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“I’m going to kill him.”
His jaw bit down again, clamping shut with a click of his teeth.
“We’ll talk over that later. First you have to get well. Feed.”
Marko didn’t need another invitation. He jerked her forward, igniting a scream as he savagely bit into her neck. Tessa’s hand slammed into my stomach as I reared forward. Although she wanted me to stay back, she fisted my shirt through the pain of his bite. The brutality burned its way up my own neck, leave a scorching sensation stinging along my skin. Minutes passed. Then more. When Tessa’s knees gave out, I held her up by the waist, using my palm on the middle of her back to keep up with her pulse.
“Marko, you have to stop.”
I didn’t bother to hide my panic as I counted the beats. Her heart was slowing the more he drained her.
“Marko!”
A growl echoed through the room as he let go, pulling her more into his arms. Regardless, that he had more strength, I still held around her waist. Tessa could barely move. Her body was limp as she sniffled through the soft cries.
“How long?”
I glanced up to Marko’s black eyes. He was still vampire. Still unstable.
“Over a month and a half. Closer to two, I guess.”
“It felt like years. Like an eternity of darkness. Three times he fed me. Three. And only then did I see light. I thought I had missed that sweet glow during my first century, but now, I don’t think I’ll ever look at the dark the same again. It’s crazy,” he said, hugging to Tessa tighter. “A vampire who’s afraid of the dark. Never would I have believed such a thing.”
What was I supposed to say to that? Nothing. I didn’t think it required an answer. I could understand his new fear, even if I couldn’t quite feel the emotion.
“Let her drink from me. She needs to replenish.”
Marko’s eyes snapped up, only for him to blink away whatever was in his mind. His features immediately loosened from the tense expression he’d had. The black lightened, turning to brown as he took deep breaths.
“Feed her here. I don’t want to let go of her. I can’t.”
Closer, I moved in. When Tessa’s head slid to the middle of Marko’s chest to move in closer to me, I slit my wrist, putting it up to her mouth. The softness of her lips caressed my skin as she sucked. The action had my body reacting and I braved a stare at Marko, knowing all too well he could feel my battle. He was powerful now. So much more than he had ever been. It scared me. We had been enemies for so long that I worried how he was going to take all of this. Especially given me and Tessa’s new bond.
“I didn’t know what I was doing when I attacked her that night. You probably don’t believe me, but I have to be honest with you. I would never hurt Tessa or force her into something she didn’t want.”
Emotions left him while he swept back her hair. Still Tessa took in more of my blood. “I know you had no control over yourself that night, Hunter. Aetas’ blood told me the truth. Have you been with my concubine since I was away?”
The question had Tessa pausing. It rocked me so much that I paused before I shook my head. “No. Not that I didn’t want to be. Aetas … well, you, I thought, wouldn’t allow me. At first he seemed able enough, but things changed after the first night at headquarters.”
“I don’t have to ask you how Aetas was to my wife. I got to hear firsthand after you left earlier.”
“After I left?” My brow drew in as I turned my attention to Tessa. She didn’t break away from my wrist as she stared ahead like a zombie.
“He was going to rape her right there so I could hear. He tried to force the idea of her wanting him into her mind, but Tessa overpowered his control. She left then, but what happened after is a mystery. Concubine, why don’t you tell me what happened?”
The threat for revenge laced every single word he spoke. Tessa’s lips once again paused. I could feel her fear—her hesitation. Cautiously, she rose to sit, appearing paler than before I gave her my blood. She glanced at me, and then to him. When her voice came out monotone, it turned my stomach even more.
“I did what I had to do to try to keep you safe. I sent Hunter to rescue you, but he couldn’t get in. I didn’t know that until Aetas fell asleep and I went back. I had to distract him. I …”
Tessa swallowed hard, appearing as if she were going to be sick. Her hand came to her mouth and she tried to push from Marko, but he held to her, not allowing her to go. With each breath he took, I could see his anger grow.
“But it wasn’t the first time, was it?”
Even though Tessa lay back on his chest at his pull, her red-rimmed eyes stayed on me. Her heartache and sickness was my own. Had I of known what she was doing—what was happening …
“No. I thought he was you until I saw you in the memorial. I didn’t know.”
“Every day? A handful of times? Did he kiss you and touch you like me?”
