Though fantastic, the story also rang true.
Finally, she asked, “So, if you are a king and a vamwolf or wolfpire or whatever you are, and over eight hundred years old, why have you been coming into The Gin Room every night for the past week?What does your past have to do with my future?Our future as you said?”
“I am one-thousand-forty-four years old and in all that time I have never met the woman who would bring meaning to my existence.Then, last week, I walked into The Gin Room and found her.Found my mate, the woman sent by the gods to be my mate.I found you.”
“Me?I’m your mate?Are you sure?I mean, I’m not anyone special, just a twenty-five-year-old bartender who is still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.”
She took a moment to think over the past week, and then asked, “If you are my mate, and you knew it last week, why didn’t you talk to me about it then?Why did you and your friends have to scare me to death by chasing me through the city as wolves tonight?”
Chapter Four
Fenrir frowned at hismate’s question.“What are you talking about?We never shift in the city, and we never chased you anywhere.You were already at the front of the line talking to the guards when my driver dropped us off across the street.”
Summer blinked and her eyes widened as she grew pale.“So who was following me, growling and scaring me, and seemed to herd me into running here from The Gin Room?”
When she began to shake in fear, he tightened his hold around her, snuggling her closer as he considered her words.
“What do you mean they seemed to herd you here?Tell me everything you remember.”
“They stuck to the shadows.At first I thought there were three men, but once I was in line, they showed themselves as a man and two big black shaggy dogs ...or maybe they were wolves,” she whispered, her voice trembling as hard as her body.“The animals growled and snapped, and their nails clicked on the sidewalk.One stayed behind me, while it seemed like the second one moved ahead of me in the shadows and blocked off roads I could have turned onto to get home.They kept moving me further away from The Gin Room and my apartment.Once I turned the corner and hurried to the neon lights and people in front of your building, they stopped at the corner and then disappeared.A few minutes later, you appeared behind me.”
Fenrir’s frown deepened, but it did not help figure out who had brought Summer to the building.He was grateful they did but also had a strong suspicion that whoever was involved had a darker, more self-serving reason for their actions.The challenge would be to uncover who the three men were.Obviously, two shifters, but who was the third man?
“I don’t know who they are, but we will find out.In the meantime, my men and I will keep you safe.Right now, though, you need food and rest.When you wake up, we’ll go to your apartment and fetch what you’ll need for the summer hibernation.”
Summer lifted her head from his shoulder and frowned up at him.“What’s the summer hibernation?”
He took a breath and was pleased that the sour scent of her fear was shifting to a spicy curiosity, so he explained.“The week before and the week after the summer solstice, the paranormals of the city go into a hibernation of sorts.For my tribe, we invite carefully screened and selected humans to join us for two weeks of excellent food and wine, partying, and sex.At the end of the hibernation, the vampires use their powers and glamour to wipe the humans’ memories.All they remember is having a wonderful time, though they don’t remember where they were, or exactly what they did, or what was done to them.”
“What was done to them?”
“In addition to everything else, the humans are used as feeders for the vampires.During the rest of the year, vampires drink bagged blood, but during the summer solstice, they drink from the source, though sparingly.We don’t wish to harm the humans, or add to the vampire population, so the feedings are controlled and closely monitored.”
“And the humans agreed to this?”
“Yes, the men and women who join us are informed of their roles during the hibernation, and agree, even though later they won’t remember anything about the feedings.Now, my sweet mate, how do you feel about eggs and toast for breakfast?”
