Chapter 4
What in the ever-loving shit possessed me to do that?
I understood the consequences of what protecting her could cause, and yet, I couldn’t help myself.
A deep-seated part of me saw red the moment that orc pulled her onto his lap and held her captive.
The arousal wafting from her in unending waves since the moment I laid eyes on her tonight also didn’t help.
It awakened protective instincts I couldn’t ignore.
Not to mention it confused not only my brain but other parts of me.
Aurora shook her head as if she hadn’t heard me right. “Bound? What the hells does that mean, Harkin?”
“I used my alpha sense.”
The vampire’s eyes grew as wide as full moons. “Why would you use your alpha sense? What is an alpha sense?”
Was she not listening?
Sweat coated the back of my neck.
I pointed at the orc’s former seat. “Didn’t you see me get rid of him?”
“I saw just fine, but I told you I had it handled.” Her fangs extended, further reminding me of who and what I was trying to reason with.
Snarling, I dipped my face near hers. “A simple thanks would’ve been fine.” When she said nothing, I turned away but stormed right back, pointing at her. “Actually, excuse the hells out of me for defendin’ your honor, which you clearly don’t have.”
Aurora’s face fumed, her jaw dropping, showing more of those fangs. “How do we get rid of this tie or whatever it is?”
So godsdamned typical of vamps. Self-centered.
I thrust my arms out to my sides as if she expected me to have all the answers. “When you’re safe, Aurora.”
Aurora scanned the bar with a swivel of her hips. “The orc is gone, so why are you still bound to me then?”
I raked a hand through my hair, grabbing a handful out of frustration. “I haven’t a clue.” Turning away, I crouched behind the bar to finish what I came here for and grabbed the wrench.
Aurora slapped her palms on the mahogany near my head. “I don’t understand.”
“I’m duty-bound to protect you, Aurora, until you are safe. Can’t explain it any other way to a vamp.”
She sucked her teeth. “You’re the alpha of an entire pack. Others must’ve experienced this.”
I threw the wrench into my toolbox. “They have. Before, it lasted hours max because someone waited outside for them.”
“Let’s go outside then. Maybe someone is waiting to whack me.” A small smile crept over her lips.
I stood boot-to-boot with her, tired of her thinking she had the high ground. “This isn’t funny.”
“I’m not laughing.” Aurora craned her neck back and zipped her spine straight as if challenging me.
In some warped version of reality, I may have found her bravado sexy. Right now, I wish I could time travel and let someone else deal with the orc.
The mothman cleared his throat and hesitantly appeared beside us. “Sorry to interrupt whatever this is, but boss, we’re out of vermouth.”
Aurora smiled, all fangs and sarcasm. “Perfect. I’ll get some from the back room.” She spun on her heel and slammed a hand into the door.
I followed right behind her.
Aurora paused, her nose picking up my scent. She glared at me over her shoulder. “Why are you following me?”
“Funny thing about protectin’ someone.” I bent forward, hovering my mouth near her ear. “Gotta see ‘em.”
“At all times?” She faced me with her hands firmly planted on her hips.
My gaze wanted nothing more than to drop to her exposed stomach, but I forced it to focus on her face. “Ever seen the movie The Bodyguard?”
“Who hasn’t?”
With an arched brow, I waited for that to sink in.
When it did, her shoulders slumped forward, her head following. “Figure this out, wolf, because I don’t need you following me around like a puppy dog.”
I growled at her, my top lip drawing back.
Aurora lifted a victorious chin, then unexpectedly gave a genuine smile. “Okay, admit that was funny.”
That smile of hers. It was—nice.
Getting rid of whatever the fuck made me think that particular thought, I pointed behind her. “Could you grab whatever it is you need so I can finish fixin’ that tap?”
“Did you just try to use your alpha mojo on me?” Aurora narrowed her eyes and moved to a shelf of wooden crates.
“Why would you think that? Because I asked you to do something?”
“Isn’t that how it works? You order your wolves to do something, and they just do it?” She grabbed a crate.
I shooed her away, grabbing it instead. “You make it sound like alphas are tyrannical. That couldn’t be further from the truth.”
She took the crate again. “I can carry a damn crate, Harkin.”
“I’m here. Let me do it.” I pulled it from the shelf, but Aurora held onto it.
We stared at each other, both of us unrelenting.
When she showed no signs of backing down, I lowered my nose near hers. “I’m carrying the crate. Let go.”
To my sheer astonishment, she instantly lifted her hands and took a step back. I blinked a few times before yanking the crate from the shelf. The alpha mojo, as she called it, shouldn’t work on just anyone, especially not vamps. Huh. Maybe it was a coincidence.
“The way I see it,” Aurora continued as if nothing had happened. “You finish doing what you started. I’ll spend the rest of the night with my customers, and maybe this whole thing will correct itself by the time we close.”
Chuckling, I breezed through the door and rested the box on the bar top. “That’s your plan? Wait it out and reckon everything’ll be right come morning?”
Aurora slid in front of me, her ass lingering far too close to my cock for me not to look. She handed the bottles to the mothman. “What else are we going to do?”
Finally moving my eyes away from her ass, I hung a hand on the back of my neck. “Gee, maybe figure out why you’re in danger?”
“How in the hells do we do that? I don’t have enemies.” With the now empty box in hand, Aurora started walking toward the front door.
I caught up with her in two strides and raised a “you sure about that?” brow.
“Okay, fine. That I’m aware of,” she corrected and walked outside with me clipping at her heels.
“Think about it. Any unhappy customers spring to mind?” Being outside in the dead of night had me on full alert. My ears were perked and nose poised in the air.
Aurora tossed the crate into the dumpster. “I own a bar. There are always unhappy customers.”
“You get my point.” I stood still, scanning the area.
Aurora suddenly gasped and moved closer. “What was that?”
There wasn’t so much as a twig snapping. I would’ve heard it.
“What was what? Nothin’ out there. Not even squirrels.”
A chiding snicker escaped the vampire’s throat. “I’m kidding.”
“Kidding?” Pinpricks traveled the length of my neck.
“Harkin, take it easy. You just said you didn’t smell or see anything. Don’t wolves have superb senses?”
“Yes,” I said through gritted teeth.
Aurora let her hands flop against her thighs. “Then it stands to reason whatever wishes to do me harm isn’t here tonight.” She headed for the door.
I stood still. “You’d think you’d be a little more grateful for this.”
“Excuse me?” Aurora spun on her boots, kicking up gravel, her wavy dark hair pluming like a sultry shadow. “If you hadn’t taken that job, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”
“Whatever danger you’re in would still have been an issue regardless of my involvement.
What I’m sayin’ is, you should be grateful that I am here.
” The wolf gleamed in my eyes, the urge to shift tingling in my bones.
Aurora’s chest puffed, and she became silent.
“Still, what hope should I expect from a vampire? Y’all would sooner turn on your own kind for personal gain.
Would never understand what it means to protect your pack, to make family first.”
Aurora’s fists shook at her sides. I could tell by the way her lips puckered her fangs were out, but she didn’t want me to see them. “I’m going back inside.”
“Good.” I motioned for her to go on ahead.
Aurora all but stomped toward the door. “And I think it’s best if we don’t talk for the rest of the night.”
“Great.”
Despite fuming at her, I still couldn’t resist staring at that plump ass of hers and the way it swung with each stomp. “Aurora, wait. There is something serious goin’ on here.”
The vampire paused with her hand on the door, but didn’t turn around. “There are two vampires I can think of that might have a beef with me, but I wouldn’t consider them a threat.”
Brightening, I moved nearer. “It’s a start. You got names?”
Aurora kept facing the door, but tipped her chin over her shoulder. “Lucius and—” She paused, her nails scraping against the wood. “Morcant.”
My instincts lingered on how she paused before Morcant, the way her breaths shallowed, and her aroma reeked of pure disdain.
“Gives us something to go on.” I gave a curt nod.
The vampire’s nostrils flared before she shoved her shoulder into the door.
Once back inside, I busied myself by finishing the fix job on the tap.
It took me far longer than it should have, but my instincts kept making me lift my gaze to ensure Aurora was safe.
It took my attention away fourteen times.
When I was done, I helped myself to a bottle of Shiner Bock and slunk into a booth until closing time.
Aurora kept her word and didn’t make a peep the entire night.
She didn’t so much as steal a glance in my direction until a woman with auburn hair approached my table.
Maybe my dick was playing games with me, yet when I rejected that woman, I thought I saw Aurora briefly smile before she looked away.
The digital clock hanging on the wall between two televisions taunted me.
I beat my thumb against the table, waiting impatiently for it to say two in the morning.
The second those zeros popped up, I stood, grabbed my empty bottle, and approached the vampire.
“All set?” I tossed the bottle into the trash container behind her.
Aurora moved napkins and empty glasses onto a tray. “All set for what?”
“My place.”
“Your place?” Aurora laughed and strolled to the bar. “I can’t go to your place, Harkin. Sunrise is in a few hours.”
“Why not? I got blinds.”
Aurora shook her head. “I need special accommodations. Simply finding shade isn’t enough.”
Daggum. That must be extremely miserable.
“Sorry, I uh, wasn’t aware.”
Aurora shrugged one shoulder as she placed the glasses into the dishwasher. “How could you be?”
Oh, how communicating with one another could resolve so many arguments. Even wolves versus vampires. Talking really wasn’t ever my strong suit, though.
“Reckon I’m stayin’ with you for the day then.” I drummed my fingers.
Aurora stared at my hands. “I—” Her gaze lifted to mine with a frown. “I hate this.”
Part of me winced, realizing she hated this solely because it was me she was stuck with. Why the hells did I care?
“It ain’t no small thing for me either, sweetcheeks.” I stood straight, but still leaned on the bar.
I’d expected her to make some remark about me not calling her anything with the word “sweet” or “cheeks” in it. Shockingly, she said nothing and continued to tidy up behind the bar.
“Ash, are you good with locking up tonight?” Aurora asked the mothman.
Ash glanced at me, then grinned at Aurora. “Sure. Pulling a nightcap?”
If only.
Aurora cackled. “Have you ever heard of an alpha sense?”
Ash’s wings flapped. “Is that some shifter thing?”
“Never mind,” Aurora finished.
Thank the moon. I did not feel like explaining that all over again. It was so much easier in Plena Falls, where everyone was familiar with shifter ways.
“Are you coming, wolf?” Aurora said, already standing by the door.
She roused me from my thoughts, and I followed her outside. Aurora turned onto the sidewalk as if she intended to walk there.
“Oh, no, you don’t. I’m not leavin’ Chastity here,” I hollered.
Aurora’s face scrunched. “Chastity? Who the hells is that?”
Did I sense a tiny tinge of jealousy?
“Only woman who’s ever done right by me.” I nudged my head at the single motorcycle left in the parking lot.
“Ah,” Aurora said, slowly making her way beside me. “You named it Chastity?”
“Yeah, why not?” I swung my leg over the bike. “Not scared of these things, are you?”
Aurora’s gaze roamed over my ride. She looked intrigued by it. My dick twitched in my pants.
“Nope,” she answered. “But there is the small matter of having you between my thighs that doesn’t sit well with me.”
It was subtle, but I caught her throat bobbing and that heady, sweet scent of hers like a perfume that enticed the wolf far too much for my own good. It was so damn confusing. All of this was.
“It’s only a bike, Aurora. Nothing suggestive about it. Come on.” I patted the seat behind me.
Was I saying that more for her benefit or mine?
Sighing, she gave in and slid onto the seat, her leather-covered thighs brushing my hips. A rock formed in my throat that I couldn’t swallow down. I waited for her arms to wrap around me, but she just sat there. Aurora gripped the seat by her ass as if that would somehow hold her.
“You’re gonna have to hold on better than that, or you’ll fly right off.” I reached for her hand.
The moment my skin touched hers, an odd zing struck in my tailbone and straight into my balls. It was gone no sooner than it arrived, but I had felt nothing like that before. Aurora’s hand tensed for a fraction of a second, but relaxed once I snaked her arm around my waist.
Once she had secured both arms, I fired up the motorcycle. “Ready?” She pointed down the road, and I sped off.
Trouble. That’s what I was in. Absolute knee-deep fucking trouble.