With a resigned sigh, he withdrew the dagger. The vampire shuddered and groaned in relief. It was to be short-lived. Gregory was already planning the rest of his torture, but it would wait until they got him to the compound.
His plans were interrupted when a female said, “Lower your weapon, or your mate dies.”
10
Three things caught Gregory off guard.
One: he did not detect Paige distance herself from the wall. He’d been too focused on the vampire to sense she’d abandoned her protected position.
Two: he didn’t see the witch sneak around the store, nor did he realize she had a small knife pressed against Paige’s throat.
And three: the red-head’s use of the word “mate”.
Gregory kept his hand tightly twisted in the vampire’s collar. He returned the silver dagger to his chest.
“One more move,” the witch pressed the knife with more force, “and her neck will be sliced open. Then, my friend will drink from her like a water fountain.”
His responding growl was low and loud, rattling the jars on a nearby shelf. “You do not know who you are talking to.”
“Ava,” his hostage gasped. “Stop. He’s a vampire.”
The witch’s eyes widened marginally before returning to slits. “You’re wrong. This creature has a bond with him.” She tilted her head to Paige, identifying her as a werebeast.
“What?” Paige said on an exhale, sounding breathless. “Y-you’re lying.”
The witch’s eyes hardened. “I don’t lie.”
Gregory forced himself to ignore the distracting words. What mattered most was getting Paige out of the witch’s grasp. “I am Gregory Fang, second to King Alexander of the North American coven. If you harm her, there will not be a place on this world you can hide from me or my wrath.”
The witch’s face blanched as he spoke as she realized, exactly, who he was.
Still, she did not loosen her hold on Paige. “Release my friend and no harm will come to your mate.”
There was that word again… mate.
“Ava,” his captor pleaded. “Do not do this.”
The witch, Ava, pressed her lips together. She was determined. “I will not let him harm you.”
“You and I will both die if you anger him.”
The witch and vampire were not just friends. Their tender tones and the witch’s emotional gaze revealed as much. It was the vampire’s reaction, however, which gave Gregory pause.
He jerked on the vampire’s collar. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-eight.”
“No.” Gregory made sure to watch the witch’s knife. If she so much as moved it a millimeter closer to Paige, he would snap the vampire’s neck in a heartbeat. “I mean, how long have you been a vampire?”
“Three weeks.”
“Impossible.” The vampire was too strong; too composed. If he was really that young, he would be ravishing half of the town by now, not logically talking down his witch friend.
“It’s true,” the witch interjected. The color was returning to her cheeks, and she latched onto the new tactic to convince Gregory. “I found him after he was bitten. It was three weeks ago. The transition took two days.”
The timeline did not make sense. Transitions lasted for weeks. If he’d been bitten less than a month ago, the man would still be in the middle of the agonizing and disorienting change into an immortal body. He wouldn’t be standing straight, much less able to be around a witch, without wanting to rip her throat open for sustenance.
“Do you think I am a fool?”
“No!” The witch heard his anger, and she did not want him to unleash it on her friend. “I swear, it’s true. I’ve been using herbs and magic to keep him contained and controlled. I promise, I am not lying.”
He watched her, and everything about her body language spoke of honesty. Genuine fear negated any hint of deception.
“Release her,” Gregory commanded, removing his dagger from his captive’s flesh while still keeping a firm grasp on the young vampire. “And I will hear your story.”
The witch licked her lips, her light eyes darted from her captive, to her friend, then back to Gregory. She realized her options were limited. With a nervous nod, she dropped her hold on Paige.
Instantly, Gregory threw the vampire to the side and reached out to grab Paige. He pulled her arms so hard, she lost her footing. He swiftly caught her and placed himself in front of her, facing the reunited witch and vampire.
The male, also, positioned himself to be the one to intercept any attack.
The standoff lasted for another few seconds. None of them knew quite what to do to dispel the tension.
Finally, it was Paige who said, “You are not involved in the recent attacks.”
Peering over his shoulder, Gregory noted the lack of fear in his friend’s expression. Paige calmly eyed the vampire with open curiosity. It was clear she believed her observation to be true. She waited for his response.
The witch was the one who replied. “Other than being one of the victims, Miles has no part in the recent human murders.”
Fists clenched, Gregory asked, “Vampires attacked you?”
The vampire, Miles, nodded warily. “Yes.”
“You survived without their help.” The distrust was impossible to conceal.
What vampire would leave a transition candidate unaccompanied during the process?
The only bodies discovered were those who failed to undergo the change to a vampire, but Miles managed to not only complete the process, but maintain some semblance of humanity.
Gregory did not buy it.
“I was abandoned with the other bodies,” Miles explained. He looked back at the red-headed woman, seemingly without thought. “Ava found me. She helped me through the transition.”
“How did you know what was happening to him?” asked Paige in a soft voice. Again, Gregory looked back. He tried to meet her eyes, but she avoided his gaze.
“My clan is trained in such things,” the witch answered, referencing the magical community she was a part of. “Certain herbal remedies and root medicines diminish the volatile effects of a vampire’s venom. We cannot undo the damage, but we are able to lessen the pain of the experience.”
Gregory could hardly believe his ears. He’d been alive for decades, and he’d never heard of such things. “And I suppose your remedies also make him stronger than your normal vampire?” He did not hide his skepticism.
“Miles is not stronger than a normal vampire. He’s simply managed to bypass the initial stages of weakness.”
“Due to your medicine?” Paige asked for clarification.
The witch gave it to her. “Precisely.”
Every past experience made Gregory want to continue to question and doubt the witch’s claim, but logic revealed the pair had very little cause to lie, at that point. Miles was free, and Ava appeared to be a powerful witch. They could easily attempt to escape rather than linger to explain their innocence. Neither of them knew they wouldn’t be able to get far; Gregory was one of the fastest vampires alive.
He decided to accept their explanation… for now.
“Who changed you?”
Miles shook his head. “I don’t know. I swear.”
Gregory turned to Ava. “Do you know?”
Sensing he was no longer a threat, she stepped out from behind her lover. “I have suspicions, but no proof.”
“Wouldn’t you be loyal to your maker?” Paige followed the witch’s example and moved out from behind Gregory. He had to fight the urge to pull her back again.
Miles eyed Paige. It didn’t seem romantic, but it still made Gregory want to growl. “No,” he answered. “I don’t.”
“Is that normal?” Finally, Paige addressed Gregory. Though, she didn’t meet his eye.
“I’m guessing the witch’s interference is responsible for the lack of bond with his master.”
Ava met his questioning stare. “It is.”
; It wasn’t the time or place to address the topic, but Gregory knew many vampires, including his own king, would be interested to learn of the witch’s particular set of skills. Transformations without crazed bloodlust and violence, in addition to severed ties with the vampire’s master, were unheard of.
“Silverton is small.” Gregory looked to Miles. “Surely, someone has noticed your continued presence, despite their belief you were dead.”
Understanding the line of questioning, he said, “I do my best to remain out of sight. The only person who knows I’m still alive is Ava.”
“Except for the club.” Gregory had sensed him, as any other mature vampire could have.
“That,” Ava spoke up, “was a mistake. He should have never stepped foot into that place.”
Miles had the decency to look ashamed.
“Why?” Paige questioned. “Are you aware it is where many people are going missing?”
“Yes,” the witch nodded. “Which is why I went. I wanted to try and see if I could spot a vampire.”
Gregory never heard a more ludicrous idea. Witches were powerful, but that did not mean they could hold their own against a vampire, especially not when she couldn’t sense one like the other half-breeds. If Ava knew of the danger, she was dumb to seek it out.
“Would you be willing to help us?” Paige said the next moment, shocking Gregory with the spontaneous offer. “My pack is hunting the vampires responsible. Innocent lives are being lost, and we could use all the help we can get. Will you help us? Both of you.”
It took biting his cheek to keep Gregory from voicing his disapproval. He did not trust either of the individuals before him. Their story seemed sincere, but until he got the chance to vet the details, he wouldn’t feel comfortable inviting them into the pack’s headquarters.
But he wasn’t a pack member.
And he, also, wasn’t the alpha’s daughter.
Ava and Miles shared a long glance. In it, they held a silent conversation. Unease and determination warred with one another as they debated whether or not to take Paige up on the offer.
Gregory refused to move a muscle. His attention remained locked on the deciding pair, looking for any sign they planned to trick or harm them in any way, but he detected no such mal-intent.
Ava rolled her shoulders and exhaled through her nostrils. Flipping red-hair over her shoulder, she met Paige’s stare. “Yes. We will help you.”
11
“I cannot believe you got the witch and vampire to help us.” J.J. sat across the living room in the guesthouse, leaning forward as he spoke to Paige. Admiration dripped over every word. “This will be our biggest break in the case.”
Gregory stood to the side of the room. He watched Paige smile. It wasn’t overly warm, but it was better than her previous interactions with J.J.
Ava and Miles agreed to return to pack headquarters with them, but only after Paige and Gregory swore they would be safe once inside the secure walls. The trip was tense as could be expected, but it was also awkward.
Many times, Gregory tried to pull his friend into conversation. He wanted to gauge how the situation affected her. She was too calm for someone who just had a knife to their throat, but he supposed she was tougher than he gave her credit for.
Despite his attempts to draw Paige in, all he received were one-word responses and blatant avoidance of eye-contact.
Gregory wasn’t a fool, he knew her unease stemmed from the witch’s use of the word, mate. It had shocked him, too, but he’d since concluded that the red-head was simply mistaken. If Ava did smell a mating scent like she claimed, it probably came from Paige. After all, she’d been around so many potential mates as of late. Perhaps, she was in the process of bonding and just didn’t know it.
The idea made observing J.J. and Paige slightly uncomfortable. Gregory prepared an excuse to escape when Lucas Green entered the room. He’d escorted Ava and Miles off of the property following their lengthy interview session. Lucas and Gregory questioned the pair for hours, and they were scheduled to return the following morning to complete the process and finalize the witch’s proposed plan.
Now, Lucas returned and went straight to Gregory. “Do you think we can trust them?”
He crossed his arms and faced the alpha as he seriously considered the question.
Did he trust the witch and vampire?
No. He didn’t know them well enough to trust them.
But did he think they were intentionally deceiving them with their story?
Not necessarily.
“I think Miles is our only connection to whoever is harming the humans. He’s the only lead we have,” he replied.
Gregory heard Paige stand and walk towards them. She’d been invited to observe the interview, as was J.J., but neither of them was permitted to question the potential allies. “I think we can trust them.”
Lucas eyed his daughter. “On what grounds?”
“They are telling the truth.”
“How do you know?”
“I just do.” For her part, Paige sounded confident, but Gregory internally cringed at her answer. It wasn’t based on fact, only feeling, and feeling was not what Lucas wanted to hear.
Instead of challenging his daughter, Lucas turned to J.J. The werebeast had been lounging in the guesthouse upon Gregory’s arrival with the witch and vampire. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been privy to the secret discussion.
“What are your thoughts?” questioned Lucas. “Should we base future missions on the testimony of a witch and a newly-turned vampire?”
J.J. pushed off his knees and met the alpha’s inquiring stare with a straight back. “With caution, Sir, yes. It is too good an opportunity to pass up, but we would be foolish to blindly trust them at their word.”
He realized how his words sounded the moment they passed his lips.
J.J. looked to Paige, an apology already forming. He didn’t intend to accuse her of being foolish.
Lucas stepped in before the young werebeast could utter a sound. “Come with me,” he instructed J.J., already walking to the exit. “I’d like you to join me when we debrief the others.”
J.J., blinking in surprise, took an extra second to register the words before jumping to his feet. He shot Paige another apologetic glance before following her father out of the guesthouse.
Gregory wasn’t surprised by the departure. He and the leader had discussed a potential strategy before Lucas left to drop off their informants. He was to reach out to Alexander, to share their idea, before joining the alpha.
But first, he needed to speak with Paige.
Glancing over, he noticed she hadn’t moved. Her eyes lingered on her father’s retreating figure. He moved closer.
She stiffened, noticing him draw near, and the reaction pained him. The last thing he wanted was for things to be awkward between them. They’d just overcome a disagreement, and Gregory had no desire to relive the days spent without Paige’s company.
Even though he knew she would want to avoid the discussion, he refused. They needed to clear the air sooner, rather than later.
He uncrossed his arms, going for a calm, non-threatening stance. “I know what is bothering you.”
He watched her inhale slowly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Then why are you refusing to look at me?”
To prove him wrong, Paige rotated and met his eyes. Her cheeks were pink, and she chewed on her bottom lip. Her embarrassment was obvious, and all he wanted to do was alleviate her worry.
“See,” he aimed for a light tone, “was that so hard?” His semi-forced smile fell as Paige looked to the ground.
“Paige,” he groaned her name and stared at her, willing her to conquer her embarrassment. “It’s not a big deal. The witch was mistaken. There is no need for things to be awkward between us.”
Paige physically recoiled, and the reaction caught Gregory off-guard.
Did he offend her?
“I assume you are ta
lking about her calling us mates.” She tried to appear unconcerned, but Gregory saw every nervous swallow and anxious fidget.
“Yes,” he confirmed. “That is exactly what I am talking about.
“She was mistaken,” he quickly repeated. “We shouldn’t let it affect our friendship.”
“Sure. Yeah, you’re totally right. Let’s just forget it ever happened.” She stepped to the left with the intent of escaping the living room and their conversation, but Gregory was there in a flash.
He stepped into her path. His speed surprised her, and she nearly collided with his chest. Gregory steadied her by holding her arms.
A powerful jolt raced through his palms and up his arms. His nostrils flared, and his world seemed to zero in on Paige.
Gregory heard her racing heart and sharp intake of breath. He felt a rhythmic pulse beneath his fingers. A floral scent filled his head, and he inhaled deeply, hungry to immerse himself in the enticing aroma. His gaze was on his hands holding her, but they slowly traveled up the length of her slender, yet strong, arms. The neckline of her shirt dipped to reveal the edge of her collarbones. Gregory admired the delicate curve of her throat as he moved his attention to Paige’s face.
Full, welcoming lips stole his breath. Longing, swift and sudden, and stronger than anything he’d ever felt consumed him. His chest ached, and his stomach tightened. When he finally let his eyes land on Paige’s round, brown irises, he felt lost in his desire.
Mine.
“Oh, God,” Paige’s whisper came immediately after, almost like she responded to Gregory’s thought. “No!” She shoved him back, using her inner werebeast’s strength to dislodge his hold.
Normally, Gregory would have been able withstand her maneuver, but the strong, possessive word, muttered by his self-conscious, shocked him to the core. He let her detach his hands, and he watched, dumbfounded, as she raced out of the guesthouse.
Several minutes passed before Gregory composed himself enough to move and sit on a nearby chair. He sat there, struggling to figure out what caused the animalistic reaction within himself.
He’d never felt so compelled by emotion; he’d never experienced the pull of such desire.
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