27. Vameer
Vameer
In the waning light, I jump straight down.
My gravito catches me a moment before my feet hit the earth, making my landing silent.
I’m in an old town in the northeast of the States. The blue building I’m standing behind is a small, two-story home. Similar homes are on either side, their walls just feet apart. And the backyard is a small patch of dying grass surrounded by a fence.
No lights are on back here. No signs of people occupying the neighboring homes. No one to see me.
The other thing about this house…
I take a deep inhale.
It smells like perfectly ripened apples.
It smells like her.
Closing my eyes, I breathe in the scent of my mate. And I listen.
She is not here, in this moment. But this is where she lives.
My eyes open, and I lift my gaze to the second story, where her scent is the strongest.
And I clench my fists while I look at the metal fire escape that zigzags up the back of her home. Ending in a platform conveniently placed under the sole window.
Yes, it’s a good way for a fragile human to escape if needed. But it’s also an easy entry point for someone wanting to do her harm.
A growl starts to build, and I have to force myself to relax.
I have found her.
Then I remind myself that the house is empty.
I have found her home.
I debate for a moment whether I should look for her, wait here, or wait at her front door. But I decide staying hidden is the safest choice.
When I first woke, my mate had human eyes.
When I saw her in the mirror, after our mate bond formed and our hearts beat as one, she still had human eyes.
Weeks ago, my brother mated a human, and the first photos of her, taken on the university campus the next day, showed she was still human. But then her eyes changed. And she got fangs. And later she grew horns and showed off her gravito by jumping in front of cameras.
There is nothing to say for certain that my human mate will have the same experience. But she might.
A pang of sadness hits me at the thought of not being able to stare into my mate’s beautiful brown eyes for the rest of our lives. But the change would mean she’s becoming more vampire. Meaning her physical safety will improve.
What I need to find out first, before I act, is if she’s still fully human now. And if she is, I need to talk to my brother and find out what caused the changes in his mate. Which would mean, for the moment, that I need to stay hidden.
I can feel the mate bond. Can feel the connection between us. There is no doubting the fact that our hearts beat as one. So I believe our life force is also bonded, as I know it to be between two vampires. Meaning if one dies, we both die.
Meaning she’s already in danger.
I will not be able to hide my existence from the world. My night of research made that clear. Phones with cameras. The internet.
It is inevitable that enemies will learn of my return. And they will want me dead.
But so long as no one knows I have a mate, she will be safe.
I press a hand to my chest, keeping myself calm as I think about the alternative that haunts me.
If our life force is not connected… and something happens to Mon Coeur… taking only her and not me.
I close my eyes.
It is nearly impossible for a vampire to take their own life. But I would do what I needed to in order to follow her.
Exhaling, reminding myself that no matter what, even if I have to do it from the shadows, I will never let anything happen to her, I open my eyes.
I have to talk to Volik.
Determined to get eyes on my mate before I leave, I jump onto the upper platform of the fire escape.
My gravito lowers me gently, and the metal barely groans as I step closer to the window.
Quiet approaches were often essential in my life, so supporting my weight with gravito has become habit.
The fabric curtain is pulled closed over the window, blocking my view of the inside.
I test to make sure my mate keeps her window locked.
She does.
I lean forward until my nose is nearly against the glass, and I breathe in her fruity scent.
I need to see.
Sending the smallest tendril of gravito through the glass, I pull the bottom corner of the curtain over, exposing an inch-wide view.
I crouch, looking through.
To the left, I see the top of the stairs. Straight forward looks to be the living area. And from this angle, I can’t see to the right.
There’s no sign of her current whereabouts, but she left a lamp on, so I’m hopeful that means she’s coming home tonight.
A breeze blows between the buildings.
Fresh apples.
My eyes start to close at the blissful smell, but then they widen.
She’s near.
I start to stand, wanting to go to her.
But then I hear the sound of a key in a lock. And a door opening.
I hold my breath as I focus my attention back through the corner of the window.
The front door shuts, and I keep holding my breath.
More sounds. Shoes being kicked off. The dead bolt turning. Footsteps.
I lean closer to the window.
I should drop the corner of the curtain. Should wait for a less invasive way to see my mate.
But I cannot.
The footsteps are getting louder. Closer.
My nose is almost against the glass.
And then… she’s here.
Rounding the top of the stairs.
Power thrums under my skin, and my heart lurches.
She’s absolutely beautiful.
Stunning.
The most perfect being I’ve ever seen.
Her hair isn’t the dark red I thought it was. It’s vibrant. Bright.
Her cheeks… they’re rounded, soft, flushed pink.
Her arms are bare. And her shirt is showing so much skin.
So much breathtaking, delicious, bitable skin.
My mouth waters.
I’ve only had chocolate a few times in my life, but I recognized the taste the moment I woke.
Recognized it as the flavor of my mate.
And seeing her… being so close to the realness of her… I know that her scent and flavor are the perfect fit.
Juicy tart apples and rich seductive chocolate.
She turns her back to me. And I have to clench my jaw to keep myself from groaning.
She. Is. Faultless.
Her ass was made for my big hands.
And my tongue.
And teeth.
My cock throbs, and I feel the side seam of my shorts tear.
She’s so close.
So near.
So real.
My pulse thrums.