Page 149 of Eternal Craving

She laughed at my arrogance, looking serene and even beautiful. I tried to shake off the effect she always had on me, considering whether to fuck her, or do something worse.

I stared at my hands. “You didn’t try to stop me?” Blood surged through them like never before. “You knew this would happen if I drank from him.”

Sunaria rested on the top of the middle casket. “You went through with it?”

“You already knew that when I entered the chamber…I saw it in your eyes.” A supernatural wellspring threatened to spill over into this moment and force my carnal hand. I trembled.

“Anyone who consumed him entirely and survived…” Her gaze seemed to take in my new form with nervous excitement. “You areStatus Regal, the most feared among us.” She slid off the coffin. “You’re magnificent.”

I was stronger now, my muscles were taut, my physique sinewy.

Sunaria read my mind. “Elijah lied to you.”

“Did he?”

“I would never have gone through with it.” Her lips quivered.

“You were in my hometown to kill Ricardo. To kill me?”

“Please listen?—”

“Elijah was pretty persuasive in his argument.” I stepped toward her. “I read his thoughts.”

“That night in the mausoleum was meant to be my last. When I came across Ricardo, your brother, he was so brave and so sweet that I couldn’t go through with it.”

“So you admit that’s why you were there?”

She let out a soft sigh. “Yes.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t think you’d believe me.” Tears welled in her eyes. Were they due to guilt for betraying me?

No, I refused to believe it and yet…

“When I first saw you, saw Aaron holding that cudgel over you, I had to stop him.”

“Why didn’t you warn Ricardo?” I asked.

“Daylight robbed me of the chance.”

“Why should I believe you?”

“Because you know I love you.”

I raised a hand, gesturing for her to keep her distance.

“I couldn’t let you die in Felipe’s courtyard,” she said. “Not after the night we spent together, after I rescued you in the carriage.”

“You know I still can’t remember it.”

“I gave you a small taste of me and then you reacted, you took me.” Her eyelids flickered. “It was a dark promise of what it would be like if we became lovers.”

“Great, the best sex of my life and I don’t remember it.”

She refused to smile. “Their ancestry endures through Jacob.”

“Are they searching for him?”