Feeding
Irene
The ride home was particularly uncomfortable for Alex.
The carriage was packed, and his elbow touched mine, but he didn’t shiver or scoot away from me.
He’d refused to hail a cab, worried the thug might escape.
Graves stared at Alex with undisguised annoyance.
The fact Alex didn’t tell him to stop was a testament to his suffering.
He was the first to bolt out of the carriage when we arrived at Raven Hall.
“He never helps.” Graves punched the man when he stirred.
“Don’t be angry with him. Please.”
“Why shouldn’t I?” He settled the man across his shoulders and headed for the tradesmen’s entrance.
Alex was giving orders to the butler while going upstairs. I followed him into his bedroom.
“How are you?” I entered his bedroom, which, in retrospect, was a bold move.
“I need a hot bath.”
“Why?”
“To scrub my skin, or I’ll throw up.”
As the duke, he enjoyed a private lavatory with a large brass bathtub and a modern water boiler. Steam rose when he turned on the hot water tap. I wouldn’t mind a hot bath myself.
“I’ll leave you then.” I touched the knob when he called me.
“Thank you for your help.” He unbuttoned his waistcoat. “I hope to…” He lobbed the waistcoat into a basket.
“What?”
“I hope to be able to hug you soon.” He sounded sweet and open.
I beamed. “I’m sure you will.”
When he started to remove his shirt, I hurried out.
He could appear so vulnerable when we were alone and so commanding when with others.
Myrtha met me when I was halfway to my room. She clamped her hands over her mouth. “You’re a vision.” She hugged me fiercely.
“I feel wonderful.”
She cupped my face and studied me. “Good. You’re strong again. What would make this moment better?”
“A hot bath.” I smoothed down the skirt of the gown she’d lent me. “To ease the tension.”
She waved in the direction of her bedroom. “Go to my room. I have a water boiler. You won’t need to wait for the servants to carry buckets of hot water.”
I didn’t need to be told twice.
The bathtub was filled in a matter of minutes, and while Myrtha’s lavatory was similar to Alex’s—same size, white marble tiles, and dark wainscoting—hers was full of bottles of scented oils, candles, and a rich sweet almond oil soap that left my skin smooth and silky.
I stepped out of the bath when the water was cold and my skin pebbled.
I donned a dressing gown and towelled my hair in front of the fire, enjoying the sensation of being strong.
“Myrtha?” Alex’s voice carried from the corridor.
I opened the door, aware that my hair was down and wet, and the lapels of the dressing gown left my cleavage bare. “Myrtha isn’t here.”
He must have scrubbed his skin with punishing intent because it was reddened and raw. He raked a slow glance over me, his lips parting. Never had a single glance made me feel so beautiful and attractive.
I didn’t pull the lapels closer. “Myrtha was kind enough to let me take a hot bath. My room has only a washstand.”
“I’ll have a modern water boiler installed in your lavatory. And a bathtub.”
“Wonderful.”
We didn’t move or speak, yet the situation wasn’t awkward. His gaze caressed my face as his hand couldn’t, and a new type of power rose within me—the power of seduction, something I’d never experienced.
He scratched the back of his neck. “I’d better search for Myrtha.” A clean, soapy scent wafted from him. “I would like to borrow one of her wilis. To feed,” he added in a hurry.
“I’m a wili.” My conversation skills were unimpressive. The money Papa had spent on my governess had been wasted.
His mouth twitched. “Indeed, you are.”
“You could feed from me.”
He frowned. “No. You’ve just recovered.”
“I’m fine. Truly. I wouldn’t mind helping you.”
He looked torn. “Don’t you find me frightening?”
“Not anymore.” Quite the opposite. I wanted to hold him and protect him.
“Are you sure?”
I stepped into the hallway. “Let’s go to your bedroom.” I almost winced at my boldness. “But let’s be quick. I don’t want to be seen in my dressing gown.”
A combination of anticipation and anxiety knotted my stomach. I changed my mind a dozen times before finding myself alone with him.
Seemingly reading my mind, he asked, “Have you changed your mind?” He tilted his head, and his dark hair caught my attention.
“No.” I lay on the bed as Fiona had done and started to expose my neck better, but he stopped me.
“Roll up your sleeve.”
He hadn’t touched me yet, but I was already breathing quickly.
He sat next to me and focused on my arm with deep interest. “I’m going to bite you here.” He drew a circle in the air over the crook of my elbow. “I’ll be gentle.”
The husky way he said that tempted me to beg him not to be.
The muscles in his neck contracted and strained in the effort to control himself. My breath caught when he brushed my skin with his lips. It was a simple, light gesture, but it sent a tingle through my body.
Then the tip of his tongue darted over my skin, and I reclined my head as pleasure hummed through me.
“Why not the neck?” I whispered, shamelessly all breathy.
“Not this time. The neck is too intimate.” His dark eyelashes fluttered up as he gave me an intense stare. “It’ll be more difficult for me to stop when I should.”
“Oh.” Another quick shiver slithered down my back.
He kissed the soft spot before grazing my skin with his teeth, but I wasn’t frightened. Quite the opposite.
“I’m going to bite you now.” His breath caressed my skin.
I nodded, not trusting my voice to remain steady.
The warmth of his mouth stroked my skin. There was a light prick, which I’d barely noticed. The sting of a rose thorn would be more painful.
He started to drink with gentle, slow pulls. A soft sound came from him, halfway between a cat’s purr and a moan.
The sensation of Alex’s silky lips around my arm while he drank my blood was like being kissed and caressed and worshipped on every inch of my body at the same time. It was pain and ecstasy rolled up together, both light and darkness.
Any other feelings—the warmth of the room, the soft cover, and even his hearty scent—vanished. Only the sweet, burning pleasure and his gentle pulls remained. With each sip he took, a pulse beat between my legs.
A deep fire started in my belly, and a languor washed over me. My back wilted. My toes curled, and I eased out a moan.
The ache between my legs grew more insistent, going in rhythm with his sips. I squeezed my thighs together, desperate for some relief.
The release caught me by surprise, sweeping me off as a gust would lift a dry leaf. It burst on and on, each second bringing a fresh wave of perfect pleasure. The fact I was strong made everything more exquisite.
He stopped drinking. And then it was over. I mourned the lack of pleasure immediately.
The wonderful sensation lingered for a few moments, but it was fading away quickly, leaving a sweet tiredness behind. The sounds and smells returned, underlining the triviality of the world.
He watched me as he licked the two wounds on my sensitive arm until they vanished. I was rocked with ecstasy as a fresh release pulled a loud moan from me.
Nothing remained of the bite, not a single red spot or tiny scratch. Only the quivering within me was proof of my secret experience.
I should have volunteered to feed him earlier.
In the process, the lapels of the dressing gown had parted further, baring my taut nipple. He stared at it, licking his bottom lip.
I rocked my hips. “You can go on.”
“No.” He pinched the lapel between his thumb and forefinger, careful not to touch me, and covered me.
His irises returned to their beautiful silver-grey colour. “How was it?”
As if he didn’t know. “Wonderful.”
I wanted more, but he wouldn’t give me anything else, and the bite was affecting me.
The knock caused us to jolt.
“Alex?” Darius said from the other side of the door. “Are you decent?”
He covered me with a quilt. “I’m never decent.” He pulled the door open.
Darius took in the scene, his aura becoming more turbulent. “I see.”
“Darius.” Alex sounded more menacing than usual.
“The man woke up.” He waved to me from the door.
“Finally. Let’s have a chat with him.”
“I want to come. Give me a moment to change.” I set aside the cover and tied the knot of the dressing gown.
“Allow me.” Darius drew a lotus flower in the air.
Warm air, scented with roses, engulfed me. Tiny stars danced around me, and my dressing gown transformed into a fine blue gown with a pink underskirt and a fitted bodice. My hair was styled in a perfect chignon, and a pair of silk slippers appeared on my feet, fitting perfectly.
I twirled. The fabric shimmered. “Darius, you’re wonderful.”
He grinned. “I know.”
Alex pinched the bridge of his nose. “Shall we?”
I was steady on my feet, with no dizziness or ache. How could anyone feel reinvigorated after losing blood?
When I brushed past Alex, he leant closer.
“You have no idea what that meant to me.” He was so close his breath feathered over my neck. “And you look stunning.”
“It meant a lot to me as well.”
Although I was one of the many people he fed from. He hadn’t touched me, as he hadn’t touched Fiona. But I believed him when he said it meant a lot.
We went down a long flight of stairs, past the servants’ quarters. More than a basement, the underground was a dungeon. Graves waited for us on a dark landing.
He unlocked the door. “His name is Tanner. That’s all he said.”
Tanner’s chain rattled when he stood up. His aura glowed with deep purple fear. The deep layer was a dark octopus with writhing tentacles.
He raked a glance over me, and recognition sparked on his face. “You’re the rich miss from Mayfair. I loved that job.”
Alex’s muscles swelled. “I know it’s difficult for you, but try not to be stupid.”
Tanner glowered at him with pure wrath. “What do you want?”
“Where is Sean Lewis or Johnny Riley, or whatever he calls himself?” After the feeding, Alex burst with power, and I loved that I’d provided him with it.
Tanner frowned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The tentacles coiled and uncoiled faster.
“He’s lying,” I said.
Graves closed a hand around the thug’s throat. “Whom do you work for?”
“Someone more powerful than you.” He smirked at me, and a clammy sensation crawled down my neck.
Graves squeezed, and Tanner started to splutter, his fear stinging my skin. “I asked you a question.”
The deep purple of the thug’s aura turned the colour of plums, showing his panic as he struggled against Graves’s grip. If Tanner possessed any magical power, this would be the right time to show it. Instead, he reddened, groaned, and kicked desperately.
“Release him.” Alex cradled his chin.
The moment Graves did as told, Tanner slumped to the floor, coughing and gasping.
Alex crouched in front of him. “Why were you at the hospital?”
Tanner took deep breaths. “Can’t I visit a friend?”
“A murderer was your friend?” Graves chuckled. “How did you meet him?”
“We did a few jobs together.” He cast a glance at me.
If the man had been with Tanner in my house that night, I had no recollection of it.
“I could kill you on this score alone.” Alex stepped closer to me.
“I agree.” Graves squeezed Tanner’s throat until his head lolled backwards and he lost consciousness.
“Dammit, Graves!” Alex threw up a hand.
The werewolf shrugged. “I didn’t mean to.”
“Keep him shackled.”
Graves sat in a corner. “I’m not leaving him, and if he doesn’t behave, I’ll squeeze him.”
Alex was almost out when Graves called him.
“We have a deal, Ravenhill.”
He nodded. “We’ll meet Knight tomorrow.”