Dark Hunger

An ache bubbled in the pit of her stomach as her throat constricted.

What would she do to taste the roasted meat?

When she looked at the meat wrapped in the leaf, she became riled up with too many emotions, but Elize lifted her chin up and said, "I would, if you can have the blood, you gave me." She lifted the leather skin and dangled it in front of her eyes.

Laurel jerked her head back. She looked like she had eaten vinegar. She suppressed an urge to retch. Blood? A shiver ran through her body as she stared into the red eyes of the vampire. She immediately shook her head and said, "I am so sorry, Your Highness. I didn't mean to—" she bit her lip. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I just asked naturally like I would have asked anyone else." She took a step back and went to sit in her place, giving a long, pained look to Caleb. She wanted him to scold the vampire for being so rude. After all, she was being so polite and the vampire answered her so roughly? It was not done. She pouted at being admonished in such an unhealthy way.

Caleb pursed his lips. He knew that Elize missed eating all the food that she used to, but now that she was turned into a vampire, she couldn't. A muscle in his jaw feathered and he said, "Next time be careful of what you say to Elize."

Laurel's pout immediately vanished and was replaced by a shocked look as her mouth fell to the floor. Her lips curved down. Knowing that right now the king would not hear anything about his wife, she apologized instantly, "I am so sorry, Your Highness. I will keep that in mind." After that she gave a sharp look to Elize, gulping down the bitter reply of the king.

Caleb waved his hand to dismiss her. His gaze went back to his wife. Her complexion had improved, her lips became red and her eyes that were losing their shine, became redder. She raked her hair with her fingers and when she did that, it took his breath away. His lips parted and his cock grew hard. He crossed his legs and rubbed his mouth. She was so beautiful—almost hypnotic. His bride…

"Do you know of anyone who can take us back to Yorkshire once we exit Fulshire?" Elize asked Auril, who was already eating.

"No…" he replied. "We have to take a lift. And if we don't find a vehicle for transport, then we have to walk another two hours."

"Two hours on our feet!" Laurel whined. "Why can't we just create a portal and get to Yorkshire once we exit the forest?"

Auril bit flesh off a bone and said, "That's because we are not allowed to use magic in the human realm."

"But who would know?" she asked with wide eyes.

"No one would know, but if a human sees it, then we would be in big trouble!" Auril didn't want to explain to her that if it got leaked in the media, the complications would be irreversible.

"But I can't walk for two hours on foot!" Laurel complained. She turned her gaze to the king as if asking for help.

"It doesn't matter," Elize replied. "We have to get to Yorkshire and I will do whatever it takes. I have to go and retrieve my things from my apartment and then—" she bit her lip and didn't complete her sentence because she didn't want Laurel to know about it.

"You mean that you will walk for so long in this state?" Caleb said, his annoyance crawling on his skin. "And don't you know that your apartment is being watched by our enemies? One wrong step and you can get yourself in more trouble than you can ever anticipate!"

Elize turned her head away from him, not wanting to get into an argument with him. But she was determined to get her things and go as far as possible from him. She just had to go there once to collect her passport, money and clothes. That's all. She took a deep breath. His scent… honeysuckle mixed with cinnamon… it surrounded her… intoxicated her. Heat pooled in her belly and she had this sudden desire to kiss him. She took another sip of the blood to remind her of what she was and control her desires. Not normal. Not normal.

Caleb exhaled his anger heavily and then looked at the rabbit meat with vengeance. He took a fierce bite from it and chewed it loudly as if trying to show how angry he was. He couldn't help thinking that while Laurel didn't want to walk, Elize was ready for it even in this state. He gulped the food down and said, "There's no need to walk to Yorkshire. I will ask Arawn to bring us a car."

"Car? What's a car?" asked Laurel amusedly.

Elize rolled her eyes.

"It's a horse on wheels!" Auril replied jokingly with a grin. "Would it be your first time in the human realm?"

A pale blush came on her cheeks. "Yes," Laurel replied. She peeked at Elize and wondered if that would make her look any less than her in front of Caleb. "But I am a fast learner!"

"Ah, I see," Auril said, tilting his head at the red-hair.

A deafening thunder boomed on the outside, rattling the trees.

Auril jerked his head back. "Did any of you use your magic in the forest?"

"No, why?" Caleb frowned.

"Fuck! My mother has found out that I have escaped!"

Tense silence stretched between the pounding rain, angry thunder and crackling fire. Laurel stayed quiet and focused on eating because she had used her magic to kill the bird. She didn't want to ask how her using magic would make his mother find out about his escape.

"We have to get out of here as soon as possible!" Auril gritted. "It would be only a few hours before she finds us."

"But it's raining heavily!" Caleb protested. "I can't let Elize out so soon."

"Then be prepared to fight an army of hundreds of soldiers," Auril replied with a tense demeanor.

Caleb stilled.