Page 50 of Bitten

“No.”

“Perhaps you were too lost to the pain you’d been in,” Kane whispered.

“Did you see mine, too?”

Kane nodded before he reached out and wiped away Ralnur’s tears.

He gasped when he saw the blood on Kane’s fingers.

“What kind of beast am I?”

“You’re no beast.”

Ralnur stared at him. “You forget I’ve seen your memories. I saw what they did to your family. Yet… you still made me one of them. I don’t understand.”

“I don’t either, to be honest. Without a sire, I know little of the vampire world outside what I’ve read in books. I know mates are rare for vampires. For a Halfling? Seems impossible.”

A face came to Ralnur’s mind. Golden eyes. “Who’s Caelian?”

Kane’s head whipped up. He said nothing.

“Another?” Ralnur gasped. “You have two mates?”

Kane’s eyes went wild. “I don’t know. One should’ve been too much. Now there’s another.”

“I’ve had dreams. Almost every night, I’ve seen you in them… and there’s been this shadow man there, too. I could never see his face, but I never sensed danger—as if he was supposed to be there. Maybe that was him.”

Kane met his stare. “I can’t have a mate.”

“Sounds as if fate has other plans.”

“You’ve seen my memories… so you likely know of the war I wage against vampires. If I mated either of you, you could both be used as a means to stop me. I won’t have you hurt or killed because of my vendetta.”

“As you’ve seen, I don’t die too easily.”

Kane eyed him.

“Don’t we get a say in the matter?” Ralnur asked, but then he laughed mirthlessly. “Asks the man with no future.” He gazed about the room before turning to look back at Kane. He could see many things Kane had seen in his lifetime. His mind went to the elf. “Caelian… he’s this researcher Theis spoke of.”

“He is,” Kane said, finally taking off the final cuff.

Ralnur searched the memories.

A naked Caelian, standing before Kane, asking to be claimed. Ralnur felt his face heat. Spying on intimate moments wasn’t something he’d planned. Nor the hint of jealousy that hit him.

“Do you want Caelian?”

Kane was silent.

“He obviously wanted you,” Ralnur murmured.

“And I said no.”

“Why?” Ralnur asked.

“Because… it felt… wrong.”

“If he’s your mate, then he’s not wrong.”

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