by C. D. Gorri
Iris ate her breakfast as her mother stared off into the distance with a pained expression on her face. They all had been hurt by the vamp-wolf war. If she was willing to be with her mate despite what had happened to her family, there was no reason he shouldn’t be able to be with her also.
Iris felt hope blooming in her chest. She knew from watching the mated couples in her village that mates would rather hurt themselves than hurt their life partner. Once Yung got to know her better, there was no way he would be willing to destroy her or anyone she loved.
Destroying her would be like destroying himself. The moments they shared by the lake let her know that he desired her. In time, love would bloom between the two of them. All she had to do was show him that she wasn’t like other vampires.
Her heart told her that he wasn’t like the wolves that attacked her family. Iris got up to put her dishes in the sink. Her movements drew her mother out of the daydream she was in.
“Iris, be careful.”
Iris turned to stare at her mother. “I will, ma.”
“Mating is exciting. I understand that you want to believe in your mate and trust that he would never hurt you. But you just met him. His pack loyalty may mean more to him than the loyalty of a hybrid mate.”
Iris cringed at the word hybrid. She hated being called that, but her mother didn’t know it.
“Don’t let him know what you are until you are sure of him. Please promise me that, honey.”
Iris could tell that her mother was worried for her. So, she nodded her head. She couldn’t tell her mother that her mate already knew. She would have to deal with this on her own. Iris walked over and hugged her mother.
“Everything will be okay, mom. I remember everything you’ve taught me. You’ve taught me how to be strong, how to fight, how to survive.”
“But I didn’t teach you enough about mating, about love, about…”
“You’ve shown me love, mom. I saw how much dad loved you. I saw how he treated you. I won’t accept anything less. Okay?”
Her mom nodded.
“I’m going back up to my room now.” Iris teleported to her room, leaving her mother with a worried expression on her face.
Iris stared around her room. A pink sticky note on her calendar caught her attention. Right. Tonight, was the night of Sasha’s birthday party. The girls were all going to hang out at the witches’ place and eat cake then go to the club. The club part was out of the cards for Iris.
But she could handle the house party. She needed to head to town to get decorations for Sasha’s surprise party. Iris slipped on her flip-flops and donned a pair of brown shades. Iris teleported to woods near the dollar general store. All she needed was a few cheap decorations and some candles for the birthday cake.
Iris entered the store and began searching for the things she needed. They had a general store in the village. But this store had a better variety of items than theirs did. Once done shopping, she teleported to her room. She spent the rest of her evening helping the others get the witches’ cottage decorated for Sasha’s party.
Afterwards, Erin agreed to trick Sasha into coming to the party. The others went and got dressed. Tonight, was a dress to impress affair, according to Val. For the party, Iris chose to wear a black mini dress that her sister had gotten her last year for her birthday.
The back straps were silver and crisscrossed over her back, leaving more of her skin uncovered than she normally liked. But tonight, Iris felt daring, even sexy. Maybe it was due to the change she was experiencing or maybe it was due to the sexual encounter she had experienced last night.
Maybe it was a combination of both. Thinking of the encounter by the lake forced her to think of her mate. Iris was sure he had a million questions for her. She made up her mind then and there that she would answer them truthfully. Enough thinking about her mate with his sexy growl that made her shiver just from the thought of it.
Tonight, was about Sasha and her party. Iris glanced at herself one last time in the mirror before leaving for the party. Val, Vena, and Vicki were all dolled up in their party dresses. They all had their red hair down, which floated to their waists.
“You three look lovely,” she told them, which prompted them to begin posing.
Iris shook her head as Vena handed her a glass of champagne. Though she was a light weight when it came to drinking, tonight she would let loose and drink a glass or two. When Sasha arrived, she was so surprised to see the set up that she started crying. Of course, that led to a group hug.
It wasn’t every day that a girl turned twenty-three. Like her, soon Sasha would be going through the change. Soon she’d find a mate and move out of her parents’ home. While humans moved out as soon as they got grown, Iris and the other villagers didn’t leave home until they mated or turned twenty-five.
Living alone was dangerous for their kind. It was best to live in groups. That night, they ate cake, drank champagne, and danced. Iris was having so much fun, that she even had a third glass. They danced to the latest songs and played card games. By midnight, the others were ready to take the party to the next level.
“What are we doing next?” Sasha asked.
The others began shouting ideas. Iris stood against the wall, still swaying her hips to the music. So, this is what being drunk feels like, wow. If felt good, as long as she didn’t move around too much. Why hadn’t she done this sooner. Oh, right! She was the Ice Queen. She always tried to do what was right.
Little Miss Prim and Proper. If only others knew the thoughts that sometimes went through her mind, they wouldn’t call her Miss Prim and Proper. Iris’s attention was pulled back into reality when Sasha suggested going to this new club she’d heard about.
They all agreed to go then got upset when Iris told them she was sleepy. She wasn’t sleepy. But she didn’t want to go to a club. What if she ran into Yung? She wanted to see him. But she wanted to be alone with him, so they could talk.
She didn’t want others to witness it if he rejected her or treated her like she was a monster. As the others left for the club, Iris headed home then stopped. She wasn’t sleepy. She wasn’t ready to go inside. Smiling, she decided to go to her favorite spot.
She teleported to the lake. Sliding her heels off, Iris walked over to the water. Dipping one toe in, she recalled what happened the last time she was at the lake. Iris wondered if her mate would come looking for her again. Did he crave her badly enough for the shroud protecting their village to let him in again?
She’d soon find out. Iris walked over to the tree and sat down. If he showed up, that would be great. If he didn’t, well, she didn’t want to think about that. Iris yawned. He would show up. He had to.
Chapter Five
By the end of the day, Yung was frustrated and sore. After teaching his young students how to track, he aided his brother and cousin in teaching the older students how to defend themselves when attacked by multiple attackers. Of course, he ended up playing the role of the one being attacked.
He held his own against his attackers until they started fighting unfairly. Hyun hit him over the head with a large rock and Jihun threw a handful of dirt in his eyes. Yung called it cheating. Jihun explained to the young pack members that it was up to them to protect their families and future mates.
He told them they should do whatever it took to get the job done. Yung hated to admit it, but his brother was right. Before he found his mate, he was all about honor and fighting fairly. But now, he would do whatever it took to make sure a certain she-wolf stayed safe.
After classes were over, Yung didn’t even bother attempting to eat dinner with his family. Showering and dressing, he headed to the wooded area in search of his mate. He spent hours walking through the woods trying to find the clearing he’d went to the previous night.
He searched until after midnight. Just when he almost gave up, her sweet scent drifted to him. Yung retraced his steps, going deeper into the forest to where the clearing was the previous night. Just
like the night before, there it was, the lake.
However, this time his mate was not floating in the water, she was propped up against a tree, sleeping. Walking over to the tree, Yung stared at her. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and she was all his. Yung sniffed around her, picking up a strand of her hair and inhaling deeply.
She had the scent of a wolf. He could smell the heat from the change that was going on in her body. Basically, his mate smelled glorious and she smelled wolf enough for him. Lifting the corner of her lip carefully, he looked for fangs or even the indention in her gums that would prove that she had fangs.
There was none. Sighing with relief, Yung sat on the ground and stared at his sleeping beauty. She wasn’t a vampire. But she wasn’t just a wolf. She was something else. What was she? Iris moaned and turned over in her sleep. How did she disappear right before his eyes last night?
Why did her skin pale in the sunlight? What creature does that? Yung sat for an hour or two and just watched her sleep. He enjoyed hearing her snore. The sound of her snoring was a comfort to his beast. Just having her with him, knowing she was okay, was a comfort.
Yung moved to lie beside her. After staring at her a little longer, he too drifted off to sleep. A light touch on his lips caused him to open his eyes and stare into his mate’s. Iris jumped back when he woke up, landing on her butt. Yung stretched and yawn then reached out for her hand to help her up.
Taking her hand, he pulled her into his lap where surprisingly she laid her head on his chest and snuggled up against him. She felt like heaven. With her head tucked under his chin, he inhaled deeply. Her hair smelled like berries and cream with a hint of something else he couldn’t pinpoint. It was a lovely scent.
Iris twisted in his arms, repositioning herself to be more comfortable. Her movements were waking his beast and his body up. Neither of them had spoken yet. Just to be in each other’s presence seemed to be all they needed at the moment. Finally, Iris broke the silence.
“I was wondering if you would show up,” she said in that sweet husky voice of hers.
Yung smiled lazily. “I’ve been sitting here watching you sleep.”
A blush crept up her cheeks as she smiled. Her smile caused all thoughts of vamps to leave his mind. All he could think of was ways to keep that smile on her face. Yung traced the outline of her lips with his finger. A sexy sigh escaped her lips and he caught it with his own, searing her with a kiss that he felt all the way down to his toes.
When he pulled away, he stared down into her eyes. He could literally feel her beast bonding with his beast. It was a sensation he couldn’t describe but was beginning to crave. Iris once again repositioned herself between his legs, turning so that she was on her knees in front of him.
She cradled his face between her hands and gently rubbed her fingers through his hair. Yung closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of his mate massaging his scalp. Her fingers gripped his hair tighter as she brought his face closer to hers. Yung opened his eyes and was surprised by the look of lust he saw in hers.
The smell of her arousal enveloped him. Yung pulled her onto his lap roughly. Straddling him, Iris grinded on him as she leaned forward and nipped him on his ear. His beast roared. Yung raised his hips to meet hers as she continued to ride him. Her dress had risen up to her waist.
The only thing preventing him from entering her was his shorts and her flimsy panties. Iris's hands were still in his hair, holding his face to hers. Yung placed both hands at the small of her back and pressed her as close to his body as he could get her.
Through all this, their kissing never stopped or slowed down. Yung could feel the fire building inside her. If he didn’t hurry up and get her inside somewhere private, he would be pushing into her right there where passerbyers could see. Yung calmed himself enough to pull back from the kiss. His mate whimpered.
Laughing, he nipped her on the neck, at the exact spot where he planned to mark her later. Standing and pulling her up with him, he dusted both of them off then wrapped his arms around her waist. His mate stared up at him with so must trust in her eyes that it made his heart ache.
He couldn’t believe that he’d even considered turning her over to the alpha. There was no truce between vamps and wolves. Iris would have been killed if he’d turned her over to the pack, there would have been no questions asked.
Though his father didn’t talk about it, Yung knew the vampire prison camp was just a ruse. He knew the vampires that entered never left alive. When he asked his father about it, he only reminded Yung that one day he’d be alpha, and everything he needed to know about the camp would be told to him then.
“I think I’m falling in love with you a little bit,” his mate whispered. “I just can’t seem to stop thinking about you.”
Man and beast both stilled at those words. The urge to bite her and mark her was so strong he had to clench his jaws shut to keep from doing it. Instead, he pulled her closer and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. Life with his mate was going to be wonderful, he could tell from how open she was with him physically and emotionally.
“I think I’m falling in love with you a little bit too,” Yung said, his voice filled with raw emotion. His mate smiled and lifted up on her tip toes to kiss him. He deepened the kiss and let his tongue roam lazily around her mouth.
Yung felt a sting on his tongue and pulled back from the kiss, tasting blood. Iris swallowed and looked at him with fear in her eyes. When she opened her mouth to talk, Yung caught a glimpse of her fangs that had elongated. How?
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
Yung released her and slowly moved away from her, unable to take his eyes off her fangs. He couldn’t believe it. His mate was a vampire.
*.*.*.*
Iris felt like her heart had stopped beating. She could barely breathe due to the fear that was suffocating her. She couldn’t believe she’d allowed her fangs to slip out. She blamed it on the alcohol and the fact that her mate just admitted to being a little in love with her.
The excitement from that caused her to let her guard down. She was just as much vampire as she was wolf. Though she didn’t drink blood to survive like full-blooded vamps did, every now and then her inner vamp craved the taste of it. Just now, her inner vamp craved a taste of Yung.
Iris stared at her mate and he stared back at her in shock. Her head was starting to spin again. Apparently, she was still a little tipsy.
“I need to sit down,” she said as she stumbled over to a large rock and sat down.
Her mate didn’t follow; he stayed rooted to the spot where she’d left him. Slowly Yung turned to her, his face void of any emotion. He began walking towards her and Iris felt a little nervous. He wouldn’t hurt her though, he may be shocked and have questions, but mates couldn’t hurt each other.
Iris smiled up at her mate as he towered over her. Yung didn’t smile back at her. That nervous feeling grew and her instincts kicked in, telling her to run. Her inner beast wouldn’t let her leave her mate. Suddenly a pair of handcuffs was on her wrist. Her instincts screamed danger and Iris tried to teleport but found that she couldn’t.
“These handcuffs are made of copper and contain an electrical current that keeps leeches from teleporting,” Yung said harshly.
Iris tried to jerk out of his grasps but he held on tighter. Yung jerked her to her feet. Her head spun more and Iris felt like throwing up. Instead, she passed out. She watched him watch her fall as darkness pulled her under. As her head hit against a rock, her last thought before darkness claimed her, was that her mate hadn’t even reached for her, he hadn’t even tried to catch her.
Iris came to feeling more horrible than she had before she fainted. She didn’t know what time it was but she could still feel the pull of the moon which let her know that sunrise was still a few hours away. Glancing around at her surroundings, she realized that she was no longer in her village and her mate was nowhere in sight.
Her head was pounding. Oh, right, her mate
hadn’t caught her before she fainted. That hurt more than the fall had. She stared down at herself. Her clothing was dirty and torn as if she’d been dragged through mud. The pain she felt all over her body let her know that she had definitely been drug there.
He hadn’t even had the decency to carry her as he’d kidnapped her. On top of everything else, he had the nerve to handcuff her to a tree. Well, she wasn’t actually handcuffed to the tree, there was a rope tied to her handcuffs and then tied around a tree. Did he think she was so weak that she couldn’t break a rope? Of course, she couldn’t get out of these electrical copper handcuffs, but she could definitely break a rope.
It took her two hours to break the rope, which wasn’t actually a rope. It too had copper entwined in it. However, it did not have any kind of electrical current so eventually, she was able to break it. Who knew that copper could weaken a vamp? Then again, she didn’t know much about vamps.
Apparently, she didn’t know much about mates either. Here she was dirty, weak, and alone all because of her mate. Then it dawned on her, soon the sun would be rising and she still would have been tied to that tree. Yung thought the sun would kill her, and he’d left her to die.
Her mate had left her to die. Tears welled up in her eyes. Her mate planned to kill her. Too weak to stand, Iris slumped to the ground. Her sister was right, wolves were animals. She should have listened to her mother and stayed away from outsiders.
Wiping her eyes, Iris forced herself to stand up. Each step she took hurt but she continued walking. She had no idea where she was going but she knew she had to move. Her mate would be surprised to find his weak little vampire gone when he came back.
*.*.*.*
Yung sat on his front porch, his mind in turmoil. His mate was a vampire. She’d bit him. But she did apologize which meant that she didn’t mean to bite him. She passed out and he didn’t even try to catch her. He’d wanted to. Had almost reached for her. But everything he’d been taught about vamps came rushing back to him.