by J. N. Colon
“Huh.” He shrugged nonchalantly and took a bite of his sandwich. His free hand slid under the table and unexpectedly laced his fingers with mine, resting them on my thigh. A crooked grin split his lips as his gaze flickered down at me.
My heart fluttered uncontrollably and I found it hard to concentrate on anything other than his warm skin on mine and his heady, wild forest scent clouding my senses.
“Aren’t you hungry?” he whispered when I hadn’t touched my food.
I nodded. “Yeah, I just…” I trailed off, suddenly blinking back tears.
As if he understood he squeezed my hand.
“Thanks,” I said before turning my attention back to my food.
A few minutes later when my sandwich was half gone I felt a presence behind me and noticed Brant and Aspen’s eyes flickering over my head. Aspen looked as if she sucked a sour lemon.
“Hi Mac.” That sweet, melodic voice instantly made me cringe.
Mac glanced over his shoulder at Sasha who was standing, shifting nervously on her feet. “Sasha.” His body tensed and eyes flicked toward me to gage my reaction.
My heart instantly sank and throat clogged with a lump. Flashes of them together ran through my mind—whether they were reality or not—sending pains through my body. I tried to pull my hand out of Mac’s, suddenly feeling foolish. He was probably only being nice because Demy asked him to.
But Mac wouldn’t release my hand.
Sasha anxiously chewed her bottom lip and twirled a piece of long flaxen hair around her finger. “I hadn’t seen you today and was wondering…” Her voice trailed off as her icy eyes landed on Mac’s hand linked with mine.
Mac dropped my hand and stood. “Let’s go somewhere,” he said to Sasha.
All the food I just consumed churned violently in my stomach, threatening to come back up. My chest hurt and it wasn’t from the silver tipped, poison dipped arrow that had nearly pierced my heart last night. That would have been a cake walk. This? It was agonizing and I wanted to hide under the table to escape the eyes now drawn to me, waiting for a meltdown.
“Dude,” Brant hissed. “What the hell?”
Mac’s eyes narrowed on him before falling to me, softening. “I’ll meet you back in the underground,” he said, his hand squeezing my shoulder. “Let Brant and Aspen take you back.”
I shrugged his hand off. “Whatever.” I didn’t know what kind of game he was playing, but I wanted no part in it.
“Rubi, I won’t be long.”
I wouldn’t meet his eyes and I felt him leave, taking that familiar electric tingling sensation with him.
Chapter 31
After returning from the dining hall I slipped into my room alone. I had no desire to hang with Brant and Aspen while they were shooting covert glances between each other, wondering when I was fall apart. Darci didn’t help matters with his worried, puppy eyes lingering on me, trying to think of ways to cheer me up. Thankfully Marci dragged him away before he followed.
They all thought I was about to break down and cry. I wasn’t. While it hurt worse than getting shot through the chest, I was done crying over Mac. If he wanted to spend time with Sasha then so be it.
Total bull shit on my part. I was probably moments away from throwing myself of the bed—where we both slept last night—and balling my eyes out.
At least I was until a shadow coalesced in the corner of the room accompanied by an unnatural, distinct chill. I let out a frustrated growl, knowing exactly who it was before she even stepped forward.
Dana/ Melody drifted out of the darkness, a smile curling her pale, unnaturally wrinkled face. Raven hair hung around her shoulders, dripping with slime. Robert/ Professor Riley slithered forward, his mouth drooling and crippled legs dragging behind him. Next was Bronson/ Headmaster Morgan, a snarl forming on his mouth while his blue eyes turned milky white.
“Give it up already,” I hissed. “Why are you still trying this crap? I already know who you are.”
Dana’s image flickered and formed into Melody, her cold dark eyes boring into me while the same malicious smile lingered. “It’s simply too much fun.” Her voice was her own, an unattractive scratchy Russian accent. “I love the look of terror on your face.”
I abruptly stood, having no patients for my three ghost-keteering tormenters. “I’m done. Let the walls bleed blood and bugs. I don’t care anymore. I am so effing done.” I trudged out, still silently hoping they didn’t follow.
“Oh, Rubi, I’m so glad you’re here.” Emmaline’s smile reached her ears. “Thanks to you we now have a vaccine for the vampires.” She gently grabbed my arm, careful of my healing chest, and towed me toward a table where several plastic vials of clear liquid glistened beneath the florescent lights.
My finger reached out and picked up one of the vials, lifting it to my eyes. “This used to be my blood?”
“Well, your blood and some other compounds that created the vaccine,” she explained, slipping out of her white lab coat—thankfully—and putting it away in a drawer.
It was strange knowing my blood created a poison and a vaccine. “What happens now?”
“It’ll get packaged and distributed to all the donation center for vampires to take.” She picked up a tablet, her fingers clicking away. “Very soon.”
I put the vial down. “All a vampire has to do is take this and they’ll be immune to the poison the hunters are using?”
“Exactly. The majority of the vampires here have already taken it.” Her gaze flickered toward mine. “Except you and Mac. You two are already immune.”
Speak of the devil… the door opened and Mac strode in, looking so much like his old self it pained my heart. It was much easier not being with him when he was the un-Mac.
“Hello Mac.” Emmaline pointed to the clear vials. “I was just showing Rubi the vaccines that will be sent off soon.”
He stood so close his arm brushed mine. He picked one up, the bottle looking tiny in his massive hand. “This is it?”
“Yep.” Emmaline put down the tablet, flicking her ponytail off her shoulder. “Your parents were here earlier. They took it and are safe.”
“That’s good.” Mac’s voice was distant, his mind on something else. Suddenly his green eyes landed on me, boring holes into my skull. “Rubi, can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Go ahead,” I snapped, crossing my arms in front of my chest careful of my healing wound. “I’m sure you’d like to get back to Sasha.” Her name dripped with contempt.
Mac sighed and rubbed his temples, looking tired. “Rubi, come on…I just…”
“Just what?”
Emmaline’s gaze flickered between us very aware of the mounting tension in the air. “Maybe I should go…” She hitched her thumb over her shoulder.
“No. You can stay.” I leaned against the table, tapping my foot impatiently.
Mac’s hands lifted in surrender. “I deserve it I know, but can we please go somewhere private and talk Rubi.” His jade eyes pleaded, hitting me right in my stupid betraying heart. “I really need to clear something up.”
Ugh! It was impossible to say no to him when he was looking at me like that—like a sad little boy who lost his puppy. “Fine,” I hissed. “Five minutes.”
I crossed my arms, glaring at Mac from my spot on the red chaise while he stood by the window, his body tense. He took me here of all places? The last time I’d been in our secret place Mac had brought Sasha.
“Nothing happened here with Sasha,” he said as if he could read my mind. Or maybe it was the anger radiating off me.
A breath of relief whooshed out my lungs I hoped Mac didn’t notice. “But something did happen with her? You were kind of dating her.” The word nearly got stuck in my throat.
Mac sighed and jammed his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry about that. I just wanted you to not like me.”
My brows knit. “It’s not as simple as me not liking you Mac. We’re mates, already bonded. I can’t just turn my feeli
ngs off.” I couldn’t even before we bonded.
“I know that,” he hissed. He took a deep breath and leaned off the window. “I know that.” His voice was gentler this time. “I was only with Sasha because I hated everyone telling me how I was supposed to feel about everything.” He pointed to his chest. “I wanted to make a decision on my own without having someone tell me what Mac would do.”
I scoffed. “Right. And Anton and Veronica had nothing to do with it. They weren’t whispering in your ear that Sasha would make a much better choice than me, right?”
His cheeks flamed, displaying his guilt. “That may have been a factor.”
I rolled my eyes and looked away, my gaze focused on the candles burning on the chipped table.
“I’m not really interested in Sasha. I never was.” I could see Mac’s feet pacing the small length of the room. “I broke it off earlier. That’s why I left with her.”
Images of them together still flashed through my mind, churning my stomach. “How far did things go with her?” My voice was barely a whisper and part of me was hoping he wouldn’t tell me. I couldn’t bear the thought of knowing he’d been with someone else. Sure I made out with Demy a few times, but that was so completely different. And Mac had been dead! I wasn’t.
“We only kissed a couple of times,” he admitted.
I still cringed at his words, my eyes lifting to his face to see if he was lying. No deception lingered. “Fine. I believe you.” I shifted nervously on the chaise, wondering where we were supposed to go from here.
“I had another memory.” Mac’s jade eyes were staring down at me, darkening with something familiar that had my skin instantly prickling. “It was in this little room.”
My breath caught. “What was it?”
He licked his lips. “The first time I bit you.”
“Oh.” Heat flooded my cheeks thinking of that memory. We had just became public with our relationship and were so new to each other yet already undeniably in love. We were also so desperate to share that love we had no idea what we were starting.
“I remember how badly I wanted you.” His voiced dipped, becoming husky and filled with something I was afraid to believe. “I remember how your lips tasted. And your blood.”
My heart was fluttering uncontrollably and body thrumming with a mixture of anticipation and longing. I shifted nervously again, my hand folding and unfolding in my lap.
“Your taste staying with me for hours.” Mac licked his lips again. “I miss that taste.” His eyes were sparking with silver flecks as he approached me slowly, afraid I might bolt. He kneeled down in front of me, his fingers resting on my thighs, burning through my jeans. “I want to taste you again Rubi—if you’ll let me.”
Holy frijoles.
I swallowed hard and tried unsuccessfully to keep my breathing under control. My heart hammered in my chest and pulse quivered in my veins. Mac could hear the erratic beat and his gaze skimmed down to my neck where I was certain he could see the jumping veins beneath my skin, tempting him. “I… um…”
Mac leaned forward to kiss the underside of my jaw, his hot breath blowing on my skin and making me shiver. “I’ll be gentle Rubi.” His hand slid up, wrapping around my waist. “I promise.”
My resolve was quickly fading as he worked his magic on the sensitive skin at my neck, shooting electric sparks throughout my insides. How the hell was I supposed to push him away? He was on his knees practically begging me. I didn’t want to seem weak, but he was my mate. We were supposed to be together.
“Okay.” The word tumbled out my mouth without my actual consent.
Oh who the hell was I kidding? I couldn’t turn him down any more than I could a juicy steak. And let’s face it—Mac was the juiciest, tastiest thing I’d ever had.
His mouth trailed back up, his tongue flicking over my earlobe, pulling a gasp from me. His lips brushed over mine, his teeth nibbling on my bottom lip before his tongue flicked out and soothed it. “Tell me if anything hurts.” His hand trailed up and rested on my chest where the arrow had sank in. “You’re still healing.”
“I’ll be fine,” I assured him.
His mouth molded to mine, forcing it to open. He moaned as our tongue met, tangling together and sampling each other. The kiss we shared in the bathroom had been rough, almost angry. This was slow and sensual, sinking through my body to weaken every limb and muscle.
Mac’s fingers gathered the hem of my sweater, carefully lifting it over my head and tossing it on the chaise. I was still in a tank top, but it may as well have been nothing from the way his fingers burned through the thin material.
“Mac,” I breathed as my fingers tangled in his midnight hair, keeping him locked against me.
Without warning Mac wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me up, lying me out on the rug beneath us. He pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it next to mine. Of their own volition my hand reached out, running across his flawless torso, his muscles jumping beneath my touch.
“You’re so beautiful,” Mac whispered, his fingertips slowly tracing each of my ribs until reaching my chest. He climbed on top of me, his eyes melting silver.
I quickly pulled his head down to me, kissing him passionately. My tongue flicked out, gliding over his canines until they burst through his gums, forcing a deep, guttural groan out of him.
He pulled back, his hot breath blowing unevenly in my face. His eyes were full of desire and need so thick it twisted my insides and made my stomach clench. I reached up and slid my fingers over his fangs, deepening the hunger inside of him.
“Rubi,” he gasped, his body trembling above mine.
My hand threaded through the hair at the back of his head while I arched my mine, welcoming him.
Mac’s lips kissed my neck gently before the hardness of his fangs pressed teasingly into my skin, making me squirm. Finally they drove in, pulling matching moans of pleasure from us.
Heat pulsed through my body, traveling deep in my belly and lower. Mac greedily drank from me while his hands roamed my curves, touching me in ways that were driving me insane. My toes curled and body arched into his, wanting to disappear into him. Pleasure rolled through me, filling me and pulling me deeper into him.
Mac released me, his lips smeared with crimson while his wild, midnight hair hung in his silver eyes and flushed cheeks. “Better than I remembered.” His voice was deep and thickened with desire, making me shiver beneath him. He licked his lips, savoring the flavor left behind.
“My turn?” I breathed, not even caring how desperate I sounded.
One corner of his lips hitched up. “I wouldn’t dream of denying you.” His gaze traveled over my body paying special attention to my heaving chest. “Especially when you look so enticing.”
Mac rolled over, pulling me with him. He tilted his head back inviting me in. I easily complied, my fangs already extended, quickly sinking into the soft flesh of his neck. He gasped and groaned, one hand tangling in my hair while the other slid down to my backside.
He tasted like always—salty sweet and mysterious. He was like a cool night, thick with twisting fog and moonlight. As his blood filled me and he squirmed, panting and calling out my name, I knew we were only beginning to rediscover one another.
Chapter 32
Mac and I would stayed in our secret room the rest of the day and into the night, but Whitmore called, asking us to return to the underground. The urgency in his voice had Mac moving quickly.
When we came down the flight of stone stairs leading to the room where students threw parties, a myriad of voices echoed. Whitmore and Roman were at the head of the crowd while other vampires sat on the couches, the white curtains tied back. Emmaline and Tristan were off to the side, whispering over a tablet.
“The undead creatures’ numbers are rising,” Whitmore said, his gray eyes flickering toward us as we walked in. He motioned with his chin toward a couch near the front and continued talking. “They’ve been spotted in not only Savannah, but all of
Georgia and the bordering states of South Carolina and Florida.”
My heart shuddered to a stop and a gasp tumbled out my mouth as I collapsed on the couch.
Whitmore raised a hand, stopping the assault of questions from leaving my lips. “Your parents are safe Rubi. The creatures haven’t been spotted that far south, but they’ve been moved to a safe location surrounded by guards.”
A breath of relief blew out my mouth. “Thanks Whit.”
He nodded. “You can speak with them soon.”
“And Demy?” My heart fluttered with alarm again. I hadn’t heard from him since earlier. What if something happened? The thought sent my insides twisting into painful knots.
“He’s fine Rubi,” Whitmore answers, quelling the rising panic attack. “He simply has his hands full as his father’s second.”
I took a deep breath, thanking the heavens. I glanced at Mac, half expecting a look of irritation for my concern over Demy.
Instead he slid his hand through mine. “I’m sure he’ll call you when he has a moment.”
Unshed tears burned in my eyes that I quickly blinked away before they could escape. “Thanks,” I whispered.
“The shifters are doing all they can, but their forces are spread too thin to keep up with the multiplying numbers.” Whitmore continued the meeting, pacing in front of the crowd.
“Where are they coming from?” Brant asked. “Why are the hunters making them if they have the poison?”
Emmaline stepped forward. “It’s possible these are earlier test subjects that are just now rising. The delayed reaction could be from different formulas.”
“We are sending out vampires to assist Dimitri tonight. Hopefully it won’t take long to destroy them with our combined forces.” Whitmore motioned his head toward Tristan. “Tristan will be leading the vampires who will all be vaccinated beforehand so there will be no unnecessary casualties if case the hunters attack.”
My heart thumped thinking of any casualties happening. Sensing my unease, Mac squeezed my hand, offering me more comfort than he knew.