Crave - Teresa Mummert Page 0,37

prey turned his head weakly to face me.

“Grayson?” I asked not believing my eyes. I quickly retracted my fangs. My gums burned as I struggled to keep them hidden.

“Feed now,” Elijah hissed in a demanding tone.

“Eva, please don’t,” Grayson begged for mercy. A low growl resonated from Elijah, as a threat for Grayson to be quiet. Grayson’s pleas choked in his throat as he silently entreated for his life with his eyes.

The blood whooshed through the veins in Grayson’s neck with each pump of his heart. Every hair on my body stood on end as the smell filled the air. I licked my lips as my throat became dry and raw. My fangs ran out and I bit my lip as I tried to resist the temptation. My razor sharp tooth punctured my bottom lip and the warm thick metallic taste filled my mouth. I swallowed hard.

I closed my eyes to steady myself but lost all control in an instant. I felt my hunger, combined with Elijah’s power over me and lurched for Grayson. I bit into his jugular with a surgeons’ precision as Elijah held him in place. The blood flowed freely and Elijah joined me in lapping up the overflow from our ensanguined victim.

Sharing this meal with Elijah was more intimate than sex. It was an important bonding experience with my creator, my lover. As the blood flow slowed, I drew harder, sucking on the wound. Elijah lazily lapped up the drops that escaped my mouth, allowing me to finish our first kill together. I pulled back and wiped my chin with the back of my hand. Elijah grabbed my wrist as his mouth curled into a slight smile. He leaned into me and slowly licked the blood from around my mouth. I stared into his demonic black eyes, missing the soothing brown I’d come to know.

***

“Eva?” He asked looking concerned and frightened. I was suddenly confused. My vision became blurry and I struggled to bring his face into focus. “Eva, can you hear me?” he asked, sounding distant and muffled. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly as I tried to fight off the dizziness that crept over me. I blinked several times and the world around me slowly came into focus. I felt Elijah’s cold breath wash over my face as he breathed a sigh of relief. “You’re safe now. Your brother fought off the others,” he said in a near whisper.

I clung to Elijah’s neck tightly as the scenery flashed by in a blur. I wasn’t scared any longer. I was swimming in euphoria, his euphoria. He was wrapping me in it like a blanket on a bitter-cold day.

We reached his secret spot by the creek in seconds. He gently unwound my arms from his neck and placed me on the soft grass. My head was dizzy from his blood and I had to press against the ground with both hands to cause the spinning to stop. He stared at me intently waiting for me to speak. I felt his emotional influence pull back just enough for my thoughts to become apparent. The darkness was pitch-black and I could barely see an inch in front of my face.

“It was a nightmare,” I sighed in relief. I was still very much alive.

“Because of my blood. I’m afraid the real nightmare is only just beginning.”

My stomach turned as I thought of how vividly I had pictured myself killing Grayson and how much I’d enjoyed it.

Chapter fourteen

Bloodlust

“Marcus! We have to save him,” I cried, my voice laced with panic. Elijah’s body stiffened and he glanced over his shoulder as a shadowy figure stepped out from the trees behind him. “Marcus?” I whispered. Elijah took a protective stance between the two of us. I pushed myself up to stand. Shaky on my feet,

Elijah grabbed my arm and helped me steady myself. I stepped forward and Elijah’s grip tightened and held me in place. I glanced at him and he shook his head no as he looked to Marcus.

“It’s not safe for you to be near me,” Marcus agreed, glancing toward Elijah. I nodded my head in understanding and Elijah reluctantly released his hold on me.

“How did you get away? Are-are they… dead?” I asked trying to focus my thoughts. Marcus looked to Elijah.

“They sent me with a message.” He glanced back to me. Elijah looked at the ground and his body tensed. I could feel his rage polluting the air around us.

“How long until they come for us?” Elijah asked,