Darkblood Prison - G.K. DeRosa Page 0,72
I’ve heard it varies, depending on the purity of the blood and the interaction with the donor.” He paused, snagging his full lower lip between his teeth, and my core tightened. He muttered a curse as if unsure he should say whatever came next. “I know you’re new to all this so you should know that for dragons sharing blood is a big deal. That’s why my inner beast has been a little out of control.”
I would’ve been less surprised if he’d slapped me. I chewed on the inside of my cheek, considering. “Well, thanks then. I appreciate what you did for me. I guess I owe you a few thank yous for all the times you’ve saved my butt.”
He nodded and stretched out his legs, the tense set of his shoulders relaxing. “It’s my job.”
Right. He’d never let me forget that.
We sat like that for a while, the uneasy silence growing into a comfortable one. My eyelids even began to droop at one point. I unfolded my legs and accidentally brushed his thigh with my bare toes.
A rumble echoed through his massive chest, and he shifted uncomfortably. I jumped up at the same time he stood and smacked right into him. His arms came around my waist to steady me, and my gaze locked on the wall of man in front of me. I couldn’t meet his eyes, not with the infinitesimal space between us and the mad thumping of my heart set off by a mere touch.
Craptabulous, he was right about the blood.
As if echoing my thoughts, Talon muttered a curse as his arms tightened around me. His hands clamped on my hips, and he drew me flush against him.
“Talon…” I mumbled as heat ignited in my lower half. He’d just finished telling me this wasn’t real. This crazy attraction was just because of his invading dragon blood running rampant through my veins.
His head dipped, and his breath rustled through my hair. All I had to do was tilt my chin up, and I’d meet his lips. Every nerve in my body screamed at me to do it. But I couldn’t. This was way too effed up. Talon hated me…
A flash of clarity snuck through the lusty haze, and I dragged the words out. “Who’s Vander?”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Talon’s arms went limp, the fire radiating around us snuffed out with an icy bucket of water. He jerked back, and hard lines cut into his handsome face. “Don’t say his name,” he whispered.
“Why not?”
“Don’t say it, inmate!” he snarled, the vein in his forehead throbbing in overtime.
I moved closer, and he staggered back. “Please, Talon. I need to know.” My mind whirled back to the night I was brought in. To the guard saying I’d killed one of their own. And Delacroix mentioning there’d been an SIA agent trying to take me in. I choked down the knot of emotion in my throat and searched Talon’s frosty gaze. “Did I kill him?”
Talon’s scowl wavered, a hint of emotion tugging his lips. His jaw clenched down, and his expression hardened. “Yeah, you did. When you went out on that soul-sucking joy ride, you killed my best friend.”
My stomach bottomed out, and a wave of nausea crept up my throat. My knees wobbled, and my hand shot out to reach for the wall just in time.
Talon stared straight ahead, unmoving. An icy mask froze his chiseled features, his eyes refusing to meet mine.
“I’m so sorry, Talon.”
“Don’t.” He lifted his palm, cutting me off. Then he spun on his heel and marched toward the door.
“Please, Talon, don’t go. I’m so sorry. I don’t remember anything about that night.” I raced after him, but he slipped through the doorway, and it slid closed behind him. “Wait!” I banged on the door and cursed when I realized he’d locked me in. Damned SIA agent with unfettered access.
I slid down to the floor, my heart heavy and emotions drained. Hot tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. With all the commotion in the past few weeks, I’d succeeded in ignoring why I was in here in the first place. It was easy to forget when your memories of the most terrible day of your life had vanished. But they hadn’t, not really. Not to the friends and family of all the ones I’d killed.
Burying my head in my hands, I let the wall I’d built since I’d arrived crumble. A waterfall of tears flowed, my chest wracked with unrestrained sobs. Whatever horrible end Thax had cooked