"But I do think it would be fun for you to decide which vein you'd like me use for the first time. Because when I do, that scar will be there forever."

Steam billows around the bite of egg and meat. A strange image emerges in my mind, envisioning Axel cooking in his kitchen. It's clear that we're in a human house as opposed to a Village home. Vampires don't have bathrooms or kitchens; there's no need for them. Even though I have no idea where we are, I at least have some clue that we're in my homeland rather than Axel's.

"So, what'll it be?" he asks, his excitement palpable.

"I don't care," I whisper.

Just please make it quick and painless.

Axel is oblivious to my change in demeanor. He gets up from the bed and strides to the door with a kick in his step.

"I have a few thigs to attend to," he announces. "Enjoy your breakfast, Finn. Because when I come back, it will be time."

________________________________

Every sound makes me jump. I listen for his footsteps at the door - waiting, just waiting for him to return. My breakfast is heavy in my stomach. A light coating of nervous sweat glistens against my upper lip. The last shreds of hope have long since shriveled up and faded away. There's no one coming to save me.

It all makes sense now, really. Bogdan didn't want me, so he set me up to be somebody else's. It was obvious that my scent was hard to resist. A piece of me really believed he would cave in to that surrender, though, claiming me as his own.

Now when Axel claims me, there is no chance Bogdan will be tempted by me anymore. He knows what will happen should he feed from me, and the consequences will be dire.

Soft footsteps pad down the hallway. I freeze beside the door, my pupils dilating in distress. The door handle turns, and my heart sinks when Axel steps through the threshold. His hair is combed to the side, his attire reminiscent of a wealthy businessman. If I didn't know the type of immortal demon he was, I would probably find him attractive.

He turns to greet me and our eyes collide. I press my back against the wall and hold my breath. Axel smirks and moves closer to me. His scent envelops me, a sultry, minty wave of seduction only immortals have the power of holding.

His cool fingertips slide around my face.

"I can't wait to taste you," Axel whispers.

I tremble beneath him. Axel presses his lips against mine, this time demanding my kiss in return. His hands feel like they're everywhere, touching me possessively and protectively. I fight my instincts as much as I can. Mentally I chant over and over again that this is wrong. He is evil.

But eventually my walls of will-power begin to crumble, his immortal powers far outweighing my mortal, mental strength. His tongue slips into my mouth, and our kiss deepens. His touch and kiss is so unlike Bogdan's. He's aggressive and rough, devouring me with dominant expertise.

As we continue to kiss, I begin to feel him straining to keep his control. His hardened groin presses against my thigh, and his fangs elongate so much that it becomes hard to kiss. I pant for breath as he pulls away from me. He presses kisses all along my jaw and down my neck.

The tips of his fangs slide into place along my jugular. My pulse goes into overdrive and tears of surrender slip down my cheeks.

This is it. There's no turning back now.

His fangs pierce my skin and I cry out in pain. They sink in further, and the pain is so unbearable I am afraid I will pass out. Axel holds me against him and drinks deeply. I can feel his tongue massaging my neck, the sucking motion pulling my blood into his eager mouth.

The pain begins to ebb. Replacing it is a tingling pleasure that starts off slow but begins to build. It's like a tumbling ball of snow, gaining momentum with every passing second. His touch loses its chill. Instead it feels hot – so hot that it reminds me of an insatiable fire, each flame thrashing against me again and again.

The feelings are overwhelming. To my horror, I can feel myself hardening. Axel rubs against me and I moan in pleasure, angling my head to the side to give him further access to my neck. It's like the logical part of my brain is wired shut. All I can do is feel – feel and enjoy the waves of pleasure coursing through me.

But then Axel stops drinking.

He freezes against my neck for a split second before jerking away from me. He stumbles back a few steps. My fresh blood coats his thin lips. A few trickles of blood fall down the length of my neck. They burn my skin, and I raise my hand to wipe them away.

"What....?" he whispers.

Axel reaches his hands up to his throat. His expression becomes panicked. The red of his eyes turn to a shallow and sullen black. Cracks appear at the corners of his eyes and quickly travel down his cheeks, a human version of a broken eggshell. He frantically claws at his neck until his nails create small divots in his immortal flesh.

He speaks to me, but his eyes swivel towards the door.

"You...," he croaks out. "You'll pay for this."

His words are muffled. A terrible gurgling noise settles in the base of his throat before his eyes roll to the back of his head. He slumps to the floor, the heaviness of his body sending a deep thud ricocheting against the floorboards. I shudder against the wall, staring at his still body in confusion.

What's happening? Is this a part of what happens when a vampire drinks Nirv's blood for the first time? Yes, that must be it. This is just the first step. Maybe it's so powerful that it knocks him out. Maybe he'll pop to his feet and magically be alright.

I swallow hard and stare at Axel's unmoving body. He can't be dead. He just can't be. I refuse to believe that he is, because if that is true, it would be all my fault. The floorboards creak a few feet away from me, and I whip my head to the side. My heart flutters when a familiar face comes into my line of vision.

It's Bogdan.

He stands in the doorway, casually leaning against the wooden panels with his hands stuffed into his pockets. Despite my state of confusion, he doesn't at all look surprised with the situation before us. His red eyes stare back at me apologetically.

"Hello, human."

Over the past week, I have felt more anger, confusion, and betrayal by this immortal man than I have from anyone else in my entire life. He set me up, allowed me to be taken hostage, and refused to come to my aide when I needed him most.

"Y-you came after me," I stutter in disbelief.

"I did."

I look away from him, turning my attention to Axel once again. His lifeless body seems to stare back at me, daring me to wait long enough for him to waken.

"We should go," I whisper. "If we're here when he wakes up, he's going to try and - "

"He's not going to wake up."

Bogdan takes a step towards me and I flinch. He must notice, because he stops in his tracks. The brightness in his eyes have dimmed so much since the last time I saw him that they almost look brown.

"He claimed my blood," I whisper fearfully in objection. "He was the first to drink it, and now anyone who drinks it afterwards will..."

My voice tapers off, unable to finish the horrid thought. Bogdan listens to me, but a look akin to guilt floods his features.

"That is true, human," he replies evenly. "The blood of a Nirv is deadly to anyone who is not the original vampire who claimed it."

He glances to the side, eyeing Axel's lifeless body with a heated gaze. A flicker of red swirls in his eyes before he lets out a heavy sigh.

"But he wasn't the first to claim your blood," he whispers. "I was."

The Consort (MalexMale) 《COMPLETE》Where stories live. Discover now