Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Nigel
Rain plinks a rhythm on the old metal roof as the last sunbeams disappear over the horizon. Nightfall should feel welcome to a creature like me. Instead, it ushers in a familiar fear.
Vampires.
I shiver in Charlie’s arms despite the recently stoked fire crackling not ten feet away. A pot of water warms over the flames. We may not be able to shower before leaving, but we can at least wash up.
That done, we dress, and I fret.
Charlie watches me. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“Vampires. Vampires making demands. What demands?”
“Like they have any right to demands,” he huffs. “It’s their elders who should be begging to make amends.”
“I just want to be left alone by everyone but you.”
“Aww, that’s sweet.” He stands on his toes to kiss my cheek. “But in a sad way. Your people miss you.”
“I miss them.”
“We’ll figure it out. You should drink from me before we go, right?”
As if cued, the thirst gnaws at the back of my throat anew. “Are you sure that’s okay?”
“Of course. I’m your mate, so you drink from me now.”
This privilege is beyond my wildest dreams. He tilts his head, revealing the tender column of his throat.
My mouth waters. I lean in. Charlie wraps his arms around me and doesn’t even flinch when I bite.
His soft sigh ghosts across my ear. Feeding from him is a great pleasure.
Easy in a way I wouldn’t have imagined possible.
I swallow enough to sate my thirst, lick the wounds closed, and place a kiss on top for good measure.
He moans and sinks deeper into my embrace. “I wish we had time to go back to bed.”
“Me too.” I could stay in bed with him night and day. I chuckle against his cheek, loving the insatiable side of him. I can’t wait to get to know all sides of him.
He grabs my hand. “Come on. My pack will be waiting for us.”
Outside, the rain is steady. Hardy and Slater slink down from their vantage points on higher ground, both in wolf form. Slater noses at a pile of discarded clothes, now soaked, and Charlie scoops them up to bring along.
We’ll be drenched in no time, but I’d rather arrive soggy and clothed than furry and naked. I can still shift, but I don’t like to risk it. The wolf has even less control of the thirst than I do.
A thirty-minute walk brings us to the edge of their village. Ahead of us, Slater pauses, tilts his snout high, and sniffs like he’s caught a scent. He bark-snaps, and Hardy runs from behind us to join him.
Now they’re both alert, noses twitching. As if I wasn’t nervous enough already, the last thing we need is our guards all prickled and wary.
Charlie bumps my shoulder. “You smell anything?”
I shake my head. Shifting wind and rain can make scents scatter and dissipate unpredictably. “Too wet.”
“Same. It’s probably nothing.”
We push forward to an enclave of modest homes tucked together in a small valley and enter a communal building at the center of the village. My stomach flip-flops. Meeting a whole pack at once is a lot. But Charlie holds my hand, and that helps.
Marina greets us, throws a comforting arm over my shoulders, and leads us into the spacious room.
The atmosphere is relaxed, with folks lounging on cozy couches and chairs arranged in a wide oval.
Curious glances take me in, so I do my best to look friendly and nonthreatening.
I am friendly and nonthreatening, so it shouldn’t be this hard.
Marina guides us past the throng to a private room off the main gathering spot. Slater and Hardy pad in behind us and shift.
She gestures to a clothing rack full of generic choices: soft gray pants, lined shirts, wool socks. “Help yourselves.”
We ditch our wet clothes for dry ones.
As our guards dress, Charlie asks Slater, “What scent did you catch earlier.”
“Blood.” He shrugs. “Not much. Normal enough, except I couldn’t be sure it wasn’t human.”
A flare of unease squeezes my spine. “Human?”
“Doubt it. Probably some lucky predator caught an early dinner.”
We can only hope.
We rejoin the group and sit, Charlie next to his mother and me next to him while the crowd chats. Multiple quiet conversations at once become loud background noise.
I’m properly introduced to her second, Oaks, who grins and winks at me. “You clean up decent. Better than naked and drooling.”
The teasing heats my cheeks, but I don’t mind. Mostly I’m grateful no one seems angry at my presence. In fact, Oaks isn’t the only one smiling. As I scan the pack, friendly face after friendly face greets me. My nerves begin to settle.
Marina clears her throat, and the chatting dies away. “Before we get to tonight’s discussion, I have a special announcement. If it’s okay with you, that is.” Her gaze lands on us.
Charlie nods enthusiastically, so I follow his lead and bob my head too.
If my heart weren’t already slumbering, her next words would have made it skip a beat.
“My son has found his mate.” Her warm smile lights the room. “And we have a brand-new pack member to welcome!”
Charlie
It’s hard to sit still when I know the agenda is packed and this will be a lengthy meeting, but since I’m half the reason we’re having this emergency tête-à-tête, the least I can do is pay attention.
But Nigel’s beauty calls to me like a siren’s song, and I ogle him more than I care to admit.
They assess our existing pact with the vampires.
I study Nigel.
They discuss the potential threats posed by further interaction.
I map the upward tilt of the tip of Nigel’s nose.
They formulate plans and backup plans.
I obsess over the freckle on the first knuckle of his pointer finger.
Wow, have I got it bad or what? In my defense, it’s a very cute freckle. Heart-shaped and chestnut brown over creamy skin. I want to lick it.
Nigel bumps my knee with his, and I glance up. Everyone is looking at me. Oops.
“Erm, what?”
Oaks rolls his eyes. “Where do you intend to stay while we sort this out?”
Oh, I hadn’t thought of that. I still live in the family house because there was never any reason to leave. But things are different now, and privacy would be welcome. “One of the cottages, maybe? If there’s room.”
“Certainly,” says Mother. “Though you’ll need guards.”
“I could move to the cottage closest for a time,” says Oaks. “Until a peaceful resolution is at hand.”
“That would be great.” I’ve always liked Oaks. Big, burly, and strong. Quick to laugh. Slow to anger. He’s been like an uncle to me my whole life. “Sure you don’t mind?”
“Yeah, yeah. As long as you don’t make me regret it, kid.”
I’m about to protest at being called “kid” when a series of sharp barks sound from outside. A warning call from our lookouts.
Danger.
Before I can blink, Mother is on her feet.
Everything happens at breakneck speed. We pour outside, some shifted, some not. Hardy and Slater, back in their wolf forms, stay close. Nigel and I keep a death grip on each other’s hands.
The lookout races downhill, paws pounding. Then she shifts so fast I wince in sympathy. That had to hurt.
“Report,” barks Mother.
“Vampires,” she says. “Six of them at least. Headed this way.”
Shit. Six vampires, depending on age and strength, are a solid match for a wolf pack. If it comes to a fight, it’s a toss-up who’d win.
Nigel cowers against my side. He shouldn’t be out here.
As if reading my mind, Mother turns to me. “Get him inside and stay there. Oaks, take Silvie and guard them. Slater, Hardy, with me. The rest of you, defensive positions outside the hall. Go.”
We break to do as we’re told.
“Do you think it’s them?” Nigel hisses.
“The rogues who attacked you?”
He nods, eyes frantic.
“I don’t know.” Part of me hopes it is so my pack can tear them to pieces. Six juvenile vamps wouldn’t stand a chance. “Let’s stay with Oaks and Silvie. We’ll be safe with them.”
We huddle against the far wall to wait. I’m no fighter, not like my mother. But I wish I were now. The urge to fight for Nigel tooth and nail wars with my common sense, which tells me to stay put.
“Don’t worry,” says Oaks. “Marina will handle it.”
“If not through diplomacy, then with her claws.” Silvie grins. “They won’t get past her.”
While I appreciate their confidence, I can’t help but worry. My pack is in danger. My mum is in danger. My mate is in danger.
Thuds and bangs of a commotion erupt from outside.
“Oh, no.” Nigel stiffens. “This is all my fault.”
Oaks lays a heavy hand on his shoulder. “It’s not.”
I wrap my arm around Nigel’s waist and tug him close. “Oaks is right.”
A struggle breaks out. Wolves snapping. Human forms grunting. A pained howl.
“Now, now, now,” says a voice dripping with condescension. “We didn’t come here to fight.” He speaks low from outside the building, yet his words are as clear as day. “My folk, stand down.”
The fighting noises die away, but the angry growling and snarling of my pack remains.
“Control your people, Alpha.”
Ooh. My mother is not going to like that.
Predictably, her battle cry precedes a resonant thwack. “You’ve no authority here. State your business before I call in my backup.”
Well, that’s a bluff, considering of the four of us left, only two could realistically join the fight.
“We know you have the hybrid,” says the vampire. “Hand him over, and we leave in peace.”