Page 77 of Sunshine and the Vamp

We left the city limits some time ago and the skyscrapers morphed into trees. Vlad was constantly on the phone getting updates from the various teams. Seemed like all hell had broken loose at every location Damyr owned.

Vlad hung the phone up and slammed his hand on the wheel. “Fuck!”

I eyed him warily. I’d only ever seen Vlad as cool and put together so this tense, angry version had me on edge.

“Sorry,” he gritted out. “It’s just Ronin has attackedeverything. The warehouses, the clubs, nothing has been left untouched. We’ve got police combing the legitimate businesses and gangs trying to raid the warehouses. He’s attacking us on every front and we’re stretched thin. It’s only a matter of time before he does something that we can’t overcome.”

“What about the other Families? Will they not help?”

Vlad pursed his lips. “They’ll do what they can, but we can’t ask them to risk everything for what seems to be a personal vendetta against Damyr.”

That was a fair point. Still, I didn’t like that Damyr was being pulled in all these different directions. At some point, he was going to get hurt.

I turned to stare out of the window, watching the rain drops travelling down the glass and wondering what Damyr was doing. I’d never thought I would be so consumed by another person, but there I was, continuously thinking about him. In my head, I knew that was a major red flag. It was probably on the verge of co-dependency, but I couldn’t seem to bring myself to mind. It was as if all sensible thought patterns just disappeared around Damyr. He was what I wanted and that was it. To hell with everything else.

When I next sat down with Damyr, we were going to have a serious conversation about the future. I wanted to make this work, although how I was going to tell Maya, I didn’t know. But that was a problem for future Benji.

“Can I ask you something?”

Vlad looked at me, a curious brow raised. “Of course.”

“Being away from Damyr feels… alien. Every thought I have is around him and what he’s doing. Is that normal?”

“It might be because you’re human,” he said with a small shrug of his shoulders. “Vampire mates have the ability to connect telepathically so maybe, because you’re human, the mate bond is pushing your brain into overdrive.”

“Vampires communicate telepathically?”

“Only some. Damyr can send thoughts to everyone in his Coven because he’s the alpha, and mates communicate because they create their own bond during the mating process.”

Interesting. “So I wouldn’t have to be a vampire for that to work?”

His brows knitted together. “I don’t think so, but I can’t remember the last time a vampire mated with a human.”

“Oh. So, will mating with me work?” Doubt started creeping in at the thought that maybe I’d have to walk away from Damyr.

“Benji,” Vlad said warmly. “I have no doubt that if you are Damyr’s mate, the bonding process will work. It is easier when you’re the same species, there is less risk but the risk is still there.”

Okay, I could live with that. When I was ready, I guess I’d have to think about becoming a vampire. “Is there a good age to become a vampire?”

He chuckled. “My, you are full of questions today.”

“I’m just trying to understand. I’d ask Damyr, but he’s not here. You are.”

Vlad dragged a hand over his jaw line, the rasp of his stubble scraping against his fingers. “No, there’s no perfect age to turn, but we do have laws. You have to be between the ages of twenty-one and fifty.”

I guess that made sense. Turning children and older people wouldn’t be a sensible choice. “Can vampires have children?”

“It’s rare. Very rare. We can, but it takes time. They only come from mate bonds, and you already know how rare they are. So, most people adopt and raise human children and, when they are old enough, they are brought in on the big family secret. It’s then up to them if the want to turn or remain human.”

At least that meant I could look at children in the future. I wondered how Damyr felt about kids. I had always wanted some, but with med school and everything else, having them would have been too difficult. I always thought I’d have them when I was older though.

“Do you think Damyr will let me finish med school?”

“Benji, if you don’t know this already, you’re going to have that man eating out of the palm of your hand,” he deadpanned, and I had to chuckle. The picture of an overbearing Damyr giving into my demands seemed ridiculous.

“I’m not sure I believe you but thank you.”

Vlad went to answer but the car lurched, as if the brakes had been slammed. The sound of metal crumpling hit my ears and then we were flying trough the air, rolling until we hit the ground with an almighty thud.

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