"Please." Alex laughed. "Like Ethan would… he's been celibate from blood for over a hundred years."
"Until now," I whispered.
Ethan looked away, his eyes getting blacker, if that was even possible. "Until I tasted you."
A small part of me hoped I tasted good to him.
Oh you do, came Alex's voice in my head. Like pure sin.
I felt my cheeks heat.
Ethan's eyes narrowed. "Stephanie, help Genesis get ready for this evening… keep her occupied while I go meet with Cassius."
"What?" I yelled. "You're going to meet with him? After what happened? After going to all this trouble to protect me?"
"Hear that?" Alex cupped his ear. "Her blood roars for you, Ethan."
Ethan seemed to focus on my mouth as his fangs descended over his bottom lip. Holy crap, was he going to bite me again? My breathing slowed.
His eyes went from black to green then back to black again as he cupped the back of my head and brought me close, his teeth grazing my neck.
With a hiss, he pushed me away, almost hard enough for my chair to topple backward if Stephanie hadn't caught it with her hands.
"Go," he said in a hoarse voice, "before I drain her."
I didn't need to be told twice that it was dangerous just being next to him. I bolted from my seat, ready to protect myself, if need be, when Mason moved to stand in front of me, bumping against Ethan's chest. "Not necessary to sc
are her shitless, vampire."
Ethan looked over Mason's shoulder, his body calling to mine, singing, beckoning, even though he was dangerous, even though he'd just threatened me, I wanted to push Mason out of the way more than I wanted air.
"Take care of her," Ethan barked. "I won't be long."
"Stay alive," Alex said in a cheerful voice. "And do tell Cassius hello."
Stephanie put a protective arm around me and whispered in my ear. "It will get better, you know. He's just angry and confused."
"And I'm not?" I wrapped my arms around myself. "This morning I woke up, and the only thing on my mind was if I wanted eggs for breakfast or a protein shake."
"And now," Alex offered with a slight shrug, "you get to worry about two immortals wanting your blood. No big, right?"
"Is that you trying to make me feel better?"
"No…" He smiled. "But this is." His blue eyes lit up just as Mason shoved him out of the way and Stephanie began tugging me back up the stairs.
"He's insane, but I love him." She shook her head. "Now, let's get you ready for this evening. I think I'll put you in red. Won't that drive Ethan absolutely wild?"
"I'm thinking Ethan needs no encouragement to end me," I grumbled.
Stephanie pushed open the door to another room, one I hadn't seen before. "He doesn't want to end you. He wants to drink from you — so much, in fact, that I'm pretty sure if he doesn't regain some focus, he's going to punch Cassius in the face."
"That can't end well."
"They fight." She shrugged. "Quite often."
"Isn't Cassius your… king?" I was going to try to find a better word, but that was the only one that seemed to fit.
"Somewhat." She looked down at the ground. "Or at least at one point, he was supposed to lead us — but it's hard, for an imperfect being, pulled between two mortal planes, to do that without losing himself in the process."