"Stay still," Luna commanded, her hands gripping my shoulders even harder. She tilted my head to the side with careful pressure, exposing my throat. The gentleness of that motion contrasted sharply with her firm tone. "And pay very close attention."
Her lips brushed against my neck as she kissed it to tease me. Drawing out the moment.
Her breath came quick and hot against my skin as she found the pulse point. I felt her hesitate. For a split second, I thought she might stop.
Then her fangs pierced my skin.
I'd expected pain. Braced for it. But it was nothing like that.
The initial sting melted instantly into warmth. Then pleasure was so intense it bordered on overwhelming, washing through me in waves.
My hands flew to her waist on pure instinct, gripping hard as she began to drink. Each pull sent shockwaves rippling through my entire body, making my fingers dig desperately into her curves.
The sensation was completely different from when I fed. Being on this side felt like surrendering control.
Like offering myself up completely, holding nothing back.
Luna moaned against my throat. As she pulled herself closer.
Her hips pressed firmly against mine, pinning me to the wall with her full weight.
The dual sensations crashed over me. Her feeding. Her body was slowly grinding against me. My head spun.
"Fuck," I breathed out, my grip tightening on her waist until my knuckles went white.
She pulled harder.
My vision blurred at the edges, the world going soft and hazy. I felt my blood leaving in steady streams. I felt weakness creeping into my limbs like ice-cold water spreading through my veins.
But the pleasure... God, the pleasure made it impossible to care about any of that.
Her body pressed even closer, eliminating any remaining space. One hand tangled roughly in my hair, fingers threading through and pulling just enough to make my scalp tingle with pleasant pain.
The other hand gripped my shoulder with bruising, possessive force.
She was losing herself in the feeding. Just like I had with her.
My hands moved on their own accord, sliding down from her waist. I grabbed her ass, gripping the soft, plump ass. I squeezed her ass, she continued to feed, and heat shot through my entire body.
Her ass felt perfect in my palms. Round. Soft but firm. I squeezed harder, pulling her tighter against me.
I understood it now. This vulnerability. This complete surrender.
The blurred line between predator and prey, between hunter and hunted, until you couldn't tell if you were being consumed or desperately wanting to be consumed.
This must be what trust feels like to a vampire.
My breathing came ragged and harsh, tearing from my throat. The room spun slowly around me—she'd taken more than she probably should have.
But she felt so damn good pressed against me. Those soft sounds of pleasure vibrating against my throat drove me wild.
The weakness spread further through my body. My knees threatened to buckle; my legs trembled with the effort of staying upright.
I smacked her ass and watched it jiggle in waves.
But I didn't want her to stop. Some deep, primal part of me wanted to give her everything. Every last drop.
Finally, she gave me mercy and pulled back.
Her fangs retracted slowly, almost reluctantly, sliding free from my flesh. Her tongue traced over the wounds. Licking them until my skin healed and closed.
We stayed frozen like that for a long moment. Both breathing hard and ragged. Her forehead pressed against mine. Bodies still flush together, her curves molded perfectly to my frame.
I could feel her heartbeat hammering against my chest. Or maybe that was mine. Impossible to tell whose it was.
"Do you understand now?" Luna whispered, her voice husky but with that firm edge still lurking underneath. "What does it mean to be on both sides?"
I nodded, not trusting my voice. My head felt light and pleasantly fuzzy, every nerve ending singing. My throat throbbed where she'd bitten—a dull ache that somehow felt good.
"Good."
She stepped back slowly. My hands slid from her ass as she pulled away.
She was immediately all business again despite her flushed cheeks and slightly mussed hair. Her chest still heaved with each breath.
"Remember that feeling. Remember what vulnerability truly means. It might save your life someday."
I pushed off the wall, trying to collect myself. Trying to get my legs to work correctly again. The world tilted slightly, but I managed to stay upright through sheer will.
My neck throbbed where she'd bitten. Not unpleasant. If anything, part of me desperately wanted her to do it again.
"You should go," Luna said, smoothing her dress with practiced, almost robotic movements.
She was still concerned, but more willing to do so. "You need to hurry and be careful with what you do out there."
I headed for the door on shaky legs, testing each step carefully. The weakness was manageable. I'd be fine by the time I reached the castle.
"Luna?"
She looked at me with those intense crimson eyes, tracking my every movement like a predator watching prey.
"Thank you. For everything."
Her features softened slightly-just a fraction. "Don't thank me yet. When this goes wrong, I won't be able to save you. Do you understand that?"
"I understand."
"Do you?" Those crimson eyes bored into mine, filled with genuine fear and frustration and something else I couldn't quite name.
"Executioners have spent centuries perfecting the art of killing our kind. They've made it a science. One slip, one single moment where your control falters, and you're dead. And I'll have failed in my duty to protect you."
"Then I won't slip." I met her gaze steadily, letting her see my absolute conviction. Letting her see that I meant every word. "I've survived this long by being careful. By being smart. That won't change now."
A sad smile tugged at her lips. "You didn't survive. If not for me, you'd be dead."
"I guess you're right. But I'm not alive now, am I?"
Her smile widened slightly. "You're an undead, you're no longer alive." She paused, then added quietly, "Now go. Before I change my mind and lock you in the basement."
I stepped out into the gathering darkness.
The distant ring of church bells marked the hour, the sound carrying across rooftops.
The weakness was already fading; my vampire body helped me recover with supernatural speed.