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He cocked his head as if he was thinking. “Six hours, give or take.”
My eyes widened. “Six hours? But how?”
“Let’s just say the water here isn’t the same as what you’re used to. If you were one of us, the wound would have healed much quicker. Some monsters heal instantly,” he said.
Monsters like Asher.I hadn’t forgotten how the horned demon’s wound had healed almost immediately after I’d stabbed him. Were these four all like that?
Locke didn’t appear to be moving from his relaxed position, so I decided to venture closer, all the while keeping the wall of weapons in my peripheral vision. I dropped onto the red settee closest to the fire, the one furthest away from the monster. My wound may have been much better, but it still ached, and the ache grew the longer I was standing.Damn wolf.
A moment passed with me eyeing Locke warily, and the heat of the fire warmed my cheeks, making me sweat beneath the shirt. Or was I just sweating because the onyx-eyed monster was still staring at me as if I was prey? “What are you going to do with me?” I finally asked.
He raised a brow. “Right now”—he motioned to the food on the table in front of me—“eat. Drink. We can’t have you dying while we’re bonded.”
“I don’t know anything about a bond,” I said, ignoring the food. “And even if I could bond to others, I certainly wouldn’t tie myself to you assholes.”
His jaw twitched, but he simply gestured to the food again with his head. “Eat.”
I stared at the silver platter piled with fruits, cheeses, and cuts of meat. Something in the monster’s tone made me think that if I didn’t eat soon, he’d force the food down my throat. A part of me wanted to refuse, just to defy him, but my stomach growled, empty and aching.
For days now, all I’d had was crusty bread, and I could hardly remember when the last time was. Before the last trial? If I didn’t eat something soon, I wouldn’t have the energy for any type of escape.
Cautiously, I picked a slice of some type of cured meat and placed it in my mouth. The tantalizing taste of salt and savory danced on my tongue, and I had to stop myself from letting out an embarrassing moan. But seriously, had anything ever tasted so good?
As if I’d unleashed something inside me, my fingers became swift, plucking grapes, cheeses, and other foods off the platter, savoring and relishing them. There was fruit that looked like stars, and cheeses with holes so big my fingers could slip through. I had the fleeting thought that maybe a rat had started eating the food on the platter, but at this point, I didn’t really care.Goddess, so good.
“If you don’t slow down, you’ll be heaving all that up soon. I’m not cleaning the mess,” said Locke, watching me with amusement.
Has he been staring at me the whole time?Of course he would have been. I stilled my gaze, then slid it to Locke, who sat watching me with interest, his own gaze razor-sharp. Had I really just forgotten he was there? I swallowed and chastised myself for letting my guard down.
He gestured with long pale fingers to the silver goblet on the table. “If you need to wash all that down.”
I eyed the liquid. The silver goblet was deep, and the liquid was dark.Wine?“What is it?” I almost didn’t care. I was just excited to see something to drink other than the sweet pink liquid they’d been feeding me.
“Something we all drink here, or we die.”
Die? Well, that’s a way to bring me back to reality.I frowned, unsure whether to drink it. A challenge shone in Locke’s gaze.Right. Dead if I don’t drink this. Well, if we’re bonded as they think, whatever the hell that means, then they don’t want me dead. Here goes.I lifted the silver cup to my lips.
The liquid was warm and thick and… “Ugh!” I spat the rest of my mouthful, liquid dripping down my chin and flying onto the small table before me, showering crimson over the remaining fruits, cheeses, and meat arranged on top of one another as if they were art.
Before I even had the chance to wipe my face, Locke was before me, tilting my head up to face him, his fingers gripping my chin painfully. I hadn’t even seen him move. His black gaze peered into my own as if he was looking for something. Searching for secrets in my eyes.
I tried to wrench my chin from his grip, but his claws pricked against my flesh.
“What was that?” I rasped, a coppery taste still on my tongue.
“Blood.”
Bile threatened to rush up my throat, and I swallowed to stop myself from gagging. “Why would you give me that? You said it was something you all drink or you die?”
“By ‘we,’ I meant those like me.”
“Like you?”
“Vampires,” he said as if he was surprised that I didn’t already know the answer.
“Whose blood do you drink?” My face paled as I thought of the other villagers. As I thought of Cara.
His nose dipped down then, and his fangs brushed along my neck, his hot breath on my skin. He inhaled, and my stomach gave a strange flip. My body trembled, wanting to be near him. With him. The bond pulling us closer.
