Alexander nodded. “I can’t shut it off. I fed last night. I shouldn’t be this hungry. But…”
Blade stepped closer and rested a comforting hand on his arm. “It’s normal, Alexander. You’ve been asleep for close to two hundred years. Your body is adjusting. Of course it’s going to demand more blood. All newly awakened vampires need to feed more than usual at first. It’s part of the process. But your problem isn’t just the hunger, is it?”
“Yeah,” Alexander admitted, rubbing his face vigorously. “I can’t stop thinking about feeding from the werewolf. He’s…” He trailed off, shaking his head like he was trying to push the thought away. “I don’t want to.”
“Why not?”
Alexander let out a slow breath, his shoulders rising and falling. “He hates me. We didn’t exactly start on the rightfooting. I might’ve been a little rude to him… and made things worse.”
“Might have?” Blade echoed, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
“I didn’t mean to,” Alexander sighed, frustrated. “I was starving. I bit him without asking.” He exhaled. “Then we fought over Lyla.”
“He likes your bride?”
Alexander nodded. “And then he had to go and bleed all over the place,” he clicked his tongue. “It took everything in me not to attack him. I don’t know what I’m going to do,” he said, dragging his hands over his thighs, agitated.
Then he stilled. Alexander shot to his feet, his gaze darting around the room.
“What are you looking for?” Blade asked, watching him.
“His blood,” Alexander said quickly. “I had a vial of it… I…” He stopped, trying to remember where he might have put it. “Shit,” he muttered. “I left it in the robe. Slove took it.”
“I’m sure he put it somewhere safe,” Blade said, already pulling out his phone. “Let me call him.”
A few seconds later, he was speaking quietly, then nodding. “Yeah, okay… got it.” He hung up. “He says he put it in your bedside drawer.”
Alexander turned immediately, crossing the room in quick strides. He yanked the drawer open. When he saw it there, relief washed through him. He reached in and picked up the vial, his fingers tightening possessively around it.
Slowly, he lifted the vial to his nose and pulled out the stopper.
He inhaled.
“Shit,” he groaned, his fangs pressing hard against his lower lip as saliva flooded his mouth.
Almost without thinking, he tilted the vial and drank. The moment the blood touched his tongue, a helpless moan slipped from his throat. The flavor exploded on his tongue. Boaz’s scentfollowed, flooding his senses. And it wasn’t enough. He wanted more… so much more.
A throat cleared beside him. It took Alexander a second to register it, his mind still lost in the taste.
“Fuck…” He dropped his gaze, heat creeping up his neck. “Sorry. I don’t know what got into me.”
Damn, that werewolf for doing this to me.
Blade didn’t say anything at first. He just watched him as if he were trying to figure something out.
“Are you sure he won’t give you his blood?” Blade asked finally. “Maybe you should ask him.”
Alexander let out a dry, humorless laugh. “I’m sure. I made him look like a fool in front of Lyla.”
“You didn't,” Blade gasped, his eyes wide.
“Don't judge me.” Alexander shot back. “All’s fair in love and war. Besides… I didn’t realize it was this bad. I thought I’d be able to feed from my bride. But…” He shook his head slowly. “Other blood smells wrong now. I think I’ve had his blood for too long." He looked down at the empty vial in his hand. "Maybe if I had been given other blood it wouldn't be this bad."
Blade's face fell.
“I should’ve taken care of you after the war,” he said. “I should’ve been there. But I was so… devastated. I couldn’t even deal with my own grief.” Tears gathered in his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
Alexander felt something pull painfully in his chest as he watched Blade try hard not to breakdown. He blinked away his own tears as he sat down on the bed and pulled him into a hug.