“Why am I in a tub?” she rasped out. I was surprised her magic had yet to lash out, but also thankful that she’d recognized my magic enough to not feel threatened.
Either that or she was so incredibly weak that even that defense had yet to push forward. I mean, where the hell were her wings? Maize without her magic, despite her distrust of it, was an odd thing. It was such a fundamental part of her, and I knew that if I ever lost my magic it would make me feel absolutely off balance. Disoriented.
“I promise I’ll explain soon,” I soothed while tilting her jaw up. “First I need you to tell me exactly how you’re feeling. Can you feel all of your fingers and toes? Anything numb?” I felt far more panic and concern than my voice was portraying, and honestly, I was somewhat impressed by my ability to keep my shit together.
After a moment, she let out a small hum and frowned. “Yes. I can feel everything. Fuck, this water is really hot, though.”
“It’s a little warmer than lukewarm. You were a fucking icicle when Cannon found you,” I admitted and brushed her wet hair from her face. “Do you want to get out?”
As if remembering something, her fingers shakily made their way to her matted, blood-covered hair as she gently pressed on the bandages, whimpering. Tears filled her eyes, belying her empty expression, and anxiety coursed through the bond that our magic attempted to make. I knew without a doubt that when we completed this mating bond, I would feel her emotions to an acute and dangerous extent. If it hurt like this now, I couldn’t imagine what it would feel like then. I was actually surprised Charm wasn’t in here yet.
“I need you to tell me what happened, Maize,” I urged gently.
Blinking up at me, her eyes took on that hazy glaze. “I have no idea.”
Chapter 2
Maize
Hunger. My throat was dry, and starvation wrecked through me at the same extreme as the electric pain that caused my body to scream in agony. I had never felt so weak and so depleted in my entire life. It was like when my father used to drain me and lock me away from everyone, keeping me from healing. Keeping me from feeding off their essence. Somehow this was worse. It was like I’d been pulled from the brink of death and I was now surviving on a small spark of energy that was quickly dwindling in the center of my chest.
I was going to die.
A strangled sound broke from my throat as Chait’s magic wrapped around me. I held his gaze, my fangs throbbing as I tried to resist the urge to crawl up his body and feed on his energy. Resist the urge to hurt him to strengthen myself. I didn’t think I had the energy to move up his body, let alone that. But fuck did I crave it. I craved him.
I had always fed off others’ energies, but this was different. This was an acute hunger that had my mouth watering as my eyes trailed to where his pulse quickened under my gaze, a predatory instinct pulling up from my chest as my vision blurred slightly. A barely contained scream was muffled by Chait’s chest as an electric shock of pain caused me to convulse.
Chait was speaking, but I couldn’t hear what he was saying. I couldn’t feel anything. My body was trying so hard to heal itself and failing horribly, my control slipping as all my energy was put towards staying alive. I was so, so cold, and I found myself wanting to bury my fingers inside the warm muscular chest underneath me, needing something to ground me to this moment.
“Mon amour, what is going on?” Chait demanded sharply, cupping my jaw as I looked up at him. My tongue ran over my sharpened fangs as his eyes flashed to them, confusion morphing into something else as blood began to pump loudly in my ears. Why wasn’t I pulling energy like normal? It didn’t make any sense.
A small whine of pain broke from my throat as my magic urged me to bite into his flesh, to feed directly from the source of his magic. I tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened as he pulled me up his body, my entire body shuddering with the pain that seemed to shock my system.
“You have to let me go,” I choked out. “I’m not pulling magic like normal, Chait. I’m going to end up feeding from you.” When the fuck had that become a thing? I had a feeling it was because my magic was too weak to do anything but try to heal me… but I had no idea. Bloodlust slammed into me once again as I dug my nails into him, contradicting my urgency to move away.
A low feral noise broke from his throat as I broke skin, the scent of smoky blood and magic filling the space as I was pulled flush with him in a straddle, the room going dizzy around me. I braced myself against him as a secondary and equally as strong hunger rushed over me, heat exploding from my center as my skin broke out into shivers. I rocked against his hard, jean-covered length as my hands shakily ran across the injury on his chest. I barely resisted the urge to lick my fingers, not knowing what that would ignite.
“Chait,” I begged softly, knowing I was reaching my breaking point, “you have to let me go. I don’t trust myself to not hurt you—”
A pair of soft, firm lips pressed against mine as a groan rumbled from his throat, the sound causing a trembling sensation to roll over me. Almost as if it had been waiting, my magic latched onto him, pulling from the sexual energy rolling between us as my clit pulsed needily, my entire frame shaking. I couldn’t stop myself from dipping my nails into his tattooed chest even more, a delicious, guttural sound breaking from his throat that had my magic tightening its hold on his as they continued a dark and dangerous dance.
“I am not scared of your magic,” Chait promised in a purr against my lips.
“I am though,” I attempted, exhausted and coursing with hunger for him, his energy warming inside of me. I was going to snap. My gaze fell down to his neck, and I found my lips pressed against his jaw as I nearly fucking climaxed at only the thought of sinking my teeth into his flesh, knowing that he would taste absolutely amazing. I’d never wanted to taste someone’s blood as badly as I wanted his.
It would heal me. He would heal me. Chait had the ability to bring me out of this state, and I knew he would survive it. My consciousness pushed forward, rebelling against the notion of trapping the man we loved in such a dangerous situation. There was already one thread connected to me, and I couldn’t justify doing that to someone else.
But my magic disagreed, wanting to mark him and feed from him. He was ours. But not to hurt. Not to poison. Tears of frustration pooled in my gaze as Chait pulled back, cupping my jaw and forcing me to focus on him.
“What do you need, Maize? What does your magic need?” he asked intuitively as his fuschia eyes darkened to a near plum color, the room seeming to darken on the edges as his magic wrapped around mine, taking dominance. I was shocked when we let him, my body pressing forward against him as his hand slid to the back of my neck and held firmly so that I was completely focused on him.
“It’s hungry,” I admitted as a tear streaked down my face. “I feed off those around me, but I’m so… I just can’t, my magic isn’t strong enough. I need you to leave the room, Chait, because I’m going to hurt you. I’m going to end up feeding off you and marking you—”
“I will never leave you,” he said firmly, his other hand tightened on my waist, making me whimper at the feel of his firm grasp.