Chapter 6
six
DAMIAN
I paced my office, shoving a hand through my hair. The gel had dried it in weird shapes because of the repetitive motion, but I didn’t give a damn.
It was taking everything I had not to track my female down.
She was hungry—I’d heard as much from two different sources.
My little siren hadn’t taken enough from me.
And my bloodlust was already starting to set in again. I should’ve fed on her longer, but I’d been afraid to hurt her.
She couldn’t make that excuse.
That said, I knew I was on thin ice with her.
Hell, I was on broken ice with her.
I’d been afraid to lose her, and I’d been a fucking moron because of it. Threatening her clearly wasn’t the way to go. Not only because she’d looked at me like I was a monster afterward, but because of the way it made me feel like one.
Typically, I could do whatever I needed to without feeling a thing. I had to be able to compartmentalize that way, considering how many vampires I had relying on me.
But with her, I couldn’t do it.
Trying had been a mistake.
One I wasn’t sure how to correct.
Especially when she wanted to do things I couldn’t handle—like letting her walk around my Manor while her magic was drawing everyone to her side.
Someone tried to open my office’s locked door, and I bit back a curse.
If it was another vampire coming by to say they’d lusted after my mate, someone was going to lose their head.
The doorknob moved again, and I relaxed when it opened up.
Only two people had keys.
Louise, and Egan.
I could handle them.
I prepared for a lecture from Louise, but let out a pent-up breath when Egan was the one who stepped inside and relocked the door behind him.
The bastard didn’t say a word as he plopped down in a chair, watching me.
“What?” I grumbled
“Nothing. I’m waiting to hear what happened after you made me clear the room.”
I let out a rough breath. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t think straight. Still can’t, to be honest.”
“Almost like you could feel your mate’s magic actively pulling other males in to fuck her?” Egan drawled.
A harsh laugh escaped me. “Yeah, almost like that.”
He chuckled. “Their magic packs a punch. Makes me really damn glad I’ve got a bond that stops it from touching me.”
“Can’t say I blame you for that.” I sat down in my chair, leaning back against the thick cushion. “I handled it wrong.”
“Is there a right way to handle this situation?”
“There’s got to be a better one than mine.”
“What happened?”
I grimaced, and admitted to the ultimatum I’d given her. The one I absolutely wouldn’t have been able to go through with.
I’d sooner chain her hungry little ass to my side and watch the hoards of men come on to her for the rest of our lives than turn her or her family over to Curtis.
I filled Egan in on everything else that had gone down, too.
“I should’ve come up with something better,” I grumbled.
Egan laughed. “What was the alternative? You wouldn’t have stayed sane if that woman walked out of the room without drinking from you and feeding you. If she’d left without a mate mark, the first person to lust after her would’ve died.”
“If I’d just come out and told her?—”
“She’s a siren who spent her entire life hiding to avoid a mate bond. She wouldn’t have willingly promised herself to you just to help you avoid killing your own people because of mating lunacy,” he said bluntly.
I grimaced.
He was right—a logical explanation wouldn’t have been enough.
“What you said wasn’t what she wanted to hear, but it was the truth. If she’s not in your bed, you won’t be able to stop yourself from hunting her down any more than another mated male would. Myself included. Her lust will set you off. She needs to sate herself on you, and you need to sate yourself on her.”
“How the fuck am I going to make her fall in love with me, then?”
Egan grinned. “You don’t make your mate fall in love with you. You stick around and tell her the truth, and eventually she realizes she can’t live without your stubborn ass anymore than you can live without hers.”
I barked out a laugh. “Romantic.”
“Romance is a lie. Real love is strong and determined. It’s a white-knuckled hold that you refuse to release, no matter how hard things get. It can be stubborn and bloody, and sometimes it hurts—but it’s as good as you make it. And you can make it really fucking good.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “I just need to see her.”
“Then go find her. She probably needs to see you too.”
“And if she doesn’t?”
“Stick around and bug her. Eventually, she’ll realize she’d rather spend her whole life being bugged by you than alone.”
“Sounds like wishful thinking.”
“I would think you’ve had enough loneliness in your life to understand.”
He was right.
It used to feel good to wake up alone. To have a peaceful life full of things I enjoyed.
But the novelty had faded ages ago.
And as it did, I would’ve killed to have someone there to mess up the perfection. To bring things they loved. To make some noise.
“Is that what worked with Lou?”
He barked out a laugh. “You don’t want to know how well.”
“Probably true.” I stretched my legs out beneath the desk. “Alright, I’m going to find her. But if it blows up in my face, you’re the one who has to wipe away my tears.”
He snorted. “Get out of here.”
I laughed. “Tell Lou I’m working on her mountain of paperwork. And tell her not to hate me for pissing off the sirens. I can tell she has a soft spot for them.”
He saluted me. “Yes sir.”
I rolled my eyes, and he grinned.