Page 14 of Claiming Her Vampire

I nod and glance at the security screen to get a peek at Serenity. What I see boils my blood and makes me lose my shit.

A man slaps her ass.

Blue yells at me as I hurdle over my desk and blur down the stairs. I hear Serenity cry out. Her hoarse cry repeats over and over in my head.

My demon is saying kill, kill, kill. Teach him what happens when he touches what belongs to us. My soul purpose is to hurt the asshole bent over laughing at my mate's offended face. I don’t even stop, striking out with my hand, wrapping it around his neck, and pushing him into the far wall in the corner. The crowd parts in confusion when our shadows fly by them. My fangs are pulsing with the need to rip into his flesh, to maim, tear, and teach him what fear is. The corner is dark, yet not enough to hide the black bleeding into my eyes, covering the blue.

“Who are you to touch my mate?” His face shows his shock and fear. “She belongs to me and no other. You do not touch!” His face starts to turn purple, and his eyes bulge. I relish his pain. I laugh at his fear. My teeth bite into my lip as I try to keep from tearing into his throat.

“Ryker. Let him go.” Bash is close by. “You have to let him go. Serenity is coming over here.” He warns, but the beast is running the show right now.

“You hurt her. So I will hurt you.” I move my hand to his wrist and look deep into his eyes. “After I break your wrist, you will walk out of my bar and never come back. Never again will you think about my mate or any other woman disrespectfully again. Do not make a sound.” I snap his wrist until the bone breaks through the skin. “Go home. You won’t remember who did this to you, but if you ever see me again, you will piss yourself. Do you understand?” I twist more.

“Yes.” His voice is robotic, his eyes glazed over, but the pain is deep within them.

“Ryker? You can let him go. He didn’t hurt me.” Serenity places her hand on my back.

I shudder, soaking up her light touch. I close my eyes, breaking the spell, and watch dispassionately when the man runs away, clutching his arm to his chest. I face the wall, willing my eyes to turn back and my fangs to retreat. I don’t want her to find out this way.

“Are you alright?” she asks me quietly.

“I should be asking you that.” I turn around when I feel my eyes go back to normal, and my fangs slide back. Bash backs away but stays close by.

“It startled me. It’s happened before.” She studies my face. “Where did you come from? I thought you were upstairs?” She frowns.

“I was coming down the stairs when I saw what he did.” I hate to lie to her, but she’s not ready for the truth. “We don’t allow the customers to touch unless welcomed. I want you to feel safe here.”

“I do. I think,” she whispers as she watches me.

“Is anyone else making you uncomfortable?” I growl, the beast rising again.

“No, nothing like that. I just meant this environment is something new to me. I’m a small-town girl at heart. I don’t hang out in clubs.” She grins, showing off a cute little dimple.

Fuck, I’m in so much trouble.

Chapter Six

Serenity

Fuck, I’m in so much trouble.

I thought the night was going well. Carrying a tray returned to me like second nature, effortless and fluid. The other waitresses seemed welcoming and friendly, except the dark-haired bombshell Samantha, I think her name is. She wasn’t outwardly mean, but I just got a bad vibe. Harmony sat at the bar watching over me, along with Bash. The bartender started to flirt with me, but one glance from Bash and he backed off quickly.

My apron was filled with tips, making my doubts fade away.

Then that stupid man had to lay his hand on me. It didn’t hurt—I’ve felt pain so many times, and that wasn’t it. It startled me more than anything, causing me to yell out.

The next thing I know, the man is gone. I had to search the room to find him. Seeing Ryker, tense and angry, holding him against the wall, didn’t affect me as I imagined. Violence in any form should have terrified me. It was the first time someone defended me. A stranger. He saw someone hurt me and jumped right in. That fascinated me. Intrigued me.

I would beg my mom to look at the bruises Tom put on me. Practically shove them in her face. She said boys would be boys and asked what I did wrong. Such shit. She still brings this man to her table, treating him like family while crapping on her real daughter.

Ryker heard me cry out and came to the rescue, throwing the man out. He doesn’t realize I saw what he did to him. The strength it took to do that is something to think about later. Do I feel bad? Maybe I should, but I can’t fight the pleasure it brings me.

I watch him with his hair unbound. It’s messy and adds to his appeal. His eyes flashed with danger. His face is hard and angry. He’s so much taller than me, and I have to tip my head way back to look at his face. But what a face it is. All that anger and violence right in front of me. I should be running away as fast as possible in the opposite direction. What looks like blood is smeared on his lip, confusing me. I didn’t see any punches thrown.

Why do my feet refuse to move?

He defended me. A woman he had just met. An employee for less than an hour. Why? Call me stupid, but I’m interested in the answer.

---