LIAR
1052 Words
Chapter 3: Blood and Temptation
The journey to Blackthorne Manor stretched on through the dense forest, the moon casting silver beams through the trees. The carriage rocked gently, the rhythmic sound of hooves against the dirt road the only thing breaking the silence. Inside, tension crackled between Lucian and Selene like a brewing storm.
Lucian sat with one leg stretched out, his arms crossed as he watched her. Selene, despite her obvious discomfort, refused to shrink away. She had barely moved since their conversation, though he didn’t miss the way her fingers trembled against the silver chains.
He could smell it now—her pain, the way the metal burned her delicate skin. She was strong, but even the strongest had limits.
“You should have accepted a lesser bid,” she muttered, voice hoarse from disuse. “I’m more trouble than I’m worth.”
Lucian smirked. “You might be right.”
Selene turned her face away, staring at the passing trees through the carriage window. Her posture remained stiff, though he could sense her exhaustion. She hadn’t fed in days, maybe longer. Vampires could survive without blood for a while, but starvation would eventually take its toll.
Lucian’s wolf stirred with unease. He should’ve cared less. Let her suffer. She was just another slave, wasn’t she?
Then why did the sight of her pale skin and the dark circles under her eyes bother him?
He ran a hand through his dark hair, exhaling sharply.
Selene noticed. “Regretting your purchase already?”
“No,” he said easily. “But I am wondering how long you’ll last before you break.”
Her silver eyes snapped to his, blazing. “I will never break.”
Lucian chuckled, but there was no humor in it. “They all say that.”
She didn’t answer, just clenched her fists, the chains rattling with the movement. He could hear her heartbeat—faint but steady. She was holding on by sheer willpower alone.
His wolf didn’t like it.
Lucian leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “You need blood.”
Selene stiffened. “I don’t need anything from you.”
His eyes gleamed. “Is that so?”
She pressed her lips together stubbornly, but he could hear the way her breathing was shallower now, the way her body shivered despite the warmth inside the carriage.
She was running out of time.
Lucian’s wolf rumbled in frustration. This was foolish. He didn’t need a fragile slave—especially not one who would drop dead before they even reached his territory.
With a slow, deliberate movement, he reached for a small dagger tucked into his belt.
Selene’s eyes narrowed. “What are you—”
Before she could react, he sliced a clean line across the side of his palm. Thick, crimson blood welled up instantly. The scent of it filled the carriage, rich and intoxicating.
Selene inhaled sharply, and her whole body went still.
Lucian watched as her pupils dilated, her fangs extending slightly against her will. She turned away quickly, but not before he caught the way her throat bobbed as she swallowed hard.
“Drink,” he ordered.
She let out a sharp breath, shaking her head. “No.”
Lucian raised an eyebrow. “You’d rather starve?”
“Yes.” Her voice was strained, as if forcing the word past her lips took everything she had.
Lucian sighed and leaned back against the seat, holding out his bleeding hand. “Suit yourself.”
Selene clenched her jaw, but she didn’t look at him. Instead, she stared at the wound as if it was a snake ready to strike.
Lucian remained silent, letting her battle herself. He could see the way her body tensed, her fingers twitching against her restraints. She was fighting the hunger, but it was a losing war.
Minutes passed. The wound on his palm continued to bleed, and the scent of his blood thickened in the air. Selene’s breathing grew more ragged.
Then, finally—she cracked.
With a snarl, she lunged.
Lucian didn’t stop her.
Her lips crashed against his palm, her fangs piercing his skin effortlessly. The moment his blood touched her tongue, a low, guttural moan escaped her lips.
Lucian’s body reacted instantly.
A primal heat coiled in his stomach, his muscles tightening as she drank deep, her body shuddering with the first taste.
His wolf stirred, growling low in his chest.
This was wrong.
This was forbidden.
And yet…
He didn’t push her away.
Selene’s fingers curled into fists, her breath hot against his skin as she fed. The bond—an old, ancient magic that existed between predator and prey—flickered to life.
His wolf felt her.
A connection, raw and dangerous, pulled tight between them like an invisible thread.
Lucian clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay still.
She was drinking too much.
His free hand shot up, gripping her jaw firmly, but not harshly. “Enough.”
She shuddered but didn’t release him.
“Selene.” His voice dropped, dark and commanding.
Her silver eyes flickered open, hazy and unfocused. The hunger still burned in them, wild and untamed. But slowly, she withdrew, lips parting from his hand.
Lucian exhaled heavily, flexing his fingers as the wound slowly closed. The pain was nothing—it was the feeling of her touch that unsettled him.
Selene’s tongue flicked out, swiping away a stray drop of blood from her lips.
His wolf nearly lost control.
Lucian growled low in his throat. “That won’t happen again.”
Selene leaned back against the seat, eyes half-lidded. The color had returned to her face, and the dark circles beneath her eyes had faded slightly.
She looked stronger. More alive.
More dangerous.
Selene tilted her head, studying him. Then, to his irritation, she smirked.
“Liar.”
Lucian narrowed his eyes. “Watch yourself, vampire.”
Selene just chuckled softly, closing her eyes. For the first time since he’d taken her, she seemed… content.
Lucian hated the way that made him feel.
As the carriage rolled through the forest, the night stretched before them, filled with something dark, something unspoken.
Something neither of them were ready to face.
And for the first time in his life, Lucian wondered if he had made a mistake.
- Writer
