She just had the worst luck when it came to men…only this one was too noble instead of a douchebag. It looked as if she were destined to become that old maid she’d told him she wasn’t.
Even if she was willing to risk Red resenting her, and decided to let him bite, being his mate would be bad for another reason. Her grandfather had talked about the days when he’d lived in Alaska. He’d had a Lycan companion then, someone to drink blood from. Her grandmother had died though. She doubted the clan members would offer up their wrists to keep him fed. Grandpa wouldn’t accept her blood on a regular basis, and she doubted Red would allow her to offer if she were his mate. That meant she’d have to stay with Red while her grandfather had to leave.
She was all he had. He’d be alone. The thought wrenched at her heart.
The bathroom door opened and she kept her gaze averted. He’d leave for a few hours to get supplies, and dangerous or no, she needed to come up with an alternative plan while he was gone. It was completely out of the question to remain with Red inside his den. Her body ached for him. The constant awareness of her swollen clit and her oversensitive nipples wasn’t exactly comfortable. It would fade away once she wasn’t near the testy VampLycan anymore. He’d caused it, and getting away from him would end it.
She glanced up when he left the bedroom. He entered the kitchen wearing faded jeans, a blue long-sleeve shirt, and a pair of black tennis shoes. He picked up the plate of corned-beef hash she’d forgotten to reheat. He didn’t say a word, just ate. He rinsed his empty plate in the small sink.
“I’ll be gone three hours tops.”
“Okay.”
He turned to face her, and she made the mistake of looking at him again.
Red frowned and drew closer. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” She lowered her chin, studying her hands in her lap.
“Look at me.”
She did. He crossed the room and crouched, staring deeply into her eyes.
“You’ve been crying.” His voice softened. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.” Then he sniffed at her—and his eyes began to glow. “You are going into heat. I was hoping my pheromones just temporarily affected your sex drive.”
“Your what?” He’d mentioned something about that before but she hadn’t really let it click.
“Dominant Lycan men can give off a scent that attracts sexual interest from women when we’re really turned on. It’s not something one controls. It’s like getting a hard-on, only we get a scent to go with it. You’ve never smelled it before, and it might be hitting you stronger than it should under normal circumstances. You wouldn’t have built up a tolerance. The horniness you felt should have faded when I gave you some space. Are you in pain?”
“I’m fine. It’s a little uncomfortable. I’ll take a shower while you’re gone. Maybe that will help.”
“Or maybe it won’t.” He reached out and touched her leg.
She jerked away. “Go, Red. I’ll be fine.”
“Not if you go into heat and stay that way. It will turn into a form of torture.” He touched her forehead. She twisted away to break the connection.
“You’re running a slight fever.” His eyes grew brighter, golden.
“The shower will help cool me down.”
“This is serious, Emma.”
“Will it kill me?”
“No.”
“Then go.”
“I can’t leave you this way.”
“You already did when you rolled away from me earlier, Red. You said it yourself. You wanted to bite me, and we can’t allow that to happen.” She gripped the edge of the couch and used it to help her stand, avoiding brushing against him.
She made it a few feet when his next words stopped her dead in her tracks.
“You’ve had a little time to think, Emma. Do you want to risk being my mate? I’ll have you in my bed in three seconds flat if you do.”
It stunned her. She turned around, gawking at him.
He rose to his full height. “I’m no coward. I’ve always wanted to find my mate. We could test it out.”
“You said you made a promise. I don’t want you to break it.”
Pain clouded his eyes, extinguishing the vivacious light inside them. “I also said I would if you’re my mate.”
“But you don’t seem happy about that. Is it because I’m so human?”
“No. It’s the promise I made to my uncle. I hate to break my word, but a true mate bond is more important—bottom line. He wanted me to mate a VampLycan.”
“What’s the difference?”
He hesitated. “Between what some call a true mate bonding and settling with someone as a mate?”
She nodded.
“The depth of the emotions are far deeper if it comes naturally. We form mental bonds stronger with true mates. Settling is more of a commitment to be together, rather than a deep-seated need to be with that person until death.”
“That sounds like a huge difference, Red.”
“It is.” He regarded her with an intense stare.
“What about you? Did you ever imagine you might be drawn to someone like me?”
“No.”
“You always dreamed of mating a strong VampLycan, didn’t you?”
He didn’t answer. His grim expression said it all.
She turned away. “Go get supplies. I’ll be fine.”
“Damn it, Emma!”
“Your mother doesn’t like you to cuss in front of women, remember? Don’t change on my account.” She entered the tiny bathroom and closed the door.
Hot tears filled her eyes and she let them fall as she undressed. It was like playing Twister with a toilet and sink in the way. She just shoved her discarded clothing in the sink and turned on the water. It was still warm at least, from when Red had used it before her. She stood under the spray with her eyes closed.
Chapter Six
Red was furious. Emma was the only thing he could think about as he returned to Howl. She was stubborn and infuriating, preferring to suffer being in heat rather than allow him to take her back to bed. Sure, he had freaked out at first when he’d realized what might be happening, but the time spent cooling off in the shower had helped him get things in perspective. He was willing to risk tasting her blood to learn the truth.
The first person he saw in town made him wince. Uncle Velder stepped into his path and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Is there something you wish to explain to me, nephew?”
“I take it you heard about me carrying a woman into the woods.”
“A human. Since when have I allowed that to happen? They aren’t playthings for you to bring into our territory if you want to have sex with one.”
“She’s mixed blood.”
“No other clan leader asked my permission for her to enter our territory. I went to your home last night but you weren’t there. I assume she’s inside your den?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll give you two minutes to explain. Start now.”
“Emma’s not from another clan. She’s the granddaughter of Malachi. My father owed him a blood oath and she came here seeking protection. I was honoring his word by giving her what she needed.”
“Malachi?” Velder appeared stunned. “The Vampire?”
“You probably knew him, since he was around when the clans first formed.” He hadn’t thought of that until now.
“Of course. You said she’s his granddaughter? That means she’s VampLycan. Witnesses said they detected only a human scent. How is that possible?”
“Her mother was a VampLycan. Her father wasn’t. She takes after him.”
“Why is she here, exactly?”
This was the part he hated to admit. “Emma and Malachi are being hunted by his nest, who also recruited other Vampires to help track them down. As I said, Malachi sent her to my father for protection.”
“Why?”
“He and Dad were friends.”
“I know that part. Why is
the nest hunting them?”
Emma’s words flashed in his mind but he wasn’t about to say Eduardo was “butt hurt” to his uncle. He wouldn’t see the humor in that. “It seems Malachi formed a small nest, but he kept his VampLycan daughter, Kallie, and a few others in a nearby town under his protection.” He paused. “Emma said a few VampLycans left Alaska with him. Is that true?”
Velder nodded. “Malachi had five children with his mate. Kallie was the only one who showed strong Lycan traits. The other four children, well…let’s just say we didn’t see them beyond sunup, after they’d hit puberty. Some Lycans donated blood to feed them but Malachi decided to leave when the Lycans did. We all worried about the children who showed strong Vampire traits. They didn’t exactly want to fit in or play nice with other clan members. I’ll guessing maybe that’s the nest he formed. Three other VampLycans, aside from Kallie, went with that group. They refused to be parted from their mothers.”
“Emma didn’t mention having any uncles or aunts. I don’t know what happened to them but they aren’t with Malachi. Emma said her grandfather was her only family left. Malachi created one Vamp then took in strays to create his nest. I think they decided to attack the VampLycans, and then turned on Malachi. They killed Emma’s mother but her grandfather rescued her. They’ve been living on the run ever since. The nest caught up to them a few days ago, and Malachi sent her here because his old nest involved the Vampire Council. She’s mostly human. She’d be slaughtered in a fight against them.”
Uncle Velder blew out a frustrated breath. “You didn’t see fit to come to me right away with this?”
“I don’t really believe they’ll track her to us, and they’d be pretty stupid to come in here after her. It would be suicidal.”
“That wasn’t your decision to make.”
Red’s spine stiffened. “Fine. I’ll take her and leave. I honor the Redwolf promises. My father owed Malachi a debt.”
“I didn’t say you had to leave.”
Uncle Velder would allow Emma to stay. It made Red relax slightly…but he’d still broken the rules. “Thank you. I planned to talk to you today, and I know I’ll face punishment for not telling you what was happening right away. I only ask that you wait until the danger is past if it’s harsh enough to put me out of commission for a few days. I need to be able to fight if the situation arises.”
“Make up your mind,” his uncle muttered. “Either there is no threat, or you need to be strong to fight.”
“I don’t believe Vampires will show up here, but I’d rather be paranoid than unprepared.”
“Understood.” Uncle Velder dropped his arms to his sides and shifted his stance, taking on a more relaxed posture. He sighed. “Shit. We heard the Vampire Council sent a team after a Vampire associated with the original war. It must have been Malachi. But I wonder…why him? I’m going to have to make some calls. How’s Malachi going to contact her when it’s safe for her to leave? Does she have a phone number for him?”
“I believe he’ll show up here to collect her when it’s safe.” He tensed, waiting for his clan leader to explode. No one wanted a Vampire just strolling into town.
“I’ll let the others know to expect him.”
The calm response surprised Red. “To prepare to attack him?”
“No. To let them know of his pending arrival. Malachi is no enemy of ours, Red. The younger ones like yourself wouldn’t be aware of that, but the oldest generation remembers him well. He helped build this community and lived here with us for nearly two decades. He only left because he began to distrust his children’s bloodlust. He put the clan’s safety first.”
“But he sent Emma here with the Vampire Council hunting for them both. Why would he do that?”
Uncle Velder sighed again. “He wouldn’t—unless he believed they’d never follow her here, or assumed their fear of us would keep them away.”
“Do you think that’s why he sent her, instead of having her go to his other children?”
“He wouldn’t trust them with his granddaughter’s safety. They’d probably kill her themselves or hand her over to the nest who wants her. They became quite ruthless at puberty, and they definitely resented Kallie for being able to withstand the sun. I can’t see them protecting her child. I’m sorry to hear of Kallie’s loss. She was a sweet girl. Her siblings were not.”
His uncle paused. “Extend Emma my condolences over her mother, and tell her the clan will help keep her safe until her grandfather arrives. Malachi will be welcomed here. Her mother was considered a member of our clan. That extends to Emma. There will be no punishment for you…but next time, inform me of a situation such as this. Consider it the only warning you’ll get on the matter.”
Red never saw that coming. He assumed Uncle Velder would snarl and perhaps do a lot of yelling after he’d explained the situation.
Instead, Velder considered Emma clan.
“May I ask something?”
“What?”
Red wasn’t sure how to best broach the subject.
His uncle glowered. “I’m already angry with you for not coming to me right away. What else are you withholding? Spit it out.”
“I think Emma might be my mate. Is it going to be an issue if she is?”
Now his uncle snarled.
Red clenched his teeth and kept his claws from sliding out. The urge to defend Emma was strong enough that he felt insulted for her. “Your sons mated Dusti and Bat. Is it okay for them but not me?”
“I’m just frustrated,” his uncle admitted with a grimace. “It seems all the men in this family except myself have opted to seek out weak mates.”
Red still fought the urge to hit his uncle. It would be a big mistake. To strike a clan leader, family or not, would be considered a challenge to his authority. A fight to the death would ensue.
“You know as well as I do that it’s not a matter of seeking. And I wouldn’t consider Emma weak. She just can’t shift, Uncle Velder.”
“I’m aware it’s a big chunk of natural attraction. You must like this woman a hell of a lot. Why couldn’t you fall for Cavasia? I know you two were considering trying to form a bond. She would have given you strong babies, and her clan leader already called to discuss her being accepted into ours. I would have agreed. “
“Cavasia doesn’t make me feel the way Emma does. Is it going to be a problem or not?”
“I’ll accept it if she is your mate…but you’d better hope your children take after you. I fear for our future if our next generation isn’t strong enough to hold this clan together.”
“Did you say that to Drantos and Kraven?” The answer would gauge how angry he became.
“I did.”
“How did they respond?”
Uncle Velder suddenly grinned. “You probably want to punch me, too.”
It was best not to answer that. “Are we done? I want to get back to my den.”
“Yes. I want to hear from you every few days. Hunt for a cell signal and check in. I also wanted to warn you that Cavasia has heard about your visitor. She spoke to a few family members in our clan, trying to get information. You might want to address that before it becomes an issue. Emma is part of this clan and under our protection. Including from an angry woman who believed you were in negotiations with her to share a home.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
“See that you do.” His uncle walked away.
Red entered Peva’s shop. The woman arched an eyebrow and hung up the phone to end the conversation to whomever she spoke to. “You’ve caused quite a stir, and you owe me. I didn’t repeat anything I overheard between you and that human’ish person.”
“Thank you. Her name is Emma.”
“And why do you think I’d want to know that?”
“Because I consider you family. And I care about her.”
Peva’s surprise showed on her features. “Not another one. Seriously? What is it with you and your cousins?”
“I don’t know wh
at you mean.”
Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. “I think you do. I heard your tone when you said you care about her. You’re nailing her, aren’t you? Did you take a little blood? Is she your mate?”
“I don’t know.”
“Ah-ha!” She pointed at him. “Which means you suspect she might be. I swear, you and your cousins have a craving for humans. I get it, though.”
He scowled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’ve been chased by about every woman in four clans. They’re aggressive and pushy as hell. Humans aren’t. It’s probably a nice change of pace.” She suddenly clutched her hands together over her chest and batted her eyelashes. “Save me, big VampLycan man! You’re so strong and can fuck me like an animal.” She burst into laughter. “The ego trip must be staggering.”
“Shut up, brat.” He was amused by her antics and needed the lighthearted moment after dealing with his uncle. “She isn’t like that.”
“I saw that stunt you pulled.” She lowered her arms and gripped the counter between them, leaning forward. “Tossing her over your shoulder…and she let you carry her out of here. One of ours wouldn’t have allowed you to do that. You’d have had a fight on your hands for treating them as if they couldn’t walk.”
“She gave me a little hell over it.” He smiled. “She didn’t look sturdy enough to make the hike to my den. I just wanted to get there fast.”
Peva’s features softened. “Admit it. It’s nice to have a woman interested in you instead of your status with the clan.”
“A bit.”
“Is she totally clueless about us?”
“No, but I’ve had to fill her in on a few things.”
“Do tell.”
He hesitated. Peva was like a sister to him. He’d been very close to her older brother and had tried to fill in as her family after his death. His cousins had done the same. “She thought I was trying to control her mind when my eyes showed my emotions.”