Page 23 of Love Bites

One I wasn’t sure how to correct.

Especially when she wanted to do things I couldn’t handle—like letting her walk around my Manor while her magic was drawing everyone to her side.

Someone tried to open my office’s locked door, and I bit back a curse.

If it was another vampire coming by to say they’d lusted after my mate, someone was going to lose their head.

The doorknob moved again, and I relaxed when it opened up.

Only two people had keys.

Louise, and Egan.

I could handle them.

I prepared for a lecture from Louise, but let out a pent-up breath when Egan was the one who stepped inside and relocked the door behind him.

The bastard didn’t say a word as he plopped down in a chair, watching me.

“What?” I grumbled

“Nothing. I’m waiting to hear what happened after you made me clear the room.”

I let out a rough breath. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t think straight. Still can’t, to be honest.”

“Almost like you could feel your mate’s magic actively pulling other males in to fuck her?” Egan drawled.

A harsh laugh escaped me. “Yeah, almost like that.”

He chuckled. “Their magic packs a punch. Makes me really damn glad I’ve got a bond that stops it from touching me.”

“Can’t say I blame you for that.” I sat down in my chair, leaning back against the thick cushion. “I handled it wrong.”

“Is there a right way to handle this situation?”

“There’s got to be a better one than mine.”

“What happened?”

I grimaced, and admitted to the ultimatum I’d given her. The one I absolutely wouldn’t have been able to go through with.

I’d sooner chain her hungry little ass to my side and watch the hoards of men come on to her for the rest of our lives than turn her or her family over to Curtis.

I filled Egan in on everything else that had gone down, too.

“I should’ve come up with something better,” I grumbled.

Egan laughed. “What was the alternative? You wouldn’t have stayed sane if that woman walked out of the room without drinking from you and feeding you. If she’d left without a mate mark, the first person to lust after her would’ve died.”

“If I’d just come out and told her?—”

“She’s a siren who spent her entire life hiding to avoid a mate bond. She wouldn’t have willingly promised herself to you just to help you avoid killing your own people because of mating lunacy,” he said bluntly.

I grimaced.

He was right—a logical explanation wouldn’t have been enough.

“What you said wasn’t what she wanted to hear, but it was the truth. If she’s not in your bed, you won’t be able to stop yourself from hunting her down any more than another mated male would. Myself included. Her lust will set you off. She needs to sate herself on you, and you need to sate yourself on her.”

---