17: A Drop of Blood

HARPER

I was surprised at how quickly I fell asleep. Exhaustion had taken over and the couch, surprisingly, was comfortable enough for me to stretch out. I exhaled deeply, my gaze drifting toward the bedroom door.

This was going to be a delicate dance. At least she didn’t seem too uncomfortable around me. I hadn’t done anything to upset her, so it wouldn’t have been fair if she was.

Now, I was wide awake, my eyes fixed on the ceiling. The room was still bathed in daylight and my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. I glanced at the bedroom door again, longing to be in there with her.

The urge to get up and join her was strong, but I remained on the couch, alone. I let out a frustrated sigh and reached for my phone on the coffee table.

I scrolled through the messages and emails. There were requests and plans from Axel, and a few messages from Grace. I reassured her that everything was fine.

My mate wasn’t crazy, just desperate. I then sent a follow-up message asking if she could help Sierra with anything she might need. It seemed less awkward to ask a woman for help.

Grace replied enthusiastically, saying she’d love to help. I rolled my eyes. Of course, she would. She was such a busybody.

I sat up, running a hand through my hair. There was no rest for the wicked. There were things to do, and I had already messaged Axel about shifting my work hours to accommodate Sierra.

He responded quickly, seemingly okay with the change. This would also allow him to adjust his schedule with Layla and the girls. A smile tugged at my lips. Look at us, playing house.

I chuckled to myself, setting my phone down as the bedroom door opened. Sierra emerged, wearing one of my blank T-shirts and sweats that were cinched tighter to fit her smaller waist.

Her hair was a cascade of copper red waves, mostly swept to one side. She looked incredibly attractive, even in such casual attire. Seeing her in my clothes stirred something primal and possessive within me.

She was surrounded by my scent, and it was intoxicating.

“Good evening, Harper,” she greeted, a hint of color on her cheeks.

My gaze roamed over her, yearning for her to come closer. Or maybe I should go to her, touch her, pull her close. My inner beast was practically howling for it.

I cleared my throat as she paused across the coffee table. “Sleep well?” I asked.

She nodded, clutching her white phone tightly. She bit her lip, then moved to sit on the couch next to me. I was taken aback. I had expected her to choose the armchair across from me.

There was just half a cushion between us. She sat upright, her posture perfect, and placed her phone on the table.

“Yes, did you?” she asked.

“Yeah, no problem,” I replied, my gaze lingering on her.

She glanced at her phone, swallowing nervously. “That’s good. I feel bad that you were out here. This doesn’t seem very comfortable,” Sierra said.

I shrugged. “It’s fine,” I assured her, not wanting to pressure her. I wanted her to come to me willingly, not out of obligation.

“You’re a good man. I appreciate you respecting my space and giving me time to think. Thank you,” she said.

I simply nodded.

“I’m sure we’ll need to discuss what I’ll be doing here while I stay.” Her words made my heart skip a beat. She was staying?

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my emotions in check.

“I was hoping to get a few things, but I don’t have access to money or a way to—”

“Whatever you need, Sierra, I’ll help you get. If you want to earn your own money, we can work that out. In the meantime, all you have to do is ask. I’m more than happy to provide what you need,” I said, interrupting her.

She looked at me, her eyes welling up. “Thank you. I would like to earn my keep, not be a burden or owe debts.”

“I don’t see it as a burden at all. I wasn’t planning on keeping a tally. You’re my mate, and this is normal for me. But before you object, we’ve helped many people in situations similar to yours. We have funds to help them get settled, and there’s no requirement to pay back for essentials,” I explained.

I would personally pay for anything Sierra needed. I wasn’t poor anymore, but I knew what it was like to fight for survival.

“Are you sure? I was hoping for personal items and a new phone. I know mine is monitored and my father can link into it. I’ll keep it here and off, but I was hoping to have some freedom with a phone that’s mine. I don’t want to be monitored all the time,” she said.

“He monitored your phone? Not just tracked it?” I asked, appalled. She was a grown woman, and that level of control was just fucked up.

“Anything I sent or searched. If I even looked up items I might need, I was questioned. I was always monitored, especially who I spoke to or what I read.” She sighed heavily.

“Easy, you can have your privacy on your phone. Axel might ask to see your phone while we establish things. It won’t be monitored like that. No one here will care if you read historical etiquette books or risqué romance. It’s your phone. We just care if you’re talking to enemies about things here,” I said.

Sierra gave me a look, then a hint of humor flickered in her eyes.

“Risqué romance? Is that what you read, Harper?” she asked, a playful glint in her eyes.

I appreciated her light-heartedness and chuckled. “Maybe, I keep an open mind,” I replied.

She laughed again. It was a beautiful sound, and it was nice to see a spark of light in her eyes. She straightened up, her gaze dropping to the floor.

I noticed her sudden shift in demeanor and the nervous energy that filled the air. I frowned, wondering what had caused this sudden change.

“Sierra, how do you manage feeding here with the vampires? Is there a system in place?” I asked.

The thought of her feeding from another man’s throat filled me with a sudden, sharp resentment. The images of her touching and holding another man, even if it was just for feeding, made me incredibly tense. To me, the act seemed intimate.

“We do have donors who rotate monthly, and we also have a cold storage system. Do you need it directly from the source, or can you drink stored blood?” I asked, praying she would say stored blood. Especially since she seemed to want to keep her distance from me at the moment.

“I need it from a living source. I can drink stored, but I come from an old line and I need the energy absorption more than the physical contents of the blood. If I drink stored blood for too long, I’ll grow weak,” she explained.

Internally, I winced. That was not the answer I was hoping for.

“Does it matter who you take from?” I asked.

“Not really. Of course, healthier individuals are better,” Sierra replied.

I studied her for a moment.

“Do you need to feed now? How often?” I asked, trying to understand her needs.

“I’m not starving yet, but I can feel the edge. Honestly, I wasn’t allowed to feed often, so I’m used to operating on a lower diet. Also,” she paused, glancing down before continuing, “what I took from you was very potent, so it gave my system a surge. Lycan blood is potent to vampires,” she said.

“I’m aware. I know vampires once hunted us and kept us like slaves in the past,” I told her.

I didn’t mention that my family had been targeted and used like that. It wasn’t important, but I wanted her to know I was aware, in case she was going to use that as a reason to keep her distance. I wasn’t afraid of her. With my age, I knew I had more to give. I barely felt what she took from me.

“You shouldn’t have to live on minimal blood, Sierra. You should be at a normal level. The donors here are paid for what they give and can leave the program anytime. You should feed. If you’re worried about it, I’ll give to you again,” I told her.

Her gaze snapped back to mine.

“You… I don’t…,” she stammered, her face turning red as she seemed to struggle with her thoughts.

My gaze left hers and I looked her over. I remembered what that felt like. I had no problem letting her get close and experience the high of her bite. Her flushed face suggested she was thinking along similar lines.

“It’s easy to form an addiction. I don’t know if that’s smart,” Sierra said.

I raised an eyebrow at her.

“I think it’s very smart. A small bit from me goes a long way for you. I have no problem giving to you whenever you need it. I want to,” I said.

I wanted her to want it. To realize that everything is intense with true mates. I just wanted her to let her guard down a little more with me.

“What if I didn’t stop? What if I enjoy it too much? Vampires have their dark sides too,” she warned.

I couldn’t help but smile a little devilishly.

“Sounds exciting. How will you know if you don’t try? Let me give to you, Sierra. Live a little with me. I think there’s less danger than you realize,” I said.

She looked me over, then stood up. I wasn’t sure what she was doing, but she walked over and sat down next to me. I felt a rush of excitement as she moved closer, her face still flushed. It was a struggle not to reach out and pull her to me, to kiss her passionately, to hell with being civil.

“I do want to take from you,” Sierra admitted, looking down. “I keep thinking about it. That’s why I don’t think it’s smart. I already desire such a thing with you.”

“Good,” I replied seriously.

She looked at me, a little surprised. I reached forward and gently held her chin.

“Take what you want because I want to give it. Any way you touch me is pleasure to me and exactly what I want.”

“What if I take too much?” she asked.

I didn’t see what she had to fear. She had controlled herself before. Why would now be any different? It sounded like she was hoping I would deny her. Well, she was in for a disappointment.

She was already leaning forward slowly, and I lowered my hand from her chin. Her hand came up lightly to the side of my face, and everything inside me jumped. Blood rushed right down between my legs and I felt arousal threatening.

I held her gaze for a moment before shifting slightly, giving her a better angle to lower her head to my neck. My heart rate quickened the second her lips grazed my pulse, and I was instantly hard. All she had to do was touch me and I was putty in her hands.