Page 119 of Craving Venom
Zane tips his head back to admire his work. His thumb drags over the fresh bite.
“I hope you liked it just as much as I did.”
I reach up, pressing my fingers to the bite, as if I can somehow soothe the sting, erase the feeling of his teeth still lingering in my flesh. My touch barely ghosts over it before a sharp ache flares beneath my fingertips, making me hiss.
Zane watches me and he looks satisfied. Then, just as effortlessly as he backed me into the lockers, he steps away, dragging his hoodie up over his head, shadowing his face once more. He shoves his hands into his pockets, turning on his heel and sauntering down the hallway. A low, faint whistle drifts back to me.
The asshole wanted to punish me for biting him, for daring to fight back, but I don’t regret it, not even for a second. If anything, I hope the wound on his hand stings like hell, a reminder that I didn’t go down easy.
I force my fingers to stop shaking before I push off the lockers and start walking. I need to get the hell out of here.
But just as I turn the corner, I see Tria walking straight toward me.
Shit.
Her gaze isn’t on me yet, so I pivot, ready to slip away before she notices.
“Faith!”
Fuck.
I turn back around, forcing the most normal expression I can muster onto my face.
Tria strides up, eyes sharp as she scans me. “What the fuck was that?”
“What was what?” I deflect, subtly fixing my hair, shifting the strands to cover the evidence on my neck.
Tria squints at me. “Why did you run out of the class like that?”
“I just had a bit of a headache, needed some fresh air.” I shrug.
I hurriedly brush my hair over the red mark, but it’s useless. The nasty bite stretches all the way down to my chest, making it impossible to fully hide.
Tria doesn’t buy my bullshit. Before I can stop her, she reaches out and moves my hair aside. “Headache, huh?” Her eyes narrow as she studies the bite. “You look like you’re in pain.”
I immediately fix my hair back, covering the evidence before she can get a closer look. “Oh, this?” I force a dry laugh, waving it off. “Just a bug bite.”
Tria stops in front of me with one brow arched so high it’s practically hitting the ceiling. “A bug bite?” She gives me a slow once-over. “Faith, that looks like it could be from a friggin’ pterodactyl.”
I let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of my neck. “Okay, maybe not a bug. Something else, then.”
Tria shakes her head, clearly not buying a single word coming out of my mouth. “You better tell me what really happened, Faith. And don’t even think about brushing it off. That mark looks painful.”
“Fine, you got me. It’s not a bug bite. I…” I pause, searching for something. “I got bit by a dog.”
“A dog? Seriously? How?”
“I was walking around the grounds, and this stray came out of nowhere and nipped me. Nothing serious, just a little mark.”
“Aw, poor thing. But you should still clean it properly. Dog bites can get infected.”
“Yeah, I will. Thanks for looking out for me.”
She gives me a knowing look. “Just remember, next time you decide to tangle with a dog, make sure it’s not one with a taste for human flesh.”
I chuckle, even though the words hit a little too close to reality. “Got it, I’ll be more careful.”
Tria lets it go, slipping into an easy grin. “Are you going to the game? Trevor’s playing, after all.”
