The fact that she hadn’t been locked in implied she wasn’t a prisoner, surprising her. It stunned Jasmine further when she realized she was underground, and she followed a hall toward an open doorway. Now that she thought about it, she couldn’t remember seeing any windows in Chase’s bedroom or bathroom.
A surprise waited as she realized it wasn’t another door at the end of the hall, but instead a wall. She pushed against it, stepped into a basement, and turned to study the wine racks attached to the front of the wall. All but two of the bottles were dusty, as if they hadn’t been touched in years. When the wall was closed, the hallway and bedroom would be concealed to the casual eye.
Jasmine glanced around. The rest of the basement was large, appeared old, and a musty scent hung in the air.
The stairs were solid stone, reminding her of a castle. Part of her feared she wasn’t in the town where she’d been raised anymore. There was a black hole in her memory between Chase finding her and reaching his home. Had he taken her out of the country?
Again, the door at the top was metal and thick. It creaked slightly when she eased it open to peer at a big, modern kitchen. Sunlight streamed through a window. She padded over to look out into dense woods.
“You shouldn’t be up.”
The feminine voice startled her. She spun, gaping at the brunette from the night before, whom Chase had claimed to be his sister.
“I’m Jenny. You’re Jasmine.” She smirked. “I guess ‘J’ names are popular.”
“Where is Chase?”
“He had some business to attend to. He’ll be back in a few hours.” The woman’s gaze dropped to her waist. “Hungry? I can hear your stomach rumbling.”
“That’s weird.” Jasmine regretted saying it the moment the words were out, not wanting to offend.
“You’ll adjust to keen hearing once you’re fully mated. It will enhance your senses all around.” Jenny pointed to a table. “Have a seat. I hope you don’t mind cereal. I don’t cook unless my brother demands it.”
A hundred questions popped into Jasmine’s head, but she settled for a few while she watched the woman prepare a quick breakfast. “I could do that myself.”
“It’s easier if I just do it. You don’t know your way around the kitchen yet.” Jenny glanced at her. “But you’ll need to learn at some point.”
“You live here then? Why would Chase tell you to cook? Do you work for him?”
“He’s my protector, so I do whatever I’m told. It beats living on the streets and he’s good to me. He isn’t around much, but I suppose that will change now that he has you.” The woman stared at her.
“Protector?” A few hundred more questions resulted.
“Our mother really loved to seek out older vampires, the stronger the better, so we got the vamp genes from them. It made some of the werewolves we lived with nervous, knowing we needed so much blood to survive. Mates don’t mind you sinking fangs into them, they kind of get off on it, but they get testy if you drink otherwise. Blood banks weren’t around where we come from.”
“Where is that?”
“It doesn’t matter. When we were older our mother became a companion to a vampire so we lived with a nest.” Jenny put a bowl of cereal in front of her. “Eat. Ask Chase your questions.”
“He’s not here,” Jasmine pointed out.
“Too bad for your curiosity then. I have things to do outside.” Jenny left through the back door.
So much for us becoming friends.
Jasmine ate, rinsed the bowl, and then washed it. She wasn’t sure if she was allowed to explore the house, but no one had said she couldn’t. Chase had mentioned it was her home too.
The first floor of the house was big, obviously a mansion built in the forties, from the architectural details. Some were confusing, as if parts of the house had been remodeled sometime in the seventies. The formal dining room was dusty and it seemed no one had used it in a really long time. One door was locked. The living room had more modern furniture and a big-screen television. A small sitting room held tons of older leather-bound volumes of books in the built-in shelves. Two bathrooms were located on the first floor as well, and she paused at the steps, peering up the curved staircase to the second floor.
“Please don’t go up there.”
Jenny startled her again, and Jasmine spun around. She rested her hand over her racing heart. “You scared me. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“I’m quiet. It’s the predator in me.”
“Um, I’m not sure how to respond to that.”
A smile curved the brunette’s lips. She was pretty, with blue eyes very similar to Chase’s when they glowed, but slightly paler in color. “It’s what we are. We may appear human, but never forget things aren’t what they seem.” She jerked her head toward the stairs. “That’s my space up there, and I like my privacy. I can’t outright order you to never go to the second floor, but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t. Chase doesn’t like to sleep above ground. It’s probably because of what happened twenty years ago.”
“What happened?”
“Vampires attacked us. They knew what we were and tried to kill us. It was a deadly mistake.” She chuckled. “They sent only five of them after us.”
“Five vampires?” Jasmine was taken aback.
“They should have sent twice that many if they were serious about killing my brother and me.”
“So what does that have to do with sleeping upstairs?”
“They came in through the windows of the home we used to live in. It was a full breach in the dead of night.” Jenny waved her hand to a chair. “Sit.”
Jasmine took a seat on one of the sofa benches in the entryway. They weren’t the most comfortable things but they were attractive. Jenny sat on the opposite one ten feet away.
“I refuse to give up having a real bedroom with windows, fresh air and sunshine. My brother feels more secure underground. Fewer points of entry in case of another attack. That’s where he lives most of the time. Under that club he works at, they supposedly have a lot of underground chambers, but that could just be rumors. It’s not as though he’s ever taken me there, so I’m not certain if it’s true.”
“You don’t like the club where he works?”
“It’s owned by two vampires.” Jenny watched her as if she were something fascinating. “Did you meet my brother there?”
“No. I was his realtor. He bought some land.”
Jenny nodded. “I’m glad. I’d hate to think he’d accept leftover goods.”
“What does that mean?” Jasmine wasn’t sure if she really wanted an answer or not.
“The women who frequent that club are playthings for the vamps. They fuck them, bleed them, and mess with their minds so they forget everything but the sex.” She paused. “It doesn’t even have to be good sex, but they can make them believe it was the best they ever had so they return again and again. I’ve heard that’s how they keep a steady food supply.”
It was a little disturbing. “And Chase?”
“What about him?”
“Does he do that? Have sex and feed from women at the club?”
“Not anymore, if he ever did.” Jenny smirked. “You have no clue about mates, do you?”
“I didn’t even know vampires or werewolves were real until last night.”
“He wouldn’t bond with you if he wasn’t sure you were the one he wanted. It’s extremely rare for a mate to cheat. They’d have to be mentally unstable and heartless. Your pain would become his, and vice versa. It’s kind of like shooting yourself in the foot. Isn’t that the saying? The bond amplifies emotions, passion, and nothing else can compare to that. It would be unsatisfactory if he nailed another woman.”
“I’ll take that for a no. Why is Chase’s bedroom hidden? Because of the attack? I saw the fake wall.”
“Yes, it’s to protect him, and now you, in the event of another attack. There are four inches of steel and concrete surrounding his sleeping area. No one woul
d be able to breach it without a lot of work and time. We have dangerous enemies. Chase and I argue often about my preference to sleep upstairs, but he’s not here enough to make me comply with his wishes. I spent too many years living underground as a child. I won’t continue to do it as an adult just in case a few assholes attack us.”
“Like the rogue vampire who grabbed me?”
“Try Chase’s own pack and the bloodsuckers in this area. He can never let his guard down around the club members. Lethal and Blaron have extended Chase their protection as their head of security, but not all vamps are sane.”
“I’m confused,” Jasmine admitted. “What does protection from this Lethal and Blaron mean?”
“They are his vampire friends, and their protection means they’ve warned other vampires to never target Chase because he’s a mixed breed. That doesn’t mean all of them will listen.”
“Do vampires hate mixed races?”
The other woman licked her lips and clasped her hands on her lap. “We’re stronger in a lot of ways than vampires or werewolves. It means we could kill them. None of them are comfortable with that. Vampires can’t day walk without burning to a crisp, while the sunlight only gives us a tan. They resent that we have that ability, and they know we could attack them when they’re at their weakest. We can do everything they can do but we’re more.”
Jasmine understood. “And the werewolves?”
“We can’t shift, but we have all their other abilities, plus the vampire traits. Most packs living within the cities work for the vamps, and the pack members naturally attempt to follow the strongest wolf. Chase’s scent is wolf, despite not being a full-blooded one. And he’s very strong. Any alpha would have to challenge Chase. Werewolves respect strength and dominance the most.”
“But you said they posed a danger.”
“Chase scares the shit out of them. Any of them would take him out if they were able. They’re never going to completely trust him to put them first because he’s not fully wolf, yet they can’t help but follow him.”
“Have any of them attempted to kill him?”
“A few.”
“What happened?”
“Chase killed them first.”
The words were said so simply, without any emotion. A chill ran down Jasmine’s spine. “That’s horrible.”
“It’s survival of the fittest.” Jenny stood. “He’s home.” Her gaze turned. “Hello.”
Chase leaned against the wall just inside the room, and appeared to have been there for a while, judging by his relaxed stance. His eyes were another matter, the blue nearly glowing as he regarded his sister with a cold stare.
“What are you doing?”
“Answering her questions.”
A deep growl rumbled from him. “You know better.”
His sister lowered her chin and gaze. “I apologize. I didn’t think you’d mind.”
“Bullshit. You didn’t expect me back so fast and didn’t hear me enter the house. Go upstairs and stay there until dinner. We’d like steaks, and you’re cooking.”
“We don’t have any. I bought chicken.”
“Then go back to the store.”
She nodded quickly. “Of course.” Jenny fled up the stairs.
Jasmine got to her unsteady feet, a little afraid and nervous. Chase watched her, unmoving.
“I asked her those questions. Get angry at me if you’re upset.”
He scowled.
“She’s your sister, not your servant. You go to the store if you want steaks, and I’ll cook them.”
It was slightly scary when he pushed away from the wall and stalked closer. He had exchanged his jeans for black leather pants that molded across muscular thighs and lean hips. The black cotton shirt outlined his broad shoulders, chest and muscular arms where it stretched tight around his upper body. He stopped a foot away. They almost touched.
Jasmine had to tilt her head to keep eye contact with him, a reminder of how tall he was. Her fear increased as the silence grew uncomfortable. “She didn’t do anything wrong.” Her voice came out soft—a whisper—but she refused to back down the way his sister had. “I had questions and you weren’t here to answer them.”
“Don’t interfere again with Jenny. She knows the rules.”
“Is this how mating works? I’m supposed to do everything you say? Are you going to punish me if I disobey?”
He shook his head. “I already told you I’d never hurt you, and you can always speak your mind.”
“Good. I planned to, regardless of how you’d react. I’m not the submissive type. You were just a jerk to your sister.”
His lips twitched. “I see.”
“She said she doesn’t work for you, but you just treated her as though she does. Worse, actually. I have a housekeeper that comes in a few days a week, and I’d never speak to her that way. I’d politely ask her to do something instead of just snap out orders.”
“Any other suggestions?”
“There shouldn’t be any rules concerning your sister and me talking. This mate thing is like marriage. That’s what you said. That would mean she’s going to be my sister-in-law if I agree, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then there shouldn’t be any rules about us talking.”
“Fine.”
It surprised her that he’d caved so easily. “You mean that?”
“I’m not accustomed to being corrected.” Amusement sparked in his eyes. “I apologize.”
“I think you should tell that to your sister.”
“I will.” He lifted his hand and used his fingertips to caress her cheek. “How did you sleep?”
“Great.”
“You’ve eaten.”
“How did you know that?”
“By smell. You had cereal with milk.”
Jasmine covered her mouth. “Do I have bad breath? I’m sorry.”
“I love that brand of cereal, and I drink milk.”
And blood. She wasn’t about to forget that. “You really do eat food then?”
He peered into her eyes and she felt something inside her head. It was a faint tingle at the back of her mind.
“Vampires don’t need to eat food but some of them do. They enjoy the taste of it and some believe it keeps them more human to partake in the experience. Werewolves eat a lot of food because they need it to survive. I love my meals, and yes, I drink blood as well. I need both.” He paused. “It wouldn’t be good if I didn’t drink blood. My body needs it or there are side effects that would eventually kill me.”
“You’re reading my mind again.” She wasn’t comfortable with it and placed her hand on his chest. It was warm and firm. “Stop.”
“Sorry.” He shrugged. “It’s another adjustment I need to make. It comes naturally to me. I don’t mean to invade your privacy or make you uncomfortable.”
“It’s not fair. I can’t read your thoughts so just stay out of my head.”
“I’ll try.”
“Do you mean that?” The tingling stopped as if something withdrew from her mind. “I felt that!”
“What?” He frowned.
“You leaving my head.”
The tingling returned sharply and she pushed at him. “You’re doing it again, aren’t you? Get out.”
He stepped back. “Amazing.”
“Get out!”
The tingling stopped.
“You can feel it. It must be my blood inside you.”
“That would do it?” She wondered what else had changed about her.
“Yes. I gave you a lot. You were severely injured. Your organs were shutting down.” His hand wrapped around the back of her neck as he drew closer. “May I attempt something?”
“Stay out of my head.”
“Not that. I want to see if you can read my thoughts.”
“I can’t do that.”
“You might.” He paused. “Close your eyes and clear all thoughts away.”
Jasmine hesitated but then did as he asked
. It took her time to push back all the questions she still had. She hadn’t thought it was possible to actually read minds but that belief wasn’t set in stone anymore since Chase had proven otherwise.
“Can you hear me?”
“Of course.”
“Damn!”
The deepness of his voice surprised her and she opened her eyes to look at him. “What’s wrong? My hearing is fine.”
“Honey,” he whispered, “I didn’t say that aloud.”
“Say what?”
He stared at her.
“Say what aloud?”
His eyes narrowed. Can you hear me?
Jasmine gasped, almost tripping on her own feet when she stumbled back. No sound came from Chase but his voice was inside her head all the same.
“I’m shouting in my mind but you heard that, didn’t you?” he asked aloud.
“Yes.”
“It’s my blood. I knew I probably gave you too much.”
“What does that mean?” It was a frightening moment. “Am I turning into what you are?”
Anger tensed his features. “It’s the damn vampire traits.” He suddenly closed the distance and gripped her chin, forcing her head up. His other hand touched her face, pulling down her bottom eyelid for a second. “Shit.”
“What?” Alarm was a mild description for what she felt.
“I gave you too much. You’re slowly turning.”
“Turning into what? What you are?”
“Vampire.”
That wasn’t good. She didn’t need to be told that, since he paled and his voice deepened into a snarl. Panic rose but she tried to fight it down, to remain calm. Freaking out wouldn’t do anything but make the situation worse.
“I told you that I’d give you time, but this changes things. We have to mate or you’re going to actually die.”
“You gave me blood to save me. Now it’s killing me?”
“It would be a vampire death. You won’t remain dead.”
Jasmine didn’t know what to say. Her mouth opened but no words came.
“It means you’ll be totally vampire if we don’t mate.”
“And that’s bad?” Of course it is. The shock of what he said made her heart race, and her mind wanted to shut down to avoid the unpleasant truth.
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