“Honey, one of you has to break pattern. I suggest you call your wolf, cook him a prime steak—rare, of course—apologize for not being open with him, and then tell him what’s in your heart. Speaking of food, when’s the last time you fed?”
Angelica had to think. “I don’t know. The Thirst hasn’t really been on my mind.”
Sophie sighed. “Angelica, need I remind you you’re a vampire?”
“Only half,” Angel protested.
“Yeah, well, while the human half can get away with food consumption, you know your vamp nature needs blood. No wonder you aren’t thinking straight. Look, put on something sexy. It’s Friday. The Warehouse will be packed. Prime hunting ground. Have yourself a snack, and you’ll find you feel much better.”
Feed while Raul was in town and could possibly catch her in the act? “Oh no, I don’t think—”
“Half an hour. Don’t keep me waiting,” Sophie ordered before disconnecting the line.
Damn! Sophie was just ruthless enough to carry her out of the house kicking and screaming. Being a full vampire, Sophie was much stronger than she. Angelica forced herself up and into the shower. Minutes later she stood before the mirror with a towel wrapped around her, examining her bare shoulders and neck.
She’d feel a lot more confident in Raul’s undying commitment to her if she were wearing his mark. Shifters marked their mates. It was instinct, but Raul hadn’t marked her. Had he done so, he’d have known as soon as he got a taste of her blood exactly what she was. Damphyr—half vampire, half human.
Angelica wasn’t ashamed of her heritage—she loved her gypsy mother and vampire father dearly—but there was no denying a lot of shifters felt the only good vampire was a dead one which was okay, since vamps tended to feel the same about them. She had no idea how Raul would feel once he discovered he’d sort of mated one. Or maybe he knew, and that’s why he’d denied her his mark. Or maybe she really wasn’t his mate like she believed. He loved her. She knew he did, but maybe it was the man that wanted her, and his wolf only tolerated her.
She hissed, frustrated with herself. Sophie was right. She was acting human, or chickenshit, Angelica thought, borrowing one of Raul’s favorite terms.
Okay, Angelica, stick to the facts. Raul loves you and treats you like his mate. His pack gives you the loyalty and respect only an alpha’s mate should command. You love him and know, deep down inside where it counts, that he’s your mate. You want to bond with him. Need to bond with him to the point where it’s a physical ache. Stop letting fear guide your actions, she mentally lectured.
So what if a lot of the old ones in the paranormal community, like her father, were against cross-species mating. Never mind he’d done so himself by mating her mother. Hell, her father didn’t even want her mating with another vampiric line although he’d probably prefer it to her mating a human or an animal, as he thought of shifters. What he really wanted was for her to mate a vampire from their family line, his chosen successor since Angel, being half human, wasn’t strong enough to inherit his position on the senate.
With her mother’s help, she’d been able to put him off, but he was becoming more insistent as time passed, and it looked as though she’d remain unmated. She could hardly tell him about Raul. Nor could she tell Raul about her father and his machinations, as long as they both were pretending to be human. The only way her father would back off was if she found her mate, which she had, and mated him in the vampire way, making the mating binding, which she hadn’t.
Finding one’s mate was supposed to be part instinct and part fate, wasn’t it? Fate had done its job and brought the two of them together. Now she needed to have more faith in Raul and in herself and finish the mating process.
Outside a horn blew. Angelica glanced at the bedside clock and then cursed under her breath. She’d wasted too much time brooding. Picking up her phone, she texted Sophie that she’d be right down and then hurriedly dressed.
Chapter Four
Raul drove the twenty minutes or so it took to reach the old logging trail turned hunting grounds on the outskirts of town. There he pulled to the side of the road and into the brush. With the dark night and lack of streetlights, no one would see his vehicle unless they drove up on it.
Moving quickly, he kicked off his loafers and yanked free of his clothing. He’d barely gotten the door closed before his wolf burst free. The change was so violent Raul cried out in pain. His wolf was up and running before Raul’s senses fully returned.
He let his beast have its head, knowing it had been chained too long. After tonight’s emotional storm, it felt good to shed his human consciousness and allow his animal counterpart be in the driver’s seat. Hunting season hadn’t started so he didn’t have to worry about having his hide shot full of bullets. Besides, his wolf was a predator, more than capable of protecting itself from human and animal aggression.
He ran aimlessly for miles, enjoying the stretch and pull of muscles stiff from lack of use. He inhaled air free of the stench of human congestion and pollution. The night was quiet with only the sounds of his paws striking the earth, and the occasional cry of a night hunter to be heard. No horns, no loud music, no civilization. Just nature in all its glory.
Raul zoned out and let the peace sink soul-deep. When he finally roused himself to awareness again, he discovered he was in familiar territory. Seemed his beast’s run hadn’t been as aimless as he’d believed.
He broke through the trees and entered the clearing surrounding a home he knew as well as his own. He should. It was where he’d grown up after his father’s death. As he approached the door, it opened, and his Uncle Joey stepped out onto the porch.
Raul whined in happy greeting and sat on his haunches, his front paws dancing merrily while his tail wagged like a metronome.
“Well, don’t just sit there. Come in,” Uncle Joey invited. He held the door open in invitation.
Raul trotted past his uncle into the living room. Home. It had been too long since his last visit.
Uncle Joey closed the door behind him. “Go on into your room. You should find a pair of your old sweats that might still fit. Change and come out and talk. I’ll have a beer waiting for you.”
Raul padded down the hall to his room. Lots had changed in the pack over the years. Both Uncle Dillion and Uncle Max now had wives and families of their own. Only Uncle Joey still lived in the old pack house, though the others hadn’t settled too far away. Of his uncles, Uncle Joey was the one Raul was closest to and the one to which he instinctively turned whenever he needed guidance in life. It really wasn’t surprising that he found himself here tonight.
When he came out the room, Uncle Joey was seated in his favorite old recliner in front of the big-screen television, remote control in his hand. He gestured with it to the coffee table. “There’s your beer. Sit down and tell me what’s troubling you.”
Raul didn’t question how his uncle knew something was bothering him. He simply popped the top and took a long swig before saying, “I met a woman.”
“Ah, woman troubles.” Uncle Joey muted the television. “Tell me about her.”
He mentally flipped through all the things he could tell his uncle about Angelica. Finally he decided on the most important issue. “She’s my mate. She’s human and doesn’t know what I am, but I think she’s suspicious.”
When his uncle said nothing, Raul found himself continuing. “I met her through our business. She’s a bails bondsman and contacted us on a case. I took the call. Since then she’s referred a good bit of business our way. I was instantly attracted, just from hearing her voice, but tried to fight it. Then I met her in person and it got worse, but still I tried to deny what my senses were telling me. But my wolf…” Raul took another long drink of his beer, remembering. “It latched on to her scent and wouldn’t let go. I couldn’t stay away from her.”