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Oh, why am I so terribly awful at listening to myself?
“Asha. Asha, you need to go back inside.”
Az’s heart practically stops. Then his pulse races, anger and confusion practically barreling off of him. I watch him step forward, his arms outstretched to grab Asha and steal her away, but my comment has her sidestepping into the light.
“Asha,” I say, this time with enough force to my voice to alert the guard falling asleep on the balcony ahead. Voices murmur from up above, signaling to me I’ve got their attention.
More importantly, signaling to Az I’ve got their attention.
I grit my teeth, confusion washing over Asha’s face.
“What’s wrong?” she asks.
“Your fear.” I make a careful effort to flare my nostrils, clamp my jaw. “It’s making your heart race.”
A breeze flutters through the gardens, and I seize the opportunity to gasp.
I let my canines out to shine. Asha’s eye goes wide at the sight of them.
“Run,” I beg, and she does.
CHAPTER 16
BLAISE
It’s no use avoiding Az.
Not since handing over Nox’s and Zora’s bodies back in Mystral.
I practically offered him my heartstrings on a platter.
By letting Asha go just now, I very well might have handed over Nox’s and Zora’s hearts as well.
My chest tightens at the thought, my canines drawing blood from where I forced them through my gums to frighten Asha away.
I don’t mind that the guards on the balcony watch as I slink into the shadows. When Asha tells them I warned her that a craving struck me, they’ll think I’m trying to avoid temptation. Perhaps they’ll even think I’m out hunting for animal blood to satiate my thirst.
Even if they doubt my intentions, even if they think I’m a potential hazard to the human residents, I’ve had enough run-ins with the Othian guards to know they’re unlikely to risk their own skin for the sake of the humans.
“I’m going to need a very convincing argument for why you let her get away just now,” Az says, still leaning up against the back of the tree.
We’re both in the shadows, but a benefit of my vampirism is a heightening of all my senses, including my night vision.
Fates, he’s beautiful. His jaw perfectly cut, his black hair just messy enough to give him a wild sort of quality. He’s the type of man who wouldn’t have much trouble luring girls out into the woods alone late at night.
“You said you needed her alive,” I say. “You should just be thankful I had the self-control not to rip her throat out just now.”
Az has the presence of mind to mask his expression, but that doesn’t do much to hide the way his heart races at the idea of Asha’s blood spilling.
Fear for her life rolls off of him in waves.
It’s a good thing too, because his relief that I didn’t hurt her is the only thing keeping Nox alive right now.
“I thought you said you had your cravings under control,” he counters.
I blink, fidgeting with the strands at the end of my braid. “I missed my dose this afternoon.”
Az’s tone goes steely. “You missed your dose.” He runs his hands through his hair. “You’re a wreck.”
