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  “No. Shh,” he said, lowering to the side of my face to whisper in my ear. “You think too much. Don’t think. Feel.”

  Fangs bit down into my neck hard and I screamed at the surprised initial pain. Thickness from the poison entered my body and my worries floated away in the cloud of ecstasy he left me on. The caressing he was doing inside my pussy was the best feeling in the world—all I wanted to know in the moment. As he built me up, I felt my head lean against the side of his. My body was weak, but blissful. The sucking and swirl of his tongue made me tingle even more. I almost cried out when he broke away from my neck and began rubbing the flow of blood over my throat and down to my chest, but I was too wrapped up in how good it felt to make a sound.

  “Just you and me, Tessa. That’s all it’ll be when I fight my way to the top. No concubine will be responsible for making me stronger. I’ll do it on my own. We’ll do it together. Me. You. Tell me you want that, too.”

  “God, I do.”

  The admission that he wouldn’t take a mate or wife left the drugged slave in me giddy. Hadn’t I wanted that more than anything? I didn’t know anymore. I knew nothing but him in this moment.

  Marko eased me to the bed, never stopping the way he was fucking me with his fingers. When his mouth latched on to my hard nipple, whatever was lurking in the shadows of my mind disappeared. I moved with his rhythm, meeting the fast pace with a fevered speed of my own.

  “Take me,” I begged. “I want to feel you inside of me. Please, fuck me, now.”

  Pressure from his palm pushed over my clit and I arched, spreading my legs wide. It was an open invitation, another silent plea for him to claim my body. The desperation I felt went past all other times and I didn’t understand it. Yes, it was for Marko, but again, there was an underlining need being brought out by Sayers’s blood I couldn’t comprehend.

  “You’re so wet.” He withdrew his fingers, sucking them deep into his mouth. At his moan, he brought his other hand up and pushed the tip of his nail into the fleshy part of my breast. Crimson pooled over the small incision and he moved his index finger into the blood, tracing my nipple and circling the tight nub. “So beautiful,” he said through clenched teeth. “I’ve seen the flashes in my head, but the real thing is so much better.”

  The ending was barely audible as he lowered, sucking away the evidence of my life. And it didn’t stop as he made a path to the wound, licking over it and heading to my neck, closing those wounds, too. With every slide of his tongue over my skin, I pushed into him even more. I didn’t need to beg for his cock again for him to finally give me what I wanted.

  Marko positioned himself between my legs and eased his tip into my pussy slowly, teasing my entrance. The grip my channel had on his thickness sent my arms flying around his neck as he let the head stretch me with each dip of his shaft.

  Over and over, he tortured me with the pleasure. My moans turned into whimpers until they ultimately became sobs. Release was so close, yet he withheld, making me edge. I was sure I’d lose my voice from the loud, continuous pleas.

  “Tell me you love me and I’ll give you what you want.” Marko eased in to fill me with the head of his cock again before he left me yearning for more.

  “I love you. You know I do.”

  “No,” he growled. “The bond loves me. Convince me that you love me.”

  The black was still prominent in his eyes and I battled over whether to believe this was my Marko or not. Did it matter anymore? I didn’t know either one at all.

  I blinked, trying to get my mind to focus. A solution didn’t present itself and I felt more like zombie than anything as I stared up at him. “I’ll kill him,” I heard myself whisper. “I’ll kill Sayer.”

  A gasp exploded from my mouth as Marko slammed his entire length into me. The passion behind his kiss took over my own, but I never let my words leave my head. Why had I said that? Why would I even think such a thing? Why? Because somewhere deep down, I knew it was the only way I would survive as myself. The first exchange wasn’t complete yet and if I wanted to remain human, it was my only chance. It wasn’t for Marko. It was for me. Just the thought had me tensing for the briefest moment, but I was sure he hadn’t heard my thoughts.

  “I knew you loved me. I fucking knew it.”

  The pounding was so forceful, I fought to breathe past the impact of his body. Tightly, he wrapped his arms around me and all I could do was hold on as my orgasm built from the combination of pleasure and pain. Although my body reacted, my mind was far away. I could feel myself drifting in the void. Where that was exactly, I wasn’t sure.

  Words whispered in my ear and I heard my moans as if I were there. Even as my release peaked and I screamed out his name, I knew it wasn’t really me who was going through the motions of a woman lost in desire. This one was good, amazing with her caresses and seduction. Bolder with her words. Ones I would have never had the courage to say.

  “Your cock is so big. I love to feel it inside of me. I love when you come in me even more. Come, Marko. Give me what I want.”

  He made a sound between a moan and a grunt as I ran my tongue over the length of his ear. When I brought it back down to trace the side of his neck, I felt him swell even more.

  “Someday, I’m going to slide my fangs right here,” I said lowly, nipping at his skin. “And when I do, you’ll come at the sting. You’ll love it as much as I love yours. Then, you’ll ask me to be your concubine. With Sayer out of the way and with me as a vampire, we’ll rule. You and me, together, just like you want.”

  His hand slammed over my mouth, but it didn’t stop the warmth from shooting into my pussy. The smile that came to my face under his palm grew with every wave of his release. Somehow, I felt I had Marko under my thumb, and this new, evil part of me thrived in the revelation.

  Chapter 18

  Marko

  Side effects. From what I’d seen of Tessa over the last twenty-four hours, she was suffering them badly. The voice had pretty much taken over her completely. It was no different than a newborn, and it was all thanks to Sayer’s power. Where he stood against me was irrelevant. The combination of their blood was dynamic together. Too good. She might as well have been changed into one of us for the mindset she now held. It wouldn’t last. I knew that, but for how long worried me. It left me alarmed enough to bring me out of my own darkness, if just a little.

  Ever since I’d fucked her, she’d been different. I felt her change come on the moment the new personality slid into place and I couldn’t deny that my vampire had been swept away by it. But outside of sex, I couldn’t stand her. She wasn’t my Tessa. Not the way she talked and definitely not the way she carried herself. I was back to being beneath her. Even the way she looked at me seemed to put me into place. In her mind, there was no one better than her and it was thanks to the blood mixing with hers. In truth, no one really was. Not even the Black Prince. If his blood was pure, hers was even purer. If Tessa changed, she’d be an anomaly. Someone not any of us could prepare for. It was scary. For the vampire who wanted a taste and was already enjoying what he was tasting now…it went beyond tempting. But for her to be that powerful, Sayer would have to be the one to change her, and if this new Tessa had her way, she’d kill him first. And she’d do it for me. It was better for her not to know what was best. I couldn’t afford for her to be that strong. Not if I wanted to rule, myself. One bite with the right venom could ruin everything. I just had to make sure Sayer didn’t change her before he planned to do their bonding. He could, easily. She already had his blood. All he needed now was hers and then his poison could do the trick. Where I used pleasure, he might chose to bring her over to our side instead. Fuck, I had to keep them separated. Tessa couldn’t leave my side if that meant Sayer had access to her. It was too risky.

  Red silk billowed out around Tessa’s face as she kneeled not far away. The way her eyes cut up to me as I looked over sent my anger spiraling even more out of control. The rebellion was there, as was the…disgust? God,
I wasn’t sure. There were moments when this new side of her seemed to love me, and then there were moments like this. She was too good to be on the floor and she knew it.

  “Tonight, we won’t be able to leave after the feeding like we always do. Julius will require we socialize with the Dallas members. You are not to say a word. Even in my lap, I want your head down. Do you understand?”

  “Why, of course, Master.” The malice in her tone sent my fangs down. I stalked forward, grasping her bicep and jerking her to her feet.

  “I mean it, slave. You’ll obey or so help me, when we get back to this room, I’ll light a fire to your ass.”

  Fear…it was nonexistent as she held my stare, something she should have known better than to do.

  “I will do as I’m commanded.”

  “You better. Now, let’s go.”

  I headed for the door, yanking it open and moving to the outside as she shut it behind her. Loud voices were already coming through from the festivities and it turned my mood even more sour. I didn’t want to be here—not out in the heart of the city or underground at all. Especially with Tessa as she was. There were too many risks that came along with it.

  Footsteps followed me through the tunnel and into the massive cement room. Vampires flipped around in the center in some sort of acrobatic act, getting tossed up around the fearful humans strung up in cages, ready to become their meal. I knew it was Dallas’ entertainment. Two torches of fire flew through the air and I tore my gaze from the bright yet evilly painted men doing somersaults to Sayer. Julius had brought another table in that was an exact replica of the one we sat at. It was only feet away and they’d both been repositioned to face where we could see the acts. My head shook even more and I slowed to let Tessa stay as close to me as she could.

  “Master Delacroix.” Sayer stood from his seat as we approached. I ignored the smug smile plastered on his face as I headed to Julius. My leader was waiting to test my blood again and although I didn’t want Sayer witnessing, I pushed it away and focused on the light blue eyes studying my every move.

  “You’re increasing.” The words were low from Julius as I shrugged off my jacket and reached over, handing it to Tessa. She was already standing behind the fourth chair. The fact that her head wasn’t down sent my teeth snapping together. Hell, she wasn’t being compliant. Her gaze was locked on the table of concubines and if I knew anything about her expressions, she was damn well looking down on them, too.

  I turned back to Julius, unable to do anything but nod past his assertion. “Hey!” My internal voice had Tessa turning and her glare coming to me. She hesitated before one of her eyebrows lifted and her face turned toward the floor. My eyes rose to meet Sayer’s and I could have ripped the smile right from his face. This was his fault. She had been damn near perfect before he’d given her his blood. Now, I had a monster in my midst and despite that she was human and a woman, her mind wasn’t her own. She was more like one of us than she knew.

  My sleeve was pulled up and blood pooled over the wound as Julius sliced his nail down deep. As my arm was brought up to his lips, I met Sayer’s stare. God, I’d be as powerful as him someday, if not more. I knew it in the deepest part of what made me, me. It may take hundreds of years, but I’d be there. And I’d rule. But not just Austin. My plans were so much bigger. Axis.

  Claws stabbed into my forearm and the sting brought me back to my leader. His hand was locked around me in a death grip, but he didn’t seem to be with us right now. He wasn’t moving at all.

  I licked my lips, flexing the muscle and pushing his nails in further, willing him to feel my worth. Lips were still on my skin, but he wasn’t taking in my blood anymore. What had happened? Was he seeing something? Had my taste set off some sort of vision? Regardless, I projected my aura even more.

  A grunt came from Julius’ mouth and the grip tightened impossibly around me. The action made my vampire flare and I jerked my arm free, watching as my blood began to seep past his lips and trail down his chin. A look of pain drew in his features and he made another sound. My eyes flared and Bufar, the second chair, shifted behind his seat.

  “Julius?” The tan-skinned man’s head lowered as he peered into our leader’s frozen face.

  “Julius,” I snapped. My hand gripped around his bicep and he jerked to stand straight. Sweat broke out across his forehead and he clutched to his stomach as he turned his attention to me.

  “Second.” The raspy word was followed by him collapsing into his chair. Bufar’s head shook and a loud growl tore from his throat. He wasn’t but two feet away and I knew what was coming before he even so much as moved. Fangs bared and my power exploded, surging within me. My vampire naturally took over and my hand thrust forward, gripping around Bufar’s thick throat as his fangs tried to search me out.

  Time seemed to slow as I stared deep into his black eyes. Flashes of his past flickered before me, a time I had never before seen or even imagined. His true age registered and although internally shocked, I couldn’t stop the translucent scene playing before me.

  Dark veins surfaced through his face even as I saw him huddled in the corner of some underground room. The smell of earth filled my nostrils and I knew it was nighttime. The small fire he was curled around was the only warmth and I felt so cold, so…alone. But I wasn’t alone. And he suddenly knew that.

  “Who is it?” Although I didn’t understand his language, I knew what he was shouting. Shadows danced around the room and the human version of Bufar grabbed a wooden spear and jumped to his feet, moving further back into the room. Air rushed around the space at such a fast pace, it had him spinning, trying to search out the creature. Pitch black was all around and somehow, I knew exactly where the vampire was. I stared at the corner of the darkness and was met with completely blacked out eyes, so different than ours. They’d appeared from nowhere, but they saw me. They were…watching me…even now.

  Cold began to race from the core of my powers, throughout my body. Fear didn’t register, only amazement and curiosity as to who exactly I was looking at. This vampire was powerful. So much so that I wanted what they had. I want to experience…more.

  I was physically forced from the vision and the cold dissipated. Weight registered before me while I continued to crush Bufar’s throat. I could have stopped, but the power I’d witnessed from the vampire in the cave made me not want to. My fangs were already bared and I unleashed, letting my powers suck the life right out of him and. Right into me. Greed ruled and I was basking in it. Adrenaline had my whole body trembling and I let it engulf me. The strength was feeding me, making me stronger.

  “Marko, enough.” Anastasia’s voice broke through, but I paid it no mind as I followed his pale, nearly lifeless body to the ground. All of these vampires had no idea what I was capable of. What I could be capable of. Only now was I truly tapping into what I’d become so far and I was insatiable. I had to see more. This was too easy. Too—

  Heat scorched my side and instinct left my hand shooting out to put a stop to it. But I didn’t just throw a wall to guard myself against the attack. I mirrored it, doubling the force as I sent Anastasia flying back, right over Dallas’ table.

  “Enough,” Julius threatened, pushing to his feet. “You will not kill him. Not today. We have plans and he’s a part of them.”

  Fear flashed behind the eyes of my leader, sending my mind spiraling at the possibilities. Did he fear me screwing up his plans, or that I could easily kill his second in command? Possibly kill him? The latter had me smiling and I let go of Bufar. The intake of air was deep as he coughed, crumbling to the floor.

  “As you wish.” My voice was calm, cool. I stepped back, pulling out the second chair. Tessa kept eye contact with me as she came forward. There was such fascination and hunger glittering in her depths, I wanted to pull her into me and kiss her brutally. To show her I was worthy of her blood and so much more. She’d see whom she was bonded to, and if she was ever turned, she’d be begging to become my concubine. Begging,
yes. I’d make her grovel at my feet.

  “Sit,” Julius growled. “We feed.”

  Chairs sounded all around and I took my seat, hooking my arm around Tessa as I sunk into my seat. My gaze stared straight ahead to Sayer as I pulled down the hood and jerked her head back. Holding tightly to her hair, I bit my fangs into her neck. Tessa jumped underneath me, but I ignored her pain as I glared in his direction. My vampire was looking for a fight—a real one—and I knew he’d be the biggest challenge of all. At least, in this room.

  Power-spiked warmth filled my mouth and not once did Sayer break our contact. Even as he began feeding from the blonde supplier, he met my challenge. His amusement was gone. What had he thought about my new position? Was he curious about how strong I was getting, too? Was he hesitant in his plans?

  Tessa’s fingers clutched my chest and I waited a few seconds before I broke away from her, not wanting to take any more than what was necessary for appearance’s sake. I licked over the wounds, bringing her head to rest on the junction of my neck. Her hand settled over where mine was placed on her cheek and she led it to my own neck. I blinked past my confusion.

  “Cut,” she ordered. “Let me taste you, too.”

  To do that, here, if front of everyone…I couldn’t think past how wrong it was.

  Sayer’s eyes narrowed and I let my nail grow and slice into my skin. Tessa moved, straddling my waist, and I nearly moaned as her lips latched onto the small incision. What we were doing was forbidden. An act that broke every rule there was. I was granting her, a slave so beneath the rest of us vampires and the future concubine of our guest, my blood amongst every single soul in this city. The repercussions didn’t exist, didn’t matter as I proved who my loyalty was to. Myself? No…her. God, she’d commanded and I’d obeyed. Soon, they’d try to separate us and if they had their way, she and I would go head to head for the ultimate position. The power my blood held would diminish and the true hate she harbored for me would return. My time was ticking down and I clung to every second like it was our last. Soon, it would be, and I wasn’t powerful enough to do anything about it.