Page 138 of Scorned

She also said, “Our choices harbor the capacity to alter the predetermined trajectory of destiny.” How was she sure from the first time meeting me?

Is she hiding more than she’s revealing?

Someone dropped a wood log into the fire pit, the crackling getting my attention. Everything was brighter, louder.

“Is there a place I can wash up? And possibly have a minute to myself?” my mom asked, and I whipped toward her, a lot faster than I meant to.

I pointed to my cabin. “You can go to my place. The bathroom is down the hall on the right. If you want to lay in peace, the next door down is the spare bedroom.”

“Is Chewy in there?” she asked, and when I nodded, she let out a settling sigh. “Thank you, Sweetie. In case I fall asleep, I love you.”

“I love you too.”

She gave me a hug, then as she walked toward my cabin, the tiki torches flickered across her clothes. The little things I never noticed when I was a human now had my attention.

“Are you okay?” Luka asked, bringing me from my thoughts.

The scent of fresh rain caressed my nose when the wind whipped past me. “I’m noticing little things. Things I’ve never paid attention to before. Beautiful things.”

“Come here.” Luka grabbed my hand, dragging me to the edge of the woods, and when he stopped, I gasped.

Despite it being nighttime, I could see deep into the forest with my new vampire eyes. Like the sun was about to set, but lit the world just enough to see.

The stream that wasn’t close enough for my human ears to hear now played a melody for my senses, and the lake nearby had frogs croaking, then one jumped, splashing the water.

“Whoa. This is crazy.”

Luka slid his hands around me from behind and pulled me into him. “Amazing, isn’t it?”

“I can’t even describe how wonderful it is.”

“Most of it you will eventually drown out unless you want to notice.”

He ran his nose across my ear and I tilted my head, giving him better access to place soft kisses on my neck, sending shivers down my spine. I pressed my butt against him and he moaned softly.

A hint of cedar caressed my senses, reminding me of my grandmother’s old cedar chest at first. The scent became stronger, more intoxicating as it blended with sweet bergamot oranges and warm vanilla.

I ripped out of his embrace and faced him. “What’s that delicious scent?”

His blue eyes sparkled as he gave me a smug grin that made me want to rip his clothes off. “Me.”

“There’s no way you smell like that.” Grabbing his face, I yanked his head toward me, eliciting a grunt from him, then ran my nose up his neck, inhaling the most arousing scent ever.

The tantalizing fragrance made my mouth fall open and my fangs elongate. The sensitive skin of my areolas puckered, hardening my nipples. The smell was beyond delicious. I wanted it. I wanted to strip naked and bathe in the aroma. Bask in its phenomenal glory. Wanted to drink the scent’s blood.

“Did you start wearing cologne?”

He shook his head, and it surprised me to see his sparkling blue eyes in the dead of night. “It’s not cologne, it’s my essence.”

“What’s that?” I asked, my body burning with a primal longing.

“It’s like a lure. When two supernatural’s bond, it’s the scent they release to show love or their level of arousal. And the cool thing is, only your bondmate can smell it.”

“Holy fuck. That’s what that is?”

Luka laughed and the deep timber of it sent my blood pumping.

“The feeling I get is similar to yours, Princess. Your citrus and vanilla scented lure was extremely delicious.”

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