12. Leonardo #2
I shook my head. “I’m not the person that belongs there, Sandro. They are.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. You are my beloved.
We’ve claimed each other. You belong there just as much, in fact more, than many others.
I meant it before when I said that a vampire’s beloved is the most important person in the world to them.
Beloveds in our coven are cherished and protected by all.
It can be a bit difficult to get some of the guys to open up, but they eventually do.
Even before then, they would all protect you with their lives. ”
I nodded after a moment. I didn’t think I would have much of anything in my life after my parents died.
I knew quite quickly that I wouldn’t be able to remain in the pride, and my only hope had been to be able to get away.
Never did I think I’d actually find my mate.
Then to find one that…well, Sandro had “connections,” as it were.
He and his family could take care of the pride, and I honestly thought that was wonderful.
Sandro started chuckling, and it bounced my body in sync with his movements. “What’s so funny?”
“You and your thoughts about the family. I have to say that I’m incredibly grateful that I’ve been gifted a beloved that doesn’t find the thought of being associated with our family terrifying.”
I smiled. “I could never. I grew up in Rome. Everyone knows about the families that are around.” I shrugged. “I don’t fear you or your family, Sandro. Why would I? You’re my mate, and like you’ve said before, you’re not going to hurt me.”
Sandro’s arms tightened briefly in another hug. “You wouldn’t believe how difficult things were for Marcello and Naldo. Mazzi’s family disowned him for claiming Naldo.”
I sat up and turned in the tub enough to look at my mate. “Why though? Mazzi didn’t pick his mate. Or whatever it is.”
“One. Warlocks call their fated mates Ones.”
“Okay. That’s…odd, but maybe not.”
Sandro offered a smile. “Because they go on to be their one true love, their one perfect person.”
That made so much sense. Why couldn’t shifters have something like that? Now I was a bit jealous. “Why do we only have mates, which every animal has in the animal kingdom, but you get beloveds, and warlocks get Ones. Why?”
Sandro chuckled again. “I’m not sure, but I can see your point. Do you wish to call me something else?”
“It doesn’t really work that way though, does it? And I’m not exactly complaining about having a mate.” I grinned at him. “Just stating what I think is an unfair choice of phrase for shifters everywhere.” I gave him a little shrug. I had honestly never thought about it until this moment.
“Come back here,” Sandro said as he reached for me. I went easily, and when he pulled me back into his arms, I closed my eyes and just enjoyed the moment.
“I don’t know what to do, Sandro. Like, we’ve been mated over a week, and I’m not sure what to say or do.”
“What would you care to do? I was under the impression that you were going to wish to take things slow for a day or two. There was a note down in the kitchen that you would most likely have little energy and need some recovery time.”
I sighed. “Yeah, that’s true. I usually needed a day or so to recover from my heats. It was actually one of the benefits of just not having them. I liked that, but that sort of went out the window for whatever reason.”
“You mentioned that you were due for your suppressor shot,” Sandro said.
“Yeah, I know. I just…I feel odd. Like, what now? Do we go back to Italy? Do we stay here? I mean, everything that was supposed to happen here has happened.”
Sandro moved, and it was he who leaned to the side this time.
“Has it though? Yes, we’ve claimed each other, and you have had your heat, but we have not yet had any time to actively get to know one another.
The rest of our time here should be spent doing that, without the distractions that are going to come from being back at the villa. ”
“Will there really be that many distractions though?”
Sandro moved back to directly behind me and pulled me against his chest again. “Absolutely. He is the sweetest, and I owe him my life, but Abel is going to be beyond excited to spend time with you. You are the only other shifter in the coven.”
I grinned. “I can’t wait to get to know him,” I said.
“I’m going to need to thank him like a million times for saving you like he did.
” That wasn’t anywhere in Sandro’s memories and never would be.
I’d seen them, and they were truly horrific in the beginning.
But the memories began to fade and then stopped altogether.
In part, I was thankful for that. But I knew he’d suffered tremendously after, until he was rescued.
“Abel is…special,” Sandro said.
I smiled, but he couldn’t see it. “Yeah, I can see that. I’m not against becoming friends with him.
In fact, I’m looking forward to it. Do you think it will be possible that we can shift in the villa and hang out?
Alpha Franco didn’t like for us to shift in the pride house.
We could do it in our private rooms, but he still didn’t care for it. ”
“You can shift anytime you wish. But you won’t be able to until after you’ve delivered the baby.”
I froze. “What baby? Do you know something I don’t?” Had he been able to scent it somehow? Was that some magical vampire scenting or something?
“Not that I’m aware of,” Sandro said. “I was assuming that you were going to end up pregnant. I can’t even tell you how many times we had sex, Leo.
I would never complain, ever, but it was a lot.
I’ve heard that vampire carriers can be just as…
needy, but I’m certainly not going to ever be upset about providing for you in those moments. ”
I winced. “I’m sorry, Sandro. I didn’t have much control over it.”
I heard Sandro sigh. “We will work on that. You do not need to apologize for everything.” He reached to the side, and it was then that I noticed there was a stack of cloths neatly folded on the back shelf behind the tub.
Sandro dunked one in the water and then brought it up and started rubbing it on my chest. I moaned, and somehow, that simple gesture had me relaxing completely.
“That feels so amazing,” I whispered.
“Good. It’s supposed to.” He dipped the cloth in water again, then rubbed the other side of my chest gently.
“As much as I would love to sit in the tub with you all day and talk, the need to feed you is starting to increase. Granted, I won’t be cooking.
Rio has left a note, instructing me to message him when we are ready for something to eat.
I’ll be taking him up on that because I know that we could both use a thick steak right about now. ”
At the mention of steak, my stomach growled. Sandro chuckled, and I started laughing with him. He certainly wasn’t wrong.
“What can I do to help you with the bathing?” I asked. “Because now that you mention food…”
I leaned forward, and Sandro kissed my shoulder as I did. “You don’t have to do anything. I was simply trying to rub the soothing potion over your skin. Although I didn’t get overly bitey while you were in heat, I have no doubt that you ache everywhere.”
That was so incredibly true. I did, but I knew that a bit more rest would alleviate that.
Well, that and a good meal. Or shifting.
Any of those would help. I wiggled my upper body as water trickled down my back again, but when the cloth followed, I sighed in contentment.
I could certainly get used to this. But was this how Sandro was going to be all the time?
Or was he only this attentive because I’d just had a heat?