Page 47 of Until Forever Comes
“I’m here.” My voice cracked, so I cleared my throat and tried again. “I’m here!”
Moments later I was swept into strong arms and cradled against a broad chest. I clung to Miguel’s shirt and buried my face against his shoulder. He cupped the back of my head with one big hand and palmed my lower back with the other.
“Where’s Ralph?” he asked as he darted his gaze around the room.
“Dead,” I told him.
He sighed in relief and some of the tension left his body. “Good,” he said. “He didn’t hurt you, did he? Tell me you’re okay.”
“Miguel,” Ted said as he stepped toward us. “Nothing—”
“Don’t!” Miguel growled and turned around, shielding me from the other vampire’s view. It didn’t make much sense because Ted and I had been alone together just moments prior, but I wasn’t going to argue. I was much too busy climbing my mate like a tree. “You’re lucky to be breathing after bringing that fucking waste of air into our lives,” Miguel said to Ted. I wrapped my legs around his waist, which seemed to distract him because he stopped yelling and moved his hand down to cup my backside.
“Ted,” the female said, garnering my attention just long enough for me to identify her by scent as a vampire. “Be grateful that little wolf is here, because he’s the only reason Miguel hasn’t taken your head off. Your friends here don’t seem to have been as lucky, so get over here and help me try to save them.”
Figuring they had the situation under control and we were out of danger, I nuzzled and licked at Miguel’s neck. “So glad you’re here,” I said, my voice shaky.
“Shhh. It’s all okay now.” Miguel peppered kisses along my jawline and over to my ear. “You didn’t have to worry. I promised I wouldn’t leave you, and a certain someone taught me that it was very important to keep my word.”
I laughed around the tears now welling up in my eyes. “I know.” I sniffled. “I knew you’d be back. I did. Ralph said….” I gulped. “Well, he said he’d killed you, but I wasn’t worried none because I knew it weren’t true.”
Miguel tangled his fingers in my hair and tugged just enough to make me raise my face and look into his eyes. His hair was a bit matted, some blood streaked his cheek, dirt was smeared across his forehead, and he looked even more beautiful than I remembered.
“You knew it wasn’t true, did you?” He grinned at me. “And just how did you know that?”
“Because I’d have felt it if you’d passed.” I met his gaze. “We’re connected at the soul, remember?”
He swallowed loudly. “I do,” he said. “Now, do you care to tell me why I walked in here and found you naked with another man?” He raised one eyebrow and looked at me expectantly.
“Oh, for crying out loud!” I said in amusement. “Don’t you choose this here moment to start getting jealous, now. I didn’t have time to get my clothes on because I was running for my life on your unusually bouncy mattress.” Seriously. Where had he gotten that thing?
Miguel’s expression darkened right quick and he furrowed his brow. “Running for your life?” He held me tighter and slowly panned around to look at Ted. “Who exactly was threatening your life?”
Ted must have heard our conversation because, though he’d been helping the female vampire, Katherine, tend to Pedro, his hands suddenly flew in the air in a defensive posture and his face flushed.
“Ralph,” I said quickly, not wanting Miguel to confuse my new sort-of-friend as my attacker. “It was just Ralph.”
I heard a rumbling deep in his chest and his nostrils flared. “And he’s dead?” he asked.
“Yes,” I assured him.
“Where’s his body?”
“Uh.” I gulped. “It’s by our bed.”
Miguel marched straight back to our room. I dropped my forehead down onto his wide shoulder and squeezed my eyes shut, not wanting to see the destruction again. Even without my vision, I knew the second we stepped into that room. The stench of urine and blood was overpowering.
A grunt of approval from Miguel told me he’d seen Ralph’s body. “Who killed him?” he asked. Suddenly, Miguel pushed my head back and started sniffing at my neck. I reckoned he’d finally calmed down enough about my well-being to start registering more details about his surroundings. He was not going to be happy about the destruction of his extra-bouncy mattress. “He bit you!” he roared.
His body jerked and then I heard a loud thump. It took me a moment to realize Miguel had kicked Ralph’s body across the room.
“I’m okay,” I said soothingly. “He didn’t hurt me none.”
“He bit you,” Miguel said again, sounding pained, and then he started sniffing at the spot on my neck where Ralph had violated me with his fangs.
“Yes, he did,” I admitted. “But, hey, I had the last laugh, right?” I chuckled uncomfortably. “I mean, it was his last bite. Ever.” Even as I said it, I felt sick at the realization. I’d killed a man.
“Ethan?” Miguel said. “You’re trembling. Why are you trembling?”
