Chapter 17 #2
“I agree, hence my interruption. They want you to set up a meeting on neutral ground if you are not willing to meet them here.”
“Not on pack land?”
“No. The alpha was quite adamant on that.”
Rafael mutters under his breath. “Why now? We have kept to our treaties and agreements. The borders have been solidified for hundreds of years. Why are they seeking a meeting now?” Then he clears his throat a bit. “Did you gather anything else from them?”
“No, but I haven’t met this pack. I wouldn’t know the scent differences even if there had been any,” he replies, frowning. “I don’t like them sniffing around with Samantha here.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
“We should move her,” Santiago says.
“Move her? Where?”
I echo those questions in my mind. Why would a pack of wolves be a cause for such alarm? Thea always spoke rather fondly of shifters. At least compared to vampires.
“One of my safe houses,” Santiago replies and I have to work to keep my expression calm and blank. He has safe houses?
Rafael laughs, but it’s not a happy sound. I’ve heard him laugh for real and this is not it. “You just want her on your turf. There is nothing wrong with this house. I’ll take care of the wolves.”
“It’s not that,” Santiago whispers so quietly that I have to strain to hear him. “I just want her to be safe.”
“San. It’s all right. We’ll be just fine in here. If we are not, then we’ll take a look at other options, okay? Yanking her around every time we perceive a threat is not giving her the stability she needs. She’s only days old, even if she doesn’t act like it.”
“Fine, fine,” he grumbles.
Yeah, I need them to explain this age thing to me at some point. How long is this newly turned crazy stage going to last?
“Are you still all right with me drinking from you?” Rafael asks and my ears perk up. He sounds cautious, wary even. And I think I sense something akin to resistance in the… bond? Is that the right word? The weird thing I sense between us from time to time.
“Yes, I am,” Santiago says after a while, but he doesn’t sound fully certain either. I almost feel bad eavesdropping.
“She said my blood was more filling,” Rafael says.
Did I say that? I certainly felt that. But why is he trying to convince Santiago if he doesn’t want to drink from him? I almost open my mouth to ask when he continues.
“She’s bonding to you.”
I’m what now?!
“What? No!” Santiago sounds both shocked and… pleased? That can’t be right. His fingers curl gently over my throat. There’s something primal and controlling in the way he touches me and it makes my body still.
“Yes.”
“She couldn’t have. Not after one sip. She didn’t even drink directly from me,” Santiago argues.
“Well, she did sense you. And then she promptly rubbed my face in the fact.”
“She jumped and fucked you. I didn’t see much face rubbing going on,” he mutters.
A low growl emanates from Rafael and it makes my toes curl. Possessive Rafael does things to every part of me. “Yes, she fucked me. She’s going to keep fucking me till the day we both expire. I’m not giving her up, San. Not now. Not ever.”
“I didn’t ask you to—”
“But I’m not going to waste energy on trying to keep her off your dick.”
Santiago chokes at that. My eyes fly open, but neither of them notices, locked into a staring contest as they are. I quickly close them again.
“What are you trying to say?” Santiago rumbles.
“We can’t play tug-of-war over her.”
“Why not?” Santiago sounds petulant.
I wouldn’t mind some tugging here and there, but if either of them thinks even for a second that they can tell me who I can and will fuck—
“Because she will gut us and feed our bowels to the wolves if she gets pissed off enough,” Rafael says and my thoughts screech to a halt.
“Vicious,” Santiago murmurs fondly. “I could show her the proper technique.” His fingers run over my throat, then cheeks and temples. It gets harder to think and it doesn’t seem either of them is going to say anything more, but then he speaks. “So… we’ll learn to play… nice?”
“Yep. Like good boys. Play nice and share. Let her call the shots.”
“You’re just afraid she would choose me,” Santiago says.
I snarl. I can’t help it. They just agreed not to fight over me like dogs over a bone.
“Were you eavesdropping, little fangs?”
I open my eyes and glare up at him.
“Your ears must be burning.” He grins down at me, unrepentant.
There’s a glint in his eyes that makes my fangs ache and my temper flare. “Fuck you.” My hand flies before I have time to process the urge, but instead of landing the hit, I find myself pinned under Santiago.
“Careful,” he purrs. “Rafael might indulge you out of misguided guilt, but I won’t.”
The terror, the flash I got the first time I sensed him, returns. There’s something so cold in him that it burns. I freeze. I was delusional when I thought I had nothing to fear from him. He could eviscerate me with a flick of his wrist.
Then he’s up and out of the bed, backing off toward the door with hands held aloft. I don’t understand what’s happening. A low rumble is mixed with a high-pitched whine in the air.
I gasp for air and the whine cuts off. Me. That terrified sound was coming from… me.
“I’m sorry, little fangs.” Santiago gasps, and then he’s out the door.
Rafael sweeps me into his arms, still rumbling. I think he’s trying to calm and soothe me. Holy fuck. I guess anger is not the only emotion getting heightened. But just like my anger earlier, the fear dissolves quickly.
And is replaced by lust.
I’m soaked.
My mind replays every second when Santiago almost choked me. He never hurt me. There wasn’t even a second of pain. But he mastered my body fully. And some primal part of my brain woke up involuntarily.
“You are all right. Safe, Samantha,” Rafael whispers over and over. “He didn’t mean to scare you. San would never hurt you. You’re safe, but if you want him gone, say the word.”
“I’m—” I stop to clear my throat to sound more convincing. “I’m okay.” When Rafael doesn’t ease up, I run my hands up and down his back, trying to reassure him. “It’s all right, angel.”
He rears back and I smooth my hand over his cheek and trail my fingertip over his lower lip.
“What did you just call me?”
I think I blush. Or I’m getting a very localized rash. “Angel,” I whisper. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think. I’ll—”
His lips cut off my ramblings. Rafael kisses like he wants to inhale my soul and it doesn’t take much to get me on board.
Vampires can kiss for a long fucking time before coming up for air.
The only thing holding me back from losing myself fully in the kiss is the pained look on Santiago’s face when he backed out of the room.
“I need to go after him,” I whisper when Rafael finally pulls back.
“Call if you need me,” he replies and reluctantly lets me go. I’m not sure what I’ll say to Santiago, but I need to fix this, so I pull on Rafael’s shirt and head after him.