Page 82 of Hunting His Vampire Mate

Or maybe he was just stronger than I was?

Michael snorted at that, having clearly read my thoughts. “Your friends didn’t leave you either, Danny,” he said. “They believed in you too. Even Thierry.”

With that, he pointed up at the rooftop overhead. Thierry, Bryan, and Tobias were all up there. I could almost make out Tobias’s lips moving, like he was talking to someone. His eyes were locked on Michael. But Bryan gave us a small wave, beaming down at us. Thierry just looked pale, wide-eyed, and completely flabbergasted.

I shared his sentiment.

“Tobias’s lips are moving because he’s currently performing a spell to suppress my feeding instincts,” Michael added, his words becoming fierce. “It’s the only reason I didn’t try to hurtanyone. He has to maintain line of sight and the moment he stops chanting, I’ll be a handful, too.” He chuckled. Then he paused, frowning. He gave the mouth of the alley a dubious look. A gaggle of drunk, laughing women walked past, oblivious to the fact that they were in the presence of two newborn vampires. Michael considered them for a long moment and added, “You know, we probably ought to get out of the city, actually.”

I dragged my gaze back to him and the realization of what he had done swept through me, all over again. “Michael, I—”

I broke off. What was I going to say, though? Was I going to ask him if he was sure? Because it was already far too late for that, wasn’t it?

“I’m sure that I’m never going to leave your side,” Michael promised me, leaning closer, his vivid silver eyes peering into mine with startling intensity, and I could feel through the bond, how serious he was. “I’m not your dad. I’m not your brother. And I’m never goinganywhereunless you make me. I belong to you, body and soul.” Then he paused, a dangerous little smile settling into place on his lips. “And you’remine, Danny.”

“You’re goddamn right I am,” I shot back, finding myself suddenly more than a little annoyed that he’d even needed to say it. It chased away the last of my doubts. Because of course I belonged to him, in body and soul, and I had for a long time. And yes, he was mine, too.

We belonged to each other.

And then, even though he was a fucking idiot, I still kissed him anyway.

Because he wasmyidiot. He always would be.

And I would have done anything for him, too.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO || MICHAEL

It was almost sunrise by the time we made it to Seattle. Danny was quiet in the back seat beside me. But his thoughts were anything but. He was trying—and failing—to avoid thinking about the young man he had drained in the mines.

“Bryan turned him,” I said, when I couldn’t stand it any longer. “You didn’t kill him. Not really.”

Danny scowled at that. “I still took his life away from him. I should have saved him. But instead, I—”

He broke off and the memory of what hehaddone surged through the connection between us. Of him sinking his fangs into the young man’s throat and feeling the carnal pleasure as the hot, rich blood filled his—

A wall slammed down between us, and I let out a sharp breath. It was more of a reflex than anything else. My newly transformed body no longer needed to breathe.

“Sorry,” Danny muttered, looking out the window, his jaw tight. He shook his head and, even though he’d thrown a wall between us, I knew he was berating himself. “I’m sorry for all of it.”

I knew Danny didn’t need any platitudes from me. He didn’t need me to tell him it was okay when we both knew it wasn’t yet. So, I didn’t say anything.

But I did slip my hand into his.

Thierry was quiet in the driver’s seat. He had insisted on driving, stating that I would be dangerous to others until I had adjusted to the reflexes that came with my new condition.

Oddly enough, I didn’t mind him driving my car. Maybe it was the fact that he was the one who had turned me and there was now some sort of instinctive vampiric trust or something at work. Or maybe it was because I had glimpsed the real him, below the prickly stand-offish exterior that he wore like armor, and realized he was a kindred soul.

And Ihadtrusted him when it had really mattered. And he had helped me save Danny as a result. A little more trust was probably warranted.

Besides, I figured I kind of understood him now. At least a little. We were both trying to stop everyone else from seeing how fucking much we cared.

And if I had to become a vampire, I supposed Thierry wasn’t such a bad guy to be stuck with as my maker. Or my sire. Or whatever. I wasn’t entirely clear on the terminology yet, actually. I wasn’t quite sure how the dynamic between us worked yet, either.

Perhaps I’d try calling him ‘dad’ at some point and see how that flew.

The thought of how he’d probably react to that was almost enough to make me smile.

Almost.

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