Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 85029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 425(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 425(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Paul is smiling. Not even looking at me. He’s only got eyes for Syrsee’s naked body on the bed. And when I glance down, I find him already hard for her.
Has he always lusted after Syrsee? Was this his goal all along? I understand that he said he would not be inside her. It would be me and only me. It’s the only way to make this tolerable.
But now I’m wondering if there’s more to it.
He’s crossing the room now too, and when he gets to the end of the bed he kneels down and crawls up alongside her. Fitting his body right up against hers. His hands wandering. Going anywhere he chooses.
She doesn’t stop him. In fact, she closes her eyes and seems to enjoy his touch.
This is when I feel a body slide up behind me and a hand slip around my waist as a face presses into my neck.
It’s Josep, of course. Materializing from nowhere.
I’ve never met him. I don’t even know what he looks like. And oddly enough, I don’t care. Just like Syrsee, I don’t mind what he’s doing. Even when he reaches between my legs and finds me hard for him already, just like Paul was hard for Syrsee.
His teeth graze over my skin, ripping it open just a little bit, right under my ear. “Nice to finally meet you, Ryet. Are you ready for your gift?”
He’s pressing himself into me. He’s hard as well. I manage to open my eyes when Syrsee moans and I see that Paul is already taking her. His fingers are between her legs and his face is hovering over hers like he’s going to kiss her. I want to watch them. I want to see what he does next. But Josep is nibbling on me and I want that too. I want that bite. I want him to pull the blood out of me and take it in his mouth. So I force myself to pay attention. “What gift?”
“The gift of the Darkness.”
I’m like a hundred percent sure I’m not ready for this, but there’s no turning back now. It has to be done. I don’t even understand what ‘it’ is. All I know is that Syrsee needs to be pregnant at the end of this encounter, because if she’s not, she will die. And if she dies, I die.
And it’s not even me I’m worried about. I don’t care about the feeding. I don’t care about her blood. I just want what was stolen from me when I was born. I want my chance at happiness and Syrsee is that chance. Even if it comes with being this.
“Well?” Josep asks. “You can’t be a passive participant, Ryet. It’s always been a choice. This is no different. You have to give me permission.”
He’s right. I have made all the choices. Fine. It’s all my fault.
But it doesn’t change anything. I still want my chance.
“I’m ready. Do it.”
His teeth are in me before the last two words are out of my mouth. And the moment he starts pulling blood out of me, I don’t care about the consequences.
This is temptation. Straight out of the Bible.
Sexual immorality, sensuality, sorcery, orgies.
I understand this. It’s a test. It’s evil.
I warn you, as I warned you before—
And I’m in the middle of failing.
—that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
I am sinning.
This is when I bite Josep. This is my sin. Not giving him my blood, but taking his blood back.
That is how the Darkness gets inside me.
With permission.
And the moment I think this, I’m gone.
I am not in that bedroom with Syrsee, and Paul, and Josep.
I’m in the gold. I’m in the purple.
And I’m alone.
20 - Syrsee
We are all we have left.
I’m writhing on the bed, my back arching as Paul strokes me between my legs. I want to stop him—at least, I tell myself that. Because I want to believe it. But I’m justifying what’s happening in so many ways right now, there isn’t a chance in hell that I’m going to stop him.
I’m rationalizing. I’m in full-on justification mode. Telling myself that it’s been Paul all along. He’s been in Ryet’s head every time we’ve had sex. Every time we’ve done anything.
I’m his. I belong to Paul, not Ryet.
And I’m so disgusted with myself that I let him get to me like this. That I’m believing his lies.
Except they’re not lies. It’s true.
I am Paul’s. Ryet is Paul’s. This game we’re playing isn’t ours and this moment right here is destiny. It’s what we were made for. I’m going to die if this ritual between me and the blood brothers doesn’t happen. And that death might actually be worse than death.
But the real reason this is happening is because… I like it.
I want to be with Paul. And I want to be with Ryet. Josep, I’m not sure about, but even if I didn’t want him, it’s not enough to stop me now.