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When she opened her mouth in protest, he held his hand up.

“It’s not hurting, but it is extremely difficult to be around you like… this.” He held Blaire’s arm up to make his point, before lowering it back down and looking away, ashamed of what he was in that moment. Why couldn’t he control himself?

They sat in silence before she shifted.

“You can clean the wound,” she whispered softly.

“Fuck no. I’m not even about to entertain that idea.” Lukas stood abruptly, letting go of her arm.

Blaire reached out and grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him back down to sit again.

“There’s no reason to waste something you want, and besides… it’s already there, so it’s not like you’re biting me, just… cleaning me,” she rationalized, shrugging as if it were no big deal.

All Lukas could do was stare at Blaire’s face in shock. His entire body heated, and his fangs descended as he looked down at her arm, his breathing unsteady and ragged. He had wanted to bite her so badly earlier when he saw her in the courtyard dressed for the club. He had wanted to bring her back to their dorm and claim her right then.

Lukas’s head swam from the heady scent of her blood mixing with his desire for her. He looked down at her arm, at the glistening dark trail that ran down her arm to her wrist, and he swallowed hard. To have her consent to him, to consent to share her blood with him finally… even if it wasn’t biting her. He was having a tough time keeping it together.

Lukas looked back up at Blaire’s face. “Are you sure?”

Blaire nodded, not saying a word.

“No. I need to hear the words, Blaire.”

She looked down and bit softly into her lower lip before holding out her arm.

“I want you to clean my arm,” she said before shaking her head. “No, I… I want you to…” Blaire swallowed and looked away in embarrassment as she whispered, “taste me…”

“Fuck. Me,” he rasped out, his throat dry.

He slowly leaned down to Blaire’s arm, never taking his eyes off her face as he slowly moved his tongue across her wrist, causing her to gasp. The taste of her blood exploded on his tongue, and he shuddered. He had never tasted anything so delicious in his life, and he wanted more. He closed his eyes as he trailed his tongue up the inside of her forearm, above the bandage, along the trail of blood until he reached the puncture wound at the crook of her elbow. She whimpered.

He slowly looked up at her. Her heavy breathing filled the silence of the room. He never thought she would be excited by the idea of him taking her lifeblood, but her blown pupils, rapid heartbeat, and unstable breathing said she was.

“Blaire…” Lukas whispered her name as he leaned in to claim her lips, slowly at first, savoring a kiss that wasn’t the result of the chaotic mess that had been their lives lately.

He coaxed her mouth open, and she willingly parted her lips as he slipped his tongue into her mouth. Groaning into the kiss, he started laying her back on the bed. He wanted her badly. His desire for her was reaching a fever pitch. He needed to take her.

The door flew open, and Aiden rushed in. Lukas jerked away from Blaire, sitting up. Something always interrupted them. He ran a hand through his hair, and Blaire sat up, adjusting her t-shirt, her lips swollen and blood-stained. His lips burned to taste more.

“I… uh… I’m sorry for interrupting. I thought something had gone down.” Aiden looked around awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Lukas shook his head. “Yeah, something went down alright. That’s why I called you.”

Aiden looked back their way and motioned toward them. “You, uh, might want to clean your mouths off.”

Blaire blushed, reaching up to wipe her mouth where Lukas had left traces of her blood.

Lukas licked his lips clean slowly, never taking his eyes off Blaire. She looked down at her lap, clearly embarrassed by Aiden catching them in the moment.

“So, what the hell happened?” Aiden asked as he moved to sit on Lukas’s bed across from them. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I feel alright. I’m just a little dizzy, so they must not have been able to take as much, because I woke up during the act and Lukas stopped them.”

“Then we’re lucky Lukas was here this time.” Aiden speared his fingers through his hair. “We need to get to the bottom of this. Blaire is clearly in danger, and she can’t handle them trying to drain her this frequently.”

Lukas clenched his bruised fists that hadn’t healed yet. “She shouldn’t have to get used to them trying to fucking drain her at all.”

Aiden sighed. “That’s a given. But I spoke to the professor, and she said if Blaire is fine, there’s no reason to meet tonight. The perpetrators are likely long gone, and it’ll just stir up the school and shine a bigger spotlight on her, which I’m sure she doesn’t want.”