Page 38 of She Haunts Me Still

“What is it?”

“One of the most successful necromancers in history used joint offerings,” he says. “His work was documented so thoroughly it’s basically a how-to guide. But in order for a joint offering to work, we need to…” He lowers his voice. “Share blood.”

“We already are,” Mallory whispers with a laugh.

“Not like that.” He glances at their fused palms. “Likethis.”

And then, Ezra brings her hand to his lips.

Every single coherent thought evaporates as Ezra’s tongue meets her fingertips. Barely brushing at first, and then again, more firmly. Steadily licking the blood from her skin.

“Ezra—”

His name dies on her lips as he slides her finger all the way inside his mouth.

The air around her seems to thin. Heat rushes to her face, between her thighs, burning brighter as Ezra releases a lowgrowl around her hand. It’s a sound of sheer pleasure, of instinctive need, as though he’s been starving for years and she’s the one thing he craves.

Ezra works to draw out more, conducting the flow of her blood, shadows pooling in the hollows of his cheekbones with every pull. And Mallory isn’t sure what terrifies her more: the fact that Ezra is drinking her blood—or that she doesn’t want him to stop.

It’s over as quickly as it started. He pulls back, dragging his knuckles over red-stained lips. He’s slightly out of breath when he swallows, as though savoring her taste.

And then, he whispers: “Your turn, Jules.”

She doesn’t even have time to think before Ezra presses the pads of his first two fingers to her lower lip. Coaxing, until she opens obediently for him.

“Wider,” he says softly.

Face flushed, she obliges, tentatively rolling her tongue along his blood-slick skin. Metal. Copper. And something almost sweet.

Ezra cradles her jaw, guiding her. “A little more. Then you can swallow.”

Mallory leans forward, closing her lips gently around his fingertips. Ezra’s gaze remains glued to her mouth, like he’s calculating how much she can handle. Emboldened, she bends again, and his fingers slip farther inside.

He huffs a quiet exhale. “You take direction so well.”

Something ragged and desperate snaps inside her at that. More. She wants more of him. Mallory wraps her other hand firmly around his wrist—and sinks her mouth all the way to his knuckles.

“Fuck,” Ezra grinds out, and she nearly gasps at the raw,undone sound of his voice. Instead, she just takes him deeper, surrendering to his taste, his warmth. Electricity crackles inside her at the click of his rings against her teeth, the sheer size of his two fingers in her mouth.

But then Ezra’s other hand curves behind her head, and the sudden touch brings her back to herself. When she looks up from underneath her lashes, it’s to find him still watching, pupils blown like midnight. Fleetingly, she realizes what she must look like: eyes wild and cheeks pink, glossy lips strained around his fingers.

Like a girl possessed.

She pulls back. For a moment, neither of them says anything. Every second of silence seems to make the heat in her stomach flare brighter, and she silently calculates the risk of flinging herself into his lap and fusing her blood-streaked mouth to his.

But before she can find the confidence, Ezra reaches for her hands. Casually. Calmly. As though they’re in the dressing room all over again, as though his fingers weren’t just skimming the back of her throat.

“Ezra,” Mallory whispers. Her heart pounds. “Can you—will you…?” She swallows her words, unsure of what she’s even asking.Can you kiss me? Will you touch me? Can we stop pretending there isn’t something happening between us?But instead of any of that, she simply offers, “I’m scared.”

It’s not a lie. She’s scared of looming specters. Of death.

Of the way she’s ready to offer herself to him instead of this spirit.

Ezra holds her gaze, his stare molten, as if he can tell.

“If something scares you, just squeeze my hands as hard as you can. I’ll squeeze back like this—” He pulses her palmstwice in quick succession. “That way, you can remember what’s real.” He hesitates only a beat before adding, “Us.This. It’s real.”

She sweeps her thumbs over his, holding on to his words, the confession baked into them. Less afraid now, Mallory lets her eyes flutter closed.