Page 20 of Forced Vampire Mate

“So are a great many things, but that doesn’t stop the demand.” He glanced up at me and tensed again. “I have no authority in kingdoms that aren’t mine. If the elves worked harder at stopping the trafficking rings, maybe we could stop the black market fighting rings. But my focus has to be on defeating the gods. They do more damage to this world than all the mortal gangs and mercenaries put together.”

I gripped my staff tighter. “I’m not going to sit around listening and not act.”

Luken surged to his feet. He grabbed my wrists, yanking me closer. “We have to pick our battled, Elara. If you die saving these people, who is going to save Thessa and Darcie?”

“I can’t just ignore it.” I struggled against his hold.

“We don’t have the luxury of saving everyone,” he ground out through clenched teeth.

“I want to be a good person,” I burst out. “I want to be worth something. How can I do that if I know what’s happening and I do nothing to stop it? I want to be good. I don’t want to be a selfish person anymore.”

Luken’s hold on my wrists slackened. His eyes searched mine before his hands dropped entirely. With a groan, he snatched up his sword again. “You’re going to be the fucking death of me, Elara Tideborne.”

Then he grabbed my hand, and we sped through the forest, away from the safety of our camp, and toward the sound of battle.

Chapter 10

Luken linked his hand with mine as we moved through the forest. We were closer to the village than I’d realized. I repressed the part of my mind that said Luken had deliberately set camp when we could have made it to the village that night. We had a mission to accomplish and it was hard enough pushing through my doubts. Should we be risking everything to save these random strangers?

The scent of smoke grew heavier, and the orange glow of fires lit the night. There was shouting, but not the shouts of battle. Luken tugged my hand, changing our direction sharply.

“They’ve left the village. If we’re going to save the women and children, we have to follow the warlocks,” he said.

“And you can track them in the darkness?” I asked anxiously. I squinted, but even though the forest was clearer than it had been a few nights before, I couldn’t distinguish any footprints or signs of passage.

Luken pulled me a little closer. “I can smell their magic. It’s a very distinctive path. No doubt their camp will be shielded.”

We flitted through the trees for another half-hour before Luken abruptly came to a stop. He drew his sword, growling under his breath as he shifted his stance to shield me. I huffed in surprise and moved to a fighting stance, lifting my staff in two hands. We moved forward cautiously. I strained my hearing, but all I could pick out was the quiet of Luken’s breathing… and a strange whimpering noise.

The scent of blood hit my nostrils a second later. Sweet, with savory undercurrents. My mouth watered. I inhaled the scent and barely repressed a groan. If it smelled this good right now, how much better would it be when I was a full vampire? I eyed Luken’s neck as we continued to move forward slowly. If his blood already tasted good to me, how much better would it be after this transformation was complete?

Focus, I told myself sharply.I’m not ready to be a vampire yet.

“Who’s there?” a voice rasped.

Luken dug into his pack and pulled out a flashlight, which he flicked on. My eyes adjusted to the light almost instantly. A few feet away from us, half-hidden beneath a bramble of blackberry vines, was a man. His yellow eyes gave him away as a shifter. Blood smeared his face and chest as he stared up at us.

“Who are you?” he demanded.

I strode forward, ignoring Luken’s attempt to stop me. “My name is Lara, and this is my husband, Luke. We heard the attack on your village and came to help.”

The man groaned. “I lost their trail. I was trying to follow, but I lost them.”

Luken crouched near him and helped pull him from the bramble. “It’s alright. I can track them down once you’re bandaged up.”

“Don’t waste time on me, I—” The shifter stiffened as he slumped against Luken. His nostrils flared, and he snarled, suddenly sounding stronger. “Vampires! You’re vampires!”

“No, we’re not,” I said automatically.

Luken dropped the shifter and jumped away as the man punched at him. “You must have a good nose to smell through my glamour.”

The shifter stumbled to his feet, swaying back and forth. He came at Luken again, swinging clumsily. Luken sidestepped him, an annoyed look on his face. It was easy for him to continue to evade the attempts to attack as the shifter stumbled around as though he was drunk. He kept turning wide circles and punching at Luken, only to nearly fall when Luken stepped aside.

“Really?” Luken said in an exasperated tone. “We’re not the ones who attacked your village.”

“Fucking vampires,” the shifter seethed.

Luken caught the shifter’s fist and shoved him away. “Elara, please pin him down before I accidentally kill him. I can smell the alcohol in his blood; he’s going to bleed out if we don’t tend to those injuries.”

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