I had been prepared for it to hurt, and it did, but only for a second. Then a rush of goosebumps raced over my body.

One of his large hands found the back of my head, and the other clamped down on the hand holding my sword. He squeezed my wrist, hard enough to make me drop Baby, and even though it hurt, the extra burst of sensation forced a gasp from my lips.

It wasn't my fault. I knew that. The vampire pheromones in his saliva were lighting up my nerves, turning everything into pleasure. I wasn't actually enjoying myself, but that didn't stop the blood from rushing to my dick.

Fortunately, I didn't stay hard for long. Unfortunately, that was because I was losing blood pressure. I could feel it, the surreal sensation of my blood flowing out of me as Ira suckled at my neck. I could almost understand how blood whores became addicted to the bite itself, but how could anyone get used to the feeling of blood leaving their body?

Ira moaned, and if I'd had enough blood left to blush I would have. It shouldn't be so sexual, so sensual, this predator's teeth in my flesh.

"I-Ira..." I tried, but I couldn't. Too weak to talk. He was taking too much!

"What the fuck?!"

Ira's teeth were gone, and I staggered backward. He went sailing through the air, smashing against the far wall before sliding to the floor.

Beni stepped between us, kilij raised and charged. The Spirit was a furious shade of blue I'd never seen before, almost turquoise. I hadn't even noticed her come downstairs. How had she thrown him so hard? Was the blood loss making me delirious? I giggled, wobbling in place as I tried to remain standing.

"I'll kill you," she seethed.

"It's not what it looks like," Ira said, hand outstretched. At first I thought he was being placating, but then I realized he was shielding his eyes from Beni's glow. "We made a deal."

"B-Ben--" I managed.

And then I fell over.

"Seth!"

I wasn't sure which of them shouted my name, if not both. Beni's fuzzy face appeared over me.

"Stay back!" she snapped, swiping her sword back up.

"I can help him." I could hear him, but I couldn't see him. "I promised I wouldn't hurt him. You do know what happens when an immortal breaks a blood oath, yeah? If you don't let me heal him, we'll both die."

"You're just trying to seal a blood tie," she said. "We know how the exchange works"

Ira's reply was maddeningly calm. "He'll bleed out if I don't."

He was right. It was already hard to breath. With a shaky hand, I reached for Beni's arm and squeezed as hard as I could. She looked down at me.

I met her eyes (at least, I think it was her eyes, but black was already blooming across my vision), and nodded.

She huffed, but lowered her sword. The basement darkened.

"Fine, but I will take your head off the second I see something I don't like."

A second figure crouched down, Ira, offering his hand.

"Here," he said, almost gently, and placed his bleeding palm against my lips.

My eyes fluttered closed, not just because I couldn't bear to look at him. It took all the energy I had to force my mouth open. His blood hit me like swallowing lightning. There was no other way to describe the surge as those first few drops passed my tongue. My eyes flew open as the power poured into me. For half a second, I imagined I could feel my body replacing the blood Ira had taken.

The shakiness vanished, the dead-weight sensation lifted from limbs. Even the loopiness in my head cleared— and it hit me what I'd just done.

"No!" I cried, pushing Ira away.

With his blood coursing through me I was strong enough to move him and he fell on his ass.

My hand flew to my neck, just in time to feel the skin knitting back together beneath my fingers. I turned to Beni with wide, frightened eyes.

"Let me see," she said.

I shook my head, but she reached out and gently moved my hand. I looked away, unable to face her as she saw it: the crescent moon of Ira's teeth, already pale like an old scar. We had made an exchange. The blood tie was sealed.

As I was having the thought, I summoned my Spark. Spirit flowed through my being, and I visualized it surrounding my mind like a burning orb, part Dad's wall of fire, part Espy's sphere of protection. Surely by mimicking the most powerful Saints I knew, I could keep Ira from my mind. I had no idea if it worked like that, his seal was already on me, but I had to try.

"You." Beni's voice could have scoured cast iron as she rose to her feet, sword bright, face dark.

"Beni," I said quickly, popping to my feet, strong as ever. "Beni, no."

"He has to die," she said. "It's the only way to unseal you."

"He can't be killed," I soothed. "I swore an oath."

"I didn't," she snapped.

"We'll both die," I pointed out.

"How do you know?" she growled. "Have you ever actually seen that happen?"

"...No," I admitted, "but is that really a chance you wanna take right now?"

"I don't know what you're freaking out about." Ira stood up, dusting himself off. "You might be strong enough to fight off a vila, now. Maybe."

Beni moved to step toward him, and I grabbed her arm.

"Get off me," she said, and tried to wrench free.

But she couldn't. She stared down at my hand, then up at me. I let go, startled.

"See?" Ira said smugly. "You're stronger than before, at least while my blood is still fresh inside you."

My stomach cramped at the way he said inside me.

"He's our only lead, Beni," I said, not letting him see how he was getting to me. "We can't find Evan without him."

"What good is saving Evan from them, if we lose you to him?" she jerked her chin at Ira (who rolled his eyes).

"That won't happen," I said, though I had similar fears. "I spent my whole life resisting mind tricks. I'll be fine."

"You better be," she said softly, and then finally sheathed her sword. "There, happy?"

Not really, but I nodded at her before turning to Ira. "So can you take us there or not?"

Grimacing, he said, "Not down here. Whatever you did earlier is blocking my powers. We'll have to get off your land a bit before I can vape out."

"Fine." I gave a clipped nod. "Let's go, then."

"Wait," Beni said. "What will you tell Auntie?"

"I'll...think of something," I said.