Now that I was here—in a man’s body—I was not prepared for the reality.
The absolute blissful pain of her beauty in person. Of smelling her skin. Feeling its exquisite texture against mine. The heat and wetness of her body sucking me down to wallow in her pleasure. The punishing, addictive thirst of her need driving me higher.
The taste of her blood. Sheer magic. Explosive power. A living, breathing goddess walking this earth. Calling me to her side.
“I will eagerly do anything you ask of me.” The rough timbre of my voice echoed with my lion’s roar. “Though I must warn you that unconsciousness will be impossible. Sphinxes do not sleep. Ever.”
Her alpha laughed. “I used to think Blood never slept too. But she’s drained multiple Blood to unconsciousness in one sitting, including me and the dragon.”
Lust pulsed through me, a roaring, insatiable beast of hunger. “As the bear said, bring it the fuck on.”
Though she hesitated, her brow furrowed with concern. Not for herself.
For me.
She actually thought she could hurt me in some way, when her immense hunger was what made me crave her the most.
“You’ve not seen me at my worst.” Ruefully, she shook her head. “I poisoned two of my Blood in this very room and drained everyone but Rik to the point they couldn’t walk. Just last night.”
Searing heat blistered from the crown of my head to my feet. The borrowed clothes felt like they were strangling me. A caging prison far worse than anything her Blood had been able to do while her Call sank into my bones. I shredded the shirt off my body and kicked off the jeans so I could drop down beside her other man on my knees. “What kind of poison?”
Her sultry gaze locked on the still-bleeding knife wound in my shoulder. “Cobra.”
“So you poisoned them with your venom, sucked all the souped-up blood out of them, and then basically resurrected them. Nice.”
Her eyes flared, a startled laugh escaping her lips. “Yeah, I guess so.”
Though my surprise far exceeded hers when the alpha crawled onto the bed, giving us a respectable space.
To do whatever the fuck she wanted with me.
A sign of his trust. Not in me—but his queen. The strength of her hold on me. The power of her bond. And yeah, she had my balls in her gloriously vicious teeth, even if she didn’t touch me. “I fucking love cobras.”
She laughed again, tension bleeding away from her tight shoulders. “You’re the first Blood to say that, though you might change your mind when you see me transform the next time.”
Her arms looped around my neck, bringing me closer.
The invitation for which I’d been waiting.
I locked my arms around her hips and pressed my wounded shoulder against her. Rubbing back and forth, marking her with my blood. Dragging the stab wound lower on her body, down the flimsy gown she wore. So thin my blood made it cling to her skin. Delicate white fabric. Wet with my blood. The shadow of her dusky skin beneath. Exquisite.
Her breath caught, her head falling back. Through her bond, I could feel my blood soaking into her skin, spreading heat almost like a burn. Stoking her thirst ever higher. Even after drinking enough from me to pull the entire legion to her command. How the fuck was that possible?
I could only marvel and press my lips to the tops of her feet. “I wish I could coat you head to toe in my blood.”
“Sounds good to me. Just mind the claws—don’t shred the bedding—and try not to break the frame again. I don’t know how many more spares Winston has handy.”
I whipped my head up, eyes searching hers. She was fucking serious.
In a blur, I switched places with her, scooping her off her feet, laying her back on the mattress, and standing on the mattress over her. One foot on either side of her hips, I tore open my wrist, laying the flesh open to the bone. Too deep, but I didn’t fucking care. Holding my arm out, I dripped blood onto her chest. Splattering the lush curves of her breasts. Rivulets and streams tracking down her stomach and throat to puddle in the sweet secret hollows of her body.
Moaning, she writhed on the mattress. Spreading my blood with her hands. Rubbing me into her skin. Eyes smoldering with desire, she stared up at me and opened her mouth wide. Her long, white fangs a brutal promise I couldn’t wait to feel again. This time, I’d be keeping that orgasmic blast for myself. I’d blow us both to smithereens with the force of my climax.
Teasing her, I dribbled blood on her chin, deliberately missing her mouth. Her tongue swept down over her lips. Her fingers glided up her throat, scraping blood to spill into her mouth. Her eyes rolled back in her head, her back arching. Lifting her breasts toward me.
Small pains jabbed into my calves. It took me a moment to register it. To look down and note her other hand gripping my lower leg. Long tipped silver nails dug into my skin. Not to shred me open. Not for the enjoyment of flesh beneath her fingertips.
For blood.