Page 22 of Undying Thirst

When I met her—no—when she saved me and sweetly offered her blood, an internal shift, a deadly craving, had bloomed. One that may be my downfall. One that would be undying.

I tired of keeping my distance. The tenuous strands of control frayed. How much longer could I contain myself?

NINE

catalina

I focusedon my hands resting on my knees. I’d donned the same clothing after rinsing my body of the dirt and blood crusted on me. Sleep beckoned me, but I didn’t want to see Bastien, either. No longer could I just disappear because he awaited me there. Hunger twisted my stomach. How long had it been since I’d eaten?

The doorknob wiggled, and though I stiffened, I kept my gaze fixed on my clenched fists.

“Follow me,” Jax said in his usual delightful tone. I didn’t look up at him. From now on, they didn’t exist to me. I curled my legs up and settled my chin on my knees, closing my eyes tight. As if my cocoon could protect me. “Girl.”

I didn’t react to his barked word. A wave of air fluttered my hair against my cheek. He took a fistful, yanking my head off my knees so I looked at him. “I will drag you out by your hair if you keep ignoring me.”

I dropped my eyes to the droplets of blood on his shirt. His grip tightened in my hair, making it hurt. I let my body go limp and it turned agonizing. I couldn’t hide my wince.

“Stubborn idiot.” Jax hissed and swept me over his shoulder. I lay limp, not giving him any reaction. His shoulder dug into my ribs and every step he took was excruciating.

My nose rubbed against his back with each aggressive step. He always walked with a perpetually angry, jerking gait. Tears sprang to my eyes from the pinch in my side. It only got worse as he went down the stairs. The rug flashed in my blurry peripheral. Breathe. Breathe. I chanted to myself. Blood rushed to my upside-down head and the crevice between my shoulder and neck pinched.

There were no longer the loud noises of construction, but I couldn’t look up to confirm the human men were gone. A ringing started up in my ear—agonizing and dizzying. Jax took my hips in his big hands and easily lifted me off him, thumping me down on a stool.

My head swam and I clutched the edge of the granite counter, vomit crawling up my esophagus. I glared at Jax’s retreating back.

Asher’s cheerful whistles filled the kitchen, happy as a fiddle. Like I hadn’t slammed my knee into his cock a few hours ago. He stirred a spoon into a pot over the stove. I helplessly watched him flit from corner to corner, moving so fast it frankly made me dizzier than I was. Asher reached up to the cabinet and a sliver of his lower back peeked. His silky skin—I forced my gaze down, set my elbows on the counter and fixed my hands in front of me.

“Having someone to feed is quite nice.” He thumped a ceramic white bowl in front of me.

I didn’t react to Asher’s statement or to the food.

“You have to eat.”

I remained silent. He could talk all he wanted, I wouldn’t eat. What if they put something in it? I didn’t think it would be poison, because they didn’t have qualms with straight upmurdering me, but I wouldn’t put torture past them. Asher appeared next to my stool, moving so fast my hair swayed.

He gripped my chin. I flinched, scrunching my face.

“Cat,Älskade, please eat.” Exasperation coated his words. I yanked my chin out of his hand in answer.

He gasped as if I’d just stomped on his puppy. He took hold of my jaw again, the cold palm enveloping the bone. He pressed a warm bread roll against my clamped mouth. Glaring into his frustrated gaze, I didn’t give in.

“Fine, if you want it the hard way.” He worked his thumb into my cheek, forcing my teeth open. Turning my head, I chomped on his finger.

He freed himself and shook his hand.

“Du bet mig.” He scoffed.

I didn’t know what he said, but whatever. I turned my head. My body wasn’t at full capacity and my shin still ached. I shouldn’t have asked Tobias to remove the casts, I still needed them since I hadn’t gotten enough of their blood to fully heal me, but they would be an overall hindrance if I had a chance to escape.

Asher sighed and gripped the bottom of the stool I sat on and pulled it out. I wobbled unsteadily, gripping the bottom of it. The legs screeched against the tile until there was enough room for him to step in front of me. He brushed hair behind my ear. I stiffened, yanking away from his touch.

He sighed again.

“You haven’t eaten since you arrived, Catalina. Humans need food.”

My stomach was about to eat itself with my hunger, but I didn’t care. I wouldn’t eat even if the salty butter he’d pressed against my lips made my mouth water. It took everything in me not to lick it off.

Since he invaded my space, all I could do was turn my head to the side. I wouldn’t be able to strong arm him away from me, but I could nail his dick with my knee again.