31. Meical
Chapter 31
Meical
“ D oesn’t it fill you with fury?” Urien interrupted my thoughts. I wanted to consume the man flirting with my mate. But the licks of my shadows told me he was innocent. Mostly an asshole that didn’t respect women. Not a killer. Not a criminal. Not my food—unless he touches her. My shadows flickered behind the male as I turned to the vampire.
“What?”
Urien smirked and waved toward her. “Look at her, leaning into him, twirling her hair, biting her lip, lowering her voice. She’s good. But she doesn’t look at you like that.”
Another shadow darted up her leg. The tip teased the back of her thighs. The bravado she had been projecting failed for a brief second as her desire spiked again. Urien was right. Fucking bloodsucker. Her fake smile lit up her face. It may be a fake, but it was still beautiful. Gods alive, I loved her so much. But why couldn’t she look at me like that?
“You’re so fucking jealous,” he hissed.
“She’s playing the game. Do you think he’s the kidnapper?” I asked. I knew it wasn’t him, but I wanted to see what Urien said.
“No. It’s not him. I asked some other vampires. There’s been suspicious things happening thirty minutes away. Found a human, drained of blood?—”
“You did nothing about that?”
He barked out a laugh. “Other than telling the others to stop hunting there? We don’t want to be blamed for a human serial killer.”
“Why do you think it could be the same person?”
“The vamps that found the body were sure she had been tortured. Days of it. And guess what? Figured out two of the people Janie has dates with this week live within ten minutes of that location. If he is the guy, we’ve narrowed them down. Makes it easy.”
Shadows underneath the man’s chair pulsed. “So why don’t we stop this foolish date? If you and the other vampires have narrowed it down to the other two?” I growled.
Urien chuckled as he sipped his blood drink. “Because this is more fun.”
“I thought you liked Janie.” Another shadow wrapped around her ankle. She slowly tried to move it behind her and shook her leg to shake it off. It tightened around her. She rolled her shoulders as she tried to shake off her nervousness and arousal. Janie leaned back in her chair and sipped her coffee.
“Do you think her friend is alive?” I asked. I wasn’t sure how she would take it if we found her in a grave situation. She wasn’t close to anyone like that. Janie was lonely. Unlike other people I had seen from the shadows, she sought little more. She was an island on her own, which made her even more alluring. A perfect uncut gemstone just for me .
“Her friend’s going to be messed up. What they found . . . it was bad. Humans. They call us monsters,” he said, gravely. “If it’s the same person, she’s alive, from our calculations.” Urien rolled his eyes.
The date placed his hand on hers. Fury ripped through me. A shadow curled around his chair leg and pulled it out from under him. Janie stood up and cooed over him with concern. As he stood up to examine his chair, she glared at me.
Urien cackled. “Careful, old man. The witch will see. You’re losing control.”
I gritted my teeth as the man sat back down. He firmly grabbed her hand and patted it. “I’m fine.”
“Flash,” he said as he pointed to my eyes.
I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing. “I’m fine.”
“Keep telling yourself that. Are we going to let her get taken if that is the man?”
“Which one do you think it is?”
“It could be. I have resources. Not that deep. I don’t care to mess with those. You know me?—”
“Barely.”
“Well, I am just here for a good time,” Urien replied. “Your little innocent girl is a good time. Marked by the dark and doesn’t even know. Innocent. Precious. Not born to be a blood bag. It makes her interesting as fuck.”
“Janie wants me though,” I muttered. “She’s never really shown much interest in anyone else. I don’t think she even realizes it. Or she’s starting to realize that.”
“You say that, but where’s her heart? That’s what you want. I can smell her desire just like you can feel it, but it’s not giving you what you want. ”
I sighed. “I thought the other night would change things. We kissed.”
“It didn’t. She’s fighting you hard. But you said she’s never had interest?”
I waved my hand. “It’s hard to explain. She’s conflicted. I broke her trust by doing what I did. She’s human. They don’t understand a mate bond.I have spent months playing with her in her dreams and real life. Sucking up her desire so I could form faster after a while. You helped, but she doesn’t like the lack of consent. Dream Janie did the first time.”
Urien laughed. “She’s funny. I like her. Glad she’s sticking to her morals.”
I glared at him. “Not your blood bag.”
“Not interested,” Urien replied. “I know she’s yours.”
“Have you found anyone else?”
“No. It is early. There are always donors hanging around.”
“What do you prefer?” I asked.
“I want a relationship. Friendship or romantic. I don’t care. I just want it more than blood.”
“That’s sweet,” I muttered.
My attention went back to her. Janie leaned toward her date again and giggled. Her thumb caressed the webbing between his thumb and pointer finger. Shadows fluttered again and Urien slammed his hand on my hand. “Calm down. She is playing the game. This was the plan. She is bait.”
“My mate is bait. This is disgusting.”
Urien shrugged. “This is the way. She’ll be candy to whatever asshole it is.”
“Fine. ”
“You know, this was the right choice. If this wasn’t your mate, you would say the same thing.”
I closed my eyes again. “Yes. I realize that.”
“She’ll be yours to beg to fuck soon. I’m texting her and telling her it’s not him.”
“Good. Let’s go,” I said as I stood up. I walked back to the car to wait for her. Urien would make sure she would make it out alive. A few minutes later, she walked over. I leaned against the driver’s side door with my arms crossed. She stood in front of me with her hands on her hips.
“Are you going to let me in?” she hissed.
The pull of my shadows caused her to be pushed closer to me. My lips crashed onto hers till she submitted to the kiss. The shadows traced all over her body, tasting her every curve. I had to have her. How could I convince her to let go?