Chapter 12
“Uh, how long have you lived there?” I asked as we walked, hoping it didn’t sound like an insult to his den. I wondered whether he’d allow me to make some changes to the space so it wouldn’t be so spare. A lamp or two would be nice too, though my night vision had strengthened to the point where I didn’t necessarily need light.
“Not long. We’ve only been in Kfarkattan a few weeks.”
That made sense. Word of vampires moving into Kfarkattan had started springing up in Miancarem a couple of weeks prior. And there was no way the elders would have missed their scent for long. Though we didn’t, as a rule, spend much time in town, we couldn’t avoid regular trips for supplies and such. Hearing that Miguel was new to the area gave me hope that he’d be open to some changes in his living accommodations.
“So, uh, how do you like it so far?” I asked.
“It’s fine. Too small for us like it is, but fine.”
I furrowed my brow in confusion, trying to work out what he meant.
“What do you mean?” I finally asked.
“We need to stay in more populated areas,” he explained, like it was the most obvious thing on earth. “Even with only seven of us here, the humans will notice us eventually. This town is small enough that they recognize newcomers. Plus, with seven vampires feeding in this limited pool, hangovers and flus will become too common to make sense. Humans see what they want to see, but they’re not dumb. We can’t stay hidden here for long. At least not right now.”
“They get the flu from you?” I asked.
He grinned and massaged my nape. “No, but when they lose blood, they feel a little weaker. It’s natural to try to think of a cause that makes sense in their reality. So they blame the flu or think they had too much to drink the night before.”
I thought about what he’d said. It didn’t match up to my own experience with Miguel feeding from me. “Do all humans feel sick after a vampire feeds from them?” I asked.
“Yes,” Miguel said and then paused. “But some of them like it, seek it out, even. And they recover quickly. Uh, unless we take too much.”
He sounded ashamed, or at least remorseful, about that last part, so I knew he was talking about himself. I stopped walking and squeezed his upper arm. “When you drank from me, it felt amazing,” I told him.
He gave me a weak smile. “That’s because we were having sex at the same time, wolf. Sex is meant to feel good.”
I refused to let myself think about whether Miguel had had sex with the humans he’d fed from over the years. Refused.
“It did feel good,” I said. “You felt good. But what I meant was that I felt stronger after you fed from me. You said the humans feel weaker after they lose blood. I didn’t.”
He kissed my forehead. “You’re a gift,” he murmured against my skin, and I knew I’d distracted him from the reminder of the dark times when he’d taken more than he should have from humans. Truth be told, I didn’t want to think about those times, either, because someone else had been doing for my mate what was only mine to do. “I don’t deserve you,” he whispered, and he nuzzled the soft skin behind my ear.
Once he pulled back, I shrugged and winked at him, trying to lighten the mood, to make him feel good. “You keep touching me the way you been and we’ll call it even.”
He squeezed me tightly.
“You can count on it, wolf.”
We kept walking then, a comfortable silence between us, until I played his words over in my mind. His explanation of why vampires couldn’t make a home in Kfarkattan made sense. So much so that it should have been obvious to me. Did that mean he’d be leaving town?
“Miguel?” I said.
“Yeah?”
“What you said about Kfarkattan not being populated enough and you not being able to stay here for long…what does that mean? Don’t you live here? I mean, are you—” I took in a deep breath. “Are we leaving town?”
“Live here?” He sounded genuinely surprised. “You thought I lived…” His words trailed off, and he stopped walking and looked at me. “I have a mattress on the floor of a tiny room in a dilapidated warehouse. When you said you were going to stay with me, I thought you understood.” He licked his lips nervously. “I thought you knew I was just passing through Kfarkattan. I’m here to buy land so I can come back after they’re all done building up the town. But it takes years, sometimes decades, before a growing city is populated enough for my kind to live in it.” He shook his head. “So, yeah, I was planning to leave.”
It was funny, the things you could figure out without the words being said. I knew, just as surely as I was standing there, that Miguel would stay in Kfarkattan if I asked him. We’d only just met and obviously he had a whole life somewhere else, so that sounded right crazy, I reckon. But seeing the way he looked at me…well, I just knew.
I’d only left the area a few times in my life, and always to visit other packs. Being off pack lands was hard, but at least in Kfarkattan I was in a somewhat familiar setting. Plus, I was walking distance from my family. But frightened though I was, I wouldn’t ask Miguel to stay there. I’d meant what I’d said to him—he was now my home. And I was going to buck up and stand by that statement, even if it meant leaving everything and everyone I’d ever known.
“Great,” I said, aiming for light and breezy, though my shaking voice and trembling torso probably gave me away as out of kilter and downright terrified. “Where’re we going?”
He took my chin in his hand and tipped my head up so our eyes met. “Are you sure?” he asked.
I didn’t need to ask what he meant. I knew. Was I sure about leaving the only home I’d ever known? That was what he was asking.
“You’re my home now,” I answered, repeating what I had already said. “So, uh, tell me where we live.”
He searched my eyes, looking for the truth in my words. Once he seemed satisfied, he took my hand in his and kept walking.
“I move around every couple of decades,” he said. “We all do. If we stay in the same place for too long, the humans begin to recognize us and then they notice that we don’t age. It’s easier to leave before that happens. And, if we want, we can come back once we’re forgotten.”
“Oh,” I said, taken aback by the idea of leaving den after den, of never setting down roots.
“I own several places,” he said. “I can tell you about them, tell you where they are, and you can choose where we go next. How’s that sound, baby?”
With his voice so soft and his expression so tender, it couldn’t sound anything but good.
“It sounds perfect,” I said as we turned the corner to go into the warehouse. “So, uh, you said you couldn’t live in Kfarkattan until they did some building. What kind of building are you waiting on before you can add it to your rotation?” I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral.
“Usually I like to buy land that’ll be used as a cemetery. People don’t tend to build over cemeteries and they’re quiet, especially at night. It’s a good way to stay secluded, even when the surrounding city is full of hustle and bustle.”
I wasn’t sure whether he was making a joke. I mean, I’d heard about vampires living in crypts and coffins, but I figured those were just fables. Miguel’s expression held no hint of humor.
“You live in cemeteries?” I asked disbelievingly.
Miguel chuckled. “Yes, I do. But it’s not like what you’re imagining. We can build a really nice, uh, den. It’ll have all the modern amenities.” He paused. “Well, most of the modern amenities. I’d like to limit the windows. There are a few different places plotted out for cemeteries. Do you want to help me choose?”
“Uh, yes, sure.” I wasn’t clear on what I’d be able to contribute to any decision making, but I liked that Miguel wanted to include me.
We had entered the warehouse and were walking toward the door leading to the lower level that held Miguel’s bed when we heard footsteps rushing toward us.
“Miguel! Hold up.”
Miguel stopped, and I followed his lead, trying to swallow down my fear.
Ted, the vampire from the other night, came into view, a few other vampires behind him. Miguel stepped in front of me, not hiding my presence, but putting his body between me and the other vampires.
Ted’s eyes widened and he moved his gaze from Miguel to me and back again. “I thought you killed the wolf,” he said.
“I thought you were going out hunting,” Miguel snapped back, not addressing Ted’s comment.
“We were.” Ted gulped and looked over his shoulder at the other vampires. There were three of them, and every single one was staring at me with his mouth hanging open. He turned back to Miguel. “We are. I thought you might want to come with us, so we waited for you.”
“I’m fine,” Miguel said. “Go ahead.”
Ted slowly walked toward us. “Miguel, what’s going on? Why is that shifter still here?”
I could see Miguel’s muscles tightening. “Ethan is with me,” he said gruffly.
“Ethan?” Ted asked.
“The shifter,” Miguel clarified. “He’s with me.”
“Well, shit, don’t you know you’re not supposed to name stray dogs?” Ralph, the vampire who had led the attack against my mate, said as he walked into the room and headed straight over to Ted. “That’ll just make you get attached to them.”
My mate clenched his hands into fists and started leaning forward. “Don’t you dare talk about him that way!” he shouted. I put my hand on his shoulder, hoping to stop him from fighting over me. Miguel took in a deep breath, seeming to calm down a fair bit. “I want him out of here,” he said to Ted.
“What do you mean?” Ted asked.
“I mean your asshole friend isn’t welcome,” Miguel answered. “Get him out of here today.”
“You can’t tell me where to go,” Ralph scoffed.
Miguel slowly turned his head and glared at the smaller vampire. “I rented this warehouse. Me. Not you, not Ted. I told Ted he could stay here, and I was nice enough to let him bring some friends. My mistake. One I’m going to rectify right away.” It looked like Ralph was going to respond, but Miguel was done with him, which he made clear with his body language when he looked away and addressed Ted again. “I’m going downstairs. If I see him in my space when I come back up, you won’t like the consequences.”
“Miguel, be reasonable,” Ted said desperately. “Sunlight’s in a few hours. How is he supposed to find a place to go this fast?”
“That’s not my problem,” Miguel said as he turned around and wrapped his arm over my shoulder, then began leading us toward the basement door.
“You’re kicking me out because of a dog?” Ralph asked incredulously.
I flinched, already knowing those words were not a wise choice. Really, the man seemed to have no capacity to learn.
Miguel was across the room, leaning over Ralph, in the blink of an eye. “I told you not to talk about him that way!” He picked the vampire up by the throat and threw him across the wide open space. I raised my eyebrows in surprise at that display of strength, and based on the shocked expressions on the other men’s faces, I knew I wasn’t alone. Miguel was bigger than Ralph, sure enough, but seeing him toss the man around as if he were nothing but a child’s toy was surreal.
My mate wove his fingers together and pulled his hands up, cracking his knuckles. “Consider that a final warning,” he said. “Next time I won’t be so nice.”
I didn’t say a word, just stood in place until Miguel got back to me and led me to the basement. He opened the door, waited for me to go through, and then locked it behind us. We walked together in silence and were halfway down the stairs when Miguel took in a sharp breath. “Crap, I didn’t even think about how dark it is in here,” he said as he wrapped his arm around my waist and slowed our progress. “Are you able to see at all, baby?”
I chuckled nervously, still recovering from the scene in the other room. “Yes, I can see fine.” I blinked and looked around, really focusing. “Actually, I can see much better than usual. I noticed it earlier and figured it was because I’d shifted, but I don’t remember my kin having night vision this good, even in wolf form.”
He furrowed his brow and I could tell he was giving thought to what I’d said. “That’s good,” he finally said. “Interesting, but good.” We reached the bottom of the stairs, and I noticed several containers on the small table I’d seen earlier. The papers that had been on it when I left were stacked neatly on the floor. “I got you some food,” Miguel said as he pointed to the table. “I’ll get this out too.” He tipped his head toward the bag containing the purchases I’d made.
Just thinking about eating made me salivate and my stomach growled loudly. “Sorry,” I said with a blush and wondered if he could see my reddened cheeks in the dark.
Miguel finished unpacking the bag, and then he tangled his fingers in my hair, pulled me forward, and planted a quick kiss on my forehead. “I’m the one who’s sorry. I should have seen to feeding you earlier.”
“It’s okay,” I said as I sat down. “I’m grown. I can take care of myself.”
I noticed his mouth twitching as he pushed some food in front of me. It was like he was trying to hold back a smile. I supposed it was sort of silly, getting defensive about my age with a man who’d been alive for over four centuries.
I sighed deeply. “Look, I’m never going to be as experienced as you, but I’m not aiming to drag you down. I’ll carry my own weight.”
“Hey.” Miguel cupped my cheek. “Nobody accused you of being a drag. I just meant that I’m counting on you to keep me fed now, right?” He pressed his lips to mine. “Seems only fair for me to return the favor.”
It was hard to argue with that logic so I grunted in agreement. He grinned again and pulled away. My stomach growled.
“Let’s take a break from the talking,” Miguel said. “You need to eat.”
My stomach growled again, effectively proving his point. I reached for some chicken and stuffed it into my mouth.
Miguel chuckled and sat next to me. “It’ll be easier once we move into one of my houses,” he said. “We can keep food stocked for you. We’ll be on a normal schedule. Everything’ll feel more settled.”
I nodded and kept eating. Once the first piece of chicken went down, I realized I was more than just a little hungry. Miguel watched me for some time, not saying anything, just looking at me with a small smile on his face, his eyes warm and expression relaxed. Eventually, he stretched across the floor and reached for the papers I’d see on the table.
“Keep right on eating.”
I paused midchew and looked at him, trying to gauge whether he was teasing me.
“No, really,” he said and then laughed. “It’s a pleasure to watch you. I haven’t really watched anyone eat in…a very long time.”
Not sure how to respond, I grunted again and kept shoveling food into my mouth.
Miguel pushed his chair back and managed to clear off a bit of space on the table. Between the edge of the table, his lap, and the area between the two, he was able to prop up the maps.
“All right, so while you’re eating, you can help me choose which piece of land to buy. I’ll show you the areas I think will work for a cemetery.”
We didn’t do things like the humans. Pack lands were more fluid. Shifters built their dens and shops with the Alpha’s permission, but, otherwise, we could choose our own location at any time. We didn’t buy land in advance and, actually, as I thought about it, I didn’t know if pack members bought land at all.
Plus, when our kin passed, we put them to rest in the woods, deep in the earth with the trees sheltering them. So I was having trouble following what Miguel was telling me about buying land today that would be used as an organized burial space for humans in the future. Sure, I was familiar with the concept of a cemetery and he’d explained why he liked living in them, but I still didn’t truly understand.
I swallowed down the food in my mouth. “You’re buying a cemetery so you can build a house on it?”
Miguel laughed. “No. It doesn’t work that way. We can’t build a house on a cemetery that already exists because the humans would notice. So when I hear that a city is at the planning stages of growth, I go in, buy land that will work for a cemetery, and then build it. That way, I can make sure that my living space”—Miguel paused—“our living space, is part of the original design. We buy land now, and if the city’s plans work, businesses move into the area, which means more humans. A lot of humans in one area means a steady food source for vampires.” He angled the map in my direction. “The government is selling off all sorts of land in and around Kfarkattan, which is why we’re here. We pick a parcel or two, find someone to set up and run a cemetery, and make sure we build in a caretakers’ cottage or a large underground crypt.” His gaze met mine. “Does that make sense?” he asked.
Did it make sense? There’d been a whole lot of new things thrown in my direction over the past week. I supposed it made as much sense as the rest.
I shrugged. “As much as it could, I reckon.”
“Good enough,” Miguel said with a chuckle. He pointed at the map. “So the dark line is the edge of what they have planned to be the main part of Kfarkattan, and the shaded areas show the land that’s being sold.” He pointed to an area that was circled. “This is the first spot—”
I gasped, lost my grip on the apple I’d just picked up, and dropped it onto the table. “Wait,” I said.
Miguel tore his gaze from the map to my face. “What’s wrong?” he asked, making me realize I must have sounded as upset as I felt.
“You said the dark line is the edge of Kfarkattan.” I tapped my finger on the map. “That there’s Miancarem, right inside the dark line.” I looked up and met his eyes. “And it’s shaded. But that can’t be right. Them humans can’t expand their city into our pack lands. They can’t sell our pack lands.” I gulped nervously. “Can they?”