Page 41 of The Monster's Desire

Echo is only in a white button-down, but the cold clearly doesn’t bother him like it does me.

The main cornerstone and one of the two runestones are done. I just need to complete this smaller one, and we’ll have completed a quarter of the ward. Normally, I would never go this hard, because I’ve spilled more blood than is healthy, but also, I need to finish this shit fast. People are dying because the ward is failing to keep them out.

“You’re like a sleepy kitten,” he muses into my hair as he heads up the top of the last peak.

“Get us close to the runestone, and we can just sit this time,” I mumble.

“Are you too tapped out to do this?” Echo asks, finally slowing down.

“No, I’m cold because someone didn’t let me change into proper mountain climbing attire,” I say. He’s no warmer than the conditions around us, but it is convenient that he’s able to hold me up. I’m close to empty. Not there yet, but after this, I will be.

My mind races as I realize I still have to contact Octavia and get the information about the pregnant woman I’m supposed to check on. I wonder if there’s a way to alert her that something is off without breaking any of the rules. A sharp pain jolts through my temples.

“Come on, mutt,” Echo calls to the woods off the path. “Perhaps you’re needed, after all.”

Ridge pads forward and nudges my hand with his snout. It seems really uncool to pet a wolf that’s also a shifter, but maybe he’s okay with it. His head tilts like he’s assessing me.

“I can manage,” I assure him.

The utter confusion on his face makes me snort. The giant alpha wolf looking baffled is officially the cutest thing I’ve seen in a long time.

Ridge immediately trots off, transforms back into a man, and prowls toward us. I keep my eyes above his very generous alpha package. I’m totally a respectable woman. I nearly snort at the thought. I think blood loss is getting to me.

“Put her down, bloodsucker,” Ridge says in his deep tone. My eyes bounce between them as tension radiates around us.

They continue to posture, neither of them willing to blink or look away first. No sane witch wants to be in the middle of a fight for dominance between a wolf and a vampire.

I’m confident they could do significant damage to one another, and I have no interest in being caught in that crossfire.

“He does look kind of warm.” I pat Echo’s chest to hopefully offset some of the sting of my words.

“She drinks blood too,” Echo replies drolly.

“Come here, little witch,” Ridge instructs.

My knees wobble a bit as I get used to standing on my own again. The corded muscles of his chest and stomach flex as he holds a hand out to me. His massive shoulders are tight with tension until I’m close enough for him to grab.

“Up you go,” Ridge says softly. “Feed.”

Once I’m wrapped around his warm chest, I study his handsome face. “I thought wolves didn’t care to be fed on.”

“They don’t,” Echo says. “You apparently fall outside of normal parameters for this particular wolf.”

“Eat,” Ridge says. His eyes glow the yellowy-green color. “Now.”

The command in his words leaves me no choice. I don’t worry about Echo seeing my baby fangs... No, I strike.

“Right,” Echo says from a few feet away. “Why did you use the tiny blade if you’ve got fangs?” He snorts a laugh. “Is that from what we spoke about earlier? An unexpected side effect?”

Ridge growls. “Shut the fuck up.”

“Sure, you can tell me later.” Echo shakes his head and smirks. “Don’t want you talking with your mouth full.”

The warm, rich flavor of alpha blood replenishes me quickly. My teeth retract, and after the skin closes, I lick his flesh clean.

“You’re so warm,” I whisper, kissing his cheek. “Thank you.”

“I’ll hold you for a while,” Ridge rumbles. “To help you keep warm. Your skin is ice-cold.”

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