Page 37 of Undying
Are they different from vampires, or just more of the same predators?
“Tell me about yourself and your world.” I focus on shuffling along in the tunnel and not on the ache in my knees, the crook in my neck, or the hunger slowly creeping into my thoughts. “Why do you work with vampires when you hate them so much?”
ChapterTwelve
CASTLE
I’m so distracted by the gentle sway of Jolie’s ass that I don’t notice the silence right away. My mouth waters with the need to bite the round globe, and I clear my throat to keep a growl from escaping.
Those shapeless scrubs did her no justice.
I’m still annoyed the do-gooder little vampire gave her other clothes, hating that she’s no longer smothered in my scent, but fuck if her new outfit doesn’t cling to her in all the right places.
Though she might be petite, she has curves that go on for days, and it’s a struggle to tear my eyes away from her luscious shape.
And I fail fantastically.
Oh, I manage it for a few seconds…then I blink, and my eyes are once again glued to her ass.
Not that anyone can really blame me. I am basically a beast, after all.
Her breasts are ripe, the perfect size to fit my palms. The gentle nip of her waist accentuates the curve of her hips, and I know she’d fit the crook of my arm like she was made for me to hold her close. I shut my eyes, doing my best to banish the image of her naked and sprawled across my bed, her black hair spread around her in invitation.
Her sharp citrus scent does little to calm my beast, and I struggle to focus on anything else before I mount her like my wolf demands.
Question!
Like a desperate man, I focus on the question she asked.
Wait…what did she ask again?
Oh, right…wolves.
I try not to dwell in the past, not comfortable talking about the horrors I’ve endured, but she needs to know the truth if she wants to survive the shitstorm coming.
She’s a vampire.
By rights, I should hate her with every fiber of my being.
Her very existence should repulse me.
But there is something irresistible about her that calls to my beast, and my teeth ache to mark her skin and claim her for my own.
To distract myself from doing something stupid, I clear my throat, willing to tell her anything if it keeps me from acting on my impulses. “Most wolves only live for a few centuries, the bloodlines having become diluted over time. Tobias and I come from two different ancient lines. While he was born a wolf, I was turned on the battlefield so long ago that it feels like another lifetime.” I shake away the memories before they can drag me into the past.
“War between the vampires and wolves is a never-ending battle. I’ve tried to exterminate the vampires over the years, but I’ve learned if balance is not preserved, something else will happen to even it out—low birth rates, humans learning of our existence and hunting us, lack of mates, the list is endless.” The thought of anything happening to my littlesætahas my wolf howling in my head, and I grit my teeth to keep my beast from ripping through my flesh and getting out.
Now is not the time for her to be introduced to my wolf, not when we’re trapped in a tunnel with nowhere for her to run. Though I’m relatively sure I can keep the fucker from ripping her throat out, I don’t think I’ll be able to keep him from biting her and claiming her for his own.
Claws slice through the tips of my nails, scratching along the muck covered stones in the service tunnels. Tobias stiffens, pauses imperceptibly, and an almost silent growl reverberates through the air. I have no doubt that if there were enough room, he would turn around and urge the little vampire to go before him.
I give a huff of annoyance.
Like he has any better control over his beast when she is near.
I regulate my breathing for the next mile, and my wolf gradually calms. “Every time the balance tips in one direction or another, it leads to war. The only way both species thrive is by maintaining that balance.
“When the vampires came out to the world, shifters were forced to emerge as well. We couldn’t risk them outing us and turning the humans against us. So while the vampires took over the cities, the shifters claimed the countryside.
