Blood Ties (Blood Lust Sequel)--COMPLETED

Chapter Twenty-Four: Distraction pt. 2 (Linc's POV)

Hot water drummed against my head. I closed my eyes and soaked it in, focused on the sound of it bouncing off my body before it trickled to the bottom of the tub. I slowly inhaled the steam, exhaled just as slow a minute later. In and out. Inhale. Exhale. For what felt like years, that's all I did. I just stood in Audrey's shower with my eyes closed, breathing, trying to keep myself calm...trying to keep the monster in me from breaking through. 

But the thought of Aud bein' with those freaks made my monster restless, bloodthirsty. It wanted chaos, craved slaughter and destruction. And it wanted Audrey. Bad.

It demanded I take Audrey back to her room, tear her clothes off and bury myself so deep inside her that we'd be lost in each other forever. And I almost done it. I was halfway outta the bathroom with a towel around my waist when I realized what was going on. 

"Damn it." I growled.  

"Linc?" 

I froze in place. Oh shit.

Audrey was standing in the middle of the room, hazel eyes wide and apprehensive. 

A lump lodged in my throat. 

"What are you doing in my room?" She asked, locking my gaze with hers.

"Um, I-" I had to stop to clear my throat, I was so hoarse. "I forgot this was your room."

That was bullshit. I had picked this room specifically because I knew it was Aud's. 'Cause I had hoped that maybe she would come here to grab something she needed, like a toothbrush or somethin'. Then maybe I'd get a chance to talk to her, convince her to join the AOD. 

"Uh-huh." She said it like she didn't believe me. "Of course you did. Well, I'll leave you to get dressed. I can sleep somewhere else." 

"Audrey, wait." I reach out for her, even though she was a few feet away. "Stay. It's your room, I ain't gonna take it from ya."

"No. You'd just take me from the only home I've ever known." She snapped, and crossed her arms over her chest. 

"C'mon, Aud, don't be like that." 

I wanted to get closer to her, to hold her and feel her relax in my arms. She looked too stiff, too uncomfortable. She'd never looked like that around me before. I didn't like it.

"How else am I supposed to be, Linc?" She scoffed. "You show up and attack my friends--"

"They ain't your friends," I cut her off, taking a step forward. "They're your dealers, your pimps."

Her jaw dropped. "My what?"

I took another step closer. "You heard me. They get ya all hopped up on their blood then pass you around like a fuckin' party favor. Ya really think they give a damn about you? You're their little blood whore, Aud. Why can't you see that?"

Her face looked pinched, red, and her tiny hands fell to ball into tight fists at her sides. "At least they don't judge me. Or call me names. Or try to boss me around like I'm their property. Or hurt the people I love." 

She closed the distance between us with two angry stomps, and glared up at me. 

Our chests rose and fell in tandem, nearly touching as she breathed in while I breathed out. Her lips were parted, and I had to wrestle the urge to snatch her up and kiss every inch of her. 

"They ain't people, they're monsters." I bit out. My throat felt dry, my body rigid. I was too scared to move, afraid the beast inside me would take over. 

"So that gives you the right to treat me like shit?" She shot back. "Just because I sleep with "monsters" that entitles you to judge me and call me a whore? Is that it?"