Longing for You, стр. 54

“Thank you. I should probably mention, when Victorija tasted myblood, she said it was strange,” Daisy said.

“What was strange?” Amelia asked.

“After she tasted my blood, she recoiled and looked deeply into myeyes as if she was remembering something.”

What could it all mean? What Amelia did know was that suddenlytheir lives had gotten even more complicated.

* * *

Alexis stood in the entrance hallway with the two-person team shehad put together—Owen, one of Bhal’s warriors, and Trista, a turned vampirewith a lot of experience.

“Okay, stick close to Daisy. Byron has assured her that we willkeep her safe, and I intend to keep that promise.”

“Yes, Duca,” they both replied.

“Now keep on your toes because Daisy has no fear and mistakenlythinks she can take on the world. Another thing is that she can’t be compelled.We don’t know why, but it helps us. It means that a Dred can’t lure her away.If you need backup, call immediately.”

They both nodded and went to the drawing room doors to wait onDaisy.

Just then the front door opened, and Katie came through it. Alexishad to physically stop herself from running to her. Katie had been out for ajog after lunch before she started her afternoon tasks. Alexis was comfortableenough with that because after the other night at the park, she’d put a guardon Katie with orders to keep off Katie’s radar.

They hadn’t talked since their argument. Alexis hadn’t wanted toface the decision she had to make—love Katie completely and live with the fearof her mortality, or walk away.

It was so hard to keep away from Katie. Alexis ached for her deepin her soul, and the ache was made worse by not feeding. She didn’t want tohurt Katie’s feelings by feeding on another, so she’d been surviving onbottled. One thing was for sure, if she fed on Katie, there would be no goingback. She loved her too much.

Katie had on a little pair of shorts and a tight bra top. Vampireswere blessed with enhanced hearing, taste, and smell, and she was using allthree while lusting after Katie. Sweat was dripping down Katie’s chest and intoher cleavage, her breathing heavy from the exertion. Alexis imagined that thiswas what she would hear and taste if she made love to Katie again.

Then she smelled blood, and panic filled her. She hurried over toKatie and saw she had a cut hand.

“Katie? Are you all right?”

“Oh, you’re talking to me, are you?” Katie said with her hands onher hips.

“Yes, of course. What happened?” Alexis asked.

Katie looked puzzled for a second and then looked down to her cutpalm. “Oh, this? An aggressive thorny bush on my run. Nothing to worry about.”

Katie dipped her finger onto the fresh looking wound. The tip ofher finger was now bathed in red blood. Alexis couldn’t take her eyes from it.She was salivating both for blood and to touch Katie. Alexis didn’t know whatshe’d like to run her tongue over first, the blood or Katie’s breasts, kepttightly in that teasing crop top.

Then Katie teased her even more by putting the tip of her finger,with the blood on it, into her mouth and sucking her finger seductively. Alexiswas gone. In that moment Katie owned her, and if Katie had taken her hand,Alexis would have let her lead anywhere.

But instead Katie popped the finger from her mouth and said, “Ibetter get showered and back to work. See you later, Alex.”

Alexis found herself standing alone. Hungry, ravenous, and no wayto sate it.

* * *

Later that day, Byron called Alexis and Bhal for their usualevening meeting. After Daisy’s revelations, it was even more important.

“Things have gotten ever more complicated,” Byron said. “Duca, isyour information still that Victorija remains conspicuous by her absence?”

There was a long pause. Alexis looked as if her mind was somewhereelse. Byron looked at Bhal and Bhal raised her eyebrows.

“Duca?” Byron said a little louder.

Alexis jumped. “Sorry, Principe. You were saying?”

“Is Victorija still keeping a low profile?”

Alexis sat up straighter in her seat. “Yes, my informant in Francesays that she hasn’t been seen. Drasas, her Duca, has been taking care of clanmatters.”

“If she knows about Daisy,” Bhal said, “she will move heaven andearth to get her.”

Byron sighed. “I know, and once she does, she will never let hergo. The Grand Duchess wanted me to attempt to bring Victorija back into thefold, but that seems even more remote now that she is bonded by blood to Daisy.She will be going slowly insane. I know how that feels.”

“We can’t afford any olive branch to Victorija now, Principe.”Alexis slammed her hand down on the desk. “Forgive me, Principe.”

Byron saw how red Alexis’s eyes were. She was hungry for blood.“Have you fed recently, Duca?”

“I’ll be fine.”

“I need every one of my people in readiness for whatever is comingour way. Our resources will be stretched. We have the Principessa’s parents’funeral at the end of the week, Daisy needs to be protected, and Sera arrivesback tomorrow.”

Bhal said, “I’ll go myself and pick up Sera from the airport.”

“I’d be grateful, Bhal. I need more people surrounding her, andmake sure Wilder understands how important her job is, protecting thePrincipessa. I feel there’s a war brewing, but whether it’s with Victorija orsomeone else, I’m not sure.”

* * *

Alexis felt like a thousand fires were erupting under her skin.They had been lit by Katie this afternoon. When she left Byron’s office, shedidn’t know how she could stomach any more bottled blood or not touch Katie.

How could she think about living without her? But if she gave into her lust for her blood, her body, her heart, then she would be settingherself up for more heartbreak in her long existence.

She put her foot on the first step of the staircase and closed hereyes. Alexis tried to breathe calm into her soul.

Just get up to your room and lock the door.

She ran up the stairs but stopped on the top landing. Alexislooked to her left, towards the corridor that Katie’s room was on, and thenright, in the direction of her room. It was physically painful trying to makeherself go