Chapter 40
I was falling. Wind pushed at me, and the ground rushed up. Arms wrapped around me tight, and Matteo’s eyes bored into mine, fury blazing in them. He tucked my head against his chest and hit the ground. He’d landed on his back, protecting me from the fall by wrapping his arms around my body. The impact was jarring, leaving me winded. I blacked out momentarily, and when I came to, Matteo hadn’t moved, his eyes closed.
“Matteo?” I asked.
He grunted, but his eyes remained closed. The smell of humans was everywhere, heartbeats deafening, but I couldn’ t move with his arms caging me to him.
“Matteo?” I started to panic.
“Why did you do that?” he demanded.
I had reacted to the smell of blood and leapt from my balcony without thinking. I’d seen him do it so often, yet I couldn’t believe I’d done so. But I remained silent, waiting for him to open his eyes.
“You’re not a vampire, Quinn. You would have died .” Finally, he opened his eyes and let out a groan. “That hurt. ” He half-sat up, waves of pain emanating from him.
“Aren’t you supposed to land on your feet or something?” I asked.
He glared.
“If I hadn’t been diving to catch you, I would have landed better.” His hand grabbed my wrist. “Quinn, someone’s coming. I need you to forget your hunger, listen to my voice and my heartbeat. Can you do that?”
I nodded as he released me and climbed to his feet. Pain passed through the connection between us again. He leaned on me heavily. Footsteps approached.
“You’re hurt,” I said. “I’m sorry.” It was my fault.
“Hey, are you okay?” A voice behind me made me freeze.
Matteo met my eyes. “It’s okay, I need him to come here. Bring him here. He can help me.”
I turned around. “Please, he’s hurt,” I said.
The man didn’t move. “What’s wrong with him? What was that noise? It sounded like something fell.”
I tried to ignore his heartbeat. Focus .
I didn’t know what else to say. “He fell,” I said. “He’s hurt.”
The man approached us then, watching Matteo. “How high up was he? Were you down here already? ”
“Come to me,” Matteo commanded, their eyes locked. “Help me. Do not be afraid.”
The man walked towards him. “I’m not afraid,” he murmured.
Matteo rushed past me. I barely saw him move, but he hit the man with the full force of his body, and they landed hard. Then the scent of blood hit me, and my hunger soared. I was standing over them before I realised I’d moved.
“Let me have some,” I whispered.
Matteo said nothing, but I could hear him drinking, his hand clasped over the man’s mouth.
“Are you going to kill him?” I asked.
My question seemed to bring him out of feeding as he raised his head, looking at me. “I fell twenty stories and landed on my back, to save you. That is a necessity, I need his blood. What I need is more than he can give and walk away from. Yes, I’m going to kill him. Because of you.”
He lowered his mouth to the throat again. A strangled choke escaped from me as I took a step away from them. My vision blurred and I realised I was crying. Matteo’s anger at me hurt above all.
His hand touched my shoulder. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. What you’re feeling is our blood bond. Come on, let’s go back to your apartment.”
I shook my head. “It’s too much. There’s too much temptation. I can smell them and hear their heartbeats. I want to feed, and it’s only getting worse. Just let me feed so we can be done with this.”
“You can’t make this decision right now,” he said.
“Then what do I do? How long before I leap off my balcony again, or walk into one of my neighbours’ apartments?” I demanded.
He nodded thoughtfully. “You’re right, this is not going to work. I have an idea. I need my phone.”
“What’s your idea?” I stared at the dead body.
“Well, I won’t call for a vampire Uber Eats.” He pulled me to him. “Come on, you’ll need to grab some clothes. I’ll have my car dropped off”
“Where are we going?” I let him pick me up in his arms, leaning against his warm chest.
“My house. It’s far from any temptations. All you’ll hear is the sea.” He paused. “Do you think you’ll be okay?”
I nodded.
He jumped, taking us back to my apartment. I packed some clothes into a bag and heard him sending a message.
“Your friends are calling,” he said.
“Can I talk to them?” I asked.
“I don’t see why not. Just don’t invite them here,” he said.
He passed me my phone. I answered the call and put it on speaker.
“Quinn?” Mia’s voice was filled with worry. “Are you alright? Are you feeling better?”
“I feel like crap,” I admitted.
Lilith’s voice came through the phone. “Did something happen the other night? You were fine when we saw you. Is this about Matteo? Did he…” She cut her own words off and I frowned.
“Did he what?” I pushed.
She sighed through the phone. “I just hope you know what you’re doing, Quinn.”
Matteo hit the mute button. “Just tell her you weren’t feeling very well, and I’ve been taking care of you. ”
I grinned. “Taking care of me? Is that what you call it?”
Instead of answering, he took the phone off mute. I repeated his words to Lilith, but her silence worried me.
“I want to hear all about that kiss,” Mia said. “I want all the details.”
Matteo smirked.
“I’ll call you when I feel better,” I promised. “I’m going back to bed.” I ended the call. “I hate lying to them.”
“I know. Come on, let’s go.” He took my bag from me.
I moved towards the balcony.
He grabbed me by the wrist. “No, we’re going out the front door this time. My car is out the front, waiting.”
“Past the people?” I panicked.
“I’ll have a good grip on you. Just focus on my heartbeat the whole time. Breathe in my scent.” With my keys in hand, he led me out, locking my door.
The descent was the longest I had ever experienced. A couple were in the elevator with us, and it took everything to hold on to Matteo. I buried my face in his chest, letting his scent override theirs. Is this what he feels every day? This hunger? How did he not feed from me earlier?
‘I learned control. Mostly.’ His voice in my mind was strange. But I was getting used to it.
The couple got out on one of the parking levels. I was relieved that there was no sign of Dan.
We reached the front door, and people were crowded around on the street looking straight at Matteo and me. There were no cameras, so it wasn’t fans trying to catch a glimpse of either of us. It was too late at night for that.
“Don’t move,” he whispered. “Let them see you. Don’t be scared. ”
“Who are they?” I asked, frozen in place.
“Vampires. They want to see the woman I claimed. Gabriela’s obviously been talking.”
There had to be close to thirty vampires there, all watching us, not moving. Then Carlos stood in front of us. I remembered my dreams.
He lifted my hand, lowering his head to kiss my fingers as Matteo did. “It is a pleasure to see you again.”
Instinct screamed to run. His very presence filled me with dread.
He leaned in, breathing deep. “You have claimed him.”
I felt a mental nudging from Matteo to answer.
“I have,” I said.
All eyes shifted to Matteo. His eyes turned red, and he bared his fangs. “She is mine,” he said to them. “I have claimed her as such. I have tasted her blood. None shall harm her. I ask that if I cannot, you will protect her.”
The words echoed in my mind, taking a hold of my heart, and burying themselves deep within my soul.
“Bare your throat to him,” Matteo encouraged. “It’s a way to recognise his status.”
I did as he asked, confused as to why I was supposed to recognise his status. “I thought Gabriela was in charge?” I asked.
Carlos laughed against my throat, a low chuckle. “She is,” he rumbled. “I am her second. She will accept you when she’s ready.”
Accept me? All questions flew from my mind as Carlos’s lips touched my throat, fangs pressing against flesh. I whimpered, leaning against Matteo for comfort, grabbing his arm against my chest. He tightened his embrace, and lowered his head, licking my neck below my ear, and kissed me. I found the action calming. I didn’t understand what was happening or why Carlos had his fangs on my throat.
Afraid that Carlos would bite, I stayed as still as I could. He nuzzled me, rubbing his cheek against mine.
When he finally stepped back and met my gaze, his voice whispered in my mind, an echo from the dream. ‘Feed.’
Just like that, they were all gone.
“What was that?” I asked.
“They came to recognise you,” he said, leading me to a black car with tinted windows.
“What does that mean? Why did Carlos do that?” I climbed in as he held the door open for me.
The inside of the car was warm, with a clean smell.
“By acknowledging my claim, they accept that you are mine. Vampires are forbidden to harm you. If you’re ever alone and they see you, they’ll protect you as one of their own. You probably won’t know they’re there, though. None can taste your blood, any who do will be punished.” He smiled. “It is our way. Whether you become a vampire or not, you are part of our world now.”