Page 54 of Make Me Bleed

The afternoon goes quiet, or maybe that’s just me preparing for the sound I know I’m about to hear.

My big old teddy bear doesn’t disappoint.

The air shifts. A sickening crack echoes as Hank squeezes his paw, claws digging past the skin and sinew, muscle and bone that made up Julian’s neck. In seconds, he’s torn Julian’s headclean off the stump of his neck with his berserker bear shifter strength.

Did I think the crowd was silent before? It’s dead silent now, with all of the gathered shifters—and a few stray vampires—looking both uneasy and equally as in awe of the raw power that Hank just showed off.

Flinging his paw, Julian’s head with his last smug expression frozen on his features goes flying before landing with a splat on the earth. At the same time, his body drops, discarded by the bear as Hank swivels his head, rounded ears twitching as he looks at me.

I meet the bear’s honey-colored shifter’s eyes. It hurts to swallow as the skin in my neck starts to knit together, but I manage to knock down the lump lodged there before I nod.

I’m okay, Hank. Thanks to him, it’s not a lie. I really am okay.

The bear falls back on his rear legs again before he turns. Anothersnapand there he is: my gorgeous mate, naked and powerful as his bare chest heaves, hands flexing as wild eyes search the quieted crowd while I can’t help but appreciate the sculpted ass directly in front of me.

Hank beats his chest, still part bear as he growls out, “Elise. Is. Mine.”

Does he think anyone else is going to argue? After showing off just how dominant his bear is, there’s no way. His claim to me is undeniable, but if there’s one thing that Hank will have to learn, it’s that he’s my one and only beloved mate… but Bridget is the closest thing to a sister I’ve ever had.

And my witchy sister?

With Julian no longer a threat—and Hank the clear victor of the challenge—Conall has released Bridget.

How do I know when I’m still ogling my mate’s behind?

Because, just to Hank’s left, Julian’s headless body starts to twitch an instant before it catches fire.

Scooting far from the flames, I can see around Hank’s bulk to where Bridget has moved a couple of feet away from Conall, her hands clasped together, pointer fingers joined as she turns her fire magic on Julian’s decapitated head next.

It explodes with apop, leaving nothing but speckled ash behind when the fire dies.

Bridget smirks, tossing a wink over at me. “Andthat’s what you get for fucking with my best friend, dickhead.”

CHAPTER 18

FOREVER

Julian’s remains are still smoldering when I snag Hank’s hand, send an appreciative look toward Bridget, then drag him away from the crowd in the square.

The rest of the sanctuary will realize what just happened in a moment. Right now, they’re stunned, but one of our number is dead. Granted, Julian deserved it. He challenged my beloved.

Only one problem: no one besides Mayor Lou, Bridget, and Conall have any idea that Hankismy beloved.

I already planned on cleaning up so I could return to the den and be with Hank. However, I can’t see why I should. I guess I was stickier than I thought since my hand is covered in dirty and stray blades of grass from where I hit the ground. When Hank bows over, brushing one from my cheek, I realize it’s there, too.

Most of the blood that came from tearing Julian’s head off of his neck disappeared when he went from his grizzly to his gloriously naked body. He’s dotted in it, the added details making him even more attractive as he tells the entire sanctuary that I’m his.

Well, he’smine, and I don’t care how possessive it makes me. The idea that all of Dyea is seeing his sculpted form, his widechest, his broad shoulders, and his erect cock… I can feel my eyes turning red from bloodlust, and that didn’t even happen to me during the worst of my thirst.

He’s big, but I’m determined. Jerking his hand, getting him to move, I ignore the growing mumbles from the crowd as I dash over to my house, Hank stumbling behind me as the force of my tug has him coming along with me.

I open the door, push him inside before the others can ogle his tight ass, then close the door.

Hank takes one breath, his eyes flashing again as his bear comes to the forefront.

“I smell the vampire in here,” he growls.

Good point. Julian lingered in my house too long, and while my nose isn’t so delicate as to disentangle his scent from mine since we both smell likevampire, I trust Hank. He likes my scent. He’s gottahateJulian’s now.

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