Page 20 of Claiming the Dhampir

“Yes, I’m yours,” I whispered before letting my eyes close and joining my mate in sleep.

When I woke, I’d never felt so relaxed in my entire life. Maybe relaxed wasn’t the right word. Satisfied. Dare I say happy? I’d been alive for a really long time, so Lorna wasn’t the first woman I’d had sex with, but she was the first who truly satisfied me.

Because she was my mate, the other half of my soul. Her dhampir understood my wolf, which only made it better. As soon as Mir had accepted me, all my concerns about not mating another wolf went out the window. It felt amazing. Just like the woman next to me with her head lying on my chest and her hand resting on my stomach. She loved my abs, which only gave me more incentive to ensure they stayed firm.

I traced a finger along her shoulder and smiled at the chills rising on her skin. Her eyelids fluttered before opening. The sleepy look on her face made my heart sing. I would love to wake up next to her every single morning.

“I’ve never been a cuddler,” Lorna mumbled against my chest.

I chuckled. “Could’ve fooled me.”

She’d stayed glued to my side all night, even after my knot receded. Just like a shifter mate, she needed physical contact. Just another thing to add to the list of ‘Things about Lorna that make me happy.’

“It’s your fault,” she said. “I want to touch you all the damn time.”

My wolf gave me a smug expression. I totally agreed with him. Man, it felt good to agree with him.

“It’s a shifter thing,” I said. “We always crave physical contact, especially with our mates.”

Lorna lifted her head and looked up at me. “But I’m not … a shifter.”

I couldn’t help but notice her pause. I opened my mouth to tell her we didn’t really know what her DNA looked like, but luckily I caught myself. I couldn’t remember if Kenrid had told her his story or not. If he hadn’t, I didn’t want to be the one to spill the beans.

“But you are my mate,” I said instead, giving her my best smile.

Her gaze dropped to my chest and the small magical tattoo now embedded on my skin. I was an idiot for thinking there was something nefarious about Lorna’s mark. It felt so right, not at all like some mystical spy or fae spell or anything else we thought it was. It was just Lorna and her magic.

Damon and Kenrid could’ve warned me about their marks on her skin, though. I’d be bitching them out for not explaining what happened. I’d noticed the two small tattoos just above her breast—sitting side by side—but I hadn’t realized what they were until after the whole ‘falling into a pocket realm’ thing. They could’ve warned me!

“Am I a selfish bitch for wanting all of you?” she asked, tracing the outline of the little bird. It blinked at her while following her progress.

“No,” I replied. “Why would you think that?”

She tilted her chin and kissed my jaw. My dick immediately took notice, but I wasn’t about to let it dictate my actions. Lorna needed me to listen, not distract her with sex. I rolled onto my side and put a little space between us.

A small wrinkle formed between her brow as her gaze met mine.

“I feel like I’m expecting too much from you guys,” she said. “You’re going against your nature to share me. Kenrid is going against his nature by being exclusively with me. Damon is feeding me.” Lorna bit her bottom lip, and tears pooled in her eyes. “I know fate has put us together, but everything feels so one-sided.”

I had no idea how to reassure her, but the pleading look in her eyes said I’d better come up with something. But what? I still wasn’t sure I’d be able to stand by while Damon or Kenrid physically pleasured her. My wolf was suspiciously quiet about it right now, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up. The typical wolf response to someone touching my mate would be to tear their throat out.

Maybe honesty was best.

“I’m not gonna lie to you,” I said, reaching across the space between us and pressing my fingers over the howling wolf centered just below the two runes—my mark. “I have no idea what’s in store for us, but I do know that I can’t live without you. The fact that you care enough to shed tears over it means a lot. I don’t think you’ll let us feel like we’re getting the short end of the stick.”

Lorna squeezed her eyes shut, and several tears slid down her cheek. I couldn’t stand to see her cry. I just couldn’t. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close. She nuzzled against my collar and circled her hands around my waist. The heat from her naked body did all kinds of things to me, but she needed this reassurance.

So I held her close, wrapping my shifter magic around her.

I should’ve known it was too good to last.

The bedroom door slammed open. I slipped out of Lorna’s arms, rolled over, and put my body between her and the intruder. Only it wasn’t an intruder. Damon loomed in the doorway in his demon form, his dark eyes scanning the room, only stopping for a moment on me and Lorna. His entire body quivered, but I couldn’t tell why. It didn’t seem like anger. His wide eyes and pursed lips made me think he was scared.

Nothing scared Damon.

“Where’s Nathan?” he asked.

“I have no idea,” I replied, a knot of worry building in my gut. “Wasn’t he supposed to be with you?”

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