Chapter 31
Sebastian
I had blood on my brain as I spooned another mouthful of Mr. Harding’s venison broth to my mouth.
The artful blend of spice and game flavors should have been setting my tastebuds alight. Instead, my mouth sensed nothing but warm water. All I could think of was blood.
Serenity’s blood.
Its crimson flow tantalized with each pulsing beat beneath the smooth skin of her forearms and palms. It became harder and harder to resist the temptation and maintain the mental focus to try to hide my thoughts from her. I’d have to go soon.
She brought her wrist achingly close for the fourth time since we’d sat down, rubbing my shoulder. “I really thought the soup would bring some of your color back.” She lifted the cool backside of her hand to my clammy forehead.
My stomach seized and my skin prickled at the heavenly scent of her veins.
“Are you sure you didn’t catch something at the hospital? Have you been checked out?”
“It’s nothing, really. I’m sure.” But the quake in my voice made her frown. Thankfully, she pulled back, putting the temptation farther away.
I’d been fighting hunger for my mate’s blood, and its worrying side effects, for a few days now, but the feelings of weakness had intensified upon entering this cavernous loft, where her prolonged presence had marked almost every surface with her rich, heavenly scent.
I feared I couldn’t last through the meal. Regular gulps of my Bloodweiser seemed to be keeping my vision from blurring over, but we were only on the first course. My ravenous appetite for Serenity was sapping my strength, and no human food could counter it.
Not even medical-grade blood bags could quench my thirst now.
It had taken me a few days after meeting Serenity to clue into the switch she’d flipped in my system.
My body now demanded sustenance from a sole source.
One that may as well have been a million miles away despite her proximity.
She was definitely dating the territorial jaguar staring me down from across the table, but if I held my tongue too long… I’d die of starvation.
I had to make a good impression. But I also had to get the fuck out of here before I erased all the footing I’d gained with Serenity today. Getting chatty and buddy-buddy over work was a far cry from her offering up her body to my appetite. Especially with the horror stories her scars told.
I’d force myself to have as much soup as I could, then make my excuses and leave. I didn’t even know if I had the strength to stand and walk out, but that seemed my only option. If I didn’t want to be wheeled out of here and make an even worse impression on my mate.
Sighing, I sipped another spoonful of unsatisfying soup.
“Nice deer soup, Bryce,” Detective Pierce said between vigorous chews of fresh baguette. “You ever make it with some actual meat in it?”
“Tastes just fine to me,” Hunter retorted through a strained grin, finally turning his scrutinizing gaze elsewhere. “And it’s venison soup, not deer, dear brother,” he said, patting his brother’s hand.
The detective shrugged. “You say it’s not deer, but it’s dear to me. Bryce made it specially, deer or no deer”—he patted Hunter’s hand—“my dear, dear Hunter.”
Hunter’s eye twitched like he was restraining an eye roll as he slowly withdrew his hand.
Weird. I thought twins were supposed to be super close.
These two acted like they were one wrong word from throwing punches, their smiles as stiff as their hulking shoulders.
But anything that took the focus of me was great right now.
“The broth’s a delicate appetizer to get your tastebuds kickstarted.” Bryce sipped chilled chardonnay from his glass, cradling the crystal in his sleek leather glove. “There are meat dishes coming. I hope you brought your appetite.”
“Oh, consider it brought, fire lord.” The detective picked his bowl up in both hands. After he’d knocked it back, he said, “And joking aside, the soup has a real nice flavor. From the first spoonful, I thought, ‘Deer goodness!’”
Hunter clunked down his beer bottle. “Okay, I think the deer puns have been done enough.” His gaze snapped back to Serenity just in time to see her steady my shaking hand in an innocent attempt to keep the “healing” broth on my spoon.
“Serenity, I think the kid’s fine. Probably nothing more serious than too much Bloodweiser on an empty stomach. ”
Serenity shook her head at Hunter. “I don’t think so.
Seb’s been getting worse.” She made sure I got my food to my mouth and brushed back my hair in an absentminded gesture that surged tingles and hunger throughout my deprived system.
Despite feeling rough as a coffin nail, her caring dug deep into me.
But she might get me mauled. Now even Detective Pierce—made all the more intimidating by his state of undress, sitting in his underwear for the sake of his bandages—was throwing me subtle hostile looks, his hand tightening around his beer.
My well-honed senses also picked up the thunderous pulse reddening Hunter’s ears and the soft huff he released through his nose.
“All this is lovely, Bryce, it really is,” Serenity said, having finally pulled her hand away from me.
She smiled at him, and seemed to want to reach out a hand for him too but stopped herself.
“You could be a famous chef, I swear. Thank you so much, really. And thanks for that new phone your security team gave me today.”
“Of course.” A look passed between them like he wanted to say a lot more, then he glanced at Dagger and me like reminding himself of all the company.
Tinkling his spoon on the plate’s saucer, Mr. Harding stood and gestured to the couches and armchairs in the loft’s central area.
“Seb, you look shattered,” he said, tone filled with genuine sympathy.
“You’ve been pushing yourself far too hard at the office.
Maybe you should relax on a more comfortable surface, take it easy.
If you like, I can make you an extra rare steak? ”
“Oh, I couldn’t ask you to do that, Mr. Harding. You’ve already cooked such a feast. I—”
“But it’s not the feast you need, right? It’s okay, I get it. I’ve spent my whole life trying to outfox my genes, to get them to change, to obey. It doesn’t work, believe me. And remember, call me, Bryce, please. We’re not at Midas now.”
“Yeah, well, if he’s gonna have to shovel blood in his face, maybe he should call it an early night. The Bloodweiser is bad enough,” the detective said, his face stony. “I was hoping I could enjoy all this without anything turning my stomach.”
His brother tutted at him, and said through a rigid grin, “You buy any of the food, Dagger? You prepare it? Cook it?” He cocked a brow. “No? Then it’s not your call.”
Eyes calculating, Hunter slid his phone from his jeans pocket. “And anyway, if Serenity’s invited him as a guest, then he should be given a guest’s respect. You don’t look so good though, kid. You want me to have a doc come?”
The mental barrier I’d cloaked around my thoughts, trying to keep Serenity unaware of them, was draining my vital force and my body began to shiver.
I felt like I was wearing a sweater made of ice packs.
“Tha—thanks, Mr. Pierce. So kind of you. I think that would be a waste of time and money though. I—I know what the problem is, and no doctor can…”
Reeling, I staggered to my feet. Serenity wasn’t strong enough to steady my weight, and I began to slowly sink, my face heading for the hardwood. Hunter hurried around the table and caught me in his tree trunk arms. “I gotcha, kid. Come on, you’re lying down. No arguments.”
“I’ll be fine, really…” The loft’s shining décor swirled and faded to darkness.
I woke up lying flat on a leather couch with a soft pillow propped under my neck. Serenity knelt on the floor beside me, clutching my hand with one of hers. “Thank goodness,” she sighed and reached up to brush the hair back from my forehead.
“I’ve sent my chauffeur off to the nearest blood bank,” Bryce said, hovering behind her. “He’ll be back soon.”
“It won’t make any difference…” My voice was weak, but they both heard.
She shook her head in protest, and he squinted. “Won’t make any difference? You’ve been working round the clock—I wish all my new employees took things as seriously—but you’ve been neglecting your species’ vital needs.”
The blood bags might steady my nerves, but it was like trying to treat an axe wound with a band aid.
Serenity rubbed my cheek. “And we need you in tip-top shape for putting the Temple in its place.”
God, how I yearned for her.
I mumbled an apology as I looked round the room. Hunter was near the kitchen, his face was full of confusion and, surprisingly, sympathy. Dagger’s face was full of shrimp as he ate more dinner.
The detective spoke through chews as he walked closer, peering into my eyes. “What’s really going on here? This ain’t my first time round the block, kiddo. You been playing vamp mind tricks on her?” He knelt by Serenity to look into her eyes as if he might find her pupils glazed over in a trance.
I tried to sit up on the couch but failed. I croaked a reply. “What are you talking about?”
He stood back up and fuck me, he was a towering lump of tattooed muscle. The scowl on his face was making me nervous.
“He’s not well. This isn’t the time for playing bad cop.” Serenity swatted his bare leg.
The detective held up his palms in surrender, “I’m sorry, Cowgirl, but I don’t know if I like this guy being so close to you.
Not with this obvious bloodlust he’s got going on.
For all I know, he’s been saving his thirst for the premium human juice, straight from the source, from someone he’s clearly got googly eyes for—”
“Don’t be so rude!” she said with surprising spunk. “He’s just worn out.”
Dagger fixed his glare on me. “I don’t care if a vamp’s worked 24/7 for the past four weeks.
This isn’t burnout from pushing pencils or tapping keyboards.
I’ve seen the way you’ve been looking at her.
Like she’s fucking food, right? Come on, spill it, vamp boy. I don’t buy all this goody-goody shit.”
A crescendo of voices stung the air. Three against the detective, telling him in different ways to cool off.
Except, he was right. Fuck it. I needed the weight off my chest anyway. I broke through the bickering voices with a bellow, “She’s my mate! I’m sick because I need her blood. Bravo, detective, you were almost there.”
The loft swam in silence. Serenity slowly let go of my hand, her jaw—and everyone else’s—hanging slack.
The loss of her touch… the hint of aversion crinkling her nose.
It seared through me like a jab from a fire poker.
“That’s how we’ve been able to read each other’s thoughts,” I explained, forcing myself to reach out to her with my words rather than my hands or our mental link.
“Because we’re mates. It’s the only explanation. ”
“You read her what?” Hunter’s sympathy had been called away to an urgent meeting.
He poked an index finger toward me, the rhythm loosely matching his harsh words.
“I don’t want anyone, and I mean anyone, rooting around in her thoughts.
Especially not a vampire, after all the shit that’s gone down.
And you’re not her mate. You understand me? ”
Nodding, hoping his anger would cool before he throttled me, I tried to explain. “I have no control about overhearing the thoughts. I don’t—”
“For once, I’m in full agreement with my learned brother. Invading people’s minds is creepy as fuck,” Dagger said. “And it’s stone-cold fact you can’t be her mate.” Dagger slapped his brother’s shoulder in a show of camaraderie. “You know why that is, don’t you, Hunt?”
Hunter beamed, his face glowing with love and pride. “Because she’s my mate—”
“Our mate!”
The twins blurted the words simultaneously, but Hunter rounded on Dagger with snarling contempt. “Ours? You know she’s with me.” Hunter’s words flew out forcefully, as if the sentiments had been bottled up tight.
Dagger threw his arms up in frustration. “We’re twins, dumbass! Sharing a fated mate is pretty damn common.”
The surprise that flickered across Hunter’s face barely made a dent in his fury. “I don’t give a fat fuck,” he growled.
The brothers inched closer to each other, faces grimacing, massive pectorals puffed.
“It’s bigger than both of us,” Dagger ground out.
“If you can’t see that, then I don’t know why you read all that boring shit, because you’re still fucking stupid.
” He threw out an arm in Serenity’s general vicinity.
“Would you really deny her a fated mate? The bond’s already forming.
I feel it, she feels it. You can’t sever that! Right, Serenity?”
Both their heads spun her way. Serenity, still on her knees by the couch, blinked up at them, a sitting duck between two angry jaguars.
Hunter held out his arms. “Little Dancer, I’m your mate. You know I am.”
To my shock, she looked at me first, pulling her lower lip between her teeth. Then, with a sheepish grin, she surveyed everyone else in the room, her face deeply flushed. “Um, I think all three of you are amazing. You know that. You’re all so—”
Bryce cleared his throat loudly. Still staring down into his drink, he said to the room, “This may be complicated even further by… my own feelings…”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Dagger roared, tossing up his hands.
Hunter deflated, reeling back a step as he swiveled a softening expression between Bryce and Serenity. He rubbed his jaw. “God, of course,” he murmured, almost too low to hear. “I mean… she can touch you.”
“Huh?” I tried to jerk up my head, making the image of Bryce’s apologetic grimace toward Hunter swim. I groaned, lying back on the pillow as a taut silence stifled the room for several seconds.
“This can’t be happening,” Hunter rasped at last, looking utterly defeated as he raked a hand over his hair.
“We can’t all be feeling a mate bond.” He licked his lips and found Serenity’s face with pleading eyes.
“A-are you…” He got down on his knees with her, taking her hand.
“You and I are connected, we know. But do you… have feelings for them, too?”
“Well, I… I only mean to keep this… um, well, clearly…” Unable to get out whatever she was thinking, Serenity sniffled, wiping a tear that hit her cheek. “Bryce, could I have one of whatever you’re drinking?”
“Of course.” He hurriedly poured her one on the rocks. “It’s strong though, just warning you.”
She slipped her hand free of Hunter’s and stood, dabbing a finger to the corner of one eye. “Good.” Her bracing exhale turned into a nervous chuckle. “Because I don’t know how I’m going to get any of this out without a little liquid courage.”