Chapter 8
“You barely know me,” he said.
“I’ll get to know you better over time,” I countered.
He tried again. “I’m not a good man.”
“Well, if that’s true, I’ll teach you how to change. Because you can rest assured that I surely am a good man.”
Whatever other faults I had, and there were plenty, my mama’d always told me that my heart was pure. I had to believe it would be pure enough to cleanse my mate of whatever sins he believed made him unworthy of our mating.
“This isn’t a game.” His voice was getting louder.
“Who said I was playing?” I lowered my volume.
“You’re not hearing me, wolf,” he said.
“I hear you loud and clear, vampire.” I grinned when his eyebrows shot up. “But fate is fate. You’re mine just as much as I’m yours. Surely you feel it.”
He shook his head and furrowed his brow. “I don’t feel a thing.”
I didn’t pay his words or ornery expression any mind. He had to feel the bond. It was unmistakable, absolute. And I was fixin’ to say so when we heard muffled voices.
“We’re about to have some company.” Miguel scrambled for my clothes and shoved them at me. “You need to get dressed and get lost.”
I dropped the shirt he’d just handed me and folded my arms across my chest. “Try again,” I said, standing tall and proud in my naked glory. It was quite a feat, seeing as how I was neither tall nor, at that exact moment, firm. Though I was pretty sure a few more minutes with my mate could rectify that problem.
His jaw dropped and he gaped at me. “How is it that you don’t fear me?”
I thought about his question. I’d come upon him right after he’d fed from humans until they lay unconscious at his feet. I’d seen him nearly eviscerate my pack mates. Even the other vampires were scared of him. But to me, he’d been caring and tender, and when push came to shove, that was what I considered important.
“You’ve never given me cause to fear you, Miguel.”
His eyes softened and he kissed my forehead. “I’m glad you feel that way, wolf, but you should be afraid. Just being here is dangerous. The men you saw earlier? The ones who tied me up? They’re coming back.”
“You can recognize their voices from this distance?” I asked, amazed by his strength.
“You heard them too,” he pointed out.
And I realized he was right. We heard the vampires at the same moment. I just hadn’t spent enough time with them to be able to identify them, but maybe if I knew them as well as Miguel…
“Ethan, I need you to take your clothes and leave. They’re not stable, they’re in a group, and if something happens to you…” He shook his head, his expression pained. “Please,” he said. “I need to know you’re safe. I realize that doesn’t make sense, but I just—”
But it made perfect sense. I was his mate, and though he was trying to deny it, he could feel the bond, same as me. He didn’t want to see me hurt. And the man wondered why I didn’t fear him? I grinned inwardly.
“Where’s your den?” I asked him.
He was shaking out my clothes, but paused in reaction to my question. “I don’t… What?”
“Your den.”
My shirt was pulled on over my head. “I’m a vampire,” he said as he dressed me. “We don’t have dens.” My underwear and pants were next. “We’ve been over this.”
“Well, all right, then, what do you call your house?”
“My…” He shook his head. “Listen, we don’t have time to keep talking about this.” He shoved my shoes onto my feet and then stood, pulling me up with him. “You need to go.”
“That’s what I’m rightly trying to do,” I said. “I’d be havin’ an easier time of it if you would tell me where you live.”
“Why?” he asked, his tone making his exasperation clear. The hands flying up clued me in too.
“Because the sun’s coming up soon.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning that’s where you’re going to be during daylight, and I’m fixin’ to stay by your side.”
He shook his head and dragged his fingers through his hair. “Wolf, you need to leave. Go home.”
“I am home.”
“I already told you that I’m nobody’s home!” he said forcefully through gritted teeth.
I didn’t bother responding, I just looked straight at him and didn’t flinch when he growled and paced back and forth in front of me. The voices had been getting louder, and I knew the vampires would be walking in any minute. Apparently, Miguel came to the same conclusion, because he grabbed my bicep and pulled me toward the end of the room, close to where I’d entered, rescuing my knapsack from where I’d dropped it on the way. Without releasing me, he pulled a key out of his pocket, unlocked a door, and flung it open.
“There.” He pointed to a set of stairs leading down into the dark. “That’s where I’m staying. It isn’t clean, it isn’t romantic, and it isn’t permanent.” He gave me a pointed look, and I knew he was talking about more than his living space. “But we’re out of time, so for now, it’s the safest place for you.”
He released me and slipped the strap of my knapsack over my shoulder. I took a step down.
“Ethan,” he said, his voice softer.
I turned around.
“Can you recognize my scent from a distance?”
I’d never been able to scent as well as other shifters, but then again, I’d never been able to release my wolf. Since I’d started shifting, I’d noticed a change, an improvement. But even without my wolf senses, I had no doubt I’d know Miguel.
“You know I can,” I said.
“Good.” He nodded. “If you scent or hear anyone, and I mean anyone, other than me coming down these stairs, you move the bookcase wedged in a corner and use the escape tunnel.”
“Where will the tunnel take me?” I asked.
“Where will…” He sighed in frustration. “It’ll take you away from danger, away from here.”
Away from him. That was what he meant. Well, I wouldn’t use the tunnel, but I saw no sense in arguing with him about it. He’d be able to concentrate on whatever needed doing with the other vampires if he felt like he’d won that go-round with me. So I nodded and slowly moved down the stairs, surprised at how well I could see in the dark. As soon as I heard the door close and lock, I tiptoed back up and sat smack dab in front of it, waiting for whatever would come next.
Turned out a solid wood door didn’t do a thing to prevent me from hearing every word spoken on the other side of it. While I was glad to be able to monitor the happenings in the next room, I knew I’d need to keep still and quiet if I didn’t want to be discovered. Though it shouldn’t have been an amazing feat, I’ll tell you I was relieved as can be that my body cooperated with me on that count.
I was still getting accustomed to it, my seemingly new body. No more pangs and cramps that made me twitch and groan. No more tightness in my chest that had me gasping for air and feeling light-headed. No more aches in my limbs and swelling in my veins. My insides felt like they finally matched my outsides, like I fit.
What Miguel had done to me wasn’t something I could match with a pocketknife. No wounds, no pain, and so much blessed release. I shivered with the memory of him drawing out my blood and caressing my skin.
“Miguel?” Ralph’s voice was a fair bit shaky and a whole lot surprised.
“In the flesh,” Miguel answered darkly.
“How’d you… I didn’t mean to…” Ralph was sputtering, more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
“Oh, damn, I was so worried.” That was Ted. I heard footsteps quicken and figured he was racing toward Miguel. “Are you okay?” He paused. “You look better.” Another pause. “You look really good, actually.”
“I feel good,” Miguel answered. Though he didn’t raise his voice, he somehow managed to sound scary as could be when he said it. “No thanks to any of you.”
Ted didn’t reply, but the other vampires were doing the verbal equivalent of tripping over themselves to apologize and make excuses.
The sound of a whimper quickly followed by flesh hitting flesh brought every other noise to a halt. Miguel’s grunts didn’t sound pained, so I knew he wasn’t being hurt. That knowledge kept me behind the door. And though I’d sworn to myself that I’d stay still, I couldn’t hold back a wince when I heard vampires begging and crying. By the time the violent sounds finally stopped, I was equal parts sick and grateful.
“Have I made myself clear?” Miguel asked, and I wondered whether I’d missed part of the conversation because he hadn’t said anything in some time.
Several voices responded with a breathless “yes” and though I recognized them as being the same vampires who had restrained Miguel, none of them were Ted or Ralph.
“What’s that, Ralph?” Miguel said.
There was no reply, and I wondered why Ralph wasn’t answering. Lord, if I had to hear any more begging and crying I was sure I’d retch.
“I can’t hear you.” Miguel’s tone gave me goose bumps. If it had been directed at me, I might would have soiled myself.
“Miguel,” Ted said nervously.
“You going to tie me up again, Ralph?”
“Miguel.” Ted was firmer.
“Because you need to understand that if you do it again, you’ll be done.” He paused. “I’m not hearing an apology. Maybe I should just go ahead and finish you off now. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Isn’t that how the saying goes?”
“Miguel!”
“Stay out of it, Ted,” Miguel snapped. “This doesn’t concern you.”
“Damn it, Miguel! You know full well that he can’t talk because you’re crushing his windpipe.”
“Oh, am I?” His tone dripped with sarcasm. “Oops.”
“He made a mistake and he knows it, just…” Ted paused. “Please, give him another chance.”
After a moment I heard gasping and coughing. What I didn’t hear was an apology.
“What happened with the shifter?” Ted asked, sounding anxious. I wondered whether he was trying to change the topic and take Miguel’s attention away from Ralph. If so, it worked.
“He isn’t your concern.” Miguel’s tone held a note of warning.
“This was the third time he showed up in as many days,” Ted said. “I just want to make sure he’s been dealt with so we don’t have any more surprises.”
“I took care of him,” Miguel said.
“If any wolves go sniffing around looking for him, they won’t come close to here, right?” Ralph asked. His voice was raspy and weak, but I recognized it. “Where’d you dispose of the body?”
He barely got the last word out before I heard an “oomph” sound followed by coughing and whimpering.
“Okay,” Ted said. “I think Miguel made his point. The sun’s coming up soon. I’m turning in.” I heard footsteps and mumbled words, and then Ted spoke again. “Miguel?”
“Yeah,” my mate answered.
“Do you need my help with, uh—” He paused. “With anything?”
“Yeah, you can keep fucking Ralph the hell away from me. I shouldn’t have let him walk out of here. He messes with me again, and no matter how much you ask, I won’t give him another chance.”
“I know. Thank you. He just…he was worried. We were all worried. You always feed so much, and until this town grows, we need to be careful.”
“I know that!” Miguel said. “I’m older than you, Ted. I don’t need a school lesson on blending in.”
“Well, you haven’t been blending,” Ted answered in a voice so low it was almost a whisper. “If anything, you’ve been feeding more than usual since we got here, not less. You can understand why Ralph thought you’d gone feral.”
“I was hungry.”
Ted snorted. “You fed enough to fill three vampires for months. That was just today. And you said you were still hungry.” He was quiet for a beat before continuing. “You had me scared, Miguel. I thought we’d lost you.”
“I wasn’t feral,” Miguel sighed. “I was hungry.”
“You don’t look hungry.”
“Do I look feral?” Miguel retorted.
“No,” Ted answered.
“Good. Then it’s settled. I’m turning in.”
I heard Miguel’s footsteps coming toward me. I recognized his gait by sound alone.
“Let me know if you want some company,” Ted said, his suggestive tone making my hair stand on end.
I couldn’t hold back my growl. I clenched my hands into fists at my sides and my entire body stiffened, fixin’ to pounce out of the room and eliminate the threat to what was mine. A key turning in the lock tore me out of my jealous haze. I stepped down one stair to leave room on the landing for Miguel.
He opened the door just wide enough to slide into the room, and then closed and locked it behind him. I opened my mouth to say something about Ted’s offer, but Miguel’s lips over mine stopped any words from coming out. He tangled his fingers in my hair, and I whimpered into his mouth, melting against him, submitting completely.
We were both breathless when he finally pulled back. He held his pointer finger in front of his mouth and shook his head, telling me without words that I needed to keep quiet. The space was large and there was nothing filling it, so any noise we made ricocheted off the walls, echoing loudly. We started walking down the stairs and hadn’t taken but a few steps when Miguel scooped me up in his arms and held me tight against his chest.
I gasped in surprise, and he gave me a self-satisfied smirk, curling up one side of his lips, his gaze pure sin. That expression should have been frightening, but instead it made me hard, made me squirm. With a knowing gaze, Miguel lowered his eyes to my groin and licked his lips. Then he started moving across the room, his feet not making a sound.
Faster than I would have thought possible, we were at the end of the room. Miguel opened another door and took us through it. Then he squatted down and set me on a soft mattress, kissing my forehead before standing back up. I put my knapsack down and squinted, my gaze following him as he closed and locked the door and then lit a candle.
Oh, Lord. Miguel in candlelight. My stomach dropped.
“So,” he said, smoothly pulling his shirt out of his jeans, “when I told you to come down here, you took that to mean that you should sit at the top of the stairs and eavesdrop?”
Whether he was expecting me to answer, I couldn’t rightly say, but it wasn’t going to happen. Not when he was slowly pushing each button on his shirt through the buttonhole, exposing smooth, brown skin and rippling muscles. I reckoned the fact that I was able to keep my tongue in my mouth and drool off my chin was an accomplishment.
“Did you hear everything, wolf?” he asked. When I didn’t respond, he paused in his task and raised one eyebrow.
I needed him to keep going, so I swallowed thickly and nodded. He kept working on his shirt but his heated gaze didn’t leave mine.
“I hurt those men up there,” he said. “A lot.”
I didn’t say anything, but neither did I turn away from him.
“And Ted’s offer to keep me company?” His shirt now draped completely open, he started working on his jeans. “He was talking about a very specific type of company.”
My lips curled up, exposing my teeth, and I grumbled deep in my chest.
“It wouldn’t have been the first time I’d kept that kind of company with him.” I saw a flash of regret in his eyes as he spoke, but he kept right on going. “The same is true for other men. Other women. You need to understand—”
Before he could say another word, I shot off the bed and slammed him against the wall. He gasped in surprise, and I took advantage of the distraction, cupping the back of his head and pulling him down so our mouths could connect. My need for him was frantic, all-consuming, and I knew his was the same because instantly we were kissing, thrusting and twirling our tongues, grasping at skin, pulling on hair. And when we had to move apart, just to take in air, I licked at his jaw, his cheek, his neck, anywhere I could reach, maintaining every connection possible between us as I shoved his clothes out of the way and began working on my own.
“You’re mine,” I said into his mouth as I nibbled on his lips. “Just mine.”
“You don’t understand,” he said, but he didn’t stop kissing me, lapping his tongue at mine. “I can’t—”
But I did understand. And I needed to make sure my mule-headed mate finally got it. We’d managed to get his clothes off completely in all our grappling, and the sight of him in the flesh nearly took my breath away. He was so beautiful. Powerfully built. Mouthwatering. And he was mine.
I panted and moaned and clasped his arms tightly, maneuvering him toward the mattress. He was bigger, stronger, so he could have stopped me if he’d wanted to, but he didn’t, so within seconds, I had him prone in front of me. I shrugged out of my shirt, shoved my pants and drawers down, and stepped out of my shoes. Then I lay on top of my mate and tugged on his ear with my teeth.
“Can you feel that, Miguel?” I asked him.
He pushed his bare backside up and ground it against my erection. “It’s pretty hard to miss, wolf. Like I said before, you’ve got some dick.”
I blushed, but didn’t let the raw language stop me. “Not that,” I whispered into his ear. “I’m talking about what you can feel in here.” I reached my hand underneath his body and rested my palm over his heart. “You’re my true mate. That means our souls are connected. Right here.”
He shook his head, pressing his face into the sheet. “Vampires don’t have souls. Isn’t that what your pack teaches?”
For less than a second, I hesitated. I’d always heard exactly that. But… “No,” I said. “That’s wrong. I can feel the bond. Our souls are connected. Mine and yours. That means you have a soul.”
I would have thought a vampire wouldn’t pay no mind to what shifters thought, but he relaxed beneath me, and he sighed softly, telling me different. My chest was flat on his back, my legs draped on top of his, one hand against his heart, the other at his side, and my chin was tucked over his shoulder, my mouth right by his ear.
“Miguel?” I whispered as I rubbed his bare skin.
He grunted.
“I reckon there’re lots of things I done learned that don’t hold water, and I’ll hear you if you care to set me straight. But when I tell you that you’re my home, when I say you’re my true mate, that there ain’t no storytelling.”
Again, he didn’t respond with words, just stayed quiet beneath me. But he moved one hand to my hip and rubbed circles on my skin.
“You keep on talking about other people—that Ted, them other males and females. I suppose you’re trying to scare me off. But there’s no other for me except you, and I aim to keep you to myself, hear? I know I’m smaller and younger, but if I have to die fighting off your other admirers or earning my place by your side…” I sighed, knowing that was exactly what would happen, knowing I could never measure up to all the worldly people Miguel knew, knowing I could never best vampires in a fight. “Well, then, I reckon you’ll know what it meant to have a shifter for a mate. A true mate.”