Page 28 of Make Me Bleed

But if he’d bitten me? I would’ve let him.

Once he’s done, Hank takes me by my waist again, even more gingerly than before. He eases me off his lap, setting me on my heels again. As he rises, his big hand drops to his crotch as if that will keep me from noticing the massive bulge pushing against his jeans.

“Thank you, Lise.”

I swallow roughly. “I should be thanking you?—”

He shakes his head. “I’m your male. That’s what I was made to do. To feed you and to…” Hank chuffs. “Anyway… you know where to find me when you need more. Or just call for me. I’ll come a-runnin’.”

With a dip of his head, a silent goodbye, he starts to turn from me.

I take a few steps after him. “Hank, wait?—”

He laughs, and I’m not so sure there’s any humor in the sound. “I’d love to, but if you’ll pardon me, there’s something I have to go take care of. Evenin’, Lise.”

Oh.

Oh.

The way he’s still gripping himself, tugging at his hard cock through his jeans… I think I know exactly what he’s going to go take care of. He’s going to jerk himself off to the thoughts of me on his lap, drinking from him.

A slow roll of heat washes over me; instead of blood, it’sdesire.

And by the time I find the nerve to offer to take care of hislittleproblem for him, he’s already disappeared into the trees… and the dark keeps me from following after him.

CHAPTER 10

ELISE

Now that I’ve been fed, Hank disappears again. It’s been days since I’ve caught sight of him pushing past the borders of the sanctuary.

Is this a test? Everything I’ve gleaned about that male… I don’t think it is. At least, I don’t think he intends it to be. He’s been doing his duty, waiting for the moment to provide for his mate any way he could. He had to have known that my thirst was coming back, little by little, and he made sure he was there to feed me when I couldn’t resist him any longer.

Am I supposed to go after him?

You know where to find me when you need more…

I do. Maybe it’s time I go and we have a chat. At this point, it’s long overdue—and that’s on me. I’ve been hiding, and he’s been patient, but while he once said he’ll wait as long as it takes… can I really expect him to?

Bridget thinks I should get to know him. After all, what made it so much easier for her to accept that Conall was her fated mate was that she actuallyknewhim first without the pressure that comes with forever attached to it. He kept the truth hidden in a bid to keep from scaring her off. Instead, he courted her the waya wolf shifter does, and after weeks of worming his way under her skin, I wasn’t surprised when Bridget finally saw what was obvious to me from the moment we arrived in Dyea.

My mating dance is the complete opposite. I was thrust into it with a careless bite, already triggering a blood-bond between me and Hank even before I knew he was a male, let alone my beloved. Now Iknowthat Fate picked us out for each other, and even if I’ve given up on the thrall excuse, that doesn’t change the fact that I’ve come up with countless since.

Flimsy, all of them, and they cover up the real reason I continue to hide: because, of all my fears, I’m worried that I’m not good enough forhim. Fate saddled a sweet, protective honey bear like Hank Barret with a vampire whose only power comes from being beautiful and seemingly helpless.

That’s it. The truth. Because while a vampire can’t lie to others, it doesn’t mean we can’t lie to ourselves… and for nearly two weeks, I haven’t been honest with myself, have I?

What if he hurts me? Not physically; despite his size, I’m not concerned with that at all. But if I give him my heart… the only male I ever truly have… and he crushes it? I’ll never recover.

He’s my beloved. He should treasure it, and everything I’ve learned about him makes me believe he will. I’ve been hurt before, though. Peter’s the most recent betrayal, not the only one. I’ve always been the vampire put up on a pedestal, then knocked to the ground when I fail to live up to their expectations.

Peter hadn’t gotten to that part yet. When I fled Clarity, he was still gazing up at me, stars in his eyes and fury etched into every line of his human face. He was ready to turn. I could sense it. The obsession would’ve soured eventually.

It always does.

I need love. Affection. Trust.

I want so desperately to believe that Hank can be the male to give it with me, but a part of my bruised heart is so hesitant to be handed over, kept in the safety of his bear’s paw, I return to my house and overthink like I have a tendency to do.

---