With one swift movement, she extracted the piece of wood from the tip of his finger. He hissed at the brief pain. A bead of blood blossomed on the end of his finger.

As he watched speechlessly, she raised her glass to catch the bead of blood before it dripped onto the floor. It dropped into her champagne, lingering for a moment like a red pearl before turning the whole glass a light pink.

He could only stare mesmerized as she put her lips to the glass and drank. Then she seized his finger and brought it to her lips. He groaned as her cool mouth closed over the small wound.

Now he knew why it was forbidden between them. Pleasure like nothing he’d ever felt roared through him. He thought he uttered another raw sound, but he couldn’t be sure.

She sat back on the couch and regarded him through glazed eyes. So she felt it, too. It was undeniable. He opened his mouth to urge her not to think it through too thoroughly. If he was forced to stop now, he feared he’d die.

His fears were ungrounded. He watched as her gaze refocused. She reached out and crushed him against her softness. His groan of pleasure was smothered by her mouth.

He knew what was coming next. He couldn’t stop himself as her tongue tangled with his. His arms circled her, pulling her closer still. He heard her soft moan as if from a distance.

From the corner of his eye he thought he saw the cat reappear in the doorway, coolly watching them with some distaste.

He was beyond caring when her mouth moved from his lips to his throat. Her hands worked the buttons at the top of his shirt, giving her better access.

He couldn’t have objected even if he’d wanted to as her lips trailed kisses down his neck, each one a little more intense than the last.

She stole his breath as her mouth found exactly the right place and her teeth pierced his skin.

Pleasure arced through him, keen and all-encompassing. She pressed him back against the couch as she drank his forbidden blood.

He had a moment of clarity to think that this wasn’t something they should be doing, but the attraction that sizzled between them stole the last of his coherent thoughts.

Rydith allowed her a few more mouthfuls of his blood, letting her take what she so desperately needed.

And then he fed.

Her eyelids drifted shut as he drew her powerful essence from her body. For a moment it shimmered between them, briefly illuminated by the firelight. He opened his mouth and tasted her.

A ragged moan escaped his lips. Valaine uttered a soft sound as her mouth fell away from his throat. He caught her in his arms and lowered her to the sofa. She’d sleep now, probably into the next night.

Rydith glanced up to find the cat flattened against the floor, hissing at him menacingly. It met his gaze with its disconcerting amber eyes before fleeing into the dark hallway.

The animal was right, he thought with longing regret. He shouldn’t have done any of this.