Tempting Raven (Curse of the Vampire Queen #1)(45)

His smile is all glinting fangs. "Your mom's a smart vampire if she told you to trust me."

The sight of his fangs makes my own fangs achingly pulsate, making a grand appearance. "I used to think so, too, but now I'm questioning if she's lost some of her marbles." I run my tongue along my teeth, silently urging my fangs to stay put.

"You're amusing, Raven. I think that'll come in very helpful while you rule." He dips his head and etches his fang along his forearm, splitting open the flesh. Blood pools out from his skin, and my fangs slice downward as his scent floods my nostrils.

When he lifts his head and spots my fangs poking out from my lips, his eyes flare and his lips part. "Do you want to drink it from the vein-"

I promptly shake my head. "No." My fangs tremble in disagreement, but I force them back into my gums.

I won't give in. Not yet. Not until I know for sure that I'm the queen and that I must.

Seeming hurt, he reaches toward me with his good arm and gently circles his fingers around my wrist. With a soft tug, he guides me toward him and turns me sideways with my shoulder pressing against his chest. Then he wraps an arm around my back.

"Lean back," he whispers.

Taking a deep and completely unnecessary breath, I slant back against his arm. He supports my weight and allows me to tip my head back before positioning his bleeding arm above my mouth. My lips eagerly part as he angles his arm to the side, allowing blood to drizzle into my mouth.

The taste of potent magic and power instantly bursts across my tastebuds as I devour the potency, devour the taste of him, lapping up drop after drop.

He watches me in wonder, in hunger, as if watching me feed on his blood is the most fascinating thing he's ever laid eyes on.

"God, you're so beautiful," he murmurs. Or, I think he murmurs, anyway. "I forgot how beautiful this is to watch."

Honestly, I could've heard him incorrectly. A mad frenzy is roaring so loudly in my mind I can scarcely hear anything except the need to feed. My fangs snap back out as I lift my head, ready to plunge into his veins. Like last night, he stops me, moving his arm away and helping me stand upright. 

"I'm sorry," I breathe profusely. "I don't know why I don't have any self-control."

"You're fine." He gives the wound time to heal, then tugs down his sleeve. "It's a normal reaction."

"It is?"

"With some vampires, it is."

"Not all of them?"

He shakes his head as he buttons his sleeve.

I wipe my lips with the back of my hand. "Is it because we're king and queen?"

Tension winds in his shoulders. "Maybe. I don't know for sure."

"What else could it be?" For some insane reason, last night's dream, memory-whatever it was-unexpectedly pops into my mind. I tasted a bit of the frenzy then, too, not for Rhyland's blood, but to keep my lips sealed to his.

He shrugs, his hand falling to his side. "A lot of things."

Always so evasive.

But he's giving you answers later, so relax.

I try my hardest to listen to my thoughts and chill the fuck out. "Whatever it is, it makes me worry about what's going to happen if I ever do drink from straight from your vein."

A fiery, foreign emotion blazes in his eyes. "I'm not worried at all."

My heart pumps faster in my chest. "Well, you should be. You're the one I'm going to drink dry if I can't control myself."

He presses back a grin. "I'm sure we'll be fine."

"I hope so." I turn for the door, when he captures my elbow.

"Hold on." He extends his hand toward my lips, and I flinch. So does he. "You have some blood on your lips, and while the fey king and queen know what we are, I don't want to frighten them."

"Oh."

I stay still as he touches my lips, swiping softly to clean up the blood.

As he pulls his hand away, the intoxicating scent of his blood ravenously overpowers my senses. Under the control of my hunger, I slant forward and lick the blood off his finger.

His fangs tremble out from his parted lips, and a warmth rushes to my cheeks.

"I'm sorry," I sputter. "I don't know why I did that."

"You're fine." He takes a measured breath before slipping his fangs away and offering me his elbow. "Ready?" His calming shift in attitude gives me whiplash, but I loop my arm through his, anyway.

"Yep, let's go meet and greet with the fey king and queen."

Yep, never thought those words would ever pass my lips.

Guess there's a first time for everything.

"And Raven," he whispers under his breath as he steers me through the doorway. "The fey king and queen need to believe that we've Proclaimed already."

"Proclaimed?" I whisper as the door bangs shut behind us.