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She slung her arm around my waist. “Let’s get you sitting down, okay?”
“Okay…” Somehow, I didn’t think a chair was going to fix this.
Chapter Five
~ Jared ~
Though I’d covered myself from head to toe and shaded my face, my skin still felt uncomfortably tight from the sun. I couldn’t stay home and wait for Avery, though. Being apart from her clawed at my skin worse than the burns from the sun. I’d had to go out. Trying to buy time and not be an obsessive stalker-husband, I’d stopped for a new phone down the street, but even that close, a tie seemed to reel me toward her. In fact, the closer I got, the worse my need.
Sitting in the booth, hunger gnawed at me. I needed her. I craved her.
Anger rose inside me. Why shouldn’t I have her?
Because…biting. Biting her is wrong,my inner voice suggested.
Right. If only I could understand that urge. So far I was controlling it, but it wasn’t without great difficulty.
Pulling the menu from the holder, I fiddled with it and tried to look normal. Frankly, the thought of eating made me ill. Even being in this greasy spoon diner, churned my stomach.
Vaguely, I heard the words, “Claim her.Take her. ”
Not from my own head. No, some asshole nearby had said that.
“Just take her and wait until she turns twenty-one,” another said. My head whipped around to see two rough looking guys eyeing my woman.
Mine!my inner voice screamed.Mine.
A growl rolled in my throat, erupting with a roar as leapt from my seat. One of the men, the one who wanted toclaim herhad also stood and darted toward Avery. I vaulted into his path, ready to rip out his heart. Momentary pain sliced across my gums as I hunched, prepared to end him.
Before anything happened, another man, larger than either of us, bounded into the fray. “You,” he bellowed at my intended victim, pointing. “Get out. All of you monstersget out!”
My head moved back and forth, scanning the diner. “Avery!”
“She’s in the back with my mate. My wife. She’s safe. Leanne could take out any of these guys. Stay put while I clean this up.”
I swallowed hard, but my throat was too dry. It felt like scratching sandpaper against sandpaper.
“You okay?” he asked once the diner had been cleared.
“No,” I rasped.
“Fuck…when was the last time you fed?”
Fed?
I shook my head, confused. “I tried to eat a hamburger…yesterday.”
He huffed a laugh. “I bet that went well.”
I couldn’t miss his sarcasm.
“Come on,” he caught my arm, directing me to the back of the place like I was a little kid. I guessed we were actually close to the same age, though. “Let’s get you fixed up, then we’ll go from there.”
Reaching into a cooler, he brought out a bag of blood. I dove on it before my brain could even process my movement. My teeth had sunk into it, and I’d devoured half the contents before my thoughts came online.
What was I doing? I started to pull away but the guy who’d given me the blood, cupped his palm behind my hand, holding it in place while his other curled behind my head. “Finish it. At this point, you probably need about four, but one will at least get you close to human.”
“Oh…my God,” Avery gasped. My focus shifted to her. She stood a few feet away, her hand pressed to her mouth. “You reallyarea vampire.”
