Page 2 of First Bite
Zac nodded and slowly continued the drive up the road, “Just give us time. I’m not going to lie, right now I could tell my cousins to go fuck themselves when I see them again, but I’m using a lot of willpower to ignore those feelings. Just give us more time in exploring this new way of life.” He reached for my hand, kissed the back of it, and smiled. “You may not be a badass vampire, but the fact that your human mind is accepting this so easy—easier than we are—that’s saying a lot for the power you have, baby.”
“It’s got to be the blood bond. I’m sort of doing what you’re doing right now, though. I’m blocking my natural human instincts so I can embrace this.” I rubbed my forehead. “Swear to God that if I started thinking about thisrelationshipwith my human mind, I’d be seeing it a lot differently. I mean, seriously, me in a sexual relationship with fourvampiresat once?”
“Stop that right now,” Zac interrupted where my mind was going. “It’s more than that. All four of us love you. We’re going to treat you better than any human could possibly imagine. Focus on the good shit.”
“Sex?” I grinned.
“Definitely that!” he chuckled. “That and you have four of the strongest vampires walking this Earth who will worship you, body and soul.”
We pulled up to the house, and Cole’s dark, copper highlighted hair glistened in the sun as he stepped down from the porch of what looked like an old farmhouse. His face was all vamped out, and he looked absolutely furious. I saw that his eyes were still their emerald color instead of the black they turned when these guys got super-vamp pissed, but nonetheless, he was angry.
“What’s his problem?” I asked Zac.
Zac parked the car and shut down the engine. “Ignore him. He’s been acting like a dick since you ran off with Val.” He nodded over to where Cole stood with Braden and Logan. “Cole’s going to be your biggest challenge,” he softly laughed, “his temper and ability to hang on to a grudge are legendary.”
“So you’re saying he’s pissed at me?” I shook my head. “Forget that. He has every right to be. As a matter of fact, my stupid decision to run off with Val could have—”
“Fucked us all over,” Zac finished my sentence after opening my door. I unbuckled and was pulled out of the car and into the dreamy vamp’s strong arms. “I’m glad we got to you in time, Ellie doll.”
“Sorry,” I wiggled my way out of his arms to find all my vampires looking at me. “All of you. I’m really sorry. I didn’t think Enzo was onto us, and I thought I’d be safe with Val. I should have listened.”
Braden, the most vicious looking one of them all, recovered his lethal expression and arched an eyebrow, showing off his aquamarine irises, “This just needs to be a lesson learned for all of us.”
“No fucking lessons need to be learned,” Cole snapped, his eyes staring at me dangerously. “When we say you could be in trouble, fucking listen.”
“Cole!” Zac approached Cole and this dark side of him I hadn’t met yet, “You don’t have to be a dick about it. You can take your asshole attitude out on us like that, not Elle.”
Cole narrowed his eyes at his cousin. “Fuck off,” he argued and looked back at me. “We’re staying here for now.”
Cole turned and went into the house, followed by Braden who I was pretty sure was going to kick his cousin's ass for not letting me off easy.
“I fucked up. Braden doesn’t need to handle Cole if that’s what I think is about to happen.”
Logan laughed and draped an arm around me. “Ah, Cole didn’t have to take that shitty tone with you. He’s probably going to be a dick until he gets laid anyway.”
I nudged Logan in his side. “Good to see you again, and really, I’m so glad you’re all safe.” I stopped and studied his eyes. They weren’t as brilliant as they were after he had fed on me that one day. “How you doing with the whole bloodlust thing? You know, hating them and wanting me?”
He squeezed me. “I’ll always want you and pretty much hate them, nothing new.” He kissed the top of my head. “Kidding, Ellie. Actually, thehatingthem part isn’t as bad as it was. I’m keeping a lid on it.” He glanced over at Zac, “I’m sensing your blood in him. You guys got it on in the middle of having your plane high jacked?”
Zac flashed a brilliant white grin, “A gentleman never tells.”
“When did you become agentleman, prick?” Logan squinted at his cousin, “How the hell are you acting so damn normal? I wanted to kill all of you after we were together.”
Zac shrugged, “Like I told Elle, I’m just a badass that way.”
Logan laughed and lunged at his cousin, both vamps disappearing from my sight at that second.
“What the hell?” I eyed the rickety-looking house and fidgeted with my hands before I gained the courage to face Cole again.
“It’s obvious those two assholes missed each other,” Braden said from the porch, nodding toward the trees that his cousins raced through.
“Are they fighting?”
“Celebrating.” Braden shoved his hands in his pockets. “Listen,” he cocked his head to the side, “we’re all glad you’re safe. Cole has his moments, and for the first time since meeting all of us, you’re finally meeting his asshole side.”
“It’s fine,” I responded. “If you ask me, you’re all letting me off too easy.”
Braden pinched his lips together. “I think I took most of my anger out on Enzo’s collectors when they came for you. Got nothing left, baby.”
