Page 41 of The Love Bitten Series: Vol 2

Although I’d never felt the tiniest hint of attraction to a male—and never would until I met my destined mate—I subjectively knew that Ren was gorgeous. With the stereotypical Bancroft dark hair and bright blue eyes, I was certain he got a lot of unwanted attention from human women. And judging by the smug curve of his lips, he was well aware of his attractiveness.

The man was doing me a huge favor, so I refrained from rolling my eyes as I walked toward him and thrust out my hand. “Thanks. I really appreciate it.”

There wasn’t a single speck of reaction when his palm slid against mine. Not that I expected there to be. Not until I reached the age of majority and could I sense my fated pairing.

Ren’s expression softened, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he had the gift of clairvoyance when he murmured, “No thanks are necessary. You never know, we could discover when you turn eighteen that we’re destined to be together, and I’ve been helping you out of a selfish instinct all along.”

I yanked my hand from his grasp and took a step back, shaking my head. “I hope not.”

His eyes widened as his head jerked back in surprise. “Come on now, I’m a hell of a catch!”

“It’s not you, it’s me,” I mumbled.

He chuckled softly and shook his head. “That’s what everyone says when they’re trying to let someone down easily.”

He was right. He deserved more than a cliché for an explanation. “I had to sneak behind my parents' back to meet with you today. They think Sheridan and I are hanging out doing teenage girl things at her house.”

“That’s technically true.” He waved his hand in a circle. “You’re both sixteen, and you’re in the basement of Sheridan’s home. Hence, you’re doing teenage girl stuff at her house.”

“I’m a sixteen-year-old daywalker, and the only thing I’ve been taught is to run if confronted by a nightwalker. Maybe land a good punch or two before taking off. But that’s it.” I strode over to the weapons on the wall across from me and trailed my fingers down a wooden stake. “We have a training room in our basement just like this one, but I’ve never been allowed to touch any of the weapons there.”

“I’m more than happy to teach you how to use them.” Ren shrugged as his brows drew together. “But I don’t understand what any of this has to do with not wanting to find your fated mate.”

I heaved a deep sigh. “You know how daywalker men can be.”

“Um, yeah...because I am one,” he joked as he pointed at his broad chest.

“And when you meet your destined consort, I’m sure you’ll be just as overprotective with her as all male daywalkers are with their women.” I pulled a wooden stake from the wall. “She’ll probably never need to use any of the training she had before you found her. Because you’ll be there to do all the killing for her.”

“You’re wrong.” He shook his head, his expression turning utterly serious. “I hope like hell my destined consort never has to fight for her life, but if she hasn’t already learned how to kill a nightwalker, you can be damn sure I’ll teach her everything she needs to know.”

“But what if mine wants to wrap me in bubble wrap like my parents have done my whole life?” I asked, giving voice to my deepest fear about meeting the man who could own my heart but would also have the power to break it.

Ren gripped my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Fate wouldn’t pair you with someone who couldn’t be exactly what you need. Your partner won’t try to stifle you. He’ll help you become the best version of yourself that you can be.”

Hopefully, I wouldn’t have to test that theory for a long time. I’d hate to find out he was wrong before I’d achieved what I set out to do.

1

BRAEDEN

“Too bad Cian, Aura, and Abel took Ronan out for a drink. I’m sure he would have been more than happy to help,” Narkissa, my brother’s consort, said with a decidedly unsympathetic grin.

I’d been stuck with the job of playing nursemaid for a bunch of teenage girls who were celebrating the eighteenth birthday of my cousin’s daughter, Sheridan. Her older brother, Ronan, had skirted the duty because he only recently turned twenty-one, and they had whisked him away, taking him out for a drink. I mentally groaned at the thought of all the fun they’d have without me.

“I should’ve gone with them,” I muttered. “At least then I would’ve done something to earn the headache I’m sure to end up with tonight.”

I couldn’t really be annoyed with Ronan, though. Narkissa was right that he would have been more than happy to help. He adored Sheridan and wouldn’t have complained for a second about staying to babysit the girls.

My brother and sister-in-law were about to take their children home, so I wandered off to check in with Sheridan about the plan for the night—so to speak since it was nearly five in the morning. Though our kind of vampire could walk in the sun, we preferred the nocturnal life due to our incredibly pale skin and sensitive eyes that were much sharper at night. It also helped keep the fact we weren’t aging less noticeable.

Sheridan stood with ten young girls—okay, to be fair, most of them were eighteen, and the rest were only a year younger. Still, compared to my five hundred and forty-three years, they were practically in diapers. My eyes strayed to the female my cousin was speaking with, and I immediately revised my generalized categorization.

The dark-haired daywalker was clearly young, but she had the body of a woman with curves in the right places despite her slender frame. My body had absolutely zero reaction to her, but I still appreciated her beauty.

They both turned to look at me when I approached, and I was struck by the woman’s incredible eyes. They were hazel, but the greenish-brown was so bright they appeared gold. The maturity in them and the way she held herself with confidence took me aback a little. Most girls her age retained some childish qualities, still developing and finding themselves. But while this female had an innocence about her, she obviously knew who she was.

I smiled, a little relieved because I had a feeling she would be interesting to talk to, so I wouldn’t have to suffer through a night of inane teenage chatter.

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