Page 55 of Wanted

And why now?

When we’re turned and reborn, we know we will suffer years, decades, centuries, and sometimes even millennia, waiting for our other half to be born.

And there’s no guarantee that it will ever happen. I’ve seen vampires go mad or die from waiting.

Is that a thing of the past now?

Or was this some random fluke? Like a sudden rift in the cosmos?

All my coven brothers surely must be wondering if their turn will be next.

How long will they have to wait?

Days? Or decades?

The road changes from pavement to gravel as we pull up the hill our current safe house sits on. It’s perfectly placed with a view of the city, and it has the high ground should we be attacked.

When the car stops, my soulmark’s shaking increases.

It’s been such a long night for us all, and I know my dear one must be exhausted. I am. Even though my body is begging to finally join us together.

I must be careful, though. I’ve seen what happens when a vampire turns his soulmarked and she wasn’t ready.

One vampire I met, his soulmarked despised him with every ounce of her very being. They’re fated to be, yet the loathing and hatred has never ceased.

How catastrophic that would be… to find your soulmarked and she hates the very essence of you for all of eternity.

You never age, you never get sick, and the one who completes you can’t stand you.

Or worse than all of that.

Meeting your soulmarked, knowing that she’ll soon be yours, and that all the years you’ve waited have not been in vain.

Only to have your maker rip her head off before you can truly join together.

That’s what happened to my adopted brother, Ambrose.

It’s beyond my imagination what Ambrose must feel, and sadly it makes sense why he seems so haunted. His body is stuck in the modern world while his mind is stuck a few centuries in the past.

Before I even have a chance to open my door, Caden is opening it for me.

Lifting my soulmarked and cradling her against my chest, I’m reminded of just how light she is.

Moving slowly and carefully, I take a deep breath of the fresh air, hoping it will settle my stomach.

But I’m hit in the face by the awful smell again.

Asher and Chloe come out of the house to meet us.

The rest of the family must be off somewhere, busy securing the city. But given how close to dawn it is, they’ll probably be returning home soon.

Taking out the other vampire coven was dangerous.

Too dangerous.

We already have the Order breathing down our necks and a possible witch in our midst.

With humans massively outnumbering us, we don’t need a war starting with our fellow vampires.

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