Dark Needs at Night's Edge by Kresley Cole Read Free Book Online Page A

and the room dims. But when his brothers arrive, she fades. He’s realized that the uncovered new bulb above is too bright—the unnatural light obscures her. Darkness would reveal her to him.
    It wasn’t in the lightning bolts that he saw her that first night. It was in the dead black lulls between them.
    Twilight’s coming. Which means if his brothers will stay away, he would be closer with each minute to discovering what she looks like. He’s hungry for the sight of her, hands clenching and unclenching behind his back in anticipation.

5
    A m I reaching or does he seem much better?” Nikolai asked when the three traced into the room.
    â€œHe doesn’t appear as…disordered,” Sebastian said.
    As if to prove them wrong, Conrad began to mutter unintelligibly in a language Néomi had never heard, his gaze darting to the window.
    â€œWhy don’t you try to talk to him alone?” Murdoch said. When Nikolai nodded, Murdoch and Sebastian left.
    Nikolai set the thermos on the nightstand, then pulled up a folding chair, turning it around to sit astraddle. Néomi loved it when men sat that way. His voice low, he said, “Where have you been, brother?”
    Brother . She was still startled at the idea that Conrad was part of their family. Sebastian seemed determined and studious, Murdoch was quiet and mysterious, and Nikolai was authoritative like the general he was. In contrast, the madman was aggressive and struck her as dishonorable, as if in a stand-up fight between gentlemen, he’d fling dirt in his opponent’s eyes.
    â€œWhat do you want with me?” Conrad abruptly grated. “Why haven’t you killed me?”
    Seeming surprised by the interaction, Nikolai said, “That’s not our intention.”
    â€œWhat is—to drug and starve me?”
    Nikolai shot to his feet for the thermos. “I’ve some blood here. Will you drink?” He quickly opened the top and poured into the attached cup.
    Néomi saw that the liquid was thick and dark. When it made a glug-glug sound, she wondered if it was possible for her to vomit.
    â€œYou feeding me blood.” Conrad’s tone was scathing. “How familiar .”
    Nikolai seemed to stifle a wince at that, but then he brought the cup to Conrad’s lips.
    Drinking. Blood. Conrad accepted obediently, drawing deep.
    I want to vomit —
    He spit a mouthful at Nikolai, hitting him in the face. Then he laughed, a rough, sinister sound. His red eyes brimmed with a hatred so virulent, Néomi believed that only death would cure it.
    Nikolai wiped his face with his shirttail. When he seemed to draw on an unearthly supply of patience, Néomi felt sympathy for him. How much he must care for his brother to tolerate this. Nikolai didn’t strike her as a normally forgiving male.
    Of course, Néomi didn’t bother hiding her disgusted expression. Strangely, when Conrad’s eyes darted in her direction, she could swear he became more restless. Then his gaze slid to the window once more.
    â€œBagged blood is all you’re going to get,” Nikolai said. “If you don’t drink it, then you go without.”
    â€œI hunt. I feed from the vein. Unlike you unmanned traitors,” Conrad bit out, facing him again. “I know you hide me from your king. Your Russian king. He’ll execute you for this—favored general or not.”
    â€œPossibly. So you know the risk we take.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œWe want to help you—”
    â€œLike you did last time!” Conrad bellowed, wrestling against the chain that trapped him to the bed, those tremendous muscles straining.
    Undaunted, Nikolai continued, “We’re going to help you combat your bloodlust.”
    â€œNever.” Conrad’s bloody fangs seemed to sharpen. “No one comes back. The red on my eyes will never go away.”
    â€œIt would if I bled you out, drained you completely dry.