment. Who knows how long this will last? I’m tired of living each day as if my life is ending. I need to live each day as if it’ll be one of infinity. I need to treat myself like a dhampir and not a donor. I need Knox to do the same.
