Thirsty After Dark

1. The High

THE HIGH

The bass from the main floor vibrated through the walls of the VIP bathroom, a steady thump that matched the pulse in Reign Saint's throat. He could taste it already—that sharp, metallic sweetness that made everything else feel like background noise.

Auren was pressed against the marble counter, her bodycon dress hiked up around her waist, breathing hard. She knew what this was. Their arrangement. She got paid, got the high of his attention. And he got what he needed.

"You good?" Reign's voice was low, smooth, that Richmond drawl that made women lean in closer. His golds caught the dim light when he smiled.

"Yeah, I'm good," she breathed. "You know I'm always good for you."

He moved closer, one hand sliding up her thigh. The smell of her perfume mixed with smoke and liquor. But underneath all that, he could smell it. That iron-rich scent that made his pupils dilate, made his jaw tighten.

She was on her cycle. Third day, maybe fourth. Peak time.

His favorite.

"I appreciate you, real talk," he said, his lips brushing against her neck. "Not a lot of women understand what I need."

She melted into him, her hands sliding up his chest. Designer everything. He smelled like Tom Ford, like Hennessy, like money and intention.

"You know I got you," she whispered. "Always."

Reign kissed her—slow at first, deliberate. She moaned into his mouth, and he felt it then: the shift. The hunger rising up from somewhere deep and primal.

His hand moved between her thighs, and she gasped. When his fingers came away slick with blood, when he brought them to his mouth and tasted her, she watched his face transform.

Fuck.

The high hit him immediately—a rush that started in his chest and spread outward like fire. His vision sharpened. Every sound became clearer. The bass. Her breathing. The blood moving through her veins.

He could feel his strength returning, that supernatural edge that made him faster, stronger, more dangerous. But it wasn't just physical. It was emotional. The blood made him feel everything more intensely—rage, desire, possessiveness, love.

Especially love.

And that's why this was so fucked up.

"Reign—" Auren's voice was breathy as he dropped to his knees in front of her.

She had no idea how much he hated himself for it.

He pulled her closer, his hands gripping her thighs, and when his mouth found her, when he tasted the blood directly from the source, the high intensified. It was better than any drug, better than anything he'd ever felt except?—

Except Soreya.

The thought of her cut through the euphoria like a blade. Soreya, waiting for him at home. Soreya, who'd texted him hours ago. Soreya, who thought he was out here cheating.

If only she knew.

When it was over—when he'd taken enough to feel that familiar strength coursing through him—Reign stood. Auren was slumped against the counter, dazed and satisfied.

"Damn," she whispered. "That was?—"

"I know." He was already reaching for the paper towels. "You good?"

She nodded. "I'm straight. You good though? You seem stressed."

"Yeah, I'm good," he lied. "Just got a lot on my mind."

Reign pulled his phone from his pocket while she fixed her dress, and his chest tightened when he saw the notifications.

Soreya (11:47 PM): You still at the club?

Soreya (12:23 AM): Reign I'm tired of this shit fr

Soreya (1:15 AM): You could at least answer me

Soreya (1:58 AM): Ight cool

That last message hit different. That "ight cool" was the sound of her giving up, and he hated it. Hated that he did this to her. Hated that he couldn't stop.

He typed out a response—My bad baby I'm handling something I'll be home soon—but didn't send it. What was the point? She'd heard it all before.

"That Soreya?" Auren asked.

"Yeah."

"You gotta tell her, Reign."

He didn't respond. Because she was right, and he knew it, and knowing it didn't change anything.

Reign pulled a small bottle of cologne from his pocket and sprayed it over himself, covering the scent. Then he checked his golds, made sure his shirt was straight.

He pulled a stack of bills from his pocket—hundreds—and set them on the counter beside her. "Get yourself something nice. And Auren? Thank you. For real."

She took the money, but her eyes stayed on his face. "You gonna be alright?"

"Yeah," he said, but they both knew he was lying. "I'm good."

Reign unlocked the bathroom door, and the music hit him immediately—that heavy, hypnotic beat. He stepped out into the dim hallway, and the VIP section was still packed. Bottle girls moving through the crowd. Security posted up. His people. His empire.

His feeding ground.

His phone buzzed before he made it three steps.

Cairo: We got a problem. Noctis moving on the Southside spots. Need you and Sevyn at the house NOW.

Reign's jaw clenched. Not tonight. Not when he needed to?—

Sevyn appeared through the crowd, his younger brother's face tight with urgency. He grabbed Reign's arm, pulling him toward the back exit.

"We got a situation," Sevyn said, voice low. "Soleil just called. Noctis hit one of our spots on Hull Street twenty minutes ago. Took product, roughed up the runners. Left a message."

"What kind of message?"

"The kind that says they coming for everything."

Reign's phone buzzed again. Another text from Cairo: Don't make me wait.

Then one from Soreya: so you really not coming home

He stared at both messages. The woman he loved, waiting. The family business, demanding.

Soleil pushed through the side door, her expression cold and focused. "Cairo wants us at Smoke & Gold in fifteen minutes. Noctis is making moves tonight, and if we don't respond, we look weak."

"I need to—" Reign started.

"You need to handle family business," Soleil cut him off. "Whatever else you got going on can wait."

Reign looked at his phone one more time. Soreya's message stared back at him.

He should go home. Should crawl into bed beside her, tell her he was sorry.

But he wouldn't.

Because he couldn't choose her over this. Not when the empire his family built was under threat. Not when Cairo was calling.

Reign typed out a message to Soreya: I'm sorry. Something came up. I'll explain later.

He hit send before he could change his mind.

Then he followed Sevyn and Soleil out into the alley, where the Hellcat was waiting.

The night wasn't over yet.

And neither was the war.