Chapter 116

It was ironic, considering Vladya was already hurting, down the path toward madness like a seasoned champion. His grip on sanity grew more tenuous with each passing day.

Despite his and Henry’s protests, Merrilyn insisted on bloodfeeding him. Vladya’s hunger had overpowered his restraint, but thankfully he had taken only a small amount, mindful of the stubborn female’s fragile state.

In the weeks since, he had sought sustenance from others, but their blood offered only brief respite. To satiate himself, he would need to drink from over fifty females simultaneously, inevitably killing some in the process.

As long as they were not his bloodhost, they could never truly satisfy his thirst. Not even Ackeira could.

And so, he had refrained.

As a result, his thirst had intensified. His arousal had grown as potent as his bloodlust, and his mind… it was a dark and chaotic place.

That was why he sought refuge outside the fortress walls, hoping to find some semblance of clarity amidst the turmoil. And now, here was the one female he should avoid.

He had made deliberate efforts to stay away, but there she was, testing the limits of his control.

And there was only so much a male could take.

Vladya turned to face her, taking in her beauty. Clad in simple, clean slave garments, she radiated an exquisite allure that defied her humble attire. He began to close the distance between them, his footsteps silent.

Her cheeks flushed, and she lowered her eyes, her fingers nervously clutching the fabric of her clothes.

“You are aware that I can smell you from a considerable distance, aren’t you?” Vladya repeated, stopping before her.

“Uhmm.. I did not know this. I, uh.. apologize once again for interrupting your quiet time. Now, if you would excuse me,” she twirled around and attempted to walk away.

His beast roared within him, surging towards the surface with a ferocity that caught Vladya off guard. But he stilled.

Over the past few months, Vladya and his beast had grown increasingly disconnected. Each step toward feral widened the gap until his beast would eventually force a shift he couldn’t control, trapping him in his beast form forever.

But now, for the first time in weeks, his beast rose.

“Ackeira?” he rasped, his voice strained as he fought to maintain control.

Something in his tone must have alarmed her; she stopped dead in her tracks. “Lord Vladya?”

“Do. Not. Move,” his breath sounded ragged in his own ears.

She gave a nod, still keeping her back to him.

His senses, already heightened, became even sharper. He could hear the rapid thumping of her heart, the quickening of her breath, and the scent of her fear. Even the faintest hint of musk.

His dick was hard. His gums fucking ached.

“Are you h–hungry?” Her sultry voice reached him, a tremor of fear underlying her words. “Is it the bloodlust?”

Amongst other things.

Chapter 116

“I will be fine,” he managed, his voice rough. “Just give it some time, I’ll regain control.”

“You could… you could drink from me,” she offered hesitantly.

Vladya’s beast perked up at the suggestion. He shuddered, his breath escaping in a ragged gasp.

“Bloody hell,” he growled. “You should not make such offers lightly, Ackeira. I could easily drain you dry.”

The girl turned, her lips parting as she nervously licked them. “I would never make such an offer to anyone else. But you saved my brother’s life, and I would like to…”

“Are we going to keep milking that cow?” Vladya added with a sardonic edge.

Ackeira flushed scarlet but met his gaze. “Also, you look like you’re in pain.”

“Why does it matter to you? I inflict pain upon you at every turn. Why would you wish to alleviate mine?” Vladya cocked his head to the side in thought. Was this a trick? A ploy to manipulate him? What was her motive!

“Not everyone is intent on causing pain, Your Highness,” she replied, her voice soft yet firm. “Some of us are not wired that way.”

Then, under her breath, she added, “But then again… I suppose a male like you wouldn’t understand.”

Vladya did not take offense. He truly did not understand.

A captive should be aiming to stab her captor in the chest, not pull out the sword already embedded and attempt to apply healing balm to the wound.

She sighed, a hint of disappointment in her eyes. “Nevermind,” she murmured, turning away once more.

Vladya watched her retreating figure, war raging within him. What was he doing? Why was he chasing away the one person he longed to drink from again?

To have her blood coat his tongue, to savor the taste for days to come.

But I can resist. I am not a slave to my baser instincts.

The girl took a step away from him.

Vladya moved with lightning speed, pinning her against a tree, his body pressed against hers.

He hadn’t even consciously registered moving, only the need to stop Ackeira from leaving.

“Lord Vladya,” she gasped, her breath catching in her throat.

Up close, her scent hit him full force, wrecking whatever little chance he had of maintaining control. His gums hurt, his fangs—already extended—throbbed with a burning intensity.

“Drink from me,” she whispered, her eyelids fluttering closed as she offered her neck to him.

His fangs pierced her skin and she cried out, arching into him. Vladya moaned, the first taste of her sweet, addictive blood lighting a fire within him.

Need raged through his veins. His dick filled with blood.

“Ohhhh,” she moaned, her body writhing in his arms, her fingers digging into his robe.

Vladya was in the clouds, lost in a whirlwind of pleasure and sensation. For the first time in months, the restlessness beneath his skin ebbed away, the turmoil in his blood subsided, and the darkness threatening to consume him retreated into the shadows.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, he felt… good. Really, really good.

Vladya forced himself to slow, to sip, instead of gulping her blood like the crazed, hungry male he was. He did not want this to end.

He pumped out pheromones like crazy, so out of control he couldn’t make himself stop. Coupled with the natural arousal of feeding, the girl stood no chance.