Surviving Plagues (Artemis University Book 3) Read online

  He winced but recovered. “You didn’t mention it to me that you were coming with a date.”

  “I did actually. You were just too busy trying to get me naked that you weren’t hearing me that I asked Darby and he warned me that us going together would make a statement.”

  “Oh.”

  I turned to leave but he grabbed my arm and then immediately let me go when I stopped.

  “Dance with me.”

  “No, I don’t do the pushy dragon thing when you have a date. And I have a date. I’m not being rude to Darby like that. He doesn’t deserve that.” I glanced up at him. “Remember my rule.”

  Something dark flashed in his eyes. “I’m not fucking her. Why are you being like this? You wanted casual, remember?”

  I spun the rest of the way to face him fully again, knowing there was something dark in my eyes as well. “When did you ask for something more, Hudson? You hinted but you never said it was what you wanted either. I invited Darby after you already had a date to your family party. I’m just the one you fuck. You want to fuck her too? Go ahead. I’m just reminding you of the rule.”

  “You going to fuck Darby? I heard you say you haven’t had sex yet. Is tonight the night?”

  “Yes.” I felt petty for saying it when he took a step back like I slapped him as if I was using Darby in some way. But us having sex or not that night had nothing to do with Hudson and I wasn’t going to lie about Darby. He didn’t deserve that from me.

  Not that I should feel the need to answer Hudson, but… Yeah, it was complicated.

  I shook my head when Hudson looked like he had more to say. “Don’t, just don’t. Darby and I have never had normal and we wanted that. We wanted romantic and to have our first time after a New Year’s Eve party over break where Izzy couldn’t walk in or something else going wrong. I’m not being anything, Hudson. You’re the one blurring lines or not being clear.”

  I didn’t wait for a response, turning off my telepathy and walking away before he could grab me this time. Screw him. We were casual but bringing a date and flirting with me wasn’t okay… Especially when I was on a date. That was playing with someone or crossing jealous lines.

  Fine, I’d crossed some too, not wanting to see him when I knew he had a date. But that seemed more self-preservation. If he would pull his head out of his ass he would see he should have warned me, told me it was just a setup of his parents and meant nothing. Then I would know. I told him about my stuff.

  Why couldn’t he do the same? Casual still meant respect.

  Stupid dragon.

  “Do I want to know about the staring contest with Hudson?” Darby asked as I rejoined him at the dessert buffet. We’d eaten so much that if I even tried for more I might pop out of the dress.

  “Nothing,” I answered, sighing when that didn’t seem to appease him. “I just don’t know what he wants from me.”

  He leaned in and pressed his lips to my ear. “Oh, I think you know exactly what he wants from you, agra.”

  “No, I don’t because he doesn’t know what he wants from me,” I promised. I shook my head when he went to say more, brushing my lips over his cheek. “This is our night. I don’t want to talk about anyone else, only our date.”

  “All right,” he agreed, nuzzling my neck. “What about our date?”

  “That I think we made an appearance long enough,” I murmured as I nibbled on his earlobe. “You look so hungry after all.”

  “I’m totally full,” he moaned, sounding confused.

  “Not for food, Darby. I want to show you what I’m wearing under this dress.”

  His arms slid around me and he pulled me flush against him. “What are you wearing under this gorgeous dress, agra?”

  “Not a damn thing,” I purred.

  “Fuck, Tamsin,” he hissed. “Yes, yes, I’m very hungry for you.”

  “Enough of the party. My feet are starting to hurt.”

  “It’s not even midnight. We’ll miss the countdown.”

  “We can shout it from my bed.”

  “Sounds good to me,” he growled, keeping one arm around me as he turned us towards the foyer where the portal we would use was. This wasn’t the type of party we say goodbye to the hosts or whatever, not with so many people.

  Besides, we also didn’t want to draw attention to leaving so soon… But it seemed we had attention anyways, especially when the crystals flared brightly with a deep rose color.

  “Right, I just did something magically with them because of all the joy I’m feeling right now or something?”

  “Yes, and I want to study them with Craftsman,” he muttered, hurrying us along before anyone could stop us. “I’ve never heard of anyone changing basic crystals to tier seven in one night. That’s insane.”

  “How many tiers are there?”

  “Ten that can be reached with solo magic,” he answered. “Though I’m starting to wonder if you could come up with an eleventh tier all on your own, agra.”

  “Maybe if I wear them during sex,” I grumbled under my breath.

  He heard me though, giving an amused snort. We reached the portal and I froze, realizing something bad.

  Darby seemed to understand and looked at the guard standing at the portal. “This is blurred from the view of other guests, yes? Dr. Craftsman was clear that it would also be wiped immediately so no one could try and copy down the right runes and sigils to Tamsin’s portal.”

  “Mrs. Vogel made sure of it,” the guard confirmed. “As long as it’s activated with Ms. Vale’s magic, the magic of the portal is already set to wipe the information to protect any member of the Vogel family or their friends so they cannot be traced through portals.”

  “That is so cool,” I whispered, shocked there were such protections in place and in layers. “Thank Mrs. Vogel for me. And thanks for not trying to peek and sell the information.” I tapped my head when he gave me a surprised look. “I had to check.”

  “No, I get it.” He shrugged. “Mel’s a cousin and I heard part of what you said to her father. You’re family to me, cousin. Anyone who loves our family so fiercely and is so loyal to them is family to me.”

  “Thanks, mate.” I smiled at him and then Darby was ready for me. I activated the portal and hurried to step through. We had enough attention so no reason to dilly-dally.

  We arrived in the garage and Darby might have taken a moment for a kiss but I pulled him along. There was no way I was making out in front of Chief and the other fae dogs.

  I swallowed a yelp as Darby swooped me up in his arms. He used his vampire speed to get us in the house and up the stairs faster than I could, especially in heels. We reached my room moments later and he set me on my feet once the door was opened.

  “You sure? We can just—”

  “I’m sure,” I promised, pulling him in after me. I kicked the door closed as I grabbed the lapels of his tux to kiss him. He didn’t fight me, mashing his lips to mine as he helped me get him undressed. I slid off the heels and pulled away when he was hurrying with the buttons of his shirt. I really wanted to make sure we didn’t hurt the dress.

  I bent down and grabbed the hem, carefully bunching it as I pulled it up. Then I managed to shimmy out of it when I had enough of it gathered, careful of the sleeves. I gently set it on the hanger waiting at the end of my closet where I’d gotten it from.

  Strong arms closed around me the moment I was done, Darby’s torso already naked as well. His lips were soft as they kissed along my neck. “You are so beautiful, agra.”

  “Show me?”

  “Yes, please,” he growled, picking me back up. He carried me over to the bed and set me down, glancing at my hair. It made me realize I had more crystals in the headdress thing.

  “I honestly have no idea how they did it,” I admitted.

  “I see a few pins,” he muttered as he reached up and carefully pulled them out. Then he removed the whole thing and set it on the nightstand.

  I sighed, stretching my neck and adjust
ing it. “I didn’t realize that weighed so much until just now after wearing it all night. The dress too. All those crystals actually weighed a lot with the metal chains holding them together.”

  “You looked so breathtaking in it,” he whispered as he came back to me. He quickly lost his pants and the rest of what he was wearing before he climbed on the bed with me.

  “You looked pretty damn sexy yourself,” I murmured as he leaned down. “I was right about the silver tux. It was perfect for you.”

  “I think it was the gorgeous date on my arm,” he argued as he set his glasses on the nightstand. Then his lips were on mine again. His hands started at my waist and moved along my body, teasing my breasts before gliding along my arms.

  I yelped again when he rolled us so we were in the middle of the bed and I was on the bottom again… And he had my hands pinned above my head.

  “Do we need a condom, agra? I know you grew up human but we’ve not discussed—”

  “No, we’re good,” I promised. I was glad he put it like that and not bringing up Craftsman in that moment. “I just have a rule about if someone’s bare with me, they’re not bare with anyone else.”

  “I don’t want anyone but you, Tamsin. I promise, no one else.”

  I frowned. “That’s not—I’m with—”

  “I know,” he whispered against my lips. “It’s fine. I still only want you.”

  That was hot. “I need you, Darby.”

  “Me too, agra,” he groaned. His hand moved to hold both my wrists, squeezing them. “Let me?”

  “I trust you,” I promised, getting what he was asking me.

  He gave me a deep, hot kiss as his other hand moved back down my body. He teased and pleased me before his fingers pushed inside of me. I was wet and ready for him. He brought me once that way, kissing me all over and driving up my need for him.

  “I want to taste you before I taste all of you tonight,” he muttered, hinting at what else was on the agenda.

  “Yeah, yes, do both,” I panted, wanting to try him drinking from me too.

  He moaned and kissed down my body, settling himself between my thighs. He tasted and tasted me some more, winding me up and then kissing along my legs as if promising he wanted to bite me there too later. Then he gave me two glorious orgasms that left me mushy in the best kind of way.

  I smiled at him when he moved over me again, bringing my hands above my head. His eyes about rolled up in his head and I knew that was his catnip and hot button all in one. “Can you—um…”

  “What? Ask me anything, agra,” he murmured against my lips when I didn’t go on.

  I worried my lower lip and studied his eyes. “Do you want to taste me first? I mean I get the bite goes during sex but it’s your first time and mine. Maybe we shouldn’t do it when we’re moving and like risk fangs tearing my neck?”

  “I would never hurt you like that, Tamsin,” he whispered, horror in his eyes.

  “No, no, I know that,” I hurried to say. “I might—I’ve never played with biting and I realized—what if I get startled or jerk with an orgasm and—maybe I should just feel it first.”

  He nodded. “Okay, just a nip. That’s smart.”

  “I have my moments,” I teased him, trying to hide I was seriously nervous now that we were there. Not just the biting but the sex too. Darby and I weren’t playing around and things were going really well.

  Which meant something would probably go wrong soon. My money was our compatibility in bed was shit. I know, I was so positive like that.

  My negative thoughts fled as Darby’s teeth elongated into fangs and I watched it for the first time. Maybe it was stupid to have that be the first time I saw it. It was horrifyingly beautiful and creepy all at once. I was frozen in shock. They really turned into fangs.

  I mean, I’d felt them several times but they always changed back before I looked at him. I’d never seen them out and certainly not extend. He squeezed his hand holding my wrists and leaned in, his other hand moving under my ass. He kissed my neck, running his fangs over my skin until I shivered and relaxed, turned on instead of scared.

  It didn’t really hurt as he bit me. Less than a needle prick and honestly it was sexy, like nibbling on my lip when he kissed me. I felt warmth and heat in the area like he was pulling more blood there, and then he froze. His grip on my wrists tightened and I felt his fangs come out of my skin.

  He slowly raised his head, licking his fangs and lips as he stared down at me. His eyes changed from gray to red, bright, vibrant red, and something triggered in my mind. That was—there was a reason a vampire’s eyes changed like that.

  “What are you, Tamsin?” he hissed, his eyes raking over me. “You taste so fucking good, agra. You’re mine. All fucking mine.”

  And then he struck, biting harder, drinking me deeper this time. His grip tightened to painful and I pulled against him.

  “Darby, what—” I flinched when he growled. Then it hit me.

  Bloodlust. That was when a vampire’s eyes turned red. It was a sign they were feral. It was what happened when a vampire went feral with bloodlust.

  I whimpered and he groaned, his fingers digging in my skin as his other hand moved from behind me. I wasn’t sure what he was trying to do, and he might have my hands but my legs were free. Maybe I could just… Do what? What could I do with his fangs in my neck?

  I lifted my leg and kicked down on his lower back, trying to snap him out of it. He snarled, the noise sounding animalistic and startling me. The next thing I knew, I blinked, and Darby thrust inside of me, still drinking from me. His hips moved and it felt good even as my neck started to hurt and my wrists throbbed. I started to feel like he was taking too much and panic clawed at me.

  I turned my hand and folded it over his holding down mine and thought of the rune for fire. I burnt his skin with all I had without setting the bed aflame. He shouted and jerked, letting my hands go.

  I didn’t hesitate, grabbing his hair with both hands and moving his head up as I slid down to pull his fangs free without tearing my neck. He tried to come back for me and I moved my hands to his chest, thinking the rune for fire again and burning his skin. He yanked away from me, pulling out of me roughly and scrambling across the bed.

  And I did the other direction, pulling the bedding over me as if that would be a real protection against the crazed vampire.

  He blinked down at his hand I burned and then his chest before his dick and then focused on me. His eyes slowly turned from red back to their normal gray as horror filled them. “Tamsin, I don’t know—I didn’t—I’m so—” He moved like he was going to come closer and I flinched.

  I might as well have stabbed him the way he crumpled into himself. He backed even further away until he was standing at the foot of the bed. I blinked and he was gone. I flinched again, but he didn’t come towards me, instead already at the door to leave.

  I didn’t realize I was crying until tears wet my lips. I stared at the spot my boyfriend had been standing, confused and reeling from what had happened.

  Moments later there was a soft knock before the door to my suite opened. I couldn’t seem to make my brain work enough to look over there and see who it was or register someone was there. It didn’t compute at all until Craftsman moved to where Darby had been.

  “Darby just came to my room and said he raped you? Did he hurt you, love?”

  It took me three tries to find my voice but then I shook my head, wincing when pain shot through my neck. “He didn’t rape me.” Tears made Craftsman blurry. “I don’t think vampires are supposed to have fairy blood.”

  “Oh fuck, love,” he whispered, getting what happened better. “Okay, I get it. It will be okay, Tamsin. We’ll figure this out and you’ll be okay.”

  I let him tend to me, use the rune to heal my bite and help me… But I didn’t think I’d be okay ever again.

  The End

  THANK YOU for reading this book!!

  Thank you so much for coming on Tamsin’
s journey with me. I woves all of you lots for your continued support and wanting more of my books. As I said in the author’s note, please, please leave a review. It really helps me out to know which series people are looking for more from. And it’s encouraging to get back to series when people are excited for more. I appreciate the time it takes and hopefully you guys love Tamsin and this world as much as I loved writing the series!! There’s more to come and I hope you’re as excited about that as I am.

  All my best,

  Erin

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