Chapter 7
SEVEN
ROMAN
I lift my hand to knock on Auri’s door, but unsurprisingly, he calls out “Enter” before I can make contact.
I open the door and peek my head through. “Got a minute, boss?”
“Come in.” He’s behind his desk, reading a thick book, with a steaming mug of tea in his hand. He gestures to the chair in front of him and looks up at me. “I’ve been wondering how long it would be before you came.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your demeanor is unsettled. I know my pets, Wolfie.”
Biting my tongue to avoid snapping at him for that dumb nickname—pets, not Wolfie, to be clear—I shake my head. “I have an update.”
“I’m all ears.”
“I have a friend… Well, he’s not a friend. He’s the friend of a friend. Or rather, he’s the ex of a friend.”
Auri raises a sharp eyebrow at me. “Uh-huh.”
I clear my throat. “Anyway, he was in trouble. He got himself turned into a vampire and doesn’t know the first thing about being one. He was nearly starving. I brought him to Cas for help.”
“How benevolent of you.”
“I did it for my friend. I just wanted you to know we have an outsider among us.”
Auri studies my face, and I squirm in my seat.
“Sooo I’m gonna go now.”
“Not so fast.” Auri steeples his fingers in front of him. “What else? And don’t say nothing. As I said, I know my pets, and while you’re normally agitated and surly, especially when the moon is full, this is different.”
Blowing out a breath, I sink back against the velvet chair. Of course he would know something is up. “I hate him.”
“Who?”
“The vampire. Lochlan. He rubs me wrong and always has. He hurt our friend. My friend.” I growl that last bit.
“But?”
“But now I have to have him in my presence to help him so that Jareth can rest easy.”
Auri smiles, gesturing for me to continue.
“That’s all.”
The demon chuckles, flipping his long black hair off his shoulder. “Come now, pet. You can tell daddy.”
“Eww.” I scrunch my nose. “I thought we asked you not to say that anymore.”
“Did you? I don’t recall. Now tell me what’s wrong. Perhaps I can help.”
It’s obvious I’m not getting out of here unless I fess up, and hell, maybe Auri can help. “My wolf adores him,” I confess. “Goes wild around him. He smells so damn good.”
“So, fuck him.”
“I can’t, Auri. He’s Jareth’s ex and there are still feelings there. I would never betray Jareth that way.”
“It’s cute that you think you can avoid it. Must I spell it out?”
If I hear it spoken, maybe it will clear my mind of all the chaos. “It doesn’t mean anything.”
Auri chuckles. “Yes, because your wolf is simply confused. I hear that’s a common problem with wolf shifters.”
“It’s not,” I grumble.
“What’s that? It’s not? Oh, well, then that only means one thing. Wolfie has found his mate.”
My wolf responds to those words, pushing forward and thrashing inside me. Fur ripples across my arms and my gums throb as my canines elongate. The urge to go running through these halls back to Lochlan, to bite him, mark him, is almost impossible to resist.
I inhale and exhale slowly, trying to calm the wolf. “I can’t, Auri. I won’t hurt Jareth that way, and I hate Lochlan.”
“Why? What has he done to you?”
“Nothing,” I mumble. “It’s what he did to Jareth. And I… I love Jareth.”
“Then why are you not with him?”
“He’s not my fated mate, obviously. It felt wrong and unfair to tie my life to Jareth, knowing that at any point our happiness could be derailed by the appearance of my true fated mate.”
“Oh, darling. I’m not sure if you know how fate works, but it doesn’t give a fuck about our ideas and plans.”
“Yes, I do know that. That’s my point.”
“But you’re missing it right now. Fate has decided this vampire is to be yours. You can certainly reject your mate, but I don’t have to tell you the devastating repercussions of denying fate.”
I drag my hand through my hair, scratching at my scalp. “No, you don’t. How do I make it work? I don’t even like him, much less love him. And Jareth… Fuck. Why is fate so cruel?”
“Roman.”
I look up at the use of my name. Auri looks serious.
“When fate chooses a mate for us, it is never wrong. It may not be easy, and it may be complicated, but there is a reason for it. I don’t pretend to know why fate moves the way it does, but I’ve been alive long enough to know not to question it.
Lochlan is yours, for whatever reason, and you must simply open your heart and your mind to discover fate’s purpose. ”
“Why didn’t I know this the other times I’ve met him? He was just Jareth’s annoying boyfriend to me.”
“You said he was recently turned?”
“Yes, but wolves can have human mates.”
Auri smiles again. It’s slightly condescending, so I have a feeling I might not like what he’s about to say.
“Lochlan’s path, his fate, shifted when he made that decision. Or perhaps fate knew all along that he would. Either way, that decision put him in your path.”
“Fuck,” I mumble. “How am I gonna tell Jareth? It’s the only reason we aren’t together, and now I have to look him in his beautiful eyes and tell him the man he loves is my fated mate? This is so fucked up.”
“Don’t be so narrow sighted, pet. Perhaps Jareth is part of this equation too in ways yet to be understood. He obviously brought Lochlan into your life. Perhaps there is a reason for that. You’ll figure it out.”
I rub my forehead, nodding. “Okay.”
“How long will our guest be with us? Is he looking for employment? I can always use more pets.”
That comment makes my stomach turn. “Oh, no, Auri, no. Please, no. He’s terrible. He can’t even feed himself, much less take on work. He nearly burned himself alive in the sun, and if he is my mate, I can’t have him here like this, all the time, for eternity. No. Please, Auri.”
Auri tilts his head, amusement all over his features. “But if he is your mate—and he is, let’s be honest—then why wouldn’t you want him with you at all times?”
“Did you forget the part where I hate him?”
Auri laughs at that, lifting his mug to his lips. He pauses, then dips his finger into the liquid, and I watch as his finger glows red and steam pours out of the mug again.
“You’re quite adorable. Bring the vampire to me. I’d like to meet him.”
I blow out a frustrated breath, knowing damn well I’ve lost this battle. Auri does what he wants, but I have to hold out hope that he won’t see anything interesting in the inept vampire. Somehow, I’ll figure this out. There’s no way I’m accepting this mess.
LOCHLAN
“The most important thing is to act natural. Act… mortal. You’re not far from that so your humanity lingers a bit. Just focus on blending in at first. Over time, you’ll learn how to use your abilities, but when you’re just starting out, let them come to you.”
I nod, listening intently to Cassius. I’m focused on his words, trying my best to block out the cacophony of voices, music, and other noises swirling around me. If I could still get headaches, I’m sure I’d have one.
“Look around, Lochlan. Does anyone appeal to you? Stand out in any way? Don’t forget to use scent to attract as well.”
I glance around the crowded bar. It’s packed with people, mostly men, a few women too, but no one catches my attention.
The memory of how sweet Jareth’s blood tasted returns, but I shake it away.
That was an emergency and not something he would do willingly.
I wonder what Roman’s blood tastes like. Is it feral and earthy like his scent?
“Focus, Lochlan,” Cassius says, suddenly close to my ear.
“Did you hear my thoughts?”
“Loudly. You’ll learn to block other vampires over time.”
Well, that’s embarrassing.
I turn my attention back to the throngs of people around me.
My senses are overwhelmed with competing pheromones, manufactured scents, and human sweat.
I wish I could block those out too. I just want to smell lavender and freshly tilled earth.
I want to smell cinnamon and that deep, masculine, feral scent that wafts off of Roman. No.
Dammit.
Not him. Anyone but him.
Closing my eyes, I inhale again, plucking out individual scents until something coppery hits my nose. I snap my eyes open and turn in the direction of the scent.
“There you go,” Cassius purrs.
The music and voices fall away until all I can hear is a soft thumping and the rushing of liquid.
“What’s that sound?”
“That is the sound of a mortal pulse. Their blood moving through their veins. It’s the sound of dinner.”
The more I listen, the more my gums throb in response.
Where is it coming from? I turn around, searching the room, and finally find the source.
There’s a man sitting at the bar alone. He’s handsome, brawny, and muscular like a body builder.
His dark skin catches the light, drawing me to him like a beacon in a storm.
I start to walk in his direction, but Cassius stops me with his hand on my arm.
“What are you going to do when you get to him? You can’t just bite him.”
“Oh. Right. Um, what do I do?”
“I’d suggest seduction until you learn how to harness your thrall. This is a notoriously queer space, so there shouldn’t be any pushback. Flirt. Invite him to the bathroom or the alley or some dark corner. Then eat.”
My stomach rumbles with need and my mouth actively waters. “What if I go too far?”
“You won’t. I’ll be with you.”
Okay, that helps a lot. I won’t hurt the man if Cassius is there to help.
“So, I just walk up and flirt?”
“Yes. Go on before you lose him.”
Squaring my shoulders, I cross the bar and approach the handsome man. He turns his head toward me and smiles warmly. Encouraging. I lean on the bar next to him, taking in his face and trying not to bare my fangs.
I’ve never felt this way before. My cock swells slightly even though I don’t want sex. Hunger must cause arousal in other areas too. I guess I was blocking my senses or something, because I don’t think I could avoid feeding right now even if I wanted to.
“Come here often?”
The man’s face falls and mine follows.
“Sorry, that was terrible. I’m out of practice.”
“Do you want to hookup?” he asks, getting right to the point.
My dick flags at the thought of sex with this man. I only want Jareth, but he doesn’t know this isn’t about sex at all.
“Yes. Let’s go somewhere.”
“The alley behind the bar.” He takes my hand. “Come on.”
A shiver of anticipation moves through me as I take his hand and follow him out.
I’m with you.
Cassius. Knowing he’s close settles my nerves a bit.
Outside, the handsome stranger presses me against the building and immediately goes to unbutton my pants. I run my hand over his smooth bald head, summoning the courage to do what I need to do.
“Hold on,” I say.
“I don’t kiss,” he rumbles, still holding on to my waistband.
“That’s okay. I just want to smell your neck.”
He raises an eyebrow as amusement spreads over his features. “Kinky. Go ahead.”
I dive into the crease where his neck and shoulder meet, rubbing my nose against his skin. It’s rougher than I expected but his scent is divine. My fangs descend and I get ready to take what I need. With my eyes closed, I tell myself I can do this. I have to if I want to survive.
With that, I pierce his skin and he yells, gripping my shoulders to push me away.
“What the fuck, man?!”
As soon as his warm blood hits my tongue, I gag, unlatching and backing away as I double over, heaving.
It tastes bitter and metallic and not at all like the sweet relief of Jareth’s blood.
Every time I feed—or try to, more accurately—it’s like this, and I can’t.
I should just walk into the sunrise. This is awful.
The man takes a swing at me, but I easily block it by grabbing his fist. “Sorry. Sorry. I know that was bad.”
“What?” he yells, his eyes filled with fear and anger. His scent has soured too, and I just want to get away from him.
Then Cassius is there, pressing the man against the wall and whispering in his ear. The man calms instantly, his eyes drooping closed as Cassius licks the wound I caused.
Cassius continues to whisper something to the man, who finally snaps his eyes open. He looks filled with clarity, and we move away so quickly he wouldn’t have seen it happen. We watch him look around for a few seconds before dipping back inside the bar.
Cassius looks at me with pursed lips, disapproval all over his face. “What the fuck, man? What went wrong?”
“He tasted gross. I couldn’t do it.”
Cassius throws up his hands, exasperated. “What am I gonna do with you? Blood is life, vampire. Without it, you will not thrive and you may even die.”
“I know. I just need to keep trying and find the right one.”’
“You cannot afford to be picky. Let’s go. I’ll take you back to the compound and give you a bag of my reserves.”
“Reserves?”
“For emergencies. You never know when there’ll be another pandemic and disease will decimate the food supply. You’ll learn.”
I nod, following him like a kid in timeout. I failed horribly tonight. We walk toward the back of the alleyway, no doubt to avoid being seen as we slip into the void, but my eyes move to three men walking past us.
Cassius grips my arm protectively, pulling me slightly closer as he eyes the men suspiciously.
“What are they doing here?” he whispers.
“Who are they?”
“Fae. Up to no good if they’re lingering in mortal areas.”
I turn to look back at them and find the one in the center watching me. He’s ethereal, with fine features and light pink shoulder length hair, almost like a doll, but there’s a glimmer in his eyes that signals something dangerous.
“Don’t look at them,” Cassius says. “They want your attention. Don’t give it.”
“What could they want with me?”
“Who knows why the fae want anything, but when they do, it’s never good.”
A soft floral breeze wafts around me and the urge to turn and look again washes over me, but Cassius isn’t having it.
“Didn’t you say they could maybe help me? Maybe give me something so I could feed?”
“Not them.” Cassius shakes his head as we come to a stop. “Never them.”
With that, we disappear into the void to head back to his home, where no doubt I’ll have to face Roman again and admit what a disaster I am.