The Way You Bite(64)

“No one else wants your job, because they’re not you. From what I’ve seen and heard, you do a good job balancing the hate between our species.” She wiped a smudge of dirt off his cheek. “How do you not hate vampires?”

“I hate the ones who still see us as inferior. There are newer-generation vampires who don’t see us this way. They don’t remember the past and are more open-minded. The war in this country, though, has bred a new generation of haters. But not you. The tension leading to this situation with Ambrose has been there for centuries. You were but the excuse. Not the cause. My stupidity almost killed you. If Blay didn’t have the antidote to silver poisoning—”

“What? There’s an antidote?” She pushed up onto her elbows beneath him.

“This has to stay a secret. You removing my blood didn’t work. You went into seizures from silver toxicity. Blay gave both of us the antidote. Once vamps realize they can’t kill us with silver anymore, their weaponry may become more barbaric.”

“Blay didn’t tell you he had this?”

“Blay is a bit secretive about what he has his scientific teams work on. I should’ve known he’d focus on our weaknesses in addition to finding a cure for the virus. The antidote’s a miracle.”

“It’s a game changer.”

“Yes.” His lips came down on hers.

She loved kissing him. She loved his strength. Crap, there was a lot of love in those thoughts.

“You are so beautiful,” he said in a hoarse voice. “You’re practically glowing with strength now.”

“This is lust talking.”

“Probably.” He nuzzled her chest again, licking. “This, whatever it is between us, is new to me. New is good. I haven’t felt anything new in longer than I can remember.”

She traced the tattoo on his back with her fingers. “What does it mean?”

“It’s old language for wolf slave. All who were slaves had this etched into the skin.”

“That’s awful.”

“It is what it is. Not many of us from the old days remain.”

“I don’t see how this will work. You’re worried, too. Don’t lie. It’s all over your face…and thoughts. I’m…whatever I am. And you are what you are. We are worlds apart. I don’t know if what I feel is real or about addiction to blood. Can you tell me with 100-percent certainty you know what’s between us is right? That this is not simply something to alleviate your boredom with life?”

He didn’t jump in to reassure her. Certainty of the wrongness of them floated to the fore of her brain.

Finally he said, “We are right together. You’ll come with me to where I can keep you safe.”

Her stomach dropped. “You’re answer is to hide me from your people and mine? Even you’re not sure how wolves will respond to me. I don’t want to be imprisoned, even if your prison comes with good benefits. I can’t live like that. I’ll find my own way from now on.” She pushed him away from her and stood.

“Vee, come on. What we have is a once-in-a-lifetime connection. My inner wolf chose you. This isn’t something that happens all the time. It isn’t random. You have to get that.” He caught her against him. “Don’t you feel it? Let me get you away from all that can hurt you.”

“I don’t want to be locked up. I need to be able to live and be useful. I can’t do that locked away.”

“You can’t gallivant all over the world. What if you get targeted with the virus? What if Ambrose gets you back? I couldn’t stand it if you died and I didn’t do everything I could to protect you. Please, Vee—”

“I do get it. You must do the alpha male protect-the-female shit. It’s who you are. What am I supposed to do in your house? Decorate? Spit out mini-Lexans?” Whoa. His face was a yes. “How does that make you any better than Dominic who I fought to get every measure of freedom I achieved? He used every opportunity to try to beat me into quitting work until he finally decided the best approach was to marry me off and force pregnancy.”

“That’s not fair. I’m not Dominic. I’ll never physically hurt you. I swear. But I can’t lose you. Your protection is imperative. This bond is a gift.”

She wiggled away from him and ran on foot, not fur, back to where she’d left her clothes, hearing him pad behind her, but terrified to look to see if he’d turned into the wolf again. The throb of each of his heartbeats tempted her with the need for more of the elixir flowing through his body. With jerky movements, she tugged on her abandoned clothes. The chill in the air, which she hadn’t noticed minutes ago, now caused her to shiver.

“Don’t run from me.”





Chapter Twenty-Four


She jogged into the house, a mansion in comparison to her two-bedroom apartment, and discovered a stocked bathroom on the second floor. She clicked the door lock into place. Absurd to lock the door. Any creature in this house could barge through the door with a pinky finger, but the illusion of privacy comforted her.

After a long shower, she hopped out and stumbled, stifling a scream. Trace sat on the closed toilet, picking at his nails. She yanked a towel off the wall rack and wrapped it tight.

He glanced up, unapologetic. “We’re leaving. Carol negotiated some sort of deal with Dominic.”