7
I knew from my brief time outside why they kept her in here like a songbird. She wouldn’t last a minute outside in the brutal world I’d seen. And her powers – if she could be said to have any – were so weak as to be almost useless.
Which was perfect for me.
I could take all the blood from her I wanted, and no one would ever find out. I imagined myself swelling up like a tick – until she died and I died with her.
Bloodbinding was inherently unfair.
I rocked back in the chair I sat in, waiting for her to do something foolish to attempt to seduce me, to use her ‘magic’ to bend me to her will. Instead she sat back on the bed and looked at me hard, as though she were memorizing my face and said, “Tell me about Airelle.”
I stared back at her, challengingly.
“The book is all I know of he
