“What are you talking about?” Demetri took a few steps closer. The older man was wearing the suit Justin had picked out for him this morning. Dark grey with a silver tie. Power bled from Demetri. The man had a way of walking into a room and sucking the air right out of Justin’s lungs. He was in awe of his lover. “Why on earth would I stop wanting you?”
“Look at me!” Justin shouted through his parched throat. He would cry, but he didn’t have any tears to shed. He was almost as dry as a bone. Even if he fed, there was a strong possibility that he wouldn’t fully heal. How could he? No one could recover from something as bad as these burns.
“I am looking at you,” Demetri stated, his lips thin. “What is supposed to repulse me so much that I would turn my back on you?”
Justin gaped. “Are you serious? I’m a walking billboard for skin cancer. How could you want me? I’m hideous.”
“Enough.” Demetri grabbed Justin and carefully placed him on the stone slab. “Feed, love.”
Justin wanted to resist. How could he press his shriveled lips to such perfect skin? But the decision was taken from him when Demetri sliced his fingernail over his wrist. The scent of blood flooded the room, and Justin’s stomach cramped as his throat grew even drier. He grabbed Demetri’s arm and began to drink, greedily sucking down the blood. Demetri hissed but stayed upright, standing next to Justin as he replenished his body.
Demetri’s eyes were filled with sadness. At least it isn’t pity. I couldn’t handle pity.
It felt as if he’d been drinking forever and not long enough. Justin didn’t want to stop. He was still so thirsty. But Demetri said, “Enough, love. We have to get out of here.”
But Justin couldn’t seem to pull his lips away. He was starving. He continued to drink, growling slightly when Demetri tried to pull his arm away. Justin’s fingers dug into Demetri’s arm, refusing to let go.
Demetri pinched the bridge of Justin’s nose, forcing him to either suffocate or release his hold so he could breathe. The choice wasn’t easy. Justin struggled and tried to knock Demetri’s hand from his face, but the man was too strong.
“Let go.”
Justin eased his incisors from Demetri’s arm before he lapped at the wound. He felt a hell of a lot better, but not fully healed. Demetri’s blood seemed to help the process move faster than Wulf’s had, though.
That’s because Demetri is king of all the wolves.
“Can you walk a far distance?” Demetri asked as he helped Justin off the stone slab. His bare feet pressed into the floor, and Justin shivered. Now that he could think a little better, he noticed just how cold the room really was. Demetri slid off his suit jacket and wrapped it over Justin’s shoulder. “How badly are you hurt?”
“Shot in the shoulder,” Justin said. “Clawed through my back and chest. I think one or two ribs are either bruised or broken because it hurts to breathe.”
“I’m going to rip that son of a bitch to pieces,” Demetri said with a growl.
“He’s in love with you. Did you know that?”
Demetri’s thick, black brows rose high on his forehead. “He told you this?”
“Aberdeen went on and on about how I pretty much stole you from him.” And I’d sent the fruitcake with Caleb. “Caleb!” Justin glanced up at Demetri. “Aberdeen said he sent Caleb to be with his grandfather. We have to save him!”
Demetri shook his head. “No, Caleb was locked in one of the rooms in this place. Aberdeen lied to you. I found my son chained to a wall, shouting how he was going to slice Aberdeen’s balls from his body.”
Justin smiled. “Sounds like Caleb, all right.”
“I never suspected Aberdeen’s feelings toward me. He hid them well.” Demetri strode to the door and waited for Justin to join him. Justin moved along, his steps slow and measured. He wasn’t going to win any races anytime soon. “But you know it’s only you I love, right?”
Justin nodded. “I know. Aberdeen was just…” He didn’t know what to say. The assistant had been in love with Demetri, and in a way, it was sad. But Justin felt no pity for Aberdeen after he’d shot him and was willing to let him burn in the sun. Screw that psycho bastard.
“Stay behind me,” Demetri said. “My pack and Abaddon’s nest are fighting Elron and his pack. I don’t want you hurt any more than you already are.”
“Abaddon called you?” Justin inquired.
“He did,” Demetri gritted between clenched teeth. “After my men took out the sniper, I rushed here.”
“I don’t think he’s all that bad.” Justin stayed close to his lover. He could hear the distant howls, and it sounded as if things were breaking. Something shattered to his right. Justin glanced down the hallway they passed, and he spotted two werewolves tearing at each other. He swallowed hard and then glanced away.
“Are you referring to Abaddon?” Demetri asked. They stopped at the end of the hall. Demetri held up his hand before he stepped into the intersecting corridor and glanced around. He waved for Justin to follow.