Free Gifted Curse (Curse Trilogy) by C.M. Owens Page A

driving.
    “Who’s there?” I worry.
    “It’s Hale and me,” Clay says, and he sounds better than he looked earlier.
    “Are you healed?”
    “Thanks to you and Hale I am.  It’s a damn good thing you brought so much blood with you,” he sighs out with relief.
    My eyes burn in the direction of the driver’s seat where I know Hale will be sitting.  I was right.  We did need the blood.
    “That was Araya.  I just drove here.  She did the rest,” Hale softly interjects, his tone sounding distant and slightly dismayed.
    “You’re hurt,” Brazen suddenly blurts out, and I see panic on his face when he gauges the massive blood stain shining through my shirt.
    “I’m fine,” I murmur dismissively.
    There are gashes all over my body from the breaking storm of bullets I endured after my invincibility dropped.  I can taste my own blood in my mouth sliding down my throat.  I suppose it’s a good thing we don’t feel the need to blood fuck ourselves when we taste our own blood.
    A small smirk tries to come to my face after my dirty thought rummages around my mind, and Brazen turns my face to meet his.
    “Take this one,” he says while handing me the fourth pack I brought.
    “No.  You need it to get your strength back.  I’ll be fine.  I’ll get some when we get back to the compound,” I argue.
    “How bad is she hurt?” Hale asks through the closed window to prove he’s listening in.
    “Bad enough to leave at least two pints of blood worth of stain on her shirt.  It’s still dripping too,” Brazen growls, and now he’s trying to force the blood into my hand.
    “You drink it.  I’m not going to,” I assert.
    “Drink the damn blood, Araya.  You’re not as fucking invincible as you think you are,” Hale barks, and I see Brazen scowling at the man we can’t see.
    “I’m not drinking it.  Brazen just came damn close to being blown up, and I’m sure we’ve depleted the supplies we brought by now.  I’ll be fine until we get back.  And for the record, I know I’m not invincible.  I’m just a hell of a lot tougher than you assholes are giving me credit for,” I snarl, and Brazen has to stifle his grin.
    He winces as he tries to sit up better, and I pull out a jacket to roll up as a pillow.
    “Stay down and drink that,” I command while pointing to the bag.
    “I’m not taking this when you need it,” he argues, and then genius strikes.
    “I’ll just share it with you,” I seduce.
    His eyes narrow, and I very slowly pull open the bag with my teeth.  I pour a little in his mouth, and then I lean over to kiss him before he has time to swallow it.  The diluted taste of human blood fills my mouth.  It’s just too weak to make this as seductive as I would like for it to be, but it’s hot enough to get him aroused - as evident by the growing in his pants.
    I straddle him as I take a mouthful of the blood, and then I lean down to let it flow from my mouth to his.  He stays quiet, but his hands grip my hips with a near savage intent.
    I should have done this sooner.   I could probably deliver blood straight from a human’s vein to his mouth, but that would mean he’d want to fuck her too.  Not happening.
    He moans slightly when I pour more of the blood from my mouth to his, and he grips me tight enough to tear my shirt.
    “Whatever is going on back there needs to calm down.  I really don’t want to overhear too much,” Clay cautions.
    I hear Hale shifting awkwardly in his seat, but I don’t give a damn.  Brazen is mine right now, and there’s nothing I want more than him in this moment.  He jerks back, and his eyes stare at my healing wounds in relief.  Then those same, soft pale eyes narrow to scold me for my surprise seduction.  He sits up a little better before pulling me into his arms.
    “You done?” I muse.
    “For now,” he whispers in my ear.
    The chill bumps pop up on cue, and our casual drive back is starting to piss me off.  It’ll take two hours to