It seemed to Vail like Victoria was already on the same page he was. He nodded when she said she had already considered using her blood to distract Lord Spencer from her weapons. It was a good plan, since their noses were much more attuned to iron than silver when it came to metals. He did ponder her question though. At a guess, he would say she didn’t need very much to keep the Wynter’s attention on her. Just her small cut at her party had been enough to draw them both to her from different parts of the room. To be safe, it would have been wise to use more than the bare minimum though.

“Just a cut,” he answered, reaching out to trace his index finger across the width of her forearm in an absent demonstration. “But if you can, you should inflict it somewhere beneath your clothes. He’ll be captivated trying to figure out where the source of the smell is coming from.”

Her second question made him think as well. “No,” he mused. “Draining a person of enough blood to kill them is a slow process, and he would be vulnerable to attack if he tries. You shouldn’t have to worry about that as long as nothing happens to me before he bites you.” Now that she belonged to him, he had no intention of letting a Wynter take her away from him. Her blood was his, and his alone, and he was going to feed on it solely until she died. If Spencer wanted her, he was going to have to put up a fight.

As Victoria sat up on the chair, Vail caught another hint of her perfume on the air she stirred. Her thick hair tickled his jaw, and he was nearly tempted to lean into it. He took a slow breath, reminding himself that the feeding was already done this eve, and he had no more reason to get closer to her. Closing any more distance without an excuse would just complicate their already obscure deal, and that was the last thing he wanted.

When she suddenly spoke again, he turned to her in surprise. He hadn’t expected her to offer him an out. As much as he disliked the thought of murdering Spencer, he disliked the thought of giving up his right to her blood even more. “I know I can,” he agreed, meeting her gaze as she looked at him. “But I won’t.” A smile curved his lip. “I meant it when I said I think you’re worth it, My Lady. I’m not going anywhere until this whole thing is done.”