The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

My eyes opened, answering his will, and I… I couldn’t
look away as his pupils constricted.
“Keep looking at me, Poppy, and listen.” His voice was
soft and deep, and it was everywhere, all around me and
inside me. All I could do was obey. “I love you, Penellaphe.
You. Your fierce heart, your intelligence and strength. I love
your endless capacity for kindness. I love your acceptance
of me. Your understanding. I’m in love with you, and I will be
in love with you when I take my last breath and then beyond
in the Vale.” Casteel lowered his head, pressing his lips
against mine. Something wet glanced off my cheek. “But I
have no plans to enter the Vale anytime soon. And I will not
lose you. Ever. I love you, Princess, and even if you hate me
for what I’m about to do, I will spend the rest of our lives
making up for it.” He jerked back, exhaling heavily. “Now!”
Kieran yanked the bolt free, and that—that pierced the
cold numbness that had enveloped my body. My entire body
jerked, and it kept jerking and twitching. Pressure clamped
down on my skull, my chest, expanding and twisting—
Casteel struck as fast as the lightning. He pulled my
head back and sank his teeth into my throat. Confusion
rose. Hadn’t I already lost enough blood? My thoughts were
murky, and what Casteel was doing was slow to make
sense. He was….
Oh, gods, he was going to Ascend me.
Terror dug its claws into me. I didn’t want to die, but I
didn’t want to turn into something inhuman, either. Cold and
violent and without a soul. And that’s what the Ascended
lacked, wasn’t it? That’s why I couldn’t feel anything from
them. There was no soul to fuel the emotions. They were
incapable of even the most basic feelings. I didn’t—
Red-hot pain scattered all my thoughts, shocking my
already faltering heart. The sting of his bite didn’t ease
when he closed his mouth over the wound. It wasn’t
replaced by the sensual, languid pull as he drew my blood
into him. There was no glorious, seductive heat building.