by R. Spain
“Why do I feel you? It’s like you’re pack. That’s impossible,” I bristle. My wolf’s hackles are raised in my mind as she paces the edges of my conscious. She is allowing this conversation, only because her curiosity of the familiarity to the man. The man sighs again, his eyes rolling as if already tired of our conversation.
“I do detest repeating myself, it is such horrible manner to ask the same questions you already know the answer to.” I growl at the man. This has to be a sick joke.
“It’s not possible.”
“Well,” the man chuckles. “That isn’t entirely true is it, little cub? As you’re sitting in front of me, very healthy and breathing.” The wicked smile on his face only serves to anger me more. I feel another presence in my mind, my wolf doesn’t growl at the intrusion rather preens.
He is a mate.
I blink in horror as I turn to the other strand inside of me, it connects to the male beside me. He simply stares, a small smile adorning his deadly beautiful face. I almost snort, deadly, yeah cause he is fucking dead. He sticks his hand out to me, it’s the guy I was with, the one who took me to the VIP part of the club. Yes, he was with me when I found my father. My body aches at the memory of the dirty things I wanted to do to this bloodsucker.
“Aiden,” he says. I take his hand as his calming scent forces me to relax even if only slightly. My wolf accepts the bond, even if she knows he is not hers.
“You do not belong to my wolf,” I say absentmindedly. Aiden shakes his head, looking to my father for an explanation that it seems even he doesn’t understand.
“Your wolf has her own mates; she will collect who is hers in due time. However, your vampire side has its own blood bonded. Normally there is only one for each pair. It would seem you, my daughter, are extraordinary. That leads me to believe you will have more than one of each,” my fathers’ tone is bland as he shrugs back a glass full of what I can only assume is blood.
“How am I meant to undergo transformation when I feel no different?”
“I am not the one with all the answers of who you will become, Ralee. I am honestly shocked any visions of answers showed you the way to me. I am quite uneducated on wolf communities. This only makes me ponder if you will need more serious help with your vampiric abilities,” he shrugs, standing at his full height as he makes his way to the door. “You will be welcomed anywhere in my territory. You are the princess of everything in my possessions. I will warn you though, watch yourself. Vampires are very stingy, and many will test you. Otherwise, I will make sure Aiden is always available to you. He is after all, yours now.” That’s the last thing my father utters to me before he is leaving and once again, I am left with more questions than answers.
I turn to Aiden, taking him in again in the better lighten then the club offered me. He is strikingly beautiful. I wasn’t only joking with I said deadly handsome, he looks like Zac Efron had a kid with Theodore Taptiklis. His dark black hair a stark contrast to my blue even though it’s buzcut. His slender frame makes him look unthreatening, the vampires’ greatest weapon, because it’s a lie. Everything about him is meant to entice, to have you so pent up with sexual need that you’re vulnerable for his strike.
“What’s wrong, My Queen?” Aiden’s soothing voice makes me feel emotions I shouldn’t. Wait, that’s not true. I should feel these emotions, because he is my blood bonded, and yet I don’t even know what that means. I bring my legs to my torso, placing my chin on my hands as they cover my knees.
“What is a Blood Bonded, Aiden? Why do I feel this way? You shouldn’t feel like pack, my wolf shouldn’t be okay with this,” I’m almost out of breath as my questions fire off at the vampire. His eyes show a kindness that was robbed from me with the wrongness my old pack had granted me for my differences.
“Ralee,” Aiden attempts to comfort me, I only watch him not returning his affection. “Feel outside of your wolf, feel the blood running in your veins. It calls to me; it sings a melody only your vampire mates could ever feel. It’s a beautiful serenade, your wolf knows me because of your blood. She accepts me because she has always known she shares your body with your other true self.” I listen to his answers, and the truth in his words almost still me. My wolf whines at my stubbornness. I nod, devising that if I’m going to get all the answers I came for, I need to do more than sit here and deny them with my last breaths.
“I think we should try for friendship; I can’t say I have the best of luck when it comes to mates,” I joke halfheartedly. Aiden gives me a sad smile, and nods. I feel bad, almost like I killed his pup. I wish I could give him a different answer, but Malin has destroyed the part of my that trusts a mate.
"What should we do?" I ask casually. I slowly have begun to peel my body from Aiden's. The pain is less now, but my blood isn't humming anymore. The way I crave the feeling almost has me pushing back into his arms.
"I think we should show you around. You're going to be here for a while, we have to make sure your vampire side is controlled." Aiden stands. I follow his lead although, not as coordinated. I'm halfway up when I stumble, my body goes to the side and somehow my face ends up meeting his cock. Thankfully, he is wearing pants, but my embarrassment flames when he makes a gargled sound. My eyes look up, stupidly not removing my face from its position. Aiden's eyes roar with desire, and his fangs slowly slide down.
"Oops." I scramble up to my feet, almost knocking my head against Aiden's. When I finally bring myself to look up at him, he is smiling at me. My cheeks were most likely a deep scarlet. Aiden offers me his arm; I wrap my arms around it as he begins to lead us out of the room and into a hallway.
8.
Ralee
Aiden's body so close to me has me feeling on cloud nine, however, our surroundings have me a bit on edge. Vampires weren't the natural enemies to the Wolves like people normally believed, we really hated witches more than the vamps. However, it still wasn't natural for wolves to be without sunlight. We thrived in the day, while Vamps thrived in the night. We didn't clash well; Vampires could go out in sunlight if they belonged to a Coven.
The walkway was metal. The floors clacked under our feet, but I could tell we were underground. There was no fresh air down here.
"Sometimes we forget what being alive is truly about," Aiden whispers to me. I don't realize that he is warning me of the people rutting on the floor like animals. Blood is everywhere, and if they weren't vampires, I'm sure they'd be dead right now. Aiden lifted me in his arms before he was jumping over the puddle of blood. I was unsure if I should laugh or cry out in fear. My 'boyfriend' for all intents and purposes just picked me up to avoid me getting blood on my shoes. It should be sweet, and it was but I was more worried about the fact it was fucking blood.
"Where are we going?" I ask when we reach a turn in the hallway. Aiden's head motions for up, and I follow his eyes as I take in the stairs. I groan, the thought of having to walk up every single one of those making me want to stay underground.
"Big baby, hold on tight," Aiden chuckles out. I eye him wearily, but my arms grip him tight, next thing I know I'm nauseous and we are at the top of the stairs. I want to say I hit him, god that's what I want to say. Yet, instead of being a badass, I find myself puking my guts up on my knees once he had put me down.
"You don't do well with speed, noted." My head whips back to him. I'm sure I look stupid, but I hope the glare holds the dignity I've lost right now.
"It wasn't the speed! You could have warned me!" I seethe. Aiden loses it, he is laughing so hard now that he actually looks beautiful, he looks alive. My heart stops beating, my lips part, and I have no doubt that some drool releases to the sight before me. When he has calmed down, I take the room in. It's exactly what you would expect from a powerful vampire.
Old.
The gothic theme is beautiful, but beauty isn't what calls me to it. Something about this place feels familiar, almost like I've been here before. It's enough to leave me breathless.
"You aren't completely u
ndead, my love. You need to breathe," Aiden says behind me. I don't realize how close he is until I choke on the breath I take. His arm cascades down my neck, my pulse thrums and I want nothing more right now but for him to bite me.
"Aiden," I whisper.
"My Queen, I apologize." Aiden is suddenly gone from behind me. I release a calming breath, begging my pulse to relax. I know my vampire mate can hear the rapid beating. One breath, two breaths, after three I feel more centered.
"It's quiet."
"Yes, My Queen, the sun is out." I turn to face him, my eyebrow arches, but his smirk is firmly in place. The question is on the tip of my tongue, but Aiden just moves towards the sunlight from the window. "Your father is a very powerful, very old vampire. I was lucky he blessed me with his blood." Aiden tells me. I just nod, a bit confused but I won't push it. "One day, I will tell you of my past, Ralee. Today is not the day for that though."
My wolf whines in my head as I step from the shadows, she wishes to run. I want more than anything to grant her that wish. Aiden must feel my unrest because his smirk turns into a smile that meets his eyes. He motions to the door that I missed when I was looking at everything. I know this place is vast, but it's got to be useful to have an entrance to their dark tunnel so close to the door.
"Your wolf's wish is my command." My wolf hums at Aiden's answer. I giggle, and my cheeks flush. I follow him as he leads me out the front. I pause when I walk outside, I see it was not a front door at all, it was a back. Aiden brought me into a wooded forest behind my father's gothic home. I love it immediately, but that doesn't stop me from piecing together that this is a scene from a horror movie where the dumb white bitch dies first. The only thing that isn't quite right is its day instead of night.
I snort. Aiden looks back at me, raising an eyebrow even though his lips are turned upward. I don't waste another moment, because I don't want him to ask me what I was thinking. I quickly strip the clothes I am wearing; I hope whoever they belong to won't be too mad and turn into a giant hairy red wolf. Aiden's eyes take me in, appreciation is evident on his marble face. My wolf preens, her mouth moving in what would be the closest to a wolfy smile.
Aiden snorts before he quickly tries to save his amusement at my wolf's antics.
I take off into the forest when I notice my mate has yet to follow my nails dig into the dirt, and my wolf's body turns to look back. Aiden is still standing in his spot, not moving. I whimper before my head goes back and I howl in warning to him. I want him to follow me, we want to play a game. When I finish my howl, I hold his eyes. I hope he can't see the sadness that reflects because I only pray, he won't deny me. As sad as it sounds, my wolf is lonely, she wants someone to want to catch her. She wants someone that will prove to her, she is more than what she's always believed she is, nothing.
9.
Aiden
My heart breaks at the sadness in Ralee's eyes. I want nothing more than to wipe it away from her face forever. Our language barrier has me unable to understand exactly what she wants, but the howl was so devastated that I had to go to her. The moment I speed to her side, the wolf yips at me. I understand instantly what she wants from me now, she wants a pack. Her wolf want's the chase, the kill, and wants to enjoy it with me. A feeling of acceptance settles into my heart, Ralee the girl may have reservations about our blood bond, but her wolf has accepted me completely.
I watch as Ralee jumps up once before she takes off the dirt kicking up from under her beautiful red fur paws. She looks nothing like a normal wolf. She is at least two inches shorter than any wolf I've ever seen, quickly making them underestimate her. She is the color of pure blood, the exact moment that it drips from a wound. Her coat looks silky soft but still flows perfectly in the wind. She is nothing short of breathtaking.
I race after her, making sure I keep a steady pace, her wolf seems to like it. It exhilarates me. This entire run is addictive, Vampires don't run together, we don't make packs. We make the run last as long as we can, Ralee's wolf is fast as she stalks the mouse scurrying across the forest floor. Her wolf lunges, the mouse cries out but doesn't stand a chance against the strong jaw of Ralee's wolf. I almost moan as the smell of fresh blood hits my nose, my fangs slide out from their spot.
Ralee's ears go up to the top of her head when she turns her lips are high as the mouse hangs limp. I eye the blood slowly slipping from the wolf's jaw. Next thing I know she drops it to the ground in front of me, I groan as in the next instant Ralee's human body lays before me. I stalk her, the beauty before me has blood covering her mouth, and as bare as the day she came out of her mother's womb. My dick is solid, as my throat burns with a fire from the pits of hell.
I move closer to her, leaning in slowly, I make sure she has plenty of time to pull away. Ralee's eyes dilate with desire as her heartbeat begins to pick up. My lips softly push against hers; her breath catches but I don't wait long enough in one spot. I slowly lick down her lips, forcing back my impulse to do more than lick away the evidence of her kill. Ralee allows me to assault her lips, cheek, and chin before I return to looking at her eyes.
"So good," I growl out. Ralee visible gulps. I decide to deescalate the situation before she feels pressured and begins to pull away. I stand up quickly, hoping the bulge in my pants isn't noticeable before offering her my hand. She shakes her head and the next instant her beautiful wolf sits before me again. She doesn't waste time as she picks the mouse up in her mouth and begins to trot back the way we came. I can't muffle the laugh that releases, my life couldn't get any better than this.
∆∆∆
It's night by the time I leave Ralee's side. I take my leave once we've gotten back to her room. I made sure she had food and knew where I would be if she needed me. I didn't want her to worry, but I felt the call from her father before I could warn her that I wouldn't be in my room for a bit. I headed down the corridor, making a few turns that created a zigzag pattern. Josiah didn't appreciate tardiness, which is why I could bet he waited until he felt his daughter alone before calling me to him.
When I make myself into the chambers, my blood boils when I see who is standing near my master.
"To what do we owe the displeasure, Malin?" I ask the white wolf. He sneers at me before his eyes move slightly to the corner my master sits. Josiah sighs before he takes a sip of his drink, he motions for Aster to close the door behind me.
"No one is allowed inside these walls until I say," Josiah's tone holds no room for arguments. Aster follows Josiah's orders like any of us would, without complaint. Once the doors shut, we all stand in silence, each of us taking the other in. Malin takes Josiah in, Josiah takes me in, and I keep my eyes directed to Malin.
"Malin would like to position for Ralee to return to their pack, Aiden," Josiah tells me blankly. My shock must be evident, as Malin smirks while I know that I cannot stop Josiah if it is his will. "I have decided, he will not get her until the next full moon. When she does go, you will go with her." I relax with Josiah's words. Malin however, growls, before he goes to argue.
"That was never part of the agreement, my mate belongs at my side!"
"She isn't just yours to command!" I sneer. Malin stops abruptly. His eyes hold nothing but pure fury.
"How dare you lie! I am her Moon Blessed mate!" Malin snarls, his skin ripples as his wolf pushes to the forefront. My own fangs sharpen even further, as my veins begin to bulge.
"My protegee does not lie. He is her Blood Bonded, the Vampires equivalent to your Moon Blessed. It will be impossible to remove Aiden from your bond without his death." Josiah stands and quickly puts himself in front of Malin before the wolf can pounce.
"Let me assure you, Alpha. If you move to harm my heir I will kill you before you can howl to your packmates," Josiah's voice is low, the air around us holds power as Josiah releases only a slim amount of Vampire Lord strength. I bow my head, my master is proving dominance, and even if Malin is an Alpha, Josiah has been alive longer.
"Very well, you have a month wit
h her. After that, she is mine." Malin's words were spoken to Josiah, but his words were meant for me. My protective instinct hit me so strongly, I felt like I needed to go to her now. I held myself still as Malin walked out of the room. Josiah turns to me, words about to fall from his mouth when I felt Ralee's fear, I growl and Josiah tenses before he nods his head to me.
"Go to her, we will talk later." He doesn't have to tell me twice; I speed to the woman I would forever belong too.
10.
Ralee
In a month I would go back to my pack. The same people who discarded me like I was nothing. They shunned me, and one thing was for certain.
"I don't want to go back," I whisper into the darkness of my room. Aiden had come to me, I knew the moment Malin stepped foot on the property, my mate bond with him sung like a howl to the moon. My heart felt like it was completely broken. Aiden had calmed me and did his best to keep the tears at bay, but they still slipped past. It made the situation we were in so much more peculiar, to have a mate hold me because of another mate's treatment didn't sit well with me.
Was I so broken that I truly couldn't give myself to Aiden just because of what Malin had done to me? Did that make me just like him? Was I denying something that was a gift from a higher power, just because I got my stupid heartbroken by a man that was destined to love me? Questions circled inside my head the entire night. I knew Aiden had flipped his schedule to be awake with me, but even still I felt like I was taking advantage of him. He eventually went back to his own room, leaving me to collect my thoughts.