Free Blood Judgment (Judgment Series) by Nickie Asher

ashamed of.”
    Heart pounding, Julian fastened his mouth on her wrist, then hesitated as self-consciousness gripped him. He shifted on the sofa. Did Vali and Slade have to sit there like a rapt audience?
    “Go on,” she said, encouraging him.
    Shit . He tried to shut out her brother and cousin. Didn’t work.
    Fuck it. He bit hard. She jerked, but steadied. Blood poured into his mouth. Moaning in relief, he clamped down and drank.
    Her blood hit his shrunken gut, soothing the pain and spreading warmth throughout his body. Shuddering, he fed with long greedy draws despite his effort to restrain himself. His cock hardened, pushing against his jeans. Mortified, he shifted to keep her from noticing.
    “It’s a natural reaction. Don’t worry about it.” She spoke quietly. Compassion and maybe sorrow reflected in the hazel depths of her eyes.
    Minutes stretched, until feather-light, she touched his cheek. “You have to stop. I can’t give you any more.”
    His fangs ached and hunger still burned in him, but he stroked his tongue over her wrist and backed off. “Thank you,” he whispered.
    She clapped a folded hand towel over the wound. “Come here, Slade, he’s still hungry.”
    “No! I’m okay.” Feeding from Slade sounded about as pleasant as a root canal.
    “You sure? I can take care of you, I don’t mind.” Slade’s offer didn’t ring true. Not even close.
    “I’m fine. Really.” Mild hunger was nothing after what he’d been through. He’d gotten enough to sustain him. Besides the idea of feeding from Slade was too off-putting. Neither of them wanted to go there.
    Saranna rose and disappeared into the bedroom. She returned a few minutes later with blankets, a sleeping bag, and a thick pillow.
    She piled them on the floor, using the blankets for a cushion. “Vali gets the sofa, so you’ll have to make do with this. You’ll want to sleep soon. Feeding has that effect.”
    “Thanks.” She was right. With the hunger pain lessened, the sleeping bag looked inviting. A chill raced over his skin followed by heat. Besides, he needed to let his body heal and recover from the infection that had taken control of him.
    “Go ahead, bunk in. I’ll take these two outside so you can sleep.”
     
    SARANNA SAT on the top step outside the apartment building. Vali and Slade perched below her.
    She drew in a deep breath of moisture-laden air. It would rain soon.
    Slade shifted. “How long are you going to keep him here?”
    “As long as he wants to stay.”
    “Not a good idea, sis.”
    “Someone turned him because they wanted him to suffer, knowing he probably wouldn’t survive. I’m not throwing him back for the wolves to eat.”
    Slade shook his head. “What if he turns out bad? He’s been knocked around and who knows what his life was like before any of this. He might be a walking time bomb.”
    “I don’t think so.”
    “Didn’t you see his arms? He cuts himself. He’s not right.”
    “People who do that have trouble coping with their problems.” Why did Slade have to be a bastard whenever a guy entered the picture? A shiver ran over her.
    “Yeah? What do you think he’s going through now? This has to be the most traumatic thing he’s ever experienced.”
    “He’ll be okay.”
    “He’s a symphony musician, a sissy-boy violinist for God’s sake. He’s not used to the way we’re forced to live. What if he can’t handle it?”
    “He’s not a sissy and he’ll handle it. He has to.” She would help him adjust.
    “I don’t like it. I’ll be honest, I don’t like him.”
    “It’ll be fine.” Goosebumps covered her skin. What if he did something to Julian?
    “Saranna, be careful. He’s a stranger, ignorant of our ways. He might be bad news, so don’t get too attached to him. I wouldn’t allow you to keep him here if you were alone together.”
    She bristled. “I can handle a starved fledgling.”
    Slade met her eyes. “He may be starved now, but he’ll recover. You’ll have a