Page 65 of Rafe

“How can you not believe in fate? A lovely human delivered to me because a wolf and my brother duped her. To be fair, I was a good Samaritan. A gentleman. As always. But if I wanted, I could’ve clipped her wings, bitten her. I was tempted. Still am.”

Crouched low, a low growl rumbled from his throat as Rafe readied to attack.

“She’s here.” He sniffed with a slow exaggerated inhalation. His smile flattened as he glared at the wolf. “I can smell her…on you.”

Rafe kept his focus on the vampire. He heard the metal lock click open upstairs. Skylar.

The vampire looked up to the ceiling. “She awakes.”

Rafe launched his attack. One second of distraction had been all he needed. He pounced onto the vampire. Though he sensed the ancient’s power, Rafe discharged his own in opposition, directing his energy into the vampire’s chest.

“Get off,” he yelled at the wolf, his fangs bared.

Enraged, Rafe’s jaws clamped onto the vampire’s throat. The wolf snarled, pinning him onto the floor.

“Rafe!” Skylar cried. She looked to the stranger. “Sebastian. Sebastian, is that you? What are you doing here?”

Rafe froze as her hand brushed over his fur, shaking him from his attack. Guilt twisted through him as reality of his actions set in. Determined not to spill blood in her family home, he called on his old friend. Greyson.

“Rafe. It’s okay. Let him go. I, ugh, I know him. Really. It’s okay.” Please.

He did as she asked and released the vampire, shifting back to his human form. He accepted a robe Skylar offered and donned it. “What are you doing here?”

“I knew I could get you to come at me.” Sebastian laughed as he recovered and pushed up to sit on the floor. “Feral beasts.”

“Do you think this is a game?” Rafe tied his warm black robe closed. Hints of lavender drifted into his nose and he glanced to Skylar. She tucked a long strand of hair behind her ear and looked up at him.

“I don’t see it as a game at all, I’m afraid. But my brother was sloppy with the human. He should have never left her.”

“You need to get out,” Rafe told him.

Skylar glared at Sebastian. “What are you doing here? How did you find me?”

“It was quite easy, love.” Sebastian smiled and shrugged. “You have a particular scent.”

“What the hell are you doing inside my house?” She pulled her phone from her robe pocket and began to tap at its screen.

“It’s okay. He’s leaving. Now.” Rafe glared at Sabastian.

“I’m calling the police.” Skylar held up her phone.

“No. Don’t,” Rafe told her.

“What?” Her eyes widened in annoyance. “He’s stalking me.”

She looked to Sebastian who shrugged. “She’s not wrong.”

“The human police are no match for him,” Rafe told her.

“Interesting how protective she is of you. Hmm.” Sebastian’s eyes lit with amusement.

“Why are you here? Why are you after Skylar?” My human. Rafe couldn’t deny the jealousy that ripped through him. He shoved the thought to the back of his mind and glared at the arrogant vampire.

Sebastian rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, remaining silent as he shot a flirty smile at Skylar. She returned his gesture by turning her back to him.

“You didn’t just meet by chance though, did you? No, you’re a sneaky little fucker. You were watching her. But again, why Skylar? You stalked her. Or you stalked me? Greyson?”

Sebastian gave a supercilious shrug.