Chapter 26
Thorin
If I were human, it would be around this time that I would feel tired, needing sleep and food to keep my energy up, but I got nothing.
Do not need shit right now except for my girl.
My mate.
I sit forward on the chair in my room, my elbows on my knees, burying my head in my hands, at a fucking loss for what to do next.
This was not what was supposed to happen.
I had a fucking plan.
“Fuck my life,” I mutter.
Images of what happened at Starlight two days ago play like a movie in my head. The fighting, the screams, then her. My woman screaming my name from behind the bar.
The Fury in front of her. The cunt casting a slow-motion spell on the room; it took all of my alpha power to push through, but it was too late.
I failed her. Seeing the blade slash through her beautiful skin will be embedded in my mind for as long as I live.
Scrubbing my hands over my head, the short bristles itch my palms.
I had a fucking plan.
I was going to make her mine.
That was taken out of my hands. Fucking Furies.
If I could bring her back to life and kill her again I would. It was fucking satisfying seeing the sword slice through her scrawny neck, watching her head bounce, then roll.
If my heart had a beat, it would have stopped in my chest seeing Delaney with blood on her arms and shoulder. I could smell the poison as soon as I took her in my arms. Her blood smelled off, like it was tainted and rotting.
“Fuck.”
I can still see her weak and dying in my arms. Her words on her lips, telling me that she loved me, and that I should move on. Never. She is my one and fucking only.
When she said that Olwen could have been my fated mate also, I did not correct her. Vampires do mate more than once, but if both are not turned, then it can take centuries for it to happen again. But Olwen was not my mate. Delaney is my first and my last.
Bringing my head up when a knock comes to my room door, I begrudgingly push to my feet, walking over to pull it open.
Skyla is on the other side, her eyes red from crying. Dropping my gaze to the floor, seeing her like this makes things real, knowing what has happened.
“Here, you need to feed. You are no good too her weak.” She hands me a bottle of O-negative.
Taking it from her, I walk back into my room. Setting it down on the bedside table, next to the lamp, I sit my ass back in the chair.
Skyla steps into the room, her body slow, hesitant, which is not like her, but everyone is on eggshells around me right now. They say that I am volatile around people, as I have snapped at one of the club girls who wanted to suck my dick to make me feel better.
The prospect refused me more whiskey, and I went for his throat. He did not flinch; he let me grip him until I saw the sorrow in his eyes. Gael has a soft spot for Delaney, and her him, so I backed off.
“Anything?” Skyla’s voice breaks my thoughts.
“Nothing.” She stands at the end of my bed, her gaze fixed on my mate.
Delaney is lying in bed, still unconscious.
When she was dying in my arms, Halen couldn’t heal her. He said that the poison was strong and already weakening her heart, which I could hear.
Beat by beat, her heart slowed.
Her skin was losing its color with each passing second.
Looking into her eyes, I could see her slipping away from me.
Glassy and unfocused, she weakly smiled at me, telling me that she loved me and that I could have another mate. So fucking stupid, I could never take another mate if I lost her.
“Listen, I know that you are feeling pretty crappy about what you did, but, Thorin, honey, you had to, or you would have lost her.” She sniffles. “We would have lost her.”
“Then why the fuck is she not waking up?” I growl.
Sighing, Skyla sits on the edge of the bed, taking Delaney’s hand in hers. Leaning forward, she brushes some of my girl’s hair off her forehead, making me smile.
My brother did good finally claiming her. It was touch and go for a while, but he got there, with a push from me and the brothers. Even with my own issues with claiming Delaney in my head.
Our choices were not the same.
“You need to wake up, sweetie. I need my drinking partner back; plus, Emerald is going out of her mind waiting for you. She says she needs her Delaney loving.” Another sniffle comes from her; everyone in the club is feeling what happened.
Delaney means so much to everyone here, except the club girls and if I am being honest, I am tired of them being here. I fucking hate drama, and they cause a lot of it; plus, I do not want Delaney to see the women who I have fucked.
With two being killed in the attack, that does not leave many. I am going to bring it to church about them being removed, maybe sent to other Kings of Anarchy clubs.
“I left it too late,” I mutter.
“No, brother, you had your reasons, but now you get to make it right. She will come out of this as one sexy and strong vampire mate for the alpha vampire,” Camo says from the doorway.
“She is sexy always, brother.”
“That she is.” Skyla giggles.
Looking back to my girl, I smile, then push to my feet. Stepping closer to the bed, Skyla gives me some space, stepping over to her man.
Delaney looks so peaceful lying in our bed. Her hair is fanned out around her head, and her skin is pale, but that is understandable given what her body has gone through—what it is still going through.
Sitting on the bed, I faintly hear our friends leaving.
Taking her hand in mine, I lean in to kiss her knuckles. Her skin is cold, much like mine. Sighing, I replay what happened two nights ago.
Her body is weak, her heart slowing down.
I am losing her.
My fucking mate is dying in my arms, her blood pumping poison around her body.
“NO. No, you do not get to leave me. Fucking wake up, baby. Delaney,” I beg.
“You know what you have to do, brother,” Halen says from my side.
“Fuck, not like this. I wanted her to give me all of her, heart and soul. Her permission.”
“Brother.” Camo sits next to me. “She will understand. You will lose her if you don’t; now suck it up and fucking claim your woman.”
Staring down at Delaney, slowly fading right in front of me, I know deep in my soul what I need to do. My brothers step back, giving me a little space. I know they won’t go far, ready to react if needed.
Cupping Delaney’s face, I lean in, kissing her cold lips.
“I love you, baby. When I did this, I wanted it to be special between us, but my hand has been forced. Please forgive me, baby. Fuck.” I snarl the last word before sinking my fangs into her neck.
Her body jolts as I suck, draining enough of her blood to stop her heart. With some of my blood in her system, she will turn, but I need to make sure there is enough. As her blood coats my tongue, sliding down my throat, I focus on her heartbeat. Counting the times it beats.
It slows. Dropping by the second.
Hearing the last faint beat, I pull back. I watch her for a second, before slicing my wrist with my fangs, dropping my blood into her mouth, coating her lips.
“We need to get her back to the clubhouse,” Winger says, laying a hand on my shoulder.
I nod, lifting my woman into my arms, walking to the club’s SUV, guarded by my brothers. Other supernaturals who helped us in the fight bow as we walk by.
Some people still have honor, I think as we get to the SUV, my woman cradled against me.
“Thorin.”
I blink, shaking my head from my thoughts. Skyla is at my side, her hand on my shoulder.
“Fuck, that night is playing around in my head. Fucking tormenting me. I can still hear her heartbeat slowing,”
“She is strong, brother. She will come out of this ready to be your woman for all of eternity.”
“I hope so.”
“Can you sense her?” Camo asks. “Do you sense the change in her?”
Fuck, I have been drowning in regret, anger, and soul-breaking fear that I might lose her. It never occurred to me to see if I could sense a change in her.
I look back to her, lying still, her skin pale, her skin cold to the touch. Focusing on her, I try to feel her. With Delaney being my fated mate, I should feel if the bond is changing.
Closing my eyes, keeping her hand in mine, I dig deep into the bond. Moving through our connected souls, the threads of emotions. A smile slips across my face feeling the bond.
Leaning forward, I brush my lips across her knuckles.
“Come back to me, baby,” I whisper.
“You know she is too damned stubborn to leave your sorry ass,” Shift calls from the door.
Chuckling, I turn to see my brothers all outside the door.
“She will be a kickass vampire,” Izzy offers, sitting on my dresser.
“Do you mind?” I nod to where she sits.
Smirking at me, she answers, “Not really.”
“Izzy, get off the furniture,” Oryn orders her.
She huffs and jumps down.
“Any changes?” Winger asks, and I shake my head.
“No, but I can feel her through the bond.” He nods.
“That is a good thing. She just needs time. Her body went through a traumatic thing before you bit her, starting the sire. Delaney was made for you, Thorin. The Fates decided that."
Nodding, I turn back to my girl.
Minutes tick by, the room filled with silence, as if we all feel it.
Something slams into my chest, a burst of energy. I hiss, rubbing my sternum, pushing to my feet. Leaning over Delaney, my hands rest on the bed, on either side of her head.
I scan her face, then down to her chest, half expecting her to take a breath.
“What? What happened?” Camo pushes off the wall.
“Brother?” Winger calls.
Shaking my head, I wait. I can feel her, feel her coming back to me, and a smile slips across my face.
The tension in the room is palpable, everyone waiting to see what happens next.
“Come to me, baby.” My voice is low, so that only someone with vampire hearing can hear.
Then it happens.