Free Provoked by Rebecca Zanetti Page B

his hand. Inhaling deeply, the pure scent of copper and life filled his nostrils. No drugs, no substances that didn’t belong in the blood were detectable.
    Digging beyond deep, he shoved his fangs back up and lifted his gaze to the demon. “You’re giving me blood.” Now his voice sounded hoarse.
    She shrugged a small shoulder and glided to retake her seat on the pink divan. “I figure the sooner we start getting along, the better. Speaking of which, I do apologize for the mind attack when I was outside your door. My reaction was instinctual—even now, you have power. Impressive power.” Her black eyes sparked with interest. “You can drink the blood, Jase.”
    Saliva wet his tongue. When was the last time he’d taken blood? Maybe a month ago? “The blood is human.”
    “Yes. Fresh human—female—and no, we didn’t drain her. She donated for a generous sum of money and went on her way.”
    That should fill him with relief. But his only thought remained on the blood. Still, he didn’t drink.
    Willa tapped a ruby-tipped nail on her chin. “Okay, I’m impressed. You’ve been tortured for almost four years, have rarely been given blood, and now have the pride to refuse to drink.”
    So it had been four years. Maybe his golf game had improved since he’d played so often in his brain. A part of him wanted to throw the blood in her face. The other part, the one growling for substance, wanted to drink fast and hard. And if he was ever going to get out of this hellhole, he needed strength. So he took one small taste.
    The molecules exploded on his tongue. A low growl erupted from his gut. Hunger roared to life throughout his entire body. He held her gaze, holding himself off from another sip.
    A deep flush covered her sharp face. Interest lit her eyes. “That growl was quite sexy, Jase.” Her voice came out more of a purr.
    The purr nauseated him. “You have got to be kidding.” Sending all his internal sensors into alert, he waited to see if the blood had been tainted. His senses were definitely off. The demons could’ve sneaked something past him.
    “Actually, I’m not joking.” She reached for a folder set off to the side and flipped open the top. “Jase Kayrs, the youngest of the brothers. Charming, talented, a good sport.” One white eyebrow arched as she focused on him. “Yet you killed right along with the king in the last war three centuries ago when you were only fifteen. Something tells me you weren’t as carefree as you appeared.”
    She was correct to refer to Jase in the past tense. The man in the file was gone. Maybe he had been carefree . . . perhaps not. Either way, that guy no longer existed after several solid years of demon mind games. And this was just another one. “So, I’ve always wondered. As a female, are you a demon or a demoness?”
    She shrugged. “Both or either. We really don’t care.”
    Enough with the small talk. Jase shoved his shoulders back. “What do you want?”
    Closing the file, she tilted her head toward the goblet. “I give you my word the blood is pure. Drink it because you’re going to need strength.”
    What the hell. He tipped the goblet and drank down the nourishing liquid. His heart flared to full speed. A tingling wandered along damaged nerves in his neck. The healing had begun. He set the empty glass on the Victorian end-table near his chair, tempted to lick the sides clean. But some pride must remain. “Now tell me why the hell I’m alone with a female demon.” Female demons were incredibly rare, and this was the first one he’d met in person. The fact that they were alone seemed off.
    She sighed. “You’ve never heard of me?”
    “Nope.”
    “That figures.” Pale pink lips pursed together. “I’m Suri’s sister.”
    Suri was the leader of the demons, and a former friend of Jase’s family. He’d also enjoyed torturing Jase for the last few years. “We didn’t know he had a sister.”
    “He has two sisters.” Willa rolled her