The Inferno

Chapter 16 Blood

T he coolness evaporates when another being slips into the room.

Seemingly appearing from nothing, a wisp of wind catches the front strands of my hair. But it isn't that which makes me aware of his presence.

No.

How I wish it was only that.

Instead, it's the deep, intense, enticing heat that is unexpectedly thrumming through my veins.

My gaze unwillingly snaps away from the demon and latches onto the vampire.

I can’t explain why my skin suddenly feels on fire, why the blood in my veins seems to sizzle and burn with a guttural need, or why I’m stood and having to use my last thread of control to stop myself from running over to him.

The hard thumping of my heart deafens all other sounds. I can’t hear, I can only feel and I need to feel him.

I want him.

No.

No, no, no!

No fucking way.

My power latches onto this new feeling of resentment, of pure unadulterated rage, and it clears the warm, fuzzy cloud previously hindering my mind.

“You didn’t,” I snarl. My voice is a quiet, strained sound drenched in utter disbelief and pure fury.

“Bad timing?” Julien's mental voice is pure sin, intensifying the unbearable heat of my skin without even speaking aloud.

“Perfect timing,” the demon replies. I already know he’s brandishing his attempt of a smile and it amplifies my rage. I want to look at him, to confirm my thoughts, to scowl and swear, but my body won’t allow it.

I have to focus on Julien and the act of restraining myself. I force my body to remain still even as it becomes painful. My muscles pulling taut as a tremor begins to build in my legs.

“You fed me your blood?” I finally say, the words barely passing through my gritted teeth, my hands clutching the back of the wooden chair, causing it to creak under the pressure.

I’m going to fucking kill him.

“Remember that mental wall we were just talking about?”

“Fuck the wall,” I practically growl.

For once, my power seems to be fully on my side, furious at the act of sabotage and betrayal, and it spikes around me in thick, dark tendrils like spears.

“You should stop her.”

“Not yet, I’m enjoying this.” Julien's voice somehow purrs inside my head. My power stutters as warmth builds in my belly. How the hell does he do that?

When he takes a cautious step towards me, it stutters again and my stomach swirls with the mixture of intense emotions as I retreat.

“Back off.” I’m impressed with the vicious tone I manage to conjure, but he doesn’t listen, it doesn’t stop him coming closer. My darkness flares in warning, spiking out in more violent shapes and my eyes bleed out. “Stop! Don’t take another fucking step or I’ll—”

“Please, Little Empath, tell me exactly what you plan to do to me.” His velvet voice sweeps over me and then, he fucking smiles .

That smile.

His sharp canines peeking out ever so slightly, his potent blood pumping through my veins, flowing inside of me... It’s all too much for my poor body to handle.

A heavy haze passes over me, my gaze softens and I’m desperately staring at the sinful man before me like I need him to breathe.

My sight trails over his lean, towering form. He’s wearing the same dark suit, his burgundy, silk shirt now tinged with dried blood and ash, the delicate material ruined, but that only adds to my desire for him.

It creates a violent, carnal emotion inside of me as my heart beats faster and need rushes through me. I try to close my eyes, to break the connection, but I wince at the action, my body fighting every logical thought. My power begins to burn within as I continue the mental battle.

I don’t hear him move until he’s already touching me, his warm hand gently cupping the edge of my jaw.

His voice so soft as he towers over me. “Can I explain now?”

Hearing his sensual voice aloud pushes me over the precipice.

I open my eyes, peering up at this dangerous, dark, predatory creature, his bright crimson eyes assessing any bare skin he can access. The only thought swimming through my mind, the only word I can conjure, echoes loud and clear.. .

More.

I grab his blood-stained shirt and yank him down into my empty chair. I surprise myself at how easily he goes down but I don’t linger on that thought.

The sound of my pulsing blood consumes me and the need to feel, to feel him, overwhelms any other sense. Now we’re almost at eye level, our gazes locked, my skin burns with the primal need to have him touch me.

I think I’ll die if he doesn’t.

I straddle him, not caring that my robe is barely covering me now, and rip open the shirt covering the skin I need to feel. Buttons scatter across the room, I hear something shatter but I’m too transfixed by his smooth, dark skin. His chest rises in a slow and steady pace as I trail my fingertips down his pectorals, feeling the edges of his muscular form, then back up to his collarbone, lingering over his broad shoulders, but it’s not enough.

“Julien…” I hear the demon’s warning in that one word, but we ignore it.

Julien's gaze remains transfixed on me and I see my own hunger reflected in those crimson eyes.

“Touch me,” I plead, placing both hands upon his hot chest and sliding them up to his shoulders again.

My fingers slide under his suit jacket, easing it from his shoulders until it falls down his arms. My gaze hungrily admires the large expanse of his muscular frame and I lean forward, my breasts brushing against his chest. The soft sensation makes a quiet moan leave my lips.

The room fills with a sudden darkness, the lights flickering before dimming completely. I’m too consumed by Julien to look around, but I feel an additional coolness sweep against my skin, attempting to cool the heat drowning me, but it only adds to my current state, another layer of pleasure I can’t handle.

“You’re taking this too far.”

I can barely stay upright now and Julien's hands tighten around my waist in response. When they moved there, I have no idea, but I greedily use that support to lean in even closer. His eyes are transfixed by every single movement I make yet his body remains still beneath me. Never moving but never stopping me either. Allowing me to take control.

And I do.

Slowly, I tease the skin of his throat with my lips, just barely touching, feeling his pulse thrum there. The erratic flutter making me to smirk with satisfaction and when he inhales, his nose nudging my own pulse hammering in my throat, a new wave of lust washes over us.

“Enough.” His cold voice seeps into the room.

Julien's nose nudges my throat again, his lips almost skimming my skin, and his hold upon my hips tightens.

“Julien, enough.” This time, Julien’s hands twitch, as if pulled by an invisible string.

Gradually, his grip relaxes and he leans backwards, creating space between our bodies. I watch as he uses his hold on me to gently push me back until our faces are aligned again.

It means I can see the perfection of his face fully. I’m utterly enamoured. His plush, dark red lips are slightly parted, his fangs sending a shiver of anticipation along my raw skin, and his crimson eyes are spiked with black around his blown-out irises.

“I’ll do whatever you want.” My voice is a thick rasp as I lick my bottom lip.

His eyes are captivated by the small action, staring at my mouth like a starving man, and I feel his fingers twitch upon the robe, the only thing keeping him from really touching me.

“I’m surprised you haven’t fed from her.”

It takes Julien a moment to respond. “She isn’t in her right mind…”

“Never stopped you before.”

I wince, my eyelids flutter. The demon’s words begin to pierce the haze. ‘Fed’ prompting earlier memories to return from the back of my mind. Anger, no fury, I was furious about something— wasn’t I?

“If you’re not going to feed, I suggest you move her off of you. Now.”

I almost growl at the demon’s suggestion; I need to feel more of Julien not less.

“Is that so, my friend? Alas, you seemed to be enjoying yourself.”

A pause.

“Now, Julien.”

Julien's deep chuckle has me sighing. “Is that jealously I hear?”

He’s right, the bitter emotion seeps into my body, slips into my blissful haze… jealously and frustration. I manage to hold onto them, force them to amplify, just enough to clear some of this blood induced fog.

His blood. Julien's…

In that second, I realise exactly where I am, what I’m doing and, most importantly, who I’m fucking straddling .

My rage explodes, my power bursts from my skin in large plumes of black and the haze caused by his blood turns into a new bloodlust.

I quickly turn, snatch a steak knife from one of the trays, and push the edge against his throat until the skin puckers.

“You gave me your fucking blood!” I growl, pushing the small triangles of the blade further into his skin, watching it create deep indents. One more push and I’ll draw blood. “I was going to… I can’t…” My blood fights against my body, forcing me to strain as I keep the blade against him.

“You did say you’d try to kill me,” Julien murmurs, calmly looking down at my hand, the one holding a knife to his jugular, before casting a glance over my shoulder, to the demon presumedly, and finally back to me with a look of awe. “You smell incredible when you’re angry.”

My grip shudders under his dark words and intense gaze, crimson eyes so hypnotising and filled with hunger I’m surprised I haven’t dropped the knife and pulled his face to mine. But I somehow prevail, my power bubbling with anger and reminding me how I got into this position in the first place, desperately trying to regain some control.

“I should slit your throat.” My words are a quiet, staccato burst.

“I admire the threat but you know that won’t kill him.” The demon’s dark voice fills the silent room, somehow cooling some of my pure rage but not enough to stop me pushing against the blade.

“Jasmine.” Julien's voice is poison mixed with honey. When he says my name, it’s like a silk liquid is running along my hot skin, sending another wave of heat crashing through me.

I lose my concentration for a moment, feeling dizzy and unsteady on his lap, but the rage still lingers somewhere within. I fight through the heavy haze again; I devour the lustful emotions and carve it into my rage.

My fingers begin to feel numb from my intense grip upon the knife and his voice slips back into my mind. “Put it down, Little Empath. Let me explain.”

Refusing his instruction makes my blood physically burn, I feel it boiling within me, scratching inside my veins and arteries until they feel raw.

My fingers begin to tremble.

The knife slips, clattering to the floor .

“Let go of me,” I spit, scowling at the vampire still gently holding me with one hand engulfing my entire waist. “I don’t want you touching me.”

“Is that really what you want?” he asks, deep blood-red eyes burning into mine, his lips tilting into a smug smile I want to punch off of him.

“This is your blood, this isn’t me, you sick fuck!” I snarl, glaring at the position I’ve gotten myself into, trying to figure out how to get off the giant without flashing him or the demon behind.

“Much like your gift, my blood simply amplifies emotions already present,” he declares, his lips pulled into a devious smile, eyes gleaming as they watch me struggle to get down whilst he offers absolutely no help. “Do you acquire my assistance?”

I refuse to acknowledge his words or see his smirking face again, I stare at my fisted hands instead, black coils coating my skin as the rage simmers within.

I clamp my teeth together, seething as I finally reply, “Yes.”

His small chuckle makes my jaw grind, then large hands encompass my entire waist, easily lifting and then depositing me into the seat beside him like a small child.

I scowl and quickly move away to the furthest seat, at the top of the table, tightening my robe in a double, triple, knot in the process. I can only imagine how comical the whole thing looks, and I grimace at myself for feeling embarrassed. I settle my gaze onto the numerous trays still scattered around, feeling the need to count and recount how many there are.

When the room continues to sit in silence, I finally glare up and instantly frown, both men are looking at one another, miniscule expressions indicating their silent communication.

“Are you having a private conversation, right now?” I ask, completely exasperated, angry and confused by their behaviour. “So, even though I can hear your thoughts and you can hear mine, you still get to have secret conversations about me, right in front of me? Great.”

Julien's deep chuckle only makes my anger intensify, but I feel a coldness wrap around my leg once more. I peer down at the small shadow, narrowing my gaze in annoyance but, secretly, I’m thankful for the calmness it brings, simmering the heat flooding my body and quelling some of the fury— for now .

“Can I explain myself now?” Julien asks. I can see he’s trying to keep his face neutral but he can’t quite manage it, his lip twitching as he watches me frown at him again.

“Sure.”

If he thinks I’m going to talk to him properly, after that, after I straddled him, pleaded for him to touch me… he can forget it.

The demon turns his head away for a second. My brows knit together, and I worry I’m going to have a permanent line etched there after this night, until I realise he’s only turned in an attempt to cover his own miniature smirk. The demon's smirking at my anger—no, at my thoughts. I grit my teeth and only turn to face Julien when he speaks again.

“You would have died,” he explains simply, factually, like we shouldn’t even be discussing something so obvious. “At the club, when you collapsed, you were about to die. I gave you a small amount of my blood, just enough to stop your vital organs from shutting down. That’s all. It will barely affect you this time tomorrow.”

I chew over his words , my eyes flickering across his face in assessment. “What gave you the right to make that choice for me?” His gaze darkens as does mine. “Why do you decide whether I live or die? Did you consider what I wanted? I never asked to be saved.”

My anger quickly flares again and I point at the demon.

“He was going to kill me either way, he’s still considering it now, so what was the point?” The demon’s gaze lowers on me then, and my mind races with sudden ideas. “Unless, did you have another vote? Whilst I was bleeding out on the ground? You decided to make another game out of me while you still could?” I glare at them both and, simultaneously, their eyes flare back at me.

“The water elemental begged me,” Julien interjects, both their gazes still intent and heavy as they watch me. “Then the fae, even the mage when she was conscious.”

If it was biologically possible, my heart would have shattered then and there. A thick, heavy emotion, one I can’t yet pinpoint, drenches me to the point I feel nauseous.

“They wouldn’t… They wouldn’t want…” I begin to mutter, searching the ground and feeling the small shadow curling around my ankle in an attempt to soothe me. My expression hardens. “Even if they did, you wouldn’t do it for them. So why did you? ”

“We need you alive for questioning. You’re a significant witness.” The demon’s cold voice sinks into me, making the sickness worse, heavier somehow. “We didn’t do it for them.”

I fidget in my seat, pulling my feet up and onto the chair so I can lean my chin upon my knees. My narrowed gaze stays focused on the tray directly before me.

“Why the tablets then?” I push, my voice lacking my previous rage as I refuse to look at them. “If you already gave me your blood, why did you give me more?”

The silence stretches into a slow, thick wave. I focus on regulating my breathing once more, listening to the steadying thud of my heart, whilst they continue yet another private conversation. That is, until I’m included.

“Go on, Julien. Explain.”

I peer across the table, feeling sheepish as I seek out their gaze for some reason. Julien's crimson sight sweeps all over me, lingering upon my throat for the briefest moment, before meeting my eyes again.

“You weren’t fully healed and you were in pain, it was a small amount to assist with the healing process. You’d already had my blood, there was no harm in giving you more to ensure you fully healed.”

The demon quietly ‘tsks’ at Julien's words, shaking his head slightly. My confused gaze dances between them both, studying them with narrowed eyes, waiting for one of them to speak.

“You think I’m lying, my friend?” Julien's voice somehow transforms into something deeper; his blood-red sight lowers as he stares into the demon directly across from him.

I shuffle slightly in the chair, feeling uncomfortable in more ways than one, wondering if I was still meant to be included in this part of the conversation .

“No, not lying, omitting something maybe ?” the demon adds with a small, condescending lip tilt, one that has Julien's eyes narrowing in thought before they widen again in realisation.

“I see, you want me to admit that I was selfish?” Julien almost smiles as he stares across at his ‘friend’. He rubs the edge of his jaw for a moment, I’m so transfixed by the action I nearly startle when his red gaze flashes back to me and he speaks aloud .

“I wanted to make sure the marks on you were completely gone, especially the one upon your throat,” he speaks with such intensity, his crimson sight refusing to give me any relief, pinning me even as I lean back into the chair for some solace.

“Why?” The word is barely a squeak, I almost cringe at the sound of it but stop when I see the way he’s looking at me.

His eyes sweep over my body and I feel completely naked as his words become a raspy murmur, “I already told you my intentions that night, I’m going to mark you, and when I do, it’ll be the only mark on that perfect body of yours.”

Wall, wall, wall…

“It doesn’t work like that…” The demon’s voice lingers on the edge of laughter, which somehow makes my heart flutter even quicker.

I keep my eyes scrunched shut because I refuse to look at either of them after that confession. I don’t dare even linger or repeat the words from Julien's seductive mouth because I’m terrified about what might slip through my thoughts, what emotions might decide to appear or images to suddenly conjure.

This is all too much, too soon.

“The mage sent some things for you,” Julien interrupts my inner turmoil, the intensity previously smothering his tone now refrained but still like silk running along my heated skin.

My body becomes overly alert, I glance across to see the bag he’s now holding. It’s a duffle bag I’d seen Alexis use many times for the gym, a dark purple with large black straps and I wonder why she didn’t use one of mine.

“Does she know I’m here? Is she OK?” I quickly ask, my eyes pleading for answers as I look between the bag and Julien.

“She knows you’re safe, she’s fine.” Are his vague responses, before he rises and begins to move towards me with the bag.

My body tenses, power flaring and instantly wrapping me in visible waves of black mist. But Julien is a vampire, the bag is on the table before me and he’s stood beside the demon before my power even fully formed.

The closer proximity to him makes my blood heat but the shadow along my leg keeps me balanced, I forcibly ignore them both as I peer into the bag .

I instantly frown, gently peeling through the clothes and other items, all of which are not mine. “Why is it all her stuff?”

Muted voices resembling that of a reporter flicker to life around the room. I turn to the sound and see a TV I hadn’t even noticed now on. The image filling the screen answers my question instantly, and my stomach becomes lead.

I push the bag away and turn in my chair to face the screen, multiple images of 'The Inferno' plaster it. The damage is extreme, the magnitude of it making my breath catch as I realise the entire top floor, including the roof, are simply gone.

My home is gone.

Everything was gone. Every single thing I ever owned, collected or cherished was now ash.

I feel my eyes glazing over, but I refuse to shed a tear over something so materialistic, so insignificant, my family are safe, people died, I can’t be upset over just things … but I can’t ignore the scraping feeling of sadness penetrating my bones.

If I was to die, there would be nothing left of me but memories, no evidence I ever existed…

“I didn’t realise how bad the damage was,” I whisper, staring up at the screen as more images appear. Teams of creatures entering the demolished level six, attempting to rescue survivors and bringing out the victims en masse in white bags.

Another wave of despair sinks into me, how could I be returned home if I didn’t even have one any more?

I think about each of my family members, all of which have their own homes and lives which I was never privy to. I wouldn’t be welcome in any of their realms or districts. I wouldn’t even be allowed to enter…

“Jasmine,” his dark voice interrupts my negative thoughts, but I focus upon the TV as he speaks, “you need to go back to Sai now, help him replenish his power.”

“Can I watch a bit more?” I quietly ask, my voice so soft in comparison to before. There’s no fire, no rage, just pure sadness. “I’ll try to eat more, if that helps.”

I’m not sure why I decide to say that, like I have any power over this demon and his commands—

“Fine. But you need to eat more than fruit,” he says, his voice a tad softer but still stern .

I barely nod, partially shocked at another compromise, two in the space of an hour? But then the reporter’s voice catches my attention once more, discussing the buildings beside 'The Inferno' that were affected and my heart clenches at the mention of the apartment flats nearby.

Thankfully, the demon and vampire give me some much needed space and move into the other living room.

I sometimes heard wisps of murmured conversation but they must slip into a silent one at some point.

I do try to eat. I grab the nearest tray which consists of chips and a sandwich of some kind, but I only manage to pick at it, a heaviness building in my chest from each horrific video shared on screen. When my legs become numb, the same images of destruction repeating in a macabre collage, I decide I’ve seen enough.

I don’t remove my eyes from the destruction until I reach the stairs.

I linger with one hand upon the railing, the other gripping Alexis’ duffle bag. I wonder whether to announce my departure but I soon remember exactly who I’m dealing with and how unnecessary it would be.

I ascend the stairs without another word.