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The idea of losing the shadow touched part of myself had scared me more than I wanted to admit, but it was still there, though much quieter than it’d been before.
If I was truly some kind of hybrid—tribrid?—I needed to figure out how to balance each part of myself so one didn’t overshadow the other. Would things stabilize when I wasn’t such a new vamp?
Did I even have time to wait and find out? How long did it take a vampire to acclimate to the thirst?
I’d been so lost in thought, I hadn’t noticed Chayton rounding the island and sneaking up behind me. He set a plate in front of me, and his teeth grazed my earlobe. I drew in a sharp breath at the sensation. The scrape of his teeth sent shivers down my spine as his facial hair lightly scratched my sensitive neck.
“Thought you could sneak up on me, hmm,nizhóní?” He purred like a happy lion.
“I didn’t want to disturb you.” Chayton’s sweetgrass scent was already driving me mad, and I bit my lip, willing my self-control to remain intact.
“Perhaps I was showing off for my mate.” The smile in his voice was pure sunshine. I could almost feel the rays of it against my skin. I longed for it. I needed him to speak just so I could get a taste of it.
“Well, don’t let me stop you. I’m a willing audience,” I teased.
Chayton gave me a quick kiss, one I chased when he pulled away. He didn’t see, his back already turned as he returned to the stove and adjusted the heat before dropping more eggs into the pan.
My tongue ran over my sharpening teeth, the sweetness of Chayton’s blood calling me like the world’s best chocolate.
“Breakfast for dinner?” I questioned, not at all ashamed that my gaze dropped down his body appreciatively as he cooked another meal.
Chayton glanced over his shoulder, smirking when he caught me staring at his ass. I tucked my hair behind my ear sheepishly, but he looked good in a pair of jeans, and I wasn’t all that apologetic.
“This is breakfast. Your schedule is our schedule, sweetheart.”
“You don’t have to adjust your whole life for me…” I trailed off.
Chayton’s scoff cut through my worries. “You’re our mate. You really think we’d sleep during the only time of day that’s safe for you?”
I blinked at my plate, pushing back the tears that had risen.
“Thank you,” I whispered, and Chayton’s voice softened.
“Eat up.” He smiled and turned back to the pan, his scent wafting toward me.
Once upon a time, the cheesy eggs and bacon would have beckoned me from the smell alone, but it wasn’t breakfast that had my mouth watering.
Wearily, I picked up the fork Chayton placed by the plate and moved the eggs around before tentatively stabbing one.
Hoping it wouldn’t make me sick, I took a bite. I rolled the egg around in my mouth for a minute before taking the chance and swallowing it.
I hadn’t realized I’d garnered Chayton’s attention again until my eyes left the counter and rose to the kitchen, colliding with his worried gaze.
“You’re hungry,” he stated, quickly removing the skillet of half cooked eggs and setting it aside without a care.
I shook my head, not wanting him to know just how much I wanted to sink my fangs into the vein that pulsed along the column of his throat.
“This is delicious.” I forked another chunk of scrambled egg and brought it to my lips, but Chayton reached across the island and stopped me before I placed it onto my tongue.
Already, my stomach was rolling from the first taste of real food. Nausea rocked through my stomach like a boat on the high seas, churning and crashing.
Shit. The fork clattered against the glass as I dropped it.
Pain bloomed, and I clutched my stomach as it growled loudly, begging for blood.
“Kota said he wasn’t sure if you’d be able to tolerate food. None of us were sure given your mixed genetics.” Chayton was already traversing the kitchen, moving to my side.
I threw a hand up to stop him. If he came any closer, I might lose control. The pain on his face mirrored my own.
