Page 16 of Never His Mate

As I head into the kitchen, grabbing the still steaming cup of tea that he has set out for me on the counter, I feel a bit like a dumbass. So what if I thought another wolf was tracking me on my way home? Even if they were, they wouldn’t know I was there; at least, not by scent. If they saw me? Yeah, I’d be screwed, but only if they recognized me. And since I’ve done a total one-eighty since anyone in Accalia has seen me last…

I got spooked for no reason. Worse, I snapped another chain for no reason.

Aleks knows it, too.

He’s wearing a slight frown when I walk back into the living room, carrying my mug.

“Something happened to your necklace.”

He’s blunt, and I don’t think that has anything to do with his being a vamp. Or maybe it does. He’s been alive so long that he doesn’t see the point in wasting time beating around the bush.

The first time he pulled that trick, I was suspicious. But then Aleks explained that while just showing off the fang acted like my golden ticket, I had to be wearing it next to my heart for it to really work. Some kind of Cadre magic, just like the chamomile blend and the bite bandages. I just went with it because he obviously knows what he’s talking about.

With a wince, I pull it out of my pocket with the hand not clutching the mug. “Snapped another chain. Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I just thought you decided to take it off.”

“Nah. It was an accident.”

“I’ll have another one for you by morning,” he promises.

I don’t bother trying to tell him that I’ll take care of it myself. I’d only offend him, and I know he’ll do a better job. Quicker, too. He doesn’t like me going without it for too long, and if that’s the one thing he asks of me—apart from drinking the tea—I’ll do it.

“Thanks,” I say, tipping it into his outstretched palm.

“No worries. As soon as I finish tonight’s patrol, I’ll take care of it.”

Vamps own the night. In Muncie, they own everything, but especially the night. It’s when the more powerful vamps patrol the perimeter, which is why Aleks is on the dark squad.

Unlike what pop culture would have you believe, he can go out in the daylight, too; slather on some SPF 500 and he’s free to step out in the sun. It just weakens him the same way that prolonged exposure to silver does to one of my kind. Without a powerful Cadre-made sunscreen, he’d burn, and it would be a total shame for anything to happen to that beautiful face.

“What about you?” he asks me. “Are you done for the night?”

I nod, blowing on my tea. He must’ve finished brewing it for me right as he sensed the approach of his fang because it’s still too hot to drink. “Yup. Early night because Charlie wants me behind the bar all weekend, but I’m not complaining. I was gonna go make something to eat. You want some?”

Vampires survive on blood, but I’ve seen Aleks eat real food on occasion. Nothing too heavy, and maybe it’s cocky to admit that he seems partial to my cooking, but we usually sit down and eat together when I’m off and he’s not needed to go out on patrol just yet.

It’s so good to have a meal with a male and not have to worry about the meaning behind it. In the pack world, food basically equals sex. The Alpha couple got first kill, or first pick at any meal when we were in our skin. Courting couples used food to show their interest in one another, too. I learned from a young age not to accept food from a male in case it meant you were telling him you were into him, too.

With Aleks, dinner was just dinner. I appreciated that.

Not tonight, though.

With an apologetic shake of his head, Aleks says, “I wish I could, but Roman heard from one of the sunset spotters that there might’ve been a break in the border earlier this evening. He has the full overnight patrol coming in early to check it out. I just wanted to wait until I talked to you first before I met him.”

Talk to me? What for?

A break in the border only refers to supes. Humans are free to come and go as they please, but vampires have to be invited.

And, as I learned last year, shifters never got an invitation.

I try not to look too concerned. “Shouldn’t be a big deal, right? Rival vamps are always trying to sneak into Muncie.”

Aleks reaches out, laying one of his chilled hands on mine. As a vamp, his body temp runs a lot lower than mine. I must feel like I’m on fire compared to him, but—especially lately—he will take any opportunity to touch me.

I’m probably going to have to do something about that sooner or later.

And maybe I would, if it wasn’t for the gentle way he patted my hand as if he has terrible news to tell me.

Oh, wait.

He does.

“Dominick didn’t pick up on a rogue vamp, Gem. He found wolf prints leading into Muncie. Big wolf prints.” He waits a moment. “Shifter tracks.”

I close my eyes.

Why am I not surprised?

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