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June was born into a secret society where vampires and mundanes live in arranged harmony. Their agreement was dubbed the feeder programme, which means that human civilians willingly and systematically donate their blood. Every clan—a close-knitted community of vampires—is advised to have their own bitees. The system set a quota of how many donors can clans have, granting both parties security. The bitees are not to be victimized. They too benefit from the programme. A rush of golden euphoria is guaranteed after feedings.
The feeder programme arranges a date for biter and bitee to see if they click—that's how June and Harry got paired.
When June, aged twenty-one, got matched to Harry, she was unsure of their dynamic. He was enigmatic, almost ghostly at first. He was well-versed in every aspect of life and obviously older, having been living for centuries by that point. They had to resolve the initial power imbalance and find a way to make such an unconventional companionship work. With time they warmed up to each other. They gelled—over baking, music, books, pilates, walking—and their friendship blossomed into love.
"When did we last do a feeding?" June asks now, studying the vampire's face. Harry's fair skin is paler than usual, dark circles hang under his eyes, and there's an air of frailty about him. She can't remember the last time she'd given him blood. "It's been like, more than four days, hasn't it? Five? Why didn't you say anything?"
He shrugs and won't meet her eyes. "You were busy. I didn't want to—."
"Screw that," she says and goes to straddle him where he's reclined on a chaise longue. "Come on. Let's do this. It'll make you feel better."
June tilts her head and tosses her hair back, baring her neck. She sees him hesitate, but the sight of her neck and what it offers proves too powerful. A hungry expression crosses Harry's face, and his lips part slightly, exposing the fangs he normally keeps hidden while living among humans.
His hands find purchase on the dip of her waist, pulling her onto his lap. The coolness of his skin radiates through June's clothes. Now with him so close, she can see the way the usual faint colour in his cheeks has been drained from the skin. He's so far gone, how hasn't she noticed earlier?
Harry's large hand reach up, smoothing her hair back. The hand on the back of her head angles her to bare her neck for him. He slides his fingers through her strawberry blonde tresses, pulling the strands out of the way of his trailed kisses. He works down to her throat, petite kisses sponged along the column.
"You tell me if it hurts, yeah? If you start to feel lightheaded, you need to let me know," he murmurs against her neck.
"I'm aware of your rules," she breathes, bracing her hands against his shoulders.
