I wrapped my arms around his neck, my head resting against his cheek as he lifted me off the ground. My slip was somewhat ruined, so he draped his leather jacket over me like a blanket. I closed my eyes, relishing on the wind brushing my hair, snuggling closer to his body, feeling safe and protected for the first time in a long time.
"How is she?" I heard Laurent's voice, thrum of loud music filling my ears.
Ravić's scent enveloped me, masking the blood and sweat clinging to the ballroom air, while the thrum of loud music pulsed my ears.
"She's fine," he replied curtly, pulling me closer as he carried me into a quieter space.
"Take the suite for the rest of the night. Get some rest during the day," Laurent said, just as the elevators doors dinged open.
"I wouldn't want to overstay..." he began as we stepped out.
"You're not," Laurent interrupted, his voice soft but firm. "We haven't seen each other in a long time, my prince. It would be nice to have someone from our world."
"These vampires here," Ravić said, stopping in the middle of the hall, "are they your...newborns?"
There was a pause. I could sense Laurent's smile.
"They are," he said. "I'm old. It gets lonely being the only vampire here. And these humans...they're paid well for their blood."
"You're using their addiction for your advantage." Addiction?
"Exactly," Laurent replied. "I did what I had to do to survive. The laws of our land don't apply here."
"No," Ravić said, allowing Laurent to lead him down the hall.
They stopped only when they reached a door.
"You did what you had to do, Laurent. I respect that," he added.
"Do you think they'll let me back?" Laurent asked, vulnerability evident in his voice.
"They would," Ravić said. "If I had any say in it. But I can't promise that, you know that."
"Trust me, I do."
There was a pause before Laurent spoke again.
"I'll leave you two to rest," he said quietly. "Tell her I'd like to speak with her once she wakes."
"Like hell you will," Ravić blurted, probably sharper than he intended.
"I know, my prince," Laurent said with a smirk. "And frankly, I don't care."
I wanted to roll my eyes, but that would've given away the fact that I was only pretending to sleep. So I let him carry me without protest, as he kicked the door open and shut it behind us with his foot.
He laid me gently on the bed, and I instinctively curled into the linen sheets, letting them swallow me whole.
The moment he lifted his jacket from my body, I could feel the weight of his gaze, relishing on the way the moonlight must've caught my pale skin. It's weird that I can feel him looking at me, lingering by the bed, waiting.
"I know you're awake," he said, his voice cutting through the eerie silence.
I opened my eyes, finding him with his arms crossed watching me with dark red eyes looking like he's inspecting an exhibit.
"I'm sorry, Rosie," he said softly, though the way his gaze drifted over my body made it hard to tell whether he was seeking forgiveness or permission.
I slide myself up, back leaning against the wooden headboard.
"What did you mean, when you said Laurent's using the humans for their addiction?" I asked, not in the mood to discuss what had transpired between us just moments ago.
"Vampire venom is addictive to humans," he explained, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "These people are willingly giving away their blood to feel that high, even if it's just a sip."
"What did they get in exchange?"
"Food? A safe place to stay?" he shrugged nonchalantly, muttering, "Who the fuck knows?"
I read about this months ago, when they brought in a test subject. A prisoner who tried crossing the border just to get more vampire venom. He gave up Ravić's hideout without a second thought. All so he could get another high.
Vampire venom makes you submit. Willing. Easier to feed on.
"How do you feel?" he asked, his gaze tracing the slit he'd left up my thigh. He still had my underwear in his pocket.
"Better," I replied, clearing my throat.
"I'm going to shower," I muttered, swinging my legs off the bed and rushing into the en-suite. I shut the door behind me with a thud, louder than I intended.
Even then, I could still feel his gaze on me, but I didn't care.
Leaning back against the door, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. My mind was still spinning with a thousand thoughts, but I didn't have the space to process any of them right now.
So I peeled off what was left of my black slip and stepped into the shower, even in the dark. Thank god for unnatural vampiric sight.
I was lathering my body with soap, relishing on the warm water burning my skin when I felt a presence behind me.
I quickly turned around, back against the wall, shocked, hand covering my chest, water pouring down between us.
"What the hell?" I shouted.
His red eyes glowed against the dark, lips parted and baring his fangs, glorious naked.
"Ravić?" I breathed, unease blooming in my chest.
He seems different, the way he stands there, breathing hard.
Vampires don't breathe. They don't need to.
He grabbed my neck and crashed his lips against mine, forcing me under his dominance through every lashings of his tongue, trying to part my lips.
And I did, melting as I always do.
One of his hands drifted to my breast, squeezing it as I moaned, massaging it, pinching my nipple as he nibbled on my bottom lip with his fangs.
He bit it, hard, drawing blood and I screamed at the sudden intrusion.
I tried shoving his chest, pulling my lips away only for him to grab my wrists and caged them to the sides of my head.
"Ravić..." I cried out, "what are you doing?"
I can feel blood spilling from my lips, but he doesn't seem to care. His fangs pierce the skin of my neck, slow and merciless like he's making love.
"You wanted to die, didn't you?" he murmured against my throat, letting my blood run down my skin.
"You wanted to leave me, I can tell."
I stayed silent, frozen. Too stunned to move.
"Well, I'm never letting you go," he said, pressing his nose to my wound. He inhaled so deeply, my thigh clenched with arousal.
"You're mine."
"I possess you now, my princess," he chuckled low to himself, lips curling into a twisted smile and licking the blood off my skin.
I bite back a moan, afraid that I'll provoke him.
"I love you," he breathed, then sank his fangs into me again, drinking more out of me.
And like a fool, I let him.
Head hitting the wall, the water from the shower still pours down relentlessly between us. Heat and blood mixing down the drain as I clung to his shoulders, my eyes fluttering shut.
What did he just say?