Bitter Blood (Blood and Moonlight Book 3)(34)

He stared back at her. “We are,” Jane said. “Stronger when we’re together, remember? We can do this.”

Vincent gave a bark of rough laughter, drawing her stare. “Stronger together? You two are lethal together, when are you going to realize that? A werewolf with a vampire—it’s an abomination to nature. That’s why your friend is in there suffering. Because the two of you wouldn’t f*cking stay apart. How many others will you destroy before you finally get a clue?” He shook his head and turned away from them.

Aidan strode away from Jane and grabbed Vincent’s shoulder. “You and I aren’t done.”

A muscle jerked in Vincent’s jaw. “Still mad because I made sure she came back as a vampire, huh? You know, instead of being all enraged, maybe you should try being grateful. After all, I’m the one who made it so that Jane is around, permanently. No death for her—provided, of course, she doesn’t get herself burned to ash because she’s saving your sorry hide.”

Aidan’s eyes took on a beastly glow.

“Aidan,” Jane said quickly. “Don’t.” She knew he wanted to rip Vincent apart but… “We need him, remember? Let the guy go and get his witch. For Paris.”

Aidan held Vincent’s gaze for a moment longer. She honestly thought there was a fifty-fifty shot that Aidan would ignore her and just cut off the vamp’s head right then and there. Jane tensed…

But then Aidan was reaching for her. His fingers tangled with hers and held tight.

Vincent’s gaze dropped to their hands. “And there it is.” His lips twisted in a mocking smile. “She’ll be the death of you one day, alpha.”

And then…the vamp vanished. Oh, Jane knew he hadn’t just disappeared into thin air. He used magic to make it seem as if he’d faded into nothing. Magic provided by the mysterious Lena.

“Can’t wait to meet his witch,” Jane murmured. “I want her to take away whatever spell lets him do that shit.”

Aidan pulled her closer.

She glanced up and fury blazed at her from the depths of his blue eyes, and, hell, it was a fury that he was more than entitled to feel. Jane lifted her chin. “I’m going to make this right, I swear, I am—”

In a flash, he’d shoved her against the brick walls of that old club. His hands locked hers above her head. And his grip was…strong. Very, very strong. So strong that even with her vamp enhancements, Jane wasn’t sure she could break away from him.

“You went into the fire,” Aidan snarled.

Were they back to that? “Aidan…”

He kissed her. Angry, rough, but, jeez, it was still Aidan and when Aidan kissed her, her body reacted with an instant fever. She got turned on, she got hot, she got…

I want him.

His mouth lifted from hers. “I can’t do it without you.”

Jane blinked up at him.

“I can feel myself changing. Every damn minute, my sanity…my hold on my humanity…Jane, it’s slipping away.”

Fear had her heart racing faster. “What?”

“You and Paris…you two are my anchors. You keep me in check. But now he’s in there…” And he stepped away from her. He freed her hands and started to pace. “Shit, he’s in there, chained up, and the bastard wants me to kill him!”

Her heart drummed even faster. “He’s half-mad from the change. He doesn’t know—”

Aidan scrubbed his hands over his eyes. “He knows. When he told me to kill him, he was Paris, not some bloodlust insane vamp. He wanted me to end him.” His hand fell. “And I didn’t.”

She wanted to reach out to him. Wanted to pull him close. To take away his pain. But Jane didn’t know how.

Especially since I think I’m the one who caused his pain. “Aidan…”

He drove his hand into the brick wall. The bricks cracked, chunks went flying, and Jane saw the deep indention that had been left by his blow.

“I…I’m the f*cking leader.” His fist stayed embedded in the wall. His head tilted forward as his shoulders slumped. “I know what I should do. As a werewolf alpha, I know.”

His pain was gutting her. She reached out for him, but when Jane touched his arm, Aidan flinched, then he whirled toward her.

And she saw his face.

His…fangs.

They were out. Sharp. Wicked, wicked sharp. The fangs of a vampire, not a wolf.

“Aidan?”

“But I’m not just a werewolf any longer.” And even his voice had changed. Deeper. Darker. “I won’t give up what’s mine. Not my friend.”

She was frozen to the spot.

He wasn’t. He reached for her. Pulled Jane close. She could feel the hot stir of his breath on her neck.

“And not you. Not ever f*cking you.” His fangs sank into her. No marking from a werewolf, but a vampire’s bite. The pain was a white-hot flash, and then…pleasure. Seeming to burn through her veins. She gasped and held on to him, shuddering. Her breasts tightened, her nipples ached, and Jane found herself pushing closer to him, needing to touch him, wanting more of him. Wanting everything. Wanting—

He wrenched his mouth from her neck. “Jane?”

Her breath sawed out of her lungs. She peered up at him from beneath her lashes.