Page 26 of Make Me Bleed

“Later,” I call back, sidling right by Van, daring him to make it obvious and follow behind me.

He doesn’t, and I don’t know what to make ofthat, either.

CHAPTER 9

MATE DUTIES

Later that night, I have to admit that my thirst has finally returned.

Hank’s blood lasted so much longer than anyone else’s I’ve ever drank. That’s why the renewed ache in my fangs, the pinch in the back of my throat, the twist of my empty stomach and veins… it hits so much worse because this is my doing.

If I’d just found a way to get past my fear, past my pride, I could be snuggling up to the big bear right now, nipping him, taking sips, sating my thirst and my need for my mate at the same time. Instead, I’m sitting on my back porch, staring in the woods. I haven’t changed yet. Still wearing my house and slacks, the points of my heels are stuck in the dirt, legs clamped together, arms wrapped around my knees and I rest my chin on the tops of my thighs.

I’m thirsty. I’m lonely. I was snippy this evening when Bridge invited me to have dinner with her and Conall. I apologized, of course, and I regretted being short with her, but the reminder that I sent my mate awayandI’m hungry has put me in a foul mood that isn’t so usual for Elise van Duren.

Bridget understood. Conall’s fur got a little ruffled when I snapped at his mate, but she soothed her male, then promised we’d talk later.

Is that why I’m hiding out here now? To avoid her?

Or am I hoping that, by the force of my longing and my stare alone, I can develop witch-like powers and summon the big grizzly to me?

And then, to my surprise, Ido.

Oh, I know it wasn’t magic. My senses have been going haywire lately, constantly telling me that someone is watching me even when I can’t see them myself, so I’ve started to disregard the nagging suspicion that I’m being stalked again. Usually, I see a flash of dark brown pelt, content in knowing that it’s Hank. If not, the vampires are eyeing me from a distance. I can’t even tell anymore, but when Hank… in his skin, not his fur… comes striding out of the woods, heading right for me… it doesn’t matter who is watching me.

I only ever want those pretty honey-colored eyes on me.

As gracefully as possible, I get to my feet. His strides are big, but I no longer want to resist the pull tugging me toward him. With my speed, I meet him near the rock in the backyard in seconds.

“Hank,” I murmur, my voice breathless. Not from fear, though. Fromanticipation. “You’re here.”

You’reback.

Like the last time I saw him in his skin, he’s bare foot. He’s wearing jeans, too, and to my disappointment, he’s covered his chest with a tight black t-shirt that at least shows off all of his delicious muscles.

Beneath the sliver of moonlight up above, I search his neck, swallowing my sigh of relief when the silver-ish bite marks stand out against his tanned skin.

They’re still there. He’s still proudly wearing my bite mark on the side of his throat.

His expression softens when he sees what I’m looking at. So does his deep voice. “I had to. I know I ain’t supposed to come in here. That I’m intrudin’ on ya… that I vowed to wait until you were ready to accept this ol’ bear as your mate… but you need me.”

I do.

He looks down at me carefully, as though expecting me to deny it. To deny him. And then he adds, “You’re hungry. Thirsty. You know what I mean.”

“How… how do you know that?”

He rubs the heel of his hand against his chest. “I can feel it. In here. My mate needs me. And when you need me, Lise, I want you to know… I’ll always be there.”

My breath catches in my throat the same time as my fangs slide out all the way, growing until they’re digging into my upper chin. “Hank, I?—”

He shushes me. He’s not being rude about it, just soothing. Reaching out, touching me for the first time, he tucks a strand of my loose hair behind my ear. I jolt at the electric spark that passes between us as his heated skin brushes against mine, but if he notices how much cooler my body temp is to him, he doesn’t remark on it as he pulls back again.

Instead, he rumbles, “Didja like my gift?”

I think of the bear figuring tucked securely in my pants pocket. Can he see the slight bulge it forms against the material?

I nod slowly. “Yes,” I whisper.

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