Page 45 of Scarred Mate (Silverdawn Wolves 2)

Chapter 13 - Marian

The cold air bit my exposed flesh when I opened the front door.

"Can we talk?" Dorian asked, and I stepped aside to let him in.

His hair was damp as if he’d just washed it, and he was dressed in a deep purple shirt and light jeans.

We walked to the living room in silence, where I gestured to the sofa for him to sit. I sat down as well but across from him. I guessed he felt the same as I did last night. It’s been years since he last sat in this living room.

“I’m sorry about this morning,” Dorian apologized without wasting time on small talk. "I didn't mean to upset you, and I shouldn't have called you naive. You're a good woman trying to be a good friend, and yes, some of my pestering stems from jealousy, not just hate for Isaac's species."

If only he knew what I knew.

“I’m sorry too.” I eyed the window. I'd seen those terrifying ruby eyes. “I am.”

“For what?” Dorian asked, and I side-eyed him without answering.

“For refusing to listen to you,” I admitted. “Refusing to listen to the man that’s been studying dark creatures for most of his life,” I rested my elbow on the arm of the chair and rubbed my eyes, exhausted.

"You did nothing wrong, Marian. You were right. I've been a hypocrite, judging all vampires because of the actions of some when anti-supers do the same against supernaturals." He sat forward, so he was on the edge of the sofa. "Marian—"

“Wait,” I held my hand up. “I have to tell you something first.”

He paused, then nodded, and I took a deep breath. I explained what happened at the supermarket with Isaac, leaving nothing out, and about the eyes, I'd seen in the window. When I was finished, he didn't say anything but kept staring at the window beside us.

Thunder rumbled outside, a sign that it would probably start raining again.

“Is it possible he’s reverting to being untamed?" I inquired, and Dorian finally looked at me, his jaws clenched.

He nodded. “Yes.”

His blunt response made me chew on my lip, and I smiled apologetically. "I knew how you felt about vamps, and I didn't want to give you a reason to set your sights on Isaac without proof. I wasn’t sure if I'd imagined being watched, but I should have told you.”

“It’s okay,” he got up and walked to the window. “I don’t blame you. I would have done exactly what you expected me to.”

“And now?” I asked, but he didn't answer. "How often does a tame vampire regress?"

"More often than you’d think," he replied. "Blood sustains them, but they aren't like humans and some supernaturals that feel hunger two to three times a day depending on what they eat. Vampires feel the urge to feed even if they just had blood five minutes prior. It's a constant need and is even worse for untamed vamps.”

He closed the window. "I can admire tame vampires for their self-control. I know it's not easy to keep such intense urges in check. I can admit that." He faced me. "It takes discipline, but I was taught, and I’ve seen firsthand, that self-control can slip at any moment, and when it does, people get hurt."

“But can he be helped?” I stood up. “Before he attacks someone? He was already tamed, so it won't be unchartered waters, right? You don’t have to kill him if he hasn’t hurt anyone.”

Dorian clasped his hands behind his back, looking every bit of the trained killer he was. What I'd told him about Isaac upset him. I could see it in the way his eyes had glowed and then stopped.

Werewolf eyes glowed based on emotions, especially when angry but not Dorian. He was calm whenever in a tense or upsetting situation, but it made him appear even more intimidating. It was hard to read him, and I supposed that unwavering composure became an asset to his job.

“Tamed vampires who regress but are caught before they hurt anyone can be helped,” he answered. “Some even turn themselves over to the authorities, but this is a little more serious than you think.”

I pulled a face. “What do you mean?”

"This morning, when Killian stopped by, it was about a dead deer found in the woods. It was drained of its blood and dismembered, ripped apart in a way that’s normal for untamed vampires. So I don't think Isaac lied when he said he had bad blood. The deer might have been sick or had a parasite.”

“Blood that’s not healthy can make a vampire sick, and there wasn't a scent we could track, or I'd know it was him. With what you just told me, I think it’s safe to assume Isaac was the one that killed the deer.”

If Isaac slaughtered that animal, it would only be a matter of time before he moved on to humans and supernaturals. If we were going to help him, we needed to act now.

"We need to find him," I started pacing, "before he kills someone or starts turning people."

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