Page 25 of Until Forever Comes
Running into the other vampires wasn’t something I wanted to risk. My interactions with them up to that point could be summed up as violent and near-death. Seeing as how I wanted to avoid both of those things, I made sure to stay very quiet as I walked across the room. When I passed by the table, I noticed large pages spread across it. I’d never seen paper that size, so it caught my attention. When I looked closer, squinting to make out the small markings, I realized they were huge maps of Kfarkattan and the surrounding areas, including Miancarem, our pack lands. It struck me as odd, particularly because the maps stood in stark contrast to the rest of the nothingness in the space. I made a mental note to ask Miguel about that too.
But first, I needed to find some food. I tiptoed up the stairs, every step slow and deliberate. When I finally made it to the top, I cupped my hand around my ear and pressed it to the door. There was no noise, not even the sound of breathing. I took a moment to process that thought. When had I started being able to hear breathing?
My senses had never been as developed as other shifters, and though things had improved once I’d shifted a few days prior, having hearing sensitive enough to pick up breathing was beyond even my father’s capabilities. And yet, I suddenly realized I’d been able to do just that since Miguel had started feeding from me. For that matter, being able to see at night, with the light of the moon illuminating the woods, was common. But being able to see in pitch dark, with no light source? Not so much. I turned around and peered down the stairs. How was it that I could see anything without any windows or lights in the room?
A growl from deep in my belly, followed by a sharp pang, called my attention back to the task at hand. Food. I needed to get some food. I flipped the lock and then turned the knob slowly, opened the door just a smidge, and pressed one eye to the crack. Nobody was out there.
Once I finally made it out of the basement, I was on the street outside the warehouse in what felt like seconds. Knowing I could be faced with unhappy vampires at any moment, I didn’t lollygag, just got out of there as fast as I could while being mindful of the need to keep perfectly silent.
The night air was cool and crisp, bathing my lungs and leaving me feeling fresh. With my hands stuffed in my pockets, I stayed close to the buildings and walked toward Main Street, where most of the shops were housed. Dismissing the crowded diner in favor of the general store, I pushed open the door, causing the bell hanging from it to jingle.
The human at the counter looked up and gave me a careful smile. “What can I do for you, young man?” he asked.
“Oh, uh,” I stammered. Though I’d been in the human shops a few times, I’d never been on my own, never had cause to explain myself to anybody. “I just need to pick up a few things, uh, food.”
I dipped my head and shuffled away, then walked through the store briskly, picking out a loaf of bread, some fruit, a bit of fresh meat, and a container of peanut butter. That should hold me for a day or two.
“Is that it for you?” the shopkeeper asked.
I nodded and counted out my money without looking up and meeting his eyes. The man was acting right nice, but I was still nervous, not knowing how to behave around a half-soul after spending my life being told to avoid them. ’Course, I’d been taught to avoid vampires too, and we know how well that had turned out.
With the bag holding my purchases in hand, I walked out of the shop and back onto the unfamiliar street. A lifetime living close to this town, closer than any other, and yet it was a foreign place, inhabited by humans I didn’t know. Every shifter I knew lived within walking distance, and the urge to go to them, to be with my pack, was strong. But not stronger than the driving need to be with my mate.
I clenched the bag handle more tightly than necessary and trudged back toward the dark, lonely street where Miguel lived. With my jacket collar up, my shoulders hunched, and my gaze aimed at the ground, I had a sense of being almost invisible, like maybe the humans wouldn’t notice me among them. And it worked fine. Nobody got close or spoke to me, right up until I was turning off Main Street.
“Ethan!”
I jerked, snapping my head up. Miguel was moving toward me at a fast clip, his lips pressed into tight lines, a pinched expression on his face.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, expediting my pace, wanting to reach him as fast as possible.
Just as soon as we were within arm’s distance, he pulled me to him, engulfing me in a hug. “Are you okay?” he asked, pressing his face against my hair.
“I’m fine,” I assured him. “What happened?”
He inhaled deeply. If he were a shifter, I would have thought he was trying to take in my scent. When the tension drained from his body and he sighed contentedly, I reckoned that was precisely what he’d been doing.
“You weren’t there,” he said. “When I came back to the room, you were gone.”
I immediately felt remorseful for having worried my mate. “I’m sorry,” I said, hoping he could hear the sincerity in my voice. “I reckoned you’d be busy with your… coven?” I paused and pulled back to look at him. He shrugged and then gave me a short nod. Taking that as confirmation that I’d used the correct terminology, I continued. “And I was hungry, so—”
“There’s food waiting for you,” he said. “I went just as soon as the sun set. I wanted to have it there when you woke up, but I was delayed dealing with Ted and those other guys.” He looked me over, his gaze flicking all around my face and body. “And then by the time I got back, you were gone.”
He sounded just as dismayed the second time he reminded me of my absence as he had the first.
“I wasn’t leaving you,” I assured him.
“I know that,” he answered too quickly.
His tone was curt and his gaze dropped to the ground. Everything about the way he responded told me that I was, in fact, correct in my suspicion. I grinned to myself. Though he’d tried to push me away, it was clear that Miguel didn’t want me to leave. He wanted me by his side, hopefully as much as I wanted to be there.
Miguel took the bag from my hand and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, keeping me close. “Let’s go,” he said and started leading us down the street. “Next time you need something, let me know and I’ll take care of it. It isn’t safe for you to be out here at night. There are all sorts of dangers lurking around.”
“But you said you went out to get me food and you’re here now,” I pointed out.
The grin I got from the man was devilish. “That’s because I’m the biggest danger of all.”
My pecker thickened and lengthened in response to my mate’s words and tone. Was that weird? I mean, should a reminder of his violent nature be arousing? Before I could give it more thought, we turned the corner and I was lifted off my feet and pressed up against the side of a building.
