King Cave (Forever Evermore, #2)(164)

“Practice,” I whispered. My heart literally faltered as I felt everyone’s eyes on us, and Ezra gave me a shake. My eyes slammed open, though I hadn’t even realized they had closed.

“Hurry,” Ezra grumbled.

My dad placed his hand gently over my Core and whispered, “Relax.” And I immediately felt calm. “Open for me. Quit masking.”

Glancing at the others, who now wore varying expressions, my breath hitched, but I did as told. I quit masking. Years of training and survival instincts screamed at me, calling me a fool, as I laid myself bare to the power surging in the room, everyone already testing for the truth. I saw all but Antonio’s and Richard’s eyes widen, some more than others, their astonishment evident.

“Good,” Elder Venclaire murmured, and I felt his power rise, his eyes beginning to glow. “Now, the hardest part.” His eyes met mine. “Don’t send me anything to dull my senses while you drink.” He placed his free arm’s wrist at my mouth. “I need to be coherent for this next part.”

I blinked. I was starving, but I couldn’t move. I didn’t even think my fangs could extend. Inhaling a lungful of air, I whispered, “Can’t.”

Ezra and my biological dad both stilled.

Ezra cursed harshly, a round of inventive words, definitely not made for polite company, zinging throughout the room. “She’s worse than we thought.” Lifting his hand from around my waist, he tilted my head back, arching my neck before returning it to my waist, and then he gruffly ordered Elder Venclaire, “Bite yourself.”

I couldn’t see anything but Ezra’s face the way he had me tilted. His eyes were more than likely still trained on Elder Jacobs, Elder Merrick, and Bindi, but they did dart down to mine, and he rumbled, “When this is all said and done, I’ve decided I’m going to kick your ass.”

A breathy chuckle wheezed out of me, and I felt my heart stop. Completely stop. It squeezed painfully, only to thump again sluggishly. I coughed, even as Ezra’s own heart took off wildly, his eyes landing on mine and staying there. And then my father’s wrist was at my mouth.

Rich and spicy blood poured past my lips and over my teeth, sliding down my tongue to my throat. I whimpered quietly as the heady taste of powerful Vampire filled my senses. I got in only one good swig before he healed. A bitty growl erupted in my throat. Pure Vampire.

Ezra’s head was tilted, more than likely listening to my still faltering heart, but one eyebrow rose, his eyes darting to mine. “He wouldn’t heal if you let the girls out to play.”

And before my dad pulled his wrist back to bite himself it again, my fangs did descend, my body’s natural instinct coming to life, and I bit into my biological dad’s wrist.

He grunted softly. “There she goes.” I took a large pull from him, but instinct was a double-headed bitch because I instantly began sending him serenity. He jerked, shaking his wrist at my mouth, barking, “No!”

I stopped drinking, breathing heavily through my nose. Christ.

Ezra’s eyes darted to mine. “So what do you think Jack and Pearl did to rouse everyone in the cave when you called and,” he glanced at me as I slowly took another pull, listening to him, “blatantly lied to them?” He paused. “I’m betting it was something hideous.” His eyes met and held mine, and I took another tentative pull. “Too bad I bet it won’t be as heinous as what they’re going to do to you once they find out you tricked them.”

I took another pull, a larger one this time. And I didn’t send anything, but my eyes hooded at the rich taste pouring over my senses. Ezra chose that moment to glance down. His mouth was open to say something else, but he paused, and it snapped shut. Eyes going to the wrist at my lips, his own gaze hooded. I groaned softly, hungrily, as I pulled again, hearing a grunt come from my biological dad when I pulled long and hard.

Ezra’s hooded gaze narrowed, and he bent his head, placing his lips against my ear. “Is he better than your favorite?” Even though his voice was barely a breath, his tone was clipped and short.

I blinked even as my biological dad muttered, “For f*ck’s sake, Ezra. She was out for two days straight in the infirmary.” He grunted as I pulled again. “She’s starving.”

Ezra lifted his head back to stare me in the eyes, his gaze still hooded. I would have laughed if I wasn’t lying there dying. He was actually jealous that I might find someone tastier than him. And the truly sad thing was that even though my dad was damn delicious, I very much preferred Ezra’s taste over any I had ever had.

Ezra sniffed and pulled his eyes back up to where he had the gun trained. “I’m sure that’s it.”

Hilarity bubbled inside me, and I felt my lips curve more than they had been able before.

Elder Venclaire snorted. “Jesus, that’s unbelievable.” A pause. “I need to start pouring my power into her before she bleeds me dry.” Another pause. “Ezra, you’ll need to put the gun down.” And that tone he used didn’t bode well for me.

Ezra’s eyes darted his way and stayed. And the carefully blank face he plastered on most definitely didn’t bode well. “Alright.” He slowly lowered the gun with one last look to them.

My dad wiggled his wrist. “Let go, Lily.”

I whimpered unhappily, wanting more, and most definitely not wanting whatever pain was about to come from his pouring of power.