The Summer King Bundle 3 Stories - Jennifer L. Armentrout Page 0,51

the latter isn’t going to happen.”

His bloodied hands opened and closed at his sides. “I am not going to feed from you, Brighton.”

“Then you’re going to die.”

A muscle flexed in his jaw and a moment passed. “You do not want me to feed from you.”

“Not particularly,” I admitted. I’d never been fed on before. Not even when I’d been attacked, but I knew what feedings could do. I could walk out of here like nothing happened or he could take too much.

He took a step toward me, and I tensed. His nostrils flared. “Then why are you here, offering yourself to me?”

I could lie, claim that I was an altruistic soul, but I had feeling he’d know that was utter crap.

“Because I… I know.” I swallowed hard, meeting his gaze. Those eyes burned straight into me. “I don’t understand how and I don’t understand why, but I know you saved my life.”

The Prince became very still, so much so that I feared for a moment he’d died right there and was about to topple over, but when he didn’t, I continued.

“I thought I saw you in the hospital, but I wasn’t sure. You were there and you did something to make sure I pulled through.” Now my heart was pounding fast, too fast. “That’s why the doctors said I was a miracle. Because I was.”

The Prince closed his eyes.

I wanted to ask him why, but we’d already wasted too much time. Hopefully there’d be a chance to find out later.

“You saved my life, so I’m going to return the favor,” I said, stepping back.

His eyes snapped open. “That’s not why I did it. So you could return the favor.”

“Well, I would hope not.” I kept walking backward, relieved when he followed me like an animal stalking its prey. Probably not the best comparison to make at the moment.

The back of my legs hit the bed at the same moment I figured it out. “You saved me because I helped your brother the night everyone fought the Queen.”

His head tilted to the side and he didn’t answer. He didn’t need to.

I knew.

Reaching into the pocket of my peacoat, I pulled the stake out and placed it on the dresser. “So, I, um, don’t accidentally stab myself or you.”

His chest was rising and falling rapidly as he watched me.

Nervousness nearly made my knees shake as I fiddled with my jacket. Then I undid the button, thinking it was too hot in this room. I shrugged off the ruined peacoat, letting it fall to the floor.

The jeans and the light, loose sweater still felt like too much, but I wasn’t going to strip. “I’m not going to leave, Mr. Prince, and I’m not going to let you die.”

In a blink of an eye, he was right in front of me. Caught off guard, I lost my balance and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Do you know what will happen when I feed?” His voice was barely above a growl.

Staring up at him, I swallowed. “I know… I know some people like it… or so I’ve heard, but I guess…no, I really have no idea.”

“You’re going to like it.”

A wholly unexpected thing happened. Heat boiled my blood. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

He stared at me for a long moment. “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.”

“I know what I’m getting myself into.”

The Prince’s hands moved faster than my eyes could track. His fingertips touched my cheeks. “You can leave.”

“If I do then you die.”

“Maybe that’s for the best.”

Stunned and more than a little disturbed, I lifted my hands and wrapped them around his wrists. “Why would you say that?”

He was getting paler by the second. Soon he’d be as white as a ghost. “You know what I’ve done.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“There is no coming back from that.”

“Stop,” I said, my voice cracking. “You have come back from that, because you’re standing here and you’re going to feed so you don’t die. That’s it. This has been decided. Get with it.”

He went still, but I saw the moment resignation settled into his features. Relief mingled with a little bit of fear. He was going to live, and I just hoped I didn’t die in the process.

“I won’t hurt you,” he whispered. “And I won’t let this go too far. I promise you this.”

Before I could ask what too far meant, the tips of his fingers glided down my cheeks, along the sides of my throat. He tilted my head back and