Page 4 of Mate
“As far as offers go, Bob, this one is lazy as fuck.” Koen spreads his arms. “What doIget out of it? You’re supposed to offer something in return. Split the reward, wash my car— ”
“They say she’s your mate.”
It’s like the forest hears the words. Like itunderstandsthem. For a brief second every critter, every leaf, every drop of water stills, as if waiting for Koen’s reaction.
“Do they, now?” He advances, still relaxed. He’s taking a night stroll. Wandering around a museum. Unburdened of all worries.
“Yes. And you know what else they say?”
“Bet you’re going to tell me.”
“That she rejected you.”
“Ouch.” Koen doesn’t look to be in any pain. “And your unimpeachable reasoning is that I’ll happily exact my revenge on her by allowing you to take her.”
“Wouldn’t it be better? To be done with her once and for all?”
Koen lifts a hand, making the Vampyre jolt. All he does, though, is massage his temple like an exhausted parent would. Wondering why his toddler is stuffing another crayon up a nostril. “Man. I’m going to have to kill you, and Jorma’s gonna make me do a fuckton of paperwork for that.” He sighs, and the trace of impatience in his voice makes my blood curdle.
Not the Vampyre’s, though. Because what he says next is “And she’s pretty, isn’t she?”
I go very, very still. And so does Koen.
“And right now she’s not in a position torejectanyone.”
No response.
“Do you get my meaning?Alpha?”
Any pretense of casualness melts out of Koen’s demeanor. Every atom of his body is now on high alert, orienting toward prey. Towardme.
“Like I said, she’s very beautiful. I wouldn’t mind tossing her your way, after I’m done with her,” he offers. Koen’s eyes contract to displeased pinpricks, and his scent gives off such unequivocal aversion, even the Vampyre knows to backtrack. “Or you could have your fun with her. Then I’d take her away, no questions asked. She’d have no one to complain to.”
An owl hoots in the distance. I hold my breath, waiting for Koen to tell the Vampyre to fuck off, but the silence lingers, and his eyes grow opaque, and after a while he . . .
Koennods.
My heart plummets.
No. He wouldn’t. He would never.
“Koen?” I say. Half question, half plea.
“In my defense, Serena . . .” Koen lifts his shoulders. “It’s always fucking something with you.”
Ice prickles all over my skin. “No. Don’t. Koen,don’t— ”
“I took the liberty to get started,” the Vampyre says, and before I can wonder what he means, his free hand lowers the torn half of my top down my shoulder.
Koen’s eyes linger on my nearly bare chest like I’m no more than a cut of flesh. An offering to be appraised. Something created for him to use. I watch his pupils do an odd dance, sense a shift in his scent before he murmurs, “See,thisis how you make a deal. I knew you had it in you, Bob.”
Once again, I beg my body to shift to its wolf form. Once again, I am ignored. With a furious grunt, I begin thrashing in the Vampyre’s grip, desperately trying to break free. But he’s stronger than me, and Koen’s probably stronger than the two of us put together. I can knock out one of them, and I’d still be screwed.
I clutch the rock in my palm, but folded as he has me, I still cannot use it.
Terror rushes through my body. Thumps against my chest.
“She’s all yours, Alpha. Do what you will with her.” The Vampyre lets out a winded, obnoxious laugh. He lowers his blade and pushes me a few inches forward without letting go of my wrists. He stinks like he knows that it’s all over for me— that he’swon. “Maybe she’d even enjoy it?”
