- I can only cook fried meat. - She smiled, narrowing her eyes and continued to eat her food.

- I’d just rather you fried me. - He winked at her playfully, completely ignoring the people present and how Nicole almost choked on a piece of pancake that stood across her throat.

Her momentary outburst of anger was absolutely adorable in his eyes, along with the bright embarrassment that colored her cheeks.

- This is simply unbearable! - Thea stared at him pointedly, pointing her fork in his direction. - If you don’t shut up right now and give everyone something to eat, then I won’t give you what you want.

Although she didn’t want to say it out loud right away, she realized that he wanted her blood. This was indicated by his appearance when he looked at her neck and swallowed. And even though he had been drinking her blood just a few hours ago, it didn’t seem to be enough to satisfy his hunger. But will there be enough blood in her veins to saturate his?

Now it was her turn to swallow nervously when she thought that her blood did not have the rapid regeneration to recover from daily feeding.

Besides, even though she felt united with him at the moment when he drank her blood, as if it was something very personal and intimate, she could not deny the fact that she was still scared. It was an inexplicable feeling.

He threw up his hands, accepting his defeat, and the rest of the breakfast was spent in the usual chatter inherent in girls, and Raphael at that moment seemed not to be at the same table with them. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

- So, when will I get my breakfast? – he whispered in her ear when everyone left the table and went to the kitchen to clean everything and wash the dishes.

- Is it not harmful to drink my blood so often? For me. - She frowned slightly and he tried to smooth out her brow furrow with his finger.

-Do you think I’m going to kill you by drinking too much? My blood flows in your blood, which improves cell regeneration. - he licked his lower lip in anticipation. – Isn’t it a wonderful symbiosis?

- More like parasitism. - She rolled her eyes, but still headed into the room.

- There’s nothing I can do, I can’t get enough of you. You’re sweet. - he stretched out the last words especially languidly, causing her cheeks to be covered with a thick blush. Did he mean her blood or herself?

Nicole measured the couple with a seeing-off look, although restless cats were scratching at her heart. In her understanding, everything that was happening was completely abnormal, but could she do anything in this situation, especially when the victim voluntarily surrenders to the wolf?

Raphael did not wait until Thea reached the room on her own and literally dragged her there, quickly slamming the door.

His nose gently tickled the delicate skin of her cheek as he left tiny kisses, like the touch of a butterfly, sensual, soft and teasing.

- I can feel your fear. - he whispered in her ear.

- I’m just a little nervous. - Thea answered timidly, literally cowering in his arms.

- Why? You’ve already experienced it, so why be afraid? - his hands soothingly wandered from her shoulders to her forearm and back again while he held her gaze rigidly.

- It’s hard to explain... I’m just afraid that it will hurt me. Maybe. I don’t know, I don’t know what I’m afraid of.

Raphael grinned and kissed her on the lips, giving her a minimum, igniting her inner woman.

- Did it hurt last night? - his voice sounded too seductive and literally melted her heart, no less than burning caresses.

- Of course, I felt pain, but it was a completely different situation, I was distracted. – she answered confusedly, avoiding his inquisitive gaze.

- If that’s the only problem, then I can distract you again. - his sensual voice ignited the fire inside her, and a playful hand pressed against her pubis, forcefully squeezing, pressing on her sensitive points, forcibly pulling a languid sigh out of her mouth.

But Thea did not let this flame flare up more than was necessary at that moment, no matter how much she wanted to fall into this sweet abyss again.

She slapped his hand, which was beginning its slow, excruciatingly beautiful torture below and quickly slipped out of his trap.

- It sounds tempting, but I think I will have to endure this pain. - she bit her lip. - Do you really need my blood that often?

-Would you prefer me to drink another woman’s blood? - Thea froze, as if lost, analyzing his question.

Raphael chuckled, but did not insist and shook his head negatively.

- It’s dessert. Everyone loves desserts. - he shrugged his shoulders. – But to dispel all your stereotypes in your head, I will say that this is just a desire, but not a necessity. If you don’t want to, I won’t touch you.

Waging an unequal struggle with his inner state, which was torn between "give him blood because she loves him" and "don’t give him blood, because if he loves her, he won’t insist."

- Just do it quickly. – she said with firm confidence in her voice, having made a final decision, because there was no point in delaying this moment. If not now, then later he will still need it. - Because then I need to find Marcus.

Hearing this name, Raphael grimaced with displeasure. Had she seriously decided to exchange his caresses for this flea-ridden dog?

He pointedly turned his head to the side, making an offended look, but when his eyes caught her ignoring silhouette gently climbing onto the bed, he could no longer play this useless game.

Raphael sat behind Thea, luring her into the cocoon of his arms and held her tightly to him, inhaling the smell of her hair, her skin, hearing her heart beating furiously and the warm blood running through her veins.

He pressed his lips to her neck as she tilted her head slightly to the side, leaving a small mark in that place.

Thea`s breathing quickened and she prayed to all the Gods not to lose her mind and not to succumb to his provocative caresses. She couldn’t spend all her time in bed with him, no matter how much she wanted to.

Raphael grinned at her neck, noticing how she clutched the sheet to concentrate.

- Just relax. It will be easier for you if you are not tense. - he ran his tongue over her sensitive spot near her ear and lightly bit the lobe, sucking.

It really had an effect, and Thea was able to distract herself by the sensations that his mouth gave her, and at the moment when she was already sufficiently relaxed by his teasing kisses, he unexpectedly plunged his fangs into her skin, pressing his lips to her.

She instantly tensed up, feeling a slight pain in the place where her skin was torn, but it really was no more painful than cutting her finger on a piece of glass.

In the first seconds it hurts a little, then the pain gradually subsides, leaving behind only the feeling of his warm lips, as if he continued to shower her with kisses. It was tolerable and even a little pleasant. But it is pleasant not because she suddenly fell in love with pain, no, but because she is desirable, that he is not looking for a donor on the side.

Her zealous side immediately played out this plot in all colors and she realized that catching him drinking blood from another woman was much more painful than the fleeting pain she felt at the moment of the bite.

No, she couldn’t let that happen, not after she had experienced all her jealousy towards Giselle. She couldn’t take it anymore.

So she leaned back a little, literally pressing her back against his chest and relaxing, hearing the blood pulsing in her ears, which flowed and flowed until Raphael was sated enough to tear himself away from her.

He gently licked the wound he had left on her neck again, stopping the blood and gently kissed her.

- I’m not sure I’ll ever get enough of you. - He rested his head on her shoulder, tightening his arms around her waist. - Do you really have to leave now?

- Yes. There are some issues that I have to solve without putting them on the back burner. - her voice sounded a little regretful. - Will you come with me?

- Absolutely. In fact, I also have a thing for these fuzzies. – Thea grinned at hearing another nickname addressed to werewolves.

They sat like that for a couple more minutes before Thea began to climb out of his arms. Raphael immediately got up after her and squeezed her slender wrist, not allowing her to leave so quickly.

- You forgot something. he said, rubbing his thumb over his lower lip.

- Forgot what? - She raised her eyebrows in surprise, rounding the azure irises of her eyes when Raphael touched his finger with his fang, causing it to bleed.

He stretched out his hand to her and ran his finger over her lips, as if erasing something, but instead leaving a bloody trail.

- If you want to defeat your stepmother, be stronger. – with these words, he pushed his finger into her mouth and she immediately wrapped her tongue around him, licking the salty blood.