Page 29 of First Bite
“We would know and scent if we could get you pregnant. It’s how vampires determine if they’ll fuck another vampire or not. If they want kids, they fuck when they know the female is ready to conceive.”
“Nice. So you haven’tscentedthat off me?”
“No.”
“Okay. My mind is reeling at this point. I’m not trying to be a bitch here, but the fact that I could have gotten pregnant by you guys at this age, I’m kind of not ready for that part yet, and I would certainly prefer to know exactly who the father is.”
“We know,” he smiled.
“So you really think my dad was a vampire? How can my life get any more fucking bizarre?”
“We still need more answers. That’s what Cole’s been doing while keeping you here in our beach house. We wanted you far from the States after we got word that a collector might have found out about you.”
“That’s the reason we up and moved?”
“Yes. Cole stayed with you while we hunted for the collector.”
“So that’s where you’ve all been?”
“The last twenty-four hours have been spent with Cole making sure everyone shuts their damn mouths about you, and Logan, Zac, and I have been killing any vampire who questioned Cole’s warning. You are safe. We’re just taking a little vacation down here in Fiji and letting this blow over until we can figure out who your father really is. After that, we’ll start gathering forces to end Enzo once and for all.”
“Why does it matter who my father is?”
“You are a mystery, and so is this entire bond we share.” He unexpectedly laughed. “Seeing you and Cole earlier should have pissed me off and made me want to kill my cousin. Instead, I was happy for you and him. It was fucking weird and so not like me. What I claim as mine, is mine, but I know that you are all of ours, even more so now.”
“I’m glad you feel that way.” I smiled, feeling abnormally calm with a feeling that this was going to work out no matter who my real dad was. No matter what reason they had for moving me here. All of it. I felt good and hopeful. “Let’s hope it stays that way too. I just want this to work. For all of you to trust this bond as much as I’m trusting it. I was finally getting somewhere with Cole too.”
“After you left to take your shower, I have to tell you, we haven’t seen Cole that happy since, um, never.”
“Boots apparently doesn’t understand this bond we all share,” I smirked. “He stopped it all by waltzing into the dining room.”
Braden laughed. “That’s why I love that cat. He knows how to get his master’s back.”
“Well, maybe I’ll have to prove I’m not just yours, and then Boots will back off some.”
He caught me in his two massive arms and pulled me into his sturdy chest. Damn, I’d missed him. He kissed my shoulder, my neck, and when I turned, he gently pressed his lips against mine with a sigh.
He pulled back and studied my eyes as I felt myself warming up for a round with Braden, unable to resist him the very second our eyes locked.
“Trust me, baby, you’re going to want me sooner than later again. I told you I was coming back for you the other night, and my plans were interrupted by having to take out some unpredictable vamps. Don’t think I’ve forgotten what I had planned for you.”
“Damn it,” I said, letting out a heavy breath. “You have got to stop doing this to me. I’m still trying to get a grip on this whole thing. I just wanted this with Cole.” I laughed at the whole situation and these emotions I couldn’t control.
Braden laughed and slid his hand over my lower back, “Cole and I have things we need to go over today. If you’re rested up enough later, Logan and Zac wanted to take you to some places for a wardrobe change and shit like that. You up for a day out with those two?”
I smiled. I should have been dead tired, but I felt rejuvenated and excited about going out. “That actually sounds great. I think all I have is this large shirt and what I wore here.”
“Then the day is yours, baby.” He rose up, towering over me as he always did, “Cole and I want to figure out who the witch was that cast the spell to awaken the Life Blood in your mother, and how it transferred into you. He was supposed to be researching that while we were out playing vampire assassins for him.” He patted my ass, “Obviously, you became a distraction, and he didn’t finish his homework.”
“Well, I have to say, it was a surprise that it even happened. I was just up trying to figure out if he’d heard anything or wanted to finally tell me what the hell was going on.”
“Cole’s a wildcard like that. I knew he was acting like an asshole because he wanted you, but he didn’t want to go all in like we are. He’s getting it now.”
“Getting what?” I questioned.
“That we’re not just sharing you in some kinky way. We all love and adore you as our own together. You are like the life force that we all need. Your blood is not the only thing saving, healing, and making us stronger, but your presence and your love for each of us is doing the same thing.”
“I really like that you put it that way,” I said.
“You’re the one who helped make it happen by being fearless and more trusting than we were.”
“That’s why you all should start listening to me,” I said with a wink. “I’m getting something to eat. When do the guys want to leave?”
“They seemed to have an all-day event laid out for you, so I’m thinking as soon as you’re ready. Breakfast was part of their plans too.”
“So I’m off with the crazy, fun ones, eh?”
Braden shrugged his shoulders. “I have a few stronger adjectives to describe them, but if that’s what you want to call them, by all means,” he said with a laugh before he gave me a daring smile. “Don’t wear yourself out too much, like I said, I owe you.”
The shiver in my body that responded to Braden’s promising look had me hesitant to go find Zac and Logan. Those two better have had good enough plans to keep my mind off wanting to stay in this room and make Braden live up to that promise of his.
