by Alexa Riley
He holds his hand out to me, and I lean forward, taking it. He pulls me from the bed and I wrap myself around his big body.
“We have to get you dressed first. I’m the only one who sees you like this.”
“I’m sure my clothes are around here somewhere.” He places me on my feet and goes over to his closet. He comes back with a shirt and slides it over my head. It falls past my knees. “Or this will work,” I say, holding back a laugh.
He picks me up and makes me squeal as he holds me in his arms and walks out of the bedroom.
“Don’t spoil me too much or I’ll make you carry me everywhere,” I joke.
“I can do that.” And I have a feeling he's serious. I giggle against his neck.
When we enter the kitchen he sets me down on the kitchen counter. I look around the room. Of course it’s like the rest of the house—it’s amazing.
“This place is really something,” I tell him as he places a few kisses on my face before going over to the refrigerator.
“I’m glad you like it,” he says, pulling about seven containers out of the refrigerator.
“I’m know I’m a little chubby, but I cannot eat that much.” He pauses, looking over at me. His hungry eyes roam over my body.
“I enjoy how soft you are,” he finally responds.
“I hope so, because since I left the foster system I eat everything I can get my hands on. Now that I get to pick what I want to eat.” He stops what he’s doing to come back over to me.
“You were in the foster system?” He looks almost pained at the idea.
“Well, we haven't had a lot of opportunity for talking,” I say and feel myself blush. “But I’m sure with more time you’ll find out everything about me,” I hedge. I want him to confirm there will be more time for the two of us. I don’t like the idea of being away from him.
“We have all the time in the world,” he confirms and kisses me. “I wish I had known. I would have found you and brought you here sooner.”
“That’s sweet, Kane, but I made it out okay. Better than most.”
“You’re strong inside, you’re a fighter. I can feel it.” His big hand rests over my heart. I place my hand over his and he kisses me again. This time it’s deeper. I wrap my legs around his waist and pull him closer. The thought of food is long gone.
“Oh my!” Kane jerks back, taking me with him and putting me behind his body.
“Mora,” he says, sounding surprised.
Who the heck is Mora? A spark of jealousy snaps inside of me. I try to look around Kane, but he turns quickly to look down at me as if he can sense my mood.
“I’m only yours. Mora is the housekeeper,” he rushes to tell me. He cups my cheek and rubs his thumb back and forth, like he’s trying to soothe me.
“Kane, introduce me to this sweet girl,” I hear the woman say. He pulls me to his side, and I see the much older woman standing there. Her face lights up with a smile. “Oh, she’s so pretty.”
She rushes over to me, and Kane reluctantly lets me go so Mora can give me a hug.
“You never bring anyone around and there is a girl here that you are kissing now!” She sounds so excited about this I can’t help but laugh a little. I enjoy way too much that Kane doesn’t bring other women around.
“I’ll make you something to eat. Kane is terrible in the kitchen.” She shakes her head.
“I can take care of her,” Kane huffs, sounding offended.
“I’m not the best cook either,” I admit.
“Well, you have me now. Kane hardly eats, and I love to cook.” She goes back to where Kane was making me a plate of food. I glance over at him, and he pulls me back to his side in a possessive hold. I wonder how someone as big as him never eats. I’m not buying it.
Kane’s body stills. “Someone is here. Stay in the kitchen,” he commands before walking quickly from the room.
I stand there for a moment, but like always, curiosity gets the better of me and I turn to follow him, hoping it’s not his sister. I wonder if he’d let her make me leave the house again. The thought hurts my heart. I stop when I see him at the front door, and I hear a voice I recognize.
“Dove?” I walk over to Kane and try to move him, but he’s like a statue.
“Juliet lives here now. She won’t be going back to your dorm. She’s mine, not yours.”
I peek around Kane to see Dove staring up at him. Her eyes are wide and she’s probably unsure how to respond to what he said. Even I’m shocked by it.
“I just wanted to make sure she’s okay.” Dove voice is whisper low.
“I’m fine,” I tell her, drawing her eyes to me as I peek out from behind Kane. I push on him, but he doesn't move. “Kane,” I say, and finally he steps over, but only a little.
“When I woke up this morning you weren't there, and then you were gone all day. I got worried. You didn't even answer your cell when I called either.”
“Crap. I haven't found it yet. I’m sorry. I came back here to get it.” I shrug.
“I can see that.” Her eyes bounce between Kane and me. “I had a feeling.”
“I’m sorry if I worried you, but—”
Kane cuts me off. “She stays with me. She’s mine.” I glance over at him. I don’t know how, but I can feel the tension rising in him. Almost like it’s my own.
“I’m going to be staying here for a few days,” I tell Dove, trying to get Kane to calm down.
“Forever,” he corrects.
“Okay then. Maybe call me later?” Dove says, looking nervous.
“I can do that. Sorry again if I worried you.”
“You have no need to worry for her. I’ll make sure she’s taken care of.” My face heats because my dirty mind can only think of sexual things. Dove must be thinking the same thing because her face turns red, too.
“I’ll talk to you later,” she says, backing away from the door before turning to leave.
Kane shuts the door behind her and locks it.
“You are staying here now. Not in the dorms,” he says in his commanding tone.
“We’ll see,” I sass back.
Turning, I head back towards the kitchen. I’m just poking the beast. I actually don’t want to go anywhere. He grabs me and throws me over his shoulder, making me laugh.
“There’s no we’ll see,” he grunts, and I only laugh harder.
Ten
Kane
It’s been two days of complete and utter happiness. I never knew life could feel this way. Everything was colorless before she came along, and now it’s all vibrant and new. I thought I had said goodbye to the light forever when I was changed, but Juliet is my sunlight.
She rolls over and stretches, then laughs when I place a kiss on her side.
“That tickles,” she says, and I do it again.
“I feel like I haven’t seen daylight in forever,” she says as she looks outside into the night.
She’s gotten on my sleep schedule, but she hasn’t really said anything about it before. I know I’m going to have to confess everything to her, I just wanted to wait before I had to break the news. I also don’t know how to say the words. She suspects something is different, because I can feel her curiosity. I called the family a few hours ago and they’re all coming over. I thought it would be best to do it together, and this way if she has questions I don’t know how to answer, someone else might.
“I want you to meet my family today,” I say as I rest my chin on her hip.
She runs her fingers through my hair as she smiles at me. “Really?”
“Yes, really.” Her fingers pause and her smile falters a little.
“Will Ravana be there?”
“Of course,” I say, and I feel her hesitation. “Don’t worry, I’ll be right there by your side.”
“Okay,” she says, but she doesn’t seem thrilled.
“She was just shocked the first time she met you. I’ve never shown any interest in anyone before and she walked in and suddenly I was—”
I want to say in love, but I don’t want to scare her. She’s already going to have so much thrown at her today, but I need her to know that my feelings are true. “I was completely knocked down by you,” I say, smiling.
“I kind of know the feeling.”
I stand up and carry her to the shower with me before anyone else gets here. Afterwards, I find another shirt she can wear until we can somehow make it out of the bedroom long enough to go to the dorm and get her things. Part of it could be that every time we touch I lose control. Thankfully, Mora washed her clothes, so she has a pair of leggings she can put on.
I can hear the hum of the car in the tunnels below as we make our way to the library. Juliet is nervous, and I can feel it rolling off her in thick waves. I pull her into my arms and it calms her some, but it’s not enough. I wonder if this is the right decision, but she has to know. We are connected so deeply that I don’t know what will happen if she rejects this life.
The twins are the first to reach the library, followed by Ravana and Bishop. They all smile and say hello as I formally introduce them to Juliet.
“We’ve heard a lot about you,” Bishop says as he shakes her hand and then takes a step back. I know he’s doing it to be respectful and also to ease some of her tension. I’m sure everyone in the room can feel her fear.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Juliet says, and she lets out a breath.
I pull Juliet close beside me on the couch as we sit across from the twins, and Ravana and Bishop take seats at each end. The fire is going and the room is quiet. I try to find the words to begin.
“The reason I wanted everyone to meet you tonight is because I have something I need to tell you. Something that I feel you may suspect, but I want to confirm your suspicions and answer your questions,” I say as I take Juliet’s hands in my own and look into her eyes.
“Whatever you’re going to tell me, it’s okay,” Juliet says and looks around the room. I feel her courage now, and I hope that what we tell her won’t crush that.
I think for a moment on how to say it but can’t summon the words. I look to Ravana, who nods and then comes and sits on the other side of Juliet.
“I know we got off on the wrong foot, but I want to make things right. You see, we’re vampires.” Ravana pauses and waits for Juliet to say something, but she doesn’t. “It’s difficult for us to accept change. Much less when my brother mated to you, which I thought was impossible.”
“Do humans and vampires normally not go together?” Juliet asks, taking me by surprise.
Bishop sits forward and answers her. “I’ve been studying it for the past few days. Since Kane told us that you were the one. It’s happened in our history, yes, but it’s not the norm. You are quite the exception.” He looks at her in wonder and then back to me.
“Do you understand what she’s saying?” I ask as I stroke my thumb across her wrist. “That my family and I are vampires?”
“I knew something was different. I’ve never felt a voice inside my soul before. One that tells me what you feel and that it would feel good to have you bite me.” I see the blush creep across her cheeks, and she’s thinking about all the times I’ve tasted her when we’ve made love. “Do you all kill people?”
“No,” the twins pipe up in unison.
“We only need the venom we’re given when we’re created to survive,” Erik says.
“And you live forever?” Juliet asks as she looks at me.
“Our life span is two hundred years, unless you are mated. Then it’s for eternity,” Ravana says and then looks between us. “If you choose to stay with Kane, then the two of you will be immortal. But if you decide to leave him, I’m afraid we don’t really know the consequences.”
Juliet nods solemnly and bites her bottom lip. Her emotions right now are so scattered I can’t tell what it is she’s thinking.
I look out of the corner of my eye to see Ezra on his phone, and I’m annoyed he would check it during this important discussion. He begins to whisper to Erik, and I miss a question that Juliet asks Ravana.
Bishop leans over to the twins and Ezra shows him the phone. I see the line between Bishop’s eyebrows crease, and anger shapes his face.
“What’s happened?” I finally ask, needing to know.
“There’s a slayer close,” Bishop says and glances to Juliet. “There are humans who have hunted our kind for centuries. They pass down the legends from father to son and think that our kind needs to die.” Juliet brings a hand up to cover her mouth as Bishop continues. “He’s too close to our family and he needs to be taken out. Ravana, can you stay with Juliet and protect her?”
“No,” I say and stand up. Bishop stands and the others follow.
“We need your strength, Kane. We can’t take a chance of him slipping away from us and then making his way back here, to Juliet.”
I tighten the hold I have on her hand and close my eyes. I can’t just leave her with a hunter on the loose. But wouldn’t it be better to stop him before he gets too close?
“I’ll protect her with my life,” Ravana says, and I know she’ll honor her promise.
“Ezra, Erik, get the vehicles armed and meet me in the tunnels in five. Kane, don’t take too long,” Bishop says as he goes into the other room and into my emergency kits. We all have several at each house with anything we might need to run at a moment’s notice. When I see him walk back through the house carrying several of the packs with him, I know it’s time for me to leave.
“Be careful,” Juliet says as she nestles into my arms.
“There are so many things I need to say to you.” I kiss the top of her head and then she looks up at me.
“Tell me when you get back.” There are tears in her eyes, and I want to hold her longer, but I hear the engines of the cars downstairs and we need to go.
“I’ve got her,” Ravana says.
Reluctantly I take a step away from Juliet, and then another. I turn my back on her and run down the stairs. Bishop is right. I have to protect her, and the only way to do that is to make sure this slayer is taken out of the picture and can never harm her or the rest of my family every again.
Hopefully Ravana can answer any questions Juliet has, but I worry that she might not have been the best choice to do this delicately.
It’s hours later when we come back, but we could feel the dawn approaching. We tracked the slayer for miles and then we lost his scent. He’s not a casual hunter like so many are. This one is skilled and knew exactly what he was doing.
I don’t like the loose end, but we did all we could and I’m aching to get back to Juliet. The pain in my stomach is beginning to burn, and I know that it’s because there’s distance between us. It’s just like after the first time we met, only it happened much quicker this time.
“We’re almost there,” Ezra says. He must sense my pain.
I nod and don’t say a word as I try to focus on getting to my Juliet.
When we reach the end of the tunnel I’m the first out of the car. I run up the steps three at a time and burst through the door. The first thing I notice is that the burning is still happening and it’s painful now. This should stop when I’m with my mate, but I don’t feel her. I look around to see Ravana running towards me from the front door. It’s nearly dawn and there’s panic in her eyes.
“She got away from me. I don’t know how it happened, but she snuck out. The sun is almost up, Kane. I didn’t know what to do. We can’t go out there!” Ravana shouts.
My body is alight with fire now as I take a step towards the door and into the sunlight.
Eleven
Juliet
I worry my lip between my teeth. I should've told him I loved him before he left. What if something bad happens? I know what a slayer is. At least, I know what I’ve seen in movies. They kill his kind. My heart aches at the thought of losing Kane. I’ve only just found him. I’m not sure I could bear the loss. He’s the first person in my life I’ve ever truly felt close with. Loved.
/> “It’s going to be fine. Slayers don’t kill humans, and you and Kane aren’t fully bonded so you’re safe,” Ravana tries to reassure me.
“I wasn’t worried about me.” Her words don’t help in the least.
“Oh, well, don’t worry about that. There are four of them. There’s no way one slayer can take on those four.” She waves a hand, not looking worried at all.
“What do you mean, Kane and I aren’t fully bonded?” I ask.
Everything between us now seems so intense and bone deep. Could it get even deeper than that? If it can, I want it. I want everything I can have with Kane. He makes me feel whole for the first time in my life. Like I belong somewhere. He’s the family I’ve been looking for. I guess pledging for that sorority wasn’t so bad after all. It brought me to him.
“Because I’m sure if he would have asked you to drink his blood, you would have freaked out a little bit.” She raises one eyebrow at me.
I don’t respond but feel my cheeks heat. I’d been wanting that the last time we made love, but I didn’t voice it aloud. Just like when we’d made love the first time it chanted over and over in my head for him to bite me. I just hadn't said it out loud. I thought it was crazy to crave something like that. But now I see why.
Somewhere deep inside of me, I knew. My mind and body understood that I belong to him and it was pushing me to make the bond. It’s probably why none of this is freaking me out—it’s fate.
“Are you mated?” I ask. She shakes her head, and I see sadness in her eyes.
“These guys are all I have.” She looks over at me. Her eyes are the bluest I’ve ever seen. It’s almost breathtaking. “That’s why I was so protective that first day. I really am sorry if I was rude, but this is my family.”
I reach out and grab her hand. “I can understand that. I didn't grow up with a family of my own, and when I finally get to have one I’m pretty sure I’ll be as protective as you are.”
