Page 25 of A Vow for the Vamp
“You want to go feral vampire hunting after admitting you lied about loving to be scared?”
He shrugs.
“Clearly staying with you means I’ll be protected. No need to be scared. Also, did she refer to you as ‘Your Majesty’ earlier? Are you really a queen? I know I said you looked like one, but are you? Really?”
“Um…”
Before I can answer Teddy, Layla appears by my side. “Can I talk with you a moment?”
She drags me away and tosses me into a guest bedroom.
I listen to Teddy in the living room to make sure he’s not leaving. He’s at the bar again, pouring more liquor. Hebetter not get wasted. I cannot deal with a drunk human right now.
“You tried to kill me!” Layla hisses. “Over a human?”
I scoff. “I did not try to kill you. I was merely warning you—”
I gasp.
“Yeah, you figured it out, didn’t you?”
“There’s no way.” I start pacing the room.
“Your extreme attraction to this man? Territorial behavior over him?” Layla pauses, hesitant to say her next words. “His blood smells unlike anything I’ve ever encountered, Millie.”
I fist my hands and stifle a growl.
Fuck! No. Stop it, Millie! Don’t attack your best friend again.
“It sounds like he could be a blood mate. And since I’m not drooling over every little thing he does, I’m guessing he’s yours.”
“He can’t be, though. I mean, can he?” I don’t give Layla time to answer. She knows this is how I work through any problem I face. Pacing the floor and thinking out loud. “Blood mates arerare! I know of only two vampires in my five hundred years of living who’ve met their blood mate.”
Blood mates are similar to fated mates, which is what gargoyles and shifters have. Many supernatural beings aredestined to be with the ones who claim their souls. But vampires don’t have souls. It’s part of the curse against us. A curse that no one knows exactly how it came to be.
There have been theories over the years. A man broke a witch’s heart so she used her magic to sentence him to an eternity of no daylight, no heartbeat, a thirst for blood, and nolove.
Another I’ve heard is the original vampire emerged from hell, starved for blood, and infected humans with damnation and immortality, effectively turning them into creatures of the night.
Whatever the reason, we were created to lust not love. We desire blood and sex, not eternal companionship that’s sweet and loving.
But if a vampire finds theirblood mateand turns them, our curse is… changed. We are still vampires and drink blood to survive, but our heart restarts. We can withstand the sun’s rays. We canlivewithout living.
We can trulylove.
It’s as if the blood mate gives up a part of their soul. They become immortal and are bonded for life. A connection stronger than that of a sire.
A vampire with a blood mate is highly protective of them. It’s why the two vampires who’ve successfully turned their mates have gone into hiding.
I say successfully because blood mates amongst vampires rarely survive. Many who meet their blood mate become addicted to their blood, and they’re not able to control themselves during the first feeding and drain their mate dry.
A result of our curse and the evil festering inside us.
I’ve only had a taste of Teddy’s blood and it was unlike anything I’ve ever had.
What would happen if he lets me drink from him? Would I be able to control myself? I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I killed him.
I shake my head. “This isn’t supposed to happen. I had plans.”
