Page 52 of Make Me Bleed

And as Hank gives me one last squeeze before easing me gently to the heels that I miraculously didn’t lose, I can tell that he’s realizing the same thing.

“Stay behind me, Lise,” he murmurs before shifting his bulk so that he’s standing between Julian and me.

I reach out, my claws snagging the back of Hank’s t-shirt. “Honey?—”

His back bulges, a hint of his bear peeking out even further as a hump forms at the base of his neck. “He hit my mate,” is all he says.

It’s all hehasto say.

I retract my claws before I tear the fabric, watching in a mixture of lust and fear as he stalks away from me.

Suddenly, as if the volume around me had been set to mute, noise breaks through my haze. I hear awhoop, and a loud gasp, plus the mutterings of the gathered crowd. A frantic glance around me reveals that my neighbors didn’t just peek their heads out of their front doors to see what was going on. No. They’ve edged closer, curiously watching the unknown bear shifter and the haughty vampire facing off.

“Please,” squeaks Mayor Lou. A spring breeze ruffles his black-and-white hair, and when it reaches me, the rank stench of his skunk’s spray mingled with the lemon air freshener is almost enough to knock me out of my slight stupor. “Gentlemen, there are rules in regards to fighting in Dyea.”

“Yeah,” hollers another shifter. I don’t know his name, but his dark brown hair is styled in spikes. Porcupine, perhaps? Or hedgehog? He’s not a predator, I can tell that much, and he’s no vampire though there’s no denying his bloodlust as he shouts, “Last one standing wins!”

Mayor Lou shakes his head. “Terry, that’s not helping! No. If there’s a challenge, take it out of the town square. We have sensitive souls in Dyea?—”

As if on cue, a female sways, stiffens, then drops. Jenny the opossum shifter made it through Hank’s roar, but I guess the brewing scene became too much for her because she’s ‘dead’ again.

“See!” Mayor Lou says triumphantly. “I told you! Now, Ann, why don’t you watch over Jenny until she comes to again? Conall? Please, break this up and move these gentlemen along.”

Conall grunts. “Sorry, mayor. Little bit preoccupied at the moment.”

I find the wolf shifter, knowing instinctively that my best friend will be near him. I didn’t even notice that Conall and Bridget had been part of the crowd until Mayor Lou called for his head of security, but there he is. His arms wrapped around Bridget, you’d almost think the pose is one of a loving male embracing his female. Looking closer, though, I see that he has her tucked under his chin, his arms pinning Bridget’s in place at her sides.

Smoke is billowing around her clenched fists, a fiery expression on Bridget’s pretty face as she all but burns to interfere.

Of course. Whether she saw the strike or not, Hank’s undeniable challenge of Julian is because the vampire hit me. My protective best friend would never stand there and let anyone get away with that, but with the crowd gathered, I’m grateful that Conall is holding her back. I trust her with her fire magic, but I absolutely don’t trust Julian not to target Bridget to get back at Conall and me.

Besides, whatever happens next, thisisa challenge. Mayor Lou might not understand, but he’s a prey shifter. Bridge is still so new to our world. But Conall… he’s a predator, like Hank. Like Julian. He knows better than to jump in, though that doesn’t mean he won’t do everything in his power to keep his mate safe.

Just like mine is doing for me.

Hank flexes his fingers, showing off his bear claws. His voice is raspy and low, his bear speaking through him as he says again, “You hitmy mate.”

“And, like I said, she’s not necessarily yours, you claws-for-brains cretin. Maybe she’smine.”

That’s impossible. In so many ways, it’s impossible. I would never choose Julian. Even if there was a choice… ew. No. Besides, I recognized Hank as mine from the moment I took my first pull of blood from his vein and tasted spiced honey. He’s mine which means that I can’t be Julian’s.

I don’t want to distract Hank. I have all the faith in the world that he can handle Julian, but I can’t let Julian’s flippant claim go.

Surging forward, fisting my hands at my side, I remind Julian: “You don’t want me as your beloved! You just want what having a van Duren as a mate can do for you!”

Hank’s head jerks just enough that I can see his bear in his eyes now as he looks at me.

I take a step back, putting some more distance between me and the males squaring-off.

Hank nods, then turns back to glower down at Julian.

Julian sighs, as though bored. When he speaks again, he doesn’t raise his voice. Insanity sparking in his red eyes, his voice carries as he says, “Isn’t that enough? Partnerships have been forged on less.”

He did it. He truly did it. He attempted to claim me as his mate in front of the bear who already has. So… I’m beginning to second-guess my ‘he’s not insane’ assessment. He must be if he believes that Hank wouldn’t take that as a further challenge.

Then the twisted rogue lifts his head up, gloating at the much larger shifter. “Did you think she’d really choose you? That she wasn’t just using you for blood and sex?”

“She’s my mate,” Hank rumbles back, big body tense with… what? The desire to tear Julian limb from limb? Or the effort to restrain himself so that I don’t see him do it? “My blood is hers. My body is hers. If all Lise wants from me is to drink and mate,I’ll be as happy as a grizzly during salmon spawning season. Because I have the honor to be hers, and that’s all I want to be.”

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