Chapter 14 ∣  I'm Not Biting You

-Adrasteia

It was silent.

The four of us sat around a medium length, antique maple wood table, the chairs that we sat upon held the same aged look. Keegan was sitting at the head of the table, Harlan directly across from him, while I sat on his right side, my eyes lifting to meet with Tyco's briefly.

Uncomfortable as I felt, still wearing the revealing clothing, I couldn't keep eye contact for more than a second with anyone. His purple eyes trailing over my exposed skin, I could feel each time Harlan glanced my way, the grip that I had on the fork tightening. It was an abnormal feeling, having eyes landing on me, the shadows my once protective cover I could no longer shrink away to when things got like this.

I was just something pretty to look at.

That's not what I wanted to be.

They were all eating, and it took everything within me to just barely stomach the beef stroganoff. Though the aroma was teasing my senses, it wasn't what I was craving at this moment. Judging by how weak I was getting, I realized it had been just over three or four days since I'd last fed. It was beginning to take a toll on me, despite the silver withholding my full strength, I was starting to have vision problems. Still able to make out who I saw, when I turned too quickly, my vision crossed and went hazy, making me sick to my stomach and leaving me dizzy.

This was a foreign, weakness. A weakness I didn't show to anyone, let alone creatures who would lay with women just to take what they wanted...what they needed. It repulsed me, that their sole existence was to take energy, slowly reducing the number of years a mortal being had left, selfishly using it to continue living.

The nagging voice in the back of my mind had me sounding like a hypocrite. Vampires only exist to steal blood from humans. What are our lives, if not dependent on those of the weak? We're similar in that respect. Would I ever admit that out loud? No, because then they would find some way to sweet talk me into believing I would have a better life in Hell than on Earth.

Yea...not thank you.

My stomach clenched, hearing the blood coursing through each of their veins, the pounding of their heartbeats as it circulated the sweet essence. How much longer can I last?

That question...the answer wasn't that far off.

I wouldn't do it though.

I wouldn't ask him for blood...

I wouldn't stoop so low...

After the way he made me feel, whether he touched me or just intruded into my mind, I wasn't sure exactly how I felt. Honestly, the only thoughts I had toward Landon as of late, had been the many ways I wanted to kill him and Cleo for their betrayal. Karma has a funny way of making things right, even if I must settle the score myself, I'll make it happen.

My other thoughts...

Shifting my eyes, my fork picking at the food on the plate, I saw Keegan out of the corner of my eye, his own gaze locked with Harlan's. "Did you find out any information about the rebel group?"

"None," Harlan replied, "Except that an assassin attempted to kill me. That was exciting."

Keegan arched an eyebrow and asked, "Oh, and how did that go?"

"'Attempted', as you can see," Harlan motioned to himself, flaunting his very much intact body and chuckled, "They aren't that strong if you can throw off their innate ability."

You don't say?

Thoughts drawn to the silver collar and wondering if there was any possible way, I could get it off...without having to get close enough to Keegan...

I wonder what their assassins here are like...?

"Don't you eat?" Tyco asked my breath sharply in taking as my eyes shot to look directly at him, his eyes scanning me, trying to understand why I hadn't had another mouthful in the past five minutes. Looks like someone was watching my every move.

"Yes," I replied flatly, my eyes falling back to the plate, the smell of the food made my stomach grumble. Dropping the fork, I wrapped my arms around my abdomen and winced, the hunger that wouldn't be satisfied until blood was spilled taking over who I am. "I'm just not interested in what you have to offer."

"Beggars can't be choosers," Tyco scoffed, looking to Keegan for support.

"Who said I was a beggar?" The surprise in my voice drew Keegan's eyes to me. "I didn't choose to be brought here," I glared at Keegan before stating, "Just because he saved my life...which I don't even understand why in the first place...he thinks he owns me, that I will be his 'wife'...his 'queen'. I don't want that!"

Keegan placed his fork down on the plate and shrugged, "I don't care what you want."

"That's right..." my voice trailed off, "You don't even know the first thing about me."

He sneered at me, "Oh? Don't I? Let's see...you're beloved decided you weren't fit for him, so he decided to mark and fuck another instead of you. You continue to think you are meant for him when he obviously doesn't see it that way. You are now considered a rogue on Earth, so yea, nothing left for you there...and you said I didn't know anything about you."

"Oh, you're forgetting something," my eyes went to the other end of the table, Harlan's smirk widening as I saw his irises flicker to an electric blue briefly.

"He is?" I asked.

"I am?" Keegan arched an eyebrow, Tyco looking carefully between the two of them before scowling at his plate, like he already knew the unspoken answer.

Harlan grinned, "She's sexually frustrated."

"Excuse me!?" I glowered, standing to my feet as the chair behind me scooted backward, glaring at him as he took another mouthful of beef stroganoff. The smell...almost making me want to throw up. I'd never been this close to fainting before, not from the inability to feed...no...the want not to have to ask these...things for blood.

"That's right!" Keegan agreed and with his statement, made my eyes widen, "Oh darling, it's obvious to us. We can just feel that pent up energy rolling off you, not only that, but your scent is so sweet th-"

"Stop it!" I slammed my hands down on the table, my eyes closing for a moment when my vision crossed, "Stop saying those things! They're not true!"

Harlan chuckled at my reaction, "Someone needs to get-"

"Don't even finish that sentence..." Giving a sideways glance I glowered darkly at him, but his eyes left mine and looked to Keegan's.

Keegan had also risen from his chair, setting down his fork and napkin, my heart rate increasing. That's right, he doesn't want me acting like a bitch. I'm not though...they have no right to judge me the way that they are, regardless of their stupid inner abilities that come with being what they are.

I heard Keegan's voice just distantly, a ringing in my ears blocking out what he was saying. I shook my head, staring at the plate, trying to focus my vision but it crossed and this time, my eyes closed. Breathing out, I felt myself lose control, my balance not within my ability to manage.

Sighing, I assumed I'd hit the warm floor, but instead, I was held in his arms, knowing only by the steady heartbeat through his chest.

"She's a vampire sir, what did you expect?" That was recognizable as Tyco's voice, "She needs blood, she's not like us."

They were arguing back and forth, my eyelids blinking open slowly. Standing above me, was Harlan, curiously gazing back as Keegan held me, hearing his voice while my eyes fixated on the purple ones.

"Adrasteia," my name was called, but I couldn't look away from those eyes, their shift to an electric blue made me intake my breath before hearing my name again, this time with more urgency, "Adrasteia!"

Huh?

My eyes fell away, looking to the side and up at Keegan as he slowly shifted me, so I was sitting up, facing him. He held me close to him, smelling the new leather scent that drifted from his skin, my eyes searching his face.

Lifting his head away and turning his neck, exposing it to me, I was confused and then suddenly realized what he wanted me to do.

I furrowed my brows before saying softly, "I-I'm n-not biting yo-you."

"Yes, yes you are," he narrowed his eyes.

"I'm not biting your neck," I pressed further, lifting my hands up and trying to push away from his chest, feeling Harlan's and Tyco's presence right next to us.

Keegan appeared frustrated as he stated, "Isn't that what vampires do? Now just feed and stop being stubborn."

"You know nothing about us..." my voice trailed off, my left hand rising and pulling the collar of his shirt away from his shoulder. Breathing in deeply, I closed my eyes, my lips finding his sweet flesh before parting them. The tips of my fangs pressed against his skin, hearing his breathing become uneven and a groan in the back of his throat when my fangs sank into his flesh. His blood, tasted decadent, pooling in my mouth and drinking down his sweet life essence.

My right hand, glided up his chest, holding onto his opposite shoulder as I continued to drink his blood, my revitalized strength returning. That was the strength that I was allowed with the silver collar around my neck.

I wasn't sure when I had switched from sitting sideways in his lap to straddling his body while he was cross-legged. My eyes closed, feeling something hard growing beneath where I sat, pressing through the thin fabric of the shorts I wore. Unintentionally, I rocked against him for a moment, my eyes opening as my fangs were retried from his flesh. My breathing was uneven, his blood still on my lips when I pulled away from his shoulder, bringing my face back to see his eyes.

His electric blue eyes lingered on my crimson ones, our stare intense, but was broken when Harlan cleared his throat.

"Who knew, all she needed was a little blood to get frisky," he laughed, Tyco was unfazed by his comment, but Keegan just smirked at me. That smirk only widened when I tried to move away from him, and I ground against him.

"That was..." Keegan's voice drifted off before he continued, "Pleasurable. Can't say I've ever been bitten by a vampire before."

I grumbled, "I should have made it hurt..."

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To Seduce a Vampire by K. A. Young.

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