He holds out his wrist to me as Nico looks away. Curious. It's not like he hasn't seen it before. But I shake my head. "I need Simone."
"Who is Simone?" Sebastian's ears prick up.
"My Feeder. I have missed her for two days now," I grump. "Scott said she was coming after work, but she should have been here by now." I look at CK imploringly and he looks back at me, worried. He doesn't know I need human blood every day as he hasn't been around, but he realizes quickly that I need it and I need it now.
"Nico, can you arrange to have someone brought up sooner rather than later?" He holds out his wrist to me again as Nico pulls out his phone. "Drink in the meantime."
Fangs already dropping, I pull him to me and take a good, long drink from him. Delicious, but I need more. My eyes go to Sebastian, who is watching us with hooded eyes. They pop open wide at the hunger he must see in mine and says, "By all means, however, I do have a policy of no feeding before sex."
My bloodlust is boiling over right now and it's all I want. I can think of nothing else and I take a step towards him much to his delight and CK's fury.
"Aefre," he barks at me, hand on my arm.
I try to shake him off, but he grips even tighter as the door opens.
"Oh, come on, Constantine. If she wants it, let her have it," Sebastian says slyly.
Constantine hisses quietly back at him, "Watch your words. I am not letting her near you on the pretense of a ‘fuck and feed’.”
Even in my frenzied state, I find that an odd choice of words but forget about it, as I round on the human that Nico has let in the door. He looks slightly terrified as he sees me, fangs already down, lips stained with my sire's blood. He tries to back away, but Nico has him in his strong grip and pulls him forward, closing the door behind him.
"Make it quick," he says to me as he forces the man to sit and holds him in place to stop him from running as I advance on him. Constantine moves forward with me with a hand on the back of my head. As I crawl onto the Feeder’s lap, CK’s hand tightens in my hair. He knows he is going to have to pull me back before I kill this man. I sink my fangs into his delicious neck and suckle, slowly and deeply for maximum benefit. I groan as the blood seeps down my throat and it eases the hunger, eases the bloodlust. I feel stronger already and less tired. It's not enough though. When Constantine pulls back on my hair, I growl in protest as I release my fangs. "More," I say as he lifts me off the petrified human.
"Get yourself under control, my sweet. You can do this," he whispers to me, stroking my hair and down my back. I feel my fangs retract and I relax against him, completely under his spell. How does he do that? I am pretty sure that I don't have this effect on Devon or Cole. I blink as my thoughts become clear again and I step back from him.
"Are you back?" he asks, peering at me.
I nod. "Yes. Thank you. Christ, I am going to have to make feeding regularly a priority. You are too much of a distraction, my love." I smile at him, but he looks worried.
"Nico, make sure he is compensated well," he says, meaning pay him to keep his trap shut. "And make sure he gets back to his apartment without issue," he adds, meaning escort him downstairs and threaten him so he doesn't blab anyway.
As they leave, Simone rushes in, apologizing profusely for being late. Damn subway. Her timing couldn't be better though as I am pretty sure I would have scared her off had she arrived here before. Now, I can just top up my feed at the normal amount and she will be none the wiser about what a liability I am to be around. We disappear for a bit of privacy, more for her benefit than mine. I hear CK mutter to Sebastian to keep his own trap shut about what he saw.
CHAPTER NINETY-SIX
A fter Simone leaves, I feel completely myself again but feel I have some apologizing to do.
"Sorry, Nico. That was unpleasant and something that you shouldn't have had to be a part of," I mumble.
He couldn't look more surprised if I’d told him I wanted to turn him and run away with him.
He clears his throat. "No problem."
I nod my thanks and turn to Sebastian with a contrite look. He leers at me. "No need to apologize to me. I was quite happy for a fuck and feed. Too bad our sire doesn't like to share," he says in genuine disappointment.
I giggle at him but remember CK’s words of a ‘pretense’. Is he all bluster, I wonder? He wouldn’t be the first one to be all talk, but I get the impression that it is something else entirely.
"Well, I’m sorry all the same," I say, and he nods at me.
Turning finally to Constantine, I say, "Sorry, my love. You must think you are dealing with a newbie. I should have mentioned this but as always, when I am around you, there is only you." I am fully aware of the intimacy of my words.
"Oh, Aefre. Just take better care of yourself," he says gruffly, but I can see he is pleased at my admission. "Now that I am aware of your…need, I will ensure that you are taken care of."
I beam at him, for once allowing him his words without an argument about how I can take care of myself. He leans down to kiss me with his made-for-me-smile as he also realizes this.
"Now," he says, touching his finger to my lips, "you asked me earlier to take you out on a date, so tonight I am going to do so."
"Where are we going?" I ask eagerly.