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Lysander slashed one of his wrists Blood instantly spilled fro each drop to fall into her mouth Blood was not food for Harpies; it was medicine Therefore her body could accept it He’d never freely given his blood to another living being and wasn’t sure he liked the thought of so inside this woht actually caused his heartbeat to start slaain But there was no other way

At first, she didn’t act as if she noticed Then her tongue e at the liquid before it could reach her lips Then her eyes opened, a it to her mouth Her sharp teeth sank into his skin as she sucked

Another odd sensation, he thought Having a wo, yet it was not unpleasant It actually lanced a pang of…sos

"Drink all you need," he told her His body would not run out Every drop was replaced the aze narrowed on him The more she sed, the htening around his wrist, her nails cutting deep If she expected soet it He’d been alive too long and endured far tooso s…What was that?

Finally, though, she released hiladdened him or filled him with disappointment

Gladdened, of course, he told himself

A trickle of red flowed froht of that pink tongue caused another lance to shoot through hirowled through her panting "You sick, torturing bastard"

Hedistance Not to protect himself, but to protect her If she were to attack hiht hurt her And accidentally brush against her Blood…heating…

"It was never my intent to har Odd

"And thatposition, all that dark hair spilling around her shoulders The pearl-like sheen was slowly returning to her skin "You left !"

"I know" Was that skin as soft as it looked? He gulped "And I aer should have overjoyed hih up at him, her face lit with the force of her a him Yes, he should have been overjoyed Instead, the disappointh him Disappointment mixed with shame

She was asped out "You know that I can only consue himself for the first time in his existence

"What’s more, you left me here With no way home"

His nod was stiff "I have sinceyour life But as I said, I a up her ar acceptable" She didn’t wait for his reply She kicked her legs over the bed and stood Her skin was at full glo "Now you listen up First, you’re going to find a way to feed et off this stupid cloud Otherwise I will make your life a hell you’ve never experienced before Actually, I will anyway That way, you’ll never forget what happens when you mess with a Harpy"

He believed her Already she affected hih Proof: histo touch her Rather than reveal these new developments, however, he said, "You are powerless here Hoould you hurt hed "I don’t think so" One step, two, she approached hiround He would not retreat Not this time Assert your authority "You cannot leave unless I allow it The cloud belongs to me and places my will above yours Therefore, there is no exit for you You would be wise to curry my favor"

She sucked in a breath, paused "So you stillto attend?" She sounded surprised

"When did I ever give you the impression that I meant otherwise? Besides, I heard you tell your sister you didn’t want to go to that wedding"

"No, I said I didn’t want to be a bridesmaid But I love ue over her straight, white teeth "But let’s talk about you You like to eavesdrop, huh? That sounds a little deel"