Page 74 of A Trial By Blood

“She didn’t want to freak you out, but it looks like we made a bad call, huh? But I’ve got this. Leave this with me, okay?”

I was too scared to hope. “Who else knows?”

“Just Iris and me.”

“Let’s keep this between you and me for now.” Thank goddess for that. Mom had been through enough. “Do you really think you can help me?”

“I know I can,” she said. “You worry about your task; I’ve got this, Roe. Everything’s going to be okay, I promise.”

It was impossible not to worry. This was Death we were talking about. He was older than time. The ruler of Limbo. The harbinger of darkness. No matter how much Zinnia was trying to make me believe this was no big deal, I knew it was the complete opposite.

Death would not go quietly.

Whatever Zinnia had planned, we needed to be ready.

CHAPTER 22

Ronan

Leaving Rose last night had caused an ache in the center of my chest. It’d felt…wrong, which was why I was standing at her door now, so early in the morning.

I’d been tempted to follow her up to her room, to hide behind my powers and stay with her, but that was wrong. Even if I felt as if I was losing my mind when I was away from her, it still would have been wrong.

Rose wouldn’t like that, being watched without her consent.

So I’d gone back to the clubhouse, stripped off, and stroked myself in the shower again, with my fingers pressed to my nose the entire time. Rose’s scent had still been there from earlier that day when she’d fed from me and begged me to tough her slick flesh and make her feel good.

I wanted to do that again, badly.

At the thought, my cock hardened, and my hunger increased. I needed to feed, and soon. Now that I was feeding Rose, I’d need to feed more often as well, and I couldn’t wait much longer.

I knocked and waited.

Rose said she wanted to feed me, but how could I do that? What if I hurt her? Despite what I promised, I couldn’t bear to even think about my dirty, tainted fangs anywhere near her delicate veins. The very thought made me sick to my stomach. And she’d see me, the real me. I knew without a doubt I’d have no control if I fed from her. The way I looked when I was past hungry. I’d disgust her. Frighten her. No, I couldn’t do it.

The door opened, and I straightened, every muscle in my body tensing. Rose stood there, so incredibly beautiful. I took her in, tracing her subtle curves, her thick, pale hair so glossy I itched to touch it. Her rosy cheeks and red lips made my mouth water. “Rose,” I said.

“Hey,” she smiled and stepped forward.

Was she going to kiss me? Last night, leaving without tasting her lips one more time had been torture. My arms opened and she stepped in. I dipped my head as she pressed hers to my chest. My mouth bumped her ear. She wanted a hug, not a kiss. Just because I wanted to kiss her all the time, just because she let me touch her yesterday, didn’t mean she felt the same way or wanted that today.

It angered me how much I struggled to interpret these situations.

Rose lifted her head, her cheeks pink. She was embarrassed, that’s what that meant. Frustration flashed through me. I felt like a fool, both feelings that I’d deciphered quickly since I’d felt them a lot lately.

“We should get going,” I said, trying to keep what I was feeling out of my voice.

She called goodbye to her family and pulled the door shut. Then we got in the car, and I tried to gather my control, but if anything, it slipped more.

She glanced over at me, and I turned the key. “Hey, what’s going on? You’re angry.”

I shoved my fingers through my hair. “Yes.”

Her body twisted to face me. “With me?”

“No,” I said quickly. “With me.”

Her hand covered mine, and it was like my soul sighed in relief just from her touch. How could that be? I didn’t even know if I had a soul. How could someone’s touch affect a being so deeply? “Talk to me, Ronan. Please.”