Well This Sucks - CoraLee June Page 0,37

hungry.”

Drew

I was hungry. But I also didn’t want to give Diego the satisfaction of being right, especially not after everything that went down at the coven dinner. I hated the power he had over me, making me feel like a small child being put in time out. I was a grown ass woman, damnit! My stomach betrayed me with a long low gurgle.

I also hated not knowing if wanting him was my natural response to an attractive, powerful man or if it was my weird sire bond. It was all so confusing.

“Fine. I’ll feed from you, but only because I’m starting to get ‘hangry.’ Not because you told me to. AND because I have fed from you before. AND because I won’t accidentally kill you,” I said, stepping toward him. I reached out for Diego’s arm, but he stopped me, catching my hand in his.

“No. Not there,” he grunted, pulling me closer.

With one arm around my waist, he gathered me into him. Instinctively, I pressed my body to his, wanting to be as close as possible. His musky scent and the feel of his well sculpted muscles made my skin tingle with desire.

Diego reached up and brushed my hair back, running his fingers through my dark chocolate strands. When his palm met the nape of my neck, he stopped and gently guided me toward him. He tilted his head to the side and brought my lips to meet his neck. The aroma of his blood and earthy cologne was dizzying. “What are you doing?” I asked against his skin.

He chuckled, his deep voice sending tremors throughout my body. My reaction to him was infuriating and desperate. I craved him like I craved pancakes at brunch. Extra syrup. I licked my lips, and my tongue brushed against his sweet skin, making him groan in appreciation. “I’m helping you feed, Drew,” he rasped.

“This feels intimate,” I pressed while breathing him in.

“That’s the point. Stop stalling and feed.”

His demand created a visceral need within me. I wanted to please him. I wanted to feed. My throbbing fangs seemed to elongate, and I slowly sunk them into his neck, right over his pulse.

The first time I fed, it was needy and frenzied survival. It felt like the time I stole a five-hundred-dollar bottle of merlot from the wine cellar of one of my foster parents when I was a teenager. I drank it on their roof in my pajamas. It was a beautiful contradiction of expensive tastes and a simple environment. He tasted rich and full of flavor. The sweet floral notes of his blood burst on my tongue, and I felt his power flowing straight from his veins into my mouth. I moaned in appreciation as his hands roamed my body. He gripped my ass, and I took a big gulp.

“My turn, Drew,” he whispered. I pulled away and licked my lips, feeling a bit high and on sensory overload.

“What?” I asked. I sounded dazed.

“I want you to feel what it’s like to be fed from. I think it’ll help you accept your base instincts,” he said before grabbing my neck and pressing on my throbbing veins. I stared at the puncture hole in his neck with hunger.

“I’m a fan of reciprocation,” I replied teasingly, though the idea of being fed on terrified me.

I barely felt his fangs penetrate my skin, but the sensation that came after was undeniable. A pleasant warmth spread through the veins Diego drank from, starting at my neck and traveling down throughout my entire body and back up again. I could feel my heartbeat quicken, aching to pump Diego through me as quickly as it could.

A moan escaped from my lips as I reached for Diego, pushing him deeper into my neck. Squeezing my eyes shut, I focused on the rush. I never wanted this feeling to end. Every desire within me was awakened, fueled by Diego’s touch. I felt safe and exhilarated at the same time; I could do anything. I was invincible.

I felt lighter than air, like the only thing tethering me to the earth was Diego. I needed him to continue drinking, otherwise I might float away. I looked up at the ceiling to see where I would end up if he stopped. Seeing the yellowing tiles with their dimples and pock marks made me giggle. I didn’t belong up there. My giggles turned into hysterical laughter.

Then there was nothing but hollow emptiness. My laughter died along with the feeling of euphoria and safety. Diego