Chapter Five – Yuliana
Yuliana shivered as her eyes opened. Everything was bleary for a moment, and she groped the space beside her for her mate. He wasn't there.
"Leon?"
She propped herself up on her elbow. The usual early morning mist had burned away, leaving a bright, sunny sky through the trees. Yuliana frowned. She usually didn't sleep in this late in the day. Most times whenever Leon left her side, she woke up and was unable to get any more rest. Lately, however, she had been so tired that it seemed like she was sleeping all day and night.
Her stomach gurgled and the vampire sighed. It had been a mistake to start drinking fresh blood. She always craved to pierce through Leon's flesh with her fangs and greedily suck down his blood until her belly felt like it was about to burst.
And of course, she loved what always came with drinking his blood… As much as she had craved sex before, nothing she imagined could come close to what Leon made her body feel. Just thinking about it made her skin tingle and tighten.
If only their little lean-to gave them more privacy…
Yuliana knew it was common for vampires to have wild orgies with dozens of people engaged in sexual activity or watching, but she hadn't been raised like that. Her mother had retained much of the human sensibilities she had been raised with. Add to that the fact the Yuliana couldn't actually say 'orgy' without blushing... Well, she was a private person and didn't like the idea of all the Shifters in camp knowing what she was doing with her mate.
The vampire stretched and slid out of her bedroll. When she went to the cooler to grab a blood bag, the Shifters glanced at her more than usual, their gazes nervous. Yuliana tensed. What had happened? During the month she had been here, they had seemed to have gotten used to her presence. Why were they looking at her like this now?
A deafening roar made her drop the blood bag. She whirled on her heel to see a woman charging at her. At first, she just stood where she was, dumbfounded but soon realized what was happening. The woman leaped. Claws sprouted from the ends of her fingers, and a light coating of tawny-colored fur grew from her skin. A giant Lioness landed right in front of Yuliana, white jaws gaping wide.
The Lioness threw herself forward. Yuliana was just able to avoid getting her head bitten off. Hot breath that smelled of mint toothpaste washed over her face. A paw slapped at her, and she threw herself to the ground, rolling to avoid the claws.
Dozens of howls burst from all around her. The Lioness swiped at her again, but a Wolf dodged into its way. Two more bit at its rump while a first leaped at its face. A set of teeth clamping down on Yuliana's arm made her scream. It was another Wolf, dragging her away from the Lioness. A pained yowl ripped from the Lioness' throat, but it batted at the Wolves and jumped at Yuliana again.
Another howl, this one deeper than all the others, made all of the fighting Wolves flinch. The Lioness turned, raising a paw as Leon ran into sight, his sleek gray fur rippling over bulging muscles. He jumped at the Lioness, but before he reached her, there was an earth-shattering roar. It felt like the rocks trembled beneath Yuliana and she couldn't stop herself from screaming again. A Lion, twice as big as the Lioness, with a great mane around his chest and trailing down his back, barreled straight into the Lioness. His teeth clamped down on the Lioness' shoulder, and he threw her over his back.
Yuliana gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as Leon came to stand over her, growling fiercely. The Lioness tried to get to her feet, but the Lion rammed her again until she lay still on her stomach, tail pressed to her belly, snarling in her throat.
Leon Shifted and pulled Yuliana to her feet. One of his arms clasped around her waist, and she gratefully clung to him. The possibility of what could have happened made her shiver, but she still mustered up enough strength to glare at the Lioness. She received a death glare in return. The Lion turned to face them and Shifted as well. He was a massive man, even bigger than Leon. His waist was as thick as an old oak tree, his shoulders twice as broad.
"Keep your pack under control, Aspen," Leon snarled. "Yuliana is my mate and I will go to war against any of you that harm her."
"As if you little Wolves would have a chance against my pride," Aspen sneered. "We're Lions. But as you wish. I did inform my pride that you had mated a vampire and that they were to stay away from her… I expected you to keep her locked up, though."
Leon snarled, his arm tightening further. "She is my mate, not my prisoner."
Aspen shrugged. He turned to the Lioness, who was crouching on her belly by this time, ears flat against her skull, her tail twitching. The Alpha Lion jerked his head, and she growled but slunk off. Yuliana couldn't imagine how terrible it would be to have to put up with such an awful Alpha. Leon treated his pack with respect and was as concerned for their wellbeing as he was his own.
The Lion's gaze shifted to Yuliana. Her natural meekness made her want to shrivel away from him, but she glared instead. The Lion smirked. "She is a pretty one, I'll give you that. It's just a shame that your bloodline will end since you chose a mate that can't give you children."
"That's a myth." Yuliana was surprised by her own boldness. She stood a little straighter. "Vampires are fully capable of having children. We're not undead, we can reproduce just like humans."
"Still too different from Shifters to get pregnant."
Yuliana didn't reply. Was she? She hadn't been thinking about babies or pregnancy since she came here, but she fully expected to have a baby someday. Maybe more than one. But if it was true, and she couldn’t get pregnant by Leon…
Her breath caught in her throat. She had been feeling extra tired and hungry lately… if it was possible that Shifters and vampires could reproduce…
If only there was a way to know for sure! Maybe I can send for a test.
She shook herself from those thoughts. She had been with Leon for only a few months. It was too early. Even though vampires were capable of having children, it took years for a woman to conceive.
More giant people were gathering around them now, both man and woman. Most were fully clothed, others half-naked like Leon and Aspen, but there were a few that had everything out on display. Yuliana tried not to look at those ones. Nearly all of them were glaring at the vampire, though, and she found what little boldness she had managed to pull up fading.
"I do wonder why you chose to mate a vampire," one of them, a woman with a clipped, harsh voice said, her gaze on Yuliana. "And especially one so small. She looks like she has a strong body, it's true, but how can you actually mate her?"
"We've already mated," Leon growled.
"And you didn't break her pelvis? Tell me, is she stronger than your average vampire, or did you just not mate her properly?"
Yuliana glared at the woman. "He mated me perfectly! And what goes between us is none of your business. We are mates, and—"
"A question," another of the men interrupted. His glare was not on Yuliana but Leon. "How does it feel, knowing that you betrayed your people? All of us Alphas have been wondering this. By mating a vampire, you have turned your back on Shifters. What's next, are you going to be the king's lapdog?"
Leon growled. "Careful, Sam. I do not have unlimited patience."
"Nor do I. In fact, mine ran out when I learned you had brought a vampire into your pack. And as the Alpha of the Bison herd, I invoke the rite of Volda."
Leon tensed. Yuliana glanced between him and the other Alphas. They all looked shocked, and a few of them growled in their throats while others shook their heads and muttered. The vampire's grip on Leon tightened.
"What is that?" she asked. "What does Volda mean?"
"It's a rite for when an Alpha thinks another Alpha's mate is unworthy of the position. He challenged me to a fight, over you." Leon looked down at her. His eyes glittered. "I cannot refuse, or else it's automatic forfeiture."
"And if he loses, you're mine, to do whatever I want," Sam snarled. "So what will it be, Leon? Will you fight me, or save yourself some pain and just hand over the vampire now?"
Leon growled. He pulled himself from Yuliana, despite her cry of protest, and marched to face the other Alpha. "You will regret this, Sam. I will protect my mate."