Chapter Twenty-One
When he’d first entered through the door he’d seen Ash groveling to Clarissa, trying to get the young woman who huddled behind her. Ash had seemed feral, like a wild animal. Unrecognizable sounds had come from her throat. But now her blood-red eyes were focused on him.
The woman before him wasn’t the Ash that he knew, but his heart sang out to her just the same.
Her color was vibrant and flawless. The small imperfections that had been on her face before, a pimple here and there, were gone, leaving clear and perfect skin. Although her eyes were the typical red of Vampires, they were framed in dark, lush lashes that were thick and reminded him of butterfly wings. Her cheekbones were well-defined and her lips were plump and full—kissable. Her hair was longer, fuller and shinier, falling in big waves down her back. She was beautiful. And she was his.
His wolf pressed against the barrier, wanting to get closer to her. His wolf, who would’ve normally been wary around this many Vampires, focused on only Ash, feeling love and companionship.
“Ash, love.” Hunter tried to maneuver around Andras but, with strong hands, his Alpha held him back.
“She’s not human anymore,” Andras whispered cautiously to him.
“I don’t care,” Hunter responded. To him, it wouldn’t have mattered if Ash was a Troll. She was his and she needed him.
“You’ll care if she rips you apart and drinks you dry,” Adir noted.
His Ash wouldn’t hurt him. He knew this and felt it with all of his heart. Their mating bonds were stronger than ever.
She watched him with more clarity now. “Hunter.” She tried to hide the pointy canines that were too long to fit into her delicate mouth. “Don’t look at me. I’m a monster.”
“Monster?” He shook his head. She was ashamed and scared. He wanted to cry for her. “Never,” he whispered. “You’re my mate, my love. We’re bonded for life.”
“But…” She glanced down, her gaze sweeping over her body. “I’m a Vampire.”
He saw only beauty before him. “You’re my Vampire. Can’t you feel our bond?”
She nodded. “I’m so sorry about this. I told Clarissa that I didn’t want to become a Vampire anymore, but she…she turned me anyway. I know you don’t like—”
“Shh, I don’t want to hear any more about it. You’re mine and I’m yours.”
She reached out for him. Andras pulled him back and Lajos inhaled a sharp breath. She glanced at the others then to the floor, dropping her hand to her side. “I’m so hungry,” she whispered.
“Take from me,” Hunter said.
“Hunter,” Andras warned. “She’s a new Vampire. She doesn’t know how to control herself yet.”
“Andras is right,” Adir said. “She’ll drain you dry. It’s best for Clarissa to feed first then let Ash feed from her. It’s the safest way.”
Never. He would never see his mate dependent on anyone else, especially Clarissa. “No,” Hunter said, his voice rising above the others. “She’s my mate. She feeds from me and only me.” Hunter pushed Andras, forcing himself around the Alpha. “Do you understand that, Ash?”
Ash took a deep breath and her body shuddered. Hunter made slow steps toward her. Andras grabbed his arm, but Hunter shrugged him off.
“I’m here for you, Ash.”
She turned her head from him. “Not while they watch,” she whispered. “I don’t want Andras, Kristof and Lajos to see me like this.”
Hunter looked at the others from over his shoulder. “Leave us,” he demanded. He wouldn’t let them judge his mate. She was vulnerable and it was his duty to protect her.
“No way,” Lajos said. “If this is going down, we’ll be here to help pull her off if needed.”
Ash whimpered and turned her back to them.
“I’ll stay,” Adir said. “You can trust me. I won’t let any harm come to either of them. The first feeding is delicate and a fledging should be taught how to correctly feed from a donor without harming him or her.” He glanced at Clarissa, who shrunk away from his piercing eyes. “Every Vampire who sires knows this.”
“I trust you,” Andras finally said.
“But—” Kristof started.
Andras put up a hand, stopping him. “She can’t survive without feeding, and denying it will only make her slip further into blood lust. We’ll be just beyond the door in case we’re needed.”
“I’ll stay as well,” Clarissa said. “After all, she is my protégé.”
“She stopped being yours when the Wolf-Shifter bonded with her,” Adir said, his voice exerting power. “Leave us. I will deal with you later.”
Clarissa opened her mouth as if she would argue but, on another thought, closed it. She was out of the door, taking the human girl with her so quickly that Hunter barely made out her movements.
“I’ll be fine,” Hunter said to Andras, Kristof and Lajos.
Andras nodded and all three brothers left the room, shutting the door quietly behind them.
“It’s best to do this where it’s most comfortable.” Adir led Ash to the bed where she sat down and Hunter slipped to sit by her side. He gave his wrist to Ash willingly. She wouldn’t meet his eyes.
“Ash, I’m giving my life source to you. You will receive it knowing that I do this of my own free will and out of love. Do you accept my love?”
She looked up at him. He immediately recognized the Ash he loved behind the red eyes. Tears were close to the surface. “I do,” she whispered.
There was a slight pain as her teeth broke through his skin, but the pain ended there. She drank, not hungrily, but savoring each drop. When she’d had enough she sealed his vein with a lick of her tongue and pulled away.
“Is that it?” she asked. “I thought I would lose control or take too much.”
“I’ve never seen anything like it. You drink as though you’re hundreds of years old. No fledging should have the control that you have,” Adir noted with a slight frown.
Ash’s teeth receded, her mouth returned to normal. She held Hunter’s hands and stared deeply into his eyes. “I felt our bond. It was stronger than ever. I felt different. I felt calm.”
“That’s how it was with me, too,” Hunter said. “I was calm and relaxed.”
“Maybe it was your bond. We haven’t had many Shifter-Vampire matings. I’ll have to find out more about what this means for both of you.”
“What happens now?” Ash asked. “Clarissa—”
“Is no longer your concern,” Adir told her. “She not only turned you against your will, but she turned you knowing that she no longer had a claim on you.”
Ash frowned and glanced from Hunter to Adir. “I don’t understand.”
“When we mated, she should’ve left you alone and in my care. You are Pack now,” Hunter said.
“But I’m Vampire. How can I be part of your Pack?”
The door opened and Andras walked in. “Don’t worry, Asha. We’ll figure out the logistics. We’ve grown to accommodate two humans—I think we can open our arms to a Vampire as well.”
Ash blinked back tears. “Is he right, Hunter? I’m still Pack?”
Hunter gathered her into his arms where she molded against his body. His wolf purred at feeling her against him once again. “You’re Pack, my love.”