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Veronica laughs a sweet, low seductive sound while trailing her fingers down my neck and resting them in the dip of my collarbone. “I prefer sweeter tastes.”
“Wolves are sweeter?” His brows raise as he regards my wrists and neck curiously. The way his gaze lingers makes me think he must be hungry. Maybe they are only drinking what’s been donated. When his eyes reach my hard stare, he flinches.
“I think we’re good here,” I state bluntly. I don’t appreciate being looked at like I’m a fucking meal. Not by him anyway.
With a soft hum of agreement, Veronica laces her fingers between mine, peering up at me. The male vampire is quick to look away.
I lead Veronica out, loving that she holds on to my hand without hesitation.
Still, I can’t help feeling a twisting knot deep in my gut. I just don’t feel right. We haven’t been intimate since the offering. My wolf isn’t happy. My balls aren’t either. Every few hours I’m rock hard for her and I’m going to need a release soon. Preferably before I lose my damn mind.
As we walk down the narrow hall, the scents mingle and that unsettled feeling turns into something else. “Let me do a lap and try to catch the scent.”
Veronica pauses in the middle of the hall with me, the vampire to our backs. “Do you think you’ll find anything?”
I shrug and tell her, “Possibly. A vampire’s scent is much different from a human’s.”
“Oh,” she says and purses her lips, “and what is it that we smell like?”
“More metallic and salty.” That’s the best response I can come up with. It’s hard to describe their smell.
She huffs in distaste and says, “So you’re saying I smell like a rock.”
“No, you smell like honey and jasmine.” I lean in close to her ear, backing her body against the handrail, then tell her, “You taste like them too.” Heat dances between us instantly and she sucks in a breath, taken aback and very much weak for me. She lets her head fall back, which gives me a clear view of my mark on her. I bend down to kiss it, but she seems to realize my intention and pushes away from me. That twisting sickness in my stomach roils.
“Do a lap and see if you can smell anything.” She maneuvers her way out of my hold and it takes everything in me not to react. Not to hold her still, press her against the wall and take her lips with mine. I watch her walk away from me, staying as still as I can.
Taking one deep breath and then another, my tense muscles relax. At least she’s found her strength and is giving me orders again.
I follow her out of the blood bank walking a step or two behind. When she stops at the car and turns to face me, I step into her space. It fucking kills me when she stiffens as I cage her body in. Her eyes flash with fear, and then defiance as they narrow at me. She has no reason for either reaction.
I lean down and breathe in her sweet honey scent before kissing her neck. If I want to kiss my mark on her, I’m going to fucking kiss it. I leave an openmouthed kiss exactly where I want it and breathe into her neck, “My Mistress.”
As I pull back, she doesn’t react. There’s a sadness in her eyes, followed by nothing. In a blink, nothing. It guts me.
How have we taken such a huge step back in our relationship? It was so fucking easy, so damn good before. My fists clench as I leave her and head for the back of the building, the thin skin over my knuckles going taut and turning white. My jog turns into a sprint. How the hell did I mess this up so fucking bad?
No. My fist pounds against the dumpster as I near the back exit, leaving a massive dent in the side. I look around and release the breath I was holding when I see that no one saw my outburst. I need to check my anger before it creates more trouble.
I didn’t mess this up. I’m fixing it. I only have to think back to her lying on the ground in fear of me after claiming her. That’s enough to solidify my decision to keep pushing her. She will learn to trust me again. The fucked-up part is that I think she’s really pissed that now I know she can be shaken. Like it somehow makes her weak. That’s a load of shit. My mate is anything but weak.
The building is small and it’s easy enough to encircle it, drawing in air as I go.
I pause as I scent the air, detecting a number of vampires in the tall grass by the fence. It’s easy to catch the trail. I move to follow it through the field but stop short, thinking I shouldn’t leave my mate for too long. It’s only a moment for me, only seconds until she’s back in my sight. I can smell her and feel her even. The thought of leaving her alone, though, even if only for a moment? I don’t fucking like it. That tightness in my chest eases as I see my mate’s fingers on her neck, running along the little indents of the scar I gave her.
Knowing she very much feels me as I do her, I stride to the passenger side and open the door for her.
“I’ll drive,” she demands as she walks to the driver’s side, ignoring my attempt to reconcile.
Just as she opens the door, I tell her, “It would be better if I drive. After all, I’ll be trying to scent our way.” She purses her lips and clicks her tongue against the roof of her mouth before striding toward me, her heels tapping out a staccato rhythm on the pavement. “Fine, pup.”
Before she can slip into the seat, I wrap my hand around her waist, holding her there. Tension crackles between us as her chest rises and falls. My gaze is locked with hers.
“I want us to be okay,” I admit to her in a whisper. Her fingers wrap around mine, releasing my grip as she swallows and says, “Me too.”
That’s all I get. But it’s better than nothing.
It’s silent in the car as I pick out the way to go. Veronica’s still and quiet.
