Bound By Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #8)(39)

Now she had no choice but to follow him when he claimed he could use his tribal connection with Tearloch to track him down.

A breeze stirred the air, bringing with it the rich scent of herbs. Ariyal’s scent.

Her fangs lengthened, her hunger rising as her gaze instinctively slid to the strong column of his neck. She swallowed a groan, sharply turning away.

She needed to feed.

This brutal urgency had nothing to do with Ariyal’s blood in particular.

Nothing, nothing, nothing.

“I’ll leave you two to your male bonding,” she muttered, heading down the path as she sought to get her bearings.

Although they were currently surrounded by open meadows on one side and cornfields on the other, she easily sensed the press of humanity that marked Chicago. It also included a large clan of vampires she hoped to avoid.

Thankfully closer at hand was a decent-sized town that should offer a meal as well as a much-desired shower.

Intent on her escape, Jaelyn clenched her hands in frustration as Ariyal abruptly appeared before her, his face tight with suspicion.

“Where are you going?”

Her brows snapped together at his possessive tone. “Does it matter?”

His eyes shimmered with a pure bronze in the moonlight. “Yes, it damned well matters.”

“Why?”

“I don’t intend to be stuck with that miniature pain in the ass.” He pointed toward Levet, who was busy sniffing a bush. “Besides, how do I know you’re not going for reinforcements to force me to the Oracles?”

She snorted. “As if I need reinforcements.”

“Then tell me where you’re going.”

She folded her arms over her chest. “My errand has nothing to do with you.”

“Shit, Jaelyn,” he growled. “Does everything have to be a fight?”

Her lips thinned as she squashed the urge to continue with their petty squabbling.

“Fine. I must feed,” she grudgingly confessed. “Satisfied?”

Expecting the aggravating fairy to step aside, Jaelyn wasn’t prepared when he instead reached out to grab her upper arms and yanked her hard against his body.

“No, I’m not satisfied.”

She glared at him in astonishment. Had he lost his mind?

Nobody manhandled a vampire.

Not unless they had a death wish.

“Well, that’s too bad,” she hissed, telling herself it was only her duty to the Addonexus that kept her from ripping out Ariyal’s throat.

Instead she planted her hands against his chest and shoved just hard enough to give her the necessary space to continue down the pathway.

“Wait.” He was once again standing in front of her, his expression set in stubborn lines.

“What?”

“Use me.”

“You?”

“I have blood.” He deliberately angled his head to expose the tempting length of his throat. “Drink.”

A piercing yearning shot through her, the vivid image of her fangs buried deep in his throat as he held her pressed tight against his body searing through her mind.

Oh ... hell.

She was in trouble.

The sort of trouble that could get her killed if she wasn’t careful.

“No,” she muttered, wrenching her gaze from his neck to meet the fierce glitter in his eyes. “No.”

“Why not?”

“It’s not the kind I need.”

“Liar.” His hand cupped her cheek, his thumb teasing at her lower lip. “Vampires find Sylvermyst blood intoxicating. I’ve had to kill more than one to keep them off my neck.”

She shuddered, her fangs aching.

“Hunters have a specific nutritional need.”

There was enough truth in her words to make him scowl in frustration.

“And where do you expect to find these nutritional needs?”

“There’s a town not far from here.”

“Will you hunt?”

She studied him in confusion. She’d been so shocked by her barbaric reaction to his offer of a vein that she hadn’t considered why the arrogant, highly distrustful fey would share his royal blood.

Now she studied him in confusion. “What are you asking?”

“Will you sink your fangs into another man’s vein?”

She blinked. Holy shit. Was he jealous?

“That’s none of your ...”

“I made it my business when I took you as my lover,” he snapped, his head swooping down like a bird of prey.

She braced herself as his mouth branded her lips in a kiss that she felt to the tips of her toes.

For a crazed minute she simply savored the intoxicating pleasure that threatened to consume her. There was no logical explanation for why this man’s touch could overcome decades of brutal training, but the urge to rip off her clothes and beg for him to ease her throbbing desire was undeniable.

And why shouldn’t I?

A quickie in the cornfield might take the edge off and allow her to regain the icy control that was annoyingly elusive.

“No.” She shook her head, ruthlessly crushing the wicked temptation. She was in this stupid mess because she’d been weak. It wouldn’t happen again. “Last night ... it was ...”

The heat of his fey magic filled the air, as enticing as it was lethal.