Page 12 of Melissa's Mates (Blissful Bets)

Melissa’s shocked gaze looked up at him. Tears ran down her face, but she remained quiet. “Oh God, did I hurt you? I’m so sorry.” Channing tried to comfort her, but she pushed him off.

“You fucking bit me. Hard.” Multiple expressions passed her face while she lightly shook her head. “But that wasn’t just a sexual bite, was it?”

Her whole body was shaking as she slowly edged off the bed. Fuck. How had he forgotten to lock her memories? He’d been so consumed by seeing the beginnings of a bonding that the thought didn’t even cross his mind. He really didn’t want her to remember this. Shit, he didn’t even make the marks disappear.

“No. When I said I needed to eat before—”

“Eat. My blood?” A small hand reached to her neck as she continued to back away.

“Don’t be scared, Melissa. Please. I’m not going to hurt you. Was it truly so bad?”

Her face looked dazed as she stared toward the bare wall. “My blood,” she repeated. “No, it wasn’t, but that’s beside the point. Is this what everyone is hiding? Vampires?” She got quiet as her eyes darted around in different directions. He knew she was still trying to process the information. It was like she knew, but she didn’t want to believe. “Ev is pale. Is she a vampire?”

“Your friend Evelyn is not a vampire. Brandon, he’s the vampire. Stephen is the werewolf. Evelyn just carries one of their children.”

A shuttering breath came from her as she blindly reached her hands around. Channing eased from the bed and inched toward her. “Melissa, please do not fear me.”

“Stay away from me.”

A curse left his mouth as she grabbed a robe hanging from the door and bolted from the room. Quickly, he threw his clothes on and used his mind to feel where she was going. The stairs. He rushed toward the living room and out the front door. The pale skin of her legs flashed in the moonlight as she headed toward the sounds of the beach.

Taking off at his quick speed, Melissa was just approaching the sand when he pulled her down. “I told you I wouldn’t hurt you. What are you worried about?”

She tried to scream, but the moment she looked into his eyes, he stopped her. He hated having to use his abilities. He put everything into it, knowing no matter what, it wouldn’t be enough. The screams might not come, but he wouldn’t be able to keep her quiet completely. The realization at what he was doing made his stomach sick.

“Nothing is as it seems.” Her voice cracked as sobs took over. “I’ve always known, always felt that something more was out there. But this…I didn’t expect vampires and werewolves. Angels, maybe, but not this.”

“Get off of her, Channing.”

A low growl had his vision snapping up. He looked into the face of the man he knew had been outside of her house when they arrived. He was the same one that had made time stop for her hours earlier.

“How do you know my name? Who are you? Why are you watching her?”

The man tensed, and Melissa wiggled under Channing’s body. He looked down at her, but then continued to stare up at the man. The stranger kneeled down and came face to face with him.

“My name is no concern. Ayden sent me to watch over her when Tom was on the loose. Maybe I didn’t want to leave.”

“Well, maybe you should have.”

The men stared at each other for a good minute, neither budging. A stinging raced across Channing’s cheek. Melissa lay under him, absolutely livid as she stared up. One moment she was scared, the next angry. He quickly grabbed her hand before it could strike again.

“Why did you slap me?” He couldn’t keep the shocked tone from his voice.

“I thought maybe your gaze was stuck. I was helping. Now get off. I have sand in places I don’t care to mention. The shower is calling me”

“Wow, Stephen wasn’t kidding about your temper. Remarkable.”

Channing stood, gaining a new respect for the woman. Wasn’t she just scared out of her mind? Now she’d somehow turned that fear to anger. Good girl. They were going to get along together perfectly. But what was he going to do about the wolf? Fuck. He really didn’t want to think about what he feared was happening.

Chapter 6

Melissa turned on the shower, still numb from shock. Vampires and werewolves. No fucking way. This had to be some sort of horrible dream. Looking in the mirror, she saw the puncture wounds and wiped her last thought away. Nope, this was no nightmare. What was she supposed to do now? Would they try to kill her for knowing? Just thinking of what happened between her and Channing, she couldn’t believe that.

She jumped in the shower and quickly washed herself off. The need to get back out there and check on the two strangers in her living room made her move extra fast. Drying off and slipping on her white silk nightgown, Melissa walked into the living room and came face to face with the two men. They both sat stiffly at opposite ends of the couch, staring at her with weird expressions on their faces. Nervously, she walked to the chair and eased herself down.

“So what happens to me now? One of you aren’t going to kill me for knowing, are you?”

“No way. No one is going to touch you. I won’t let them,” the stranger said, breathing heavily.

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