He hissed, forming words I could not hear, and suddenly he pushed my legs to the side, guiding me to my back, facing him. His body caged mine against the bed, his lustful eyes holding mine before he kissed me again. His hand swept down between my legs, and I was so slick, I could hear it.

“I need you,” I said.

“Bite,” he commanded, placing his wrist against my mouth. I held on to him as I obeyed, and when my teeth sank into his skin, he sank into me.

“Fuck,” he groaned. “Fuck, you feel so good.”

Adrian let me drink from him, moving his other hand to the top of my head, bracing himself as he moved, his chest to mine. His first few thrusts were slow and deep, and I felt every ridge of his cock, but then his movements became shallow, more concentrated, and a delicious friction began to take hold of me. In its grip, I could not control my body.

I released Adrian’s wrist as a moan tore from the back of my throat, and just when I felt the tension in my body peak, he bit into the flesh of my neck.

I came, cursing, my fingers tightening in Adrian’s hair, and he followed, filling me with warmth. I went limp beneath him as he finished feeding, and he pulled away, brushing strands of sweat-soaked hair from my face.

“How do you feel?” he asked.

I was still attempting to control my breathing, but I considered his question. The biggest difference had been when I had woken up with a burning in my throat, but since I had taken Adrian’s blood, I felt the same.

“Are you asking if I feel different?”

He tilted his head, the corner of his mouth lifting, as if he found the question curious.

“I just want to know how you feel.”

I answered on an exhale. “Exhausted, but not just physically…mentally too.” I held Adrian’s gaze and then asked, “How many people will betray us in the end?”

“I suppose we should expect that everyone will,” he said.

“That is a sad existence.”

“And yet it is ours.”

He kissed me and then settled on his side, drawing me tight against him.

“Sleep,” he said. “You will need it.”

I considered asking him what he meant, but my body was warm and my eyes were heavy. I did not feel like talking, though there were so many things that needed our attention, and I let myself slip into darkness.

***

I was writhing—arching my back, my feet sliding against the bed, unable to find purchase. Hunger gnawed at the bottom of my stomach. Adrian was against me and he brought his wrist to my mouth again.

“Bite, Sparrow.”