Page 61 of Mated to the Human: Volume One

“We’re opening up!” A shout came from inside the building.

Leander steeled himself, keeping a hard grip on their hostage.

When the door rolled all the way open, he nearly sagged in relief at the sight of Merri standing under his own power. That relief lasted only a moment as his gaze zeroed in on the bruise blossoming across Merri’s cheek and the thin line of red on his throat.

Merri’s gaze met his, eyes crinkling as he smiled behind the duct tape on his mouth. Leander loved him so much in that moment, he nearly burst with it.

Two men flanked Merri, one holding on to each of his arms. The same way he and Rook were holding Richard.

“Your attack dog has given you quite the pair of balls, Holly,” Neal Riven said, walking out from behind the door. “Too bad you couldn’t have found them on your own.”

Derek growled low, his power leaking out of him in a vicious rush. The air around them all went thick with it.

Neal swallowed hard as his eyes widened.

Leander took a step forward, dragging Richard with him. “Send Merrick over, and you can have your son back.”

Neal tore his gaze from Derek and Hollis to look at Leander. “You know, Leander, out of all the freaks, you were always the one I despised the least. A businessman. I could respect that to a degree, and you didn’t choose this. Since vampires are born human, I thought I could give you the benefit of the doubt.” He sighed. “Imagine my disappointment when you hitched your wagon to that bitch’s plan to unify the city. This city doesn’t need unity. It needs purification!”

One of the men holding Merri lifted his other hand away from his leg, a silver knife reflecting in the security lights. Leander sped forward as shouts and growls erupted around him. Merri’s hazel gaze widened, but he never looked away from Leander’s face.

Leander hit the man holding Merri and didn’t stop, knocking the man backward even as white-hot pain lanced through his shoulder where he’d blocked the knife from its intended target. With a vicious twist of his hand, he snapped the man’s neck.

Chaos ensued around them, the wolves and others waiting around the warehouse taking that as their cue to attack. Screams and gunshots rang out, but Leander couldn’t be bothered to worry about anyone else. He turned, going to one knee as the silver knife still embedded in his shoulder ate away at his strength.

Merri was there, on his knees in front of Leander, tearing the duct tape away from his mouth with his hands still bound. “Lee,” he said, sobbing with frantic red-rimmed eyes searching his face.

“It’s alright, love. You’re safe now.” He was tipping forward, unable to keep his balance.

“Help!” Merri yelled, trying to hold Leander up with his bound hands.

Ammon appeared beside Merri, back in human form and as naked as the day he was born. “Easy boss,” he said, voice uncharacteristically serious as he took hold of the knife’s hilt. “Let’s get this poison out of you.” As soon as Ammon’s fingers wrapped around the hilt, he hissed, smoke rising from his skin. “Fuck,” he said through gritted teeth. “That’s some potent shit.”

Leander grunted at the pain tearing through his shoulder. It felt like the silver-laced fumes from the gym were being dumped directly into his veins, searing pain burning through every inch of him.

Ammon released the knife handle and laid him back on the ground. “Merri, I need your shirt.”

“Move,” Bellicent said, appearing over Ammon’s shoulder. She reached past him and grabbed the knife, pulling it out despite the same sizzling smoke rising from her own skin. Dropping the knife, she used a claw to cut through the layers of Leander’s jacket and shirt. “It’s not too deep. He needs blood.”

“Here,” Merri spoke up, shoving his way back into Leander’s line of sight. He pressed his bare wrist to Leander’s mouth. “Drink, baby, come on.”

He didn’t want to. Didn’t want to take blood when Merri was injured, but the pain from the silver grew, and his instincts took over. Fangs extending, he sank them into Merri’s wrist, and a hot delicious rush of life raced over his tongue.

Merri let out a sigh, sounding the opposite of pained. He wriggled around, settling with Leander’s head in his lap and his other hand spread out on Leander’s chest.

Leander drank for another moment, just until the pain receded enough for him to function. He pulled his fangs from Merri’s wrist and licked over the punctures he’d made. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his handkerchief. Pressing it to the wounds, he gripped Merri’s wrist in a firm hold to stop the bleeding.

“That wasn’t enough,” Merri said, trying to pull his fingers away.

“Merri.” Leander looked up at him. “I’m okay. The healing has started.”

“But—”

“No buts, love. You need your strength, too, and the fight is over.”

“You both are going to be the death of me,” Ammon groused. He’d sat down beside Leander’s hip.

With his free hand, Leander patted Ammon’s knee. “Thanks for coming.”

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