I’m frozen, watching the taillights of the car that just took Daman disappear around a bend. My charge. Kidnapped right in front of me, and I did nothing. I’m useless.
I had one job—follow him, protect him—and I let my stupid feelings get in the way. Harry’s voice cuts through the spiral: stay calm. My wolf takes over. I don’t feel, I track.
I race back to the car, hands shaking, and peel out after the fading lights. The chase leads me downtown, the car turning into a side street and parking behind a sleek, nondescript building. A club. Exclusive.
Vampire elite. I don’t recognize the valet who takes the car, which means the kidnappers probably went inside with Daman. It’s a stupid, risky move, but it’s my only lead. The hostess at the entrance gives me a cold, suspicious smile.
“You have a reservation, miss? ”
“I’m with the Cromwells,” I declare, gambling on the name. Her expression shifts to a bright smile. “Why didn’t you say so earlier?
Please, come inside. ”
I scan the bar for Daman, but he’s not there. A distinguished man in his forties approaches. “Welcome.
I’m Marco Rossi, I own this establishment. Any friend of the Cromwells is a friend of mine. ”
“I’m looking for Damien Cromwell. Have you seen him?
”
He shakes his head. “Not tonight. Trust me, I’d know if he was here. ”
I ask to check downstairs.
He leads me to an elevator himself. It’s almost too easy. The club below is throbbing. Neon lights, sweat, the scent of decay beneath the expensive perfume.
My senses cut through the haze, and I find him—Daman, in a dim booth, surrounded by vampires, a vacant smile on his face. “Well, as you can see, he isn’t here,” Rossi says, looking straight at Daman’s table without seeing him. “What do you mean he isn’t here? He’s right there!
”
Rossi frowns, genuinely confused. “I don’t see him. ”
I don’t have time for this. I push through the crowd to Daman.
He blinks at me, grinning. “Oh hey, Chloe. ”
A thin blonde in a silver dress sits on his lap, rubbing his shoulder. A male vampire blocks my path.
“Get lost, kid. ” I shove him off, but another grabs me. I headbutt the first, kick the second, and shout at Daman to get up. He just smiles at me, peacefully, and stays seated.
I fight through the onslaught. They keep coming. A flash of silver, a gunshot. I dive behind the bar as screams fill the air.
When I look up, Daman is still in his seat, holding his head. I run for him, but the hard metal of a gun presses against the back of my skull. “I’ve had just about enough of you,” a vampire hisses. I close my eyes, waiting for death.
But seconds pass. The screaming stops. The only sound is the music still blasting. I can’t open my eyes.
I can’t move. “Oh sorry,” I hear Daman laugh. “You’re free, Chloe. ”
My eyes snap open.
Everyone is frozen. Statues mid-flight, mouths open in silent screams. The vampire holding the gun is frozen, too. I wave a hand in front of his face, take the gun from his limp fingers.
“All right, let’s get out of here,” Daman says, rising unsteadily. He sags against me as I drag him through the frozen crowd. “Did you do this? ” I gasp.
“Looks like it. ”
“There are thousands of people down here. ”
“You can move again in fifteen minutes,” he says to no one in particular. “You won’t remember anything out of the ordinary.
”
“Damien, you mean to tell me you could have just asked these people to release you at any time? ”
He gives me a sheepish look. That’s all the answer I need. I want to yell at him, but we exit the elevator into the bar, and my words die.
Everyone upstairs is frozen too—glasses dripping, conversations halted mid-sentence. I feel a chill of fear. This is terrifying. A werewolf like me never suspected a vampire could have this much power.
“Why are you looking at me like that? ” Daman asks, wounded. “Are you afraid of me? ”
“I would never use my powers on you,” he sighs when I don’t answer.
“Not on purpose. ”
I help him into the car, frowning at the blood dripping from his nose. He starts coughing. Alarming amounts of blood.
Poisoned again. “Did they poison you again? ” Stupid question. Obviously.
“I’ll see you soon,” he says weakly, squeezing my hand. “I think you’re dying. ”
“It’s fine,” he says, peaceful, like he’s declining a drink. It means it.
He doesn’t care that he’s about to die. Then he convulses. “Drink from me. Come on.
” I snap my wrist to his lips, bite my own skin open, desperate. He’s unconscious. I hold my wrist to his mouth, begging, shaking him. For too long, nothing.
I’m certain I’ve lost him. Then his eyes snap open. No kindness, no peace. Just pure, unadulterated hunger.
He grabs me with bone-crushing force and sinks his teeth into my arm. I wake slowly, the memory crashing over me in waves. Visiting his other house. The kidnapping.
The club. His powers. His bite. And then—
I muffle a mortified scream in my pillow.
I threw myself at him. I begged him. I told him in detail how much I wanted him. I sobbed when he pulled away.
I asked him to bite me again. I wanted to be with him. I wanted him to be mine. What must he think of me?
He has a girlfriend—a girl he visits at night, promises to run away with. I saw them together. And I still crossed that line. A while ago, I was a different person.
Just a mated wolf, sure of my place, sure of my fate. I had a mate. A family. A life that made sense.
And I ruined it. Harry was training me in the clearing, sunlight dappling through the pines. “You’re getting faster,” he’d said, blocking a swipe. “All thanks to you.
Without your help, I’d never have been strong enough to deserve a wolf like Nate for a mate. ”
His smile faded. “You don’t have to prove your worth to anyone. Nate should love you for who you are, not for how strong you become.
”
I didn’t understand. He was our Alpha’s favored pack member. He didn’t need to prove himself. Everyone already looked up to him.
Everyone except Nate, who I loved so much I owed everything to. That day, we drove to visit Nate’s old pack. Harry was supposed to come, but at the last minute, Jake took his place. “I’ll be coming with you instead of Harry,” Jake announced.
Jake needed to “teach Seth some basic rules of conduct. ” Harry warned him to let it go. Jake didn’t. At the pack, Nate found me, angry.
“Where were you? We were supposed to leave together. ”
“I told you I was going to train with Harry until 12. ”
“No you didn’t.
You’re so forgetful, baby. ” He smiled. “You forget things all the time. ”
I doubted myself.
Maybe I was forgetful. Then he complained about my black dress. “I hate you in Black. ”
I thought he liked it.
I guess I was wrong. “Harry and I had a great training session this morning,” I said, trying to change the subject. “I even managed to hit him once. ”
Nate laughed, pinching my cheek.
“Baby, that’s just because he let you hit him. ”
“No, he didn’t—”
“Oh, because he’s so perfect. You’re amazing, Harry, who’s so much better than me. ”
He twisted everything.
He told me I was putting him down, that I was insecure, that I didn’t think about him at all. “Just say it if I’m not enough for you. ” He walked off, leaving me alone in the vast field. I stood there, frozen, wondering what was wrong with me.
I was the worst mate. I should have known how he felt. I should have done better. Then I saw Eevee.
Nate’s sister. She looked distraught, moving toward an isolated barn. And I heard Jake’s voice, angry, coming from that direction. I followed.
Inside the barn, Jake and Seth were locked in a violent fight. Blood spattering the dusty floor. Seth was losing. Eevee was trembling, her body beginning to shift.
She was going to attack Jake from behind. He couldn’t see it. He couldn’t react. My wolf took over.
I plunged toward Eevee, fangs bared. I needed to protect my Alpha. Her piercing howl filled the air. Blood erupted onto my tongue.
I ruined her life. She was paralyzed from the waist down for years. I did that. It was an accident, but I did it.
And it’s why Nate turned out the way he did. He had to choose between me and the sister I’d hurt. Our relationship never recovered. It’s my fault.
I can’t abandon him. He accepted me despite what I did. Now, days after the kidnapping, I can’t stop thinking about Daman. The venom in his bite makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.
It makes me pliant. It makes me beg. And he keeps pulling away, guilty, saying he shouldn’t have bitten me. “Chloe, don’t say things like that,” he’d said as I tried to crawl into his lap in the car.
“You’re not yourself. You’re high. ”
“Is it because you think you’re taking advantage of me? I was attracted to you before, you know.
”
He smirked. “I know, darling. But I’d like you to experience our first time together sober. ”
Then he whispered for me to go to sleep, and everything went black.
Cromwell is waiting for me in the reception area. I’m ready to be fired. Instead, he’s grinning. “There she is!
The Lady of the hour! Congratulations are in order. Damian told me what happened last night. How you managed to track him down, extract him from the club, and even kindly give him some of your blood to help him recover from the poison.
”
He smiles warmly. “Not only did you protect Damian effectively, but you also figured out who’s been behind these attacks. Marco Rossi. ”
Rossi.
The club owner who acted like he couldn’t see Daman. “But why pretend he couldn’t see him? ”
“You can’t trust anybody these days,” Cromwell says, shaking his head. “I can’t believe I sponsored him into the position of power he occupied.
”
Something feels wrong in my stomach, but I don’t say anything. He says the job is done. I can go home. He offers me a bonus.
“Well, surely you’ll be eager to go back to your family now that your job is over. Though perhaps you’ll consider paying Damian a visit before you leave, bid him farewell. He’s grown quite fond of you. ”
I nod, my throat tight.
I have to leave. This is good. I won’t have to face him again and think about what I did. But I can’t just leave.
I need to say goodbye. I knock on his door. He’s lounging in a chair, a book in hand, looking as nonchalant as ever. I can’t believe I was kissing this man not even 24 hours ago.
“I’ve come to say goodbye. ”
“Goodbye? ”
“Yes. Your grandfather seems to think your life is no longer in danger, so… there’s no need for me to stay here.
You don’t need me anymore, right? ”
He nods slowly. “Right. Well, thank you for your services.
”
He’s not being mean. He’s being indifferent. As he should. I’m just an employee.
Back in my room, I sink to the floor. I’ll never see him again. The thought is unbearable. My eyes land on the book he lent me.
The Time Traveler’s Wife. I should give it back. I’ll see him one last time. I grab the book and open my door.
I almost run straight into him. He’s standing outside, fist raised, like he was about to knock. “Oh. You’re here.
”
“Yes,” he says, clearing his throat. “Well, it occurred to me that there are tons of people out there who still want to kill me. ”
“Tons, I’m sure. ”
“At least,” he says seriously, closing the door behind him.
“I’m actually quite insufferable when you think about it. Who wouldn’t want me dead? ”
He steps closer, close enough that I can feel the rise and fall of his chest. “I’d feel much better if someone could ensure my well-being.
Someone with experience. ”
“I have experience,” I reply, angling my head. His hands clasp my lower back, reeling me in. “My thoughts exactly.
”
He closes the gap. His lips claim mine. Two weeks ago, I was getting ready for a party, scrubbing Nate’s scent off my skin. Applying perfume, concealer, trying to hide the fact that I was back together with him.
Emma found me, handed me a red dress, and dragged me to the party. She didn’t know. No one knew. Then I saw her across the room.
Eevee. Walking with a limp. Alive. My heart stopped.
I ran before she could see me, Emma chasing after me into the library. “Chloe, what’s happening? ”
“Eevee. Nate’s sister.
I haven’t seen her in years. I ruined her life. I attacked her once and nearly killed her. She was paralyzed from the waist down for years.
”
Emma was stunned silent. Then she hugged me. “You were only trying to protect Jake. And you did.
It was an accident. ”
“It was my fault. If only I’d trained better, I wouldn’t have hurt her like that. This incident is what ruined Nate and I’s relationship.
He had to choose between me and the sister I’d hurt. It’s why he is the way he is. Because I did this. I’m a monster.
How could I ever abandon Nate after he still accepted me despite what I did? ”
Now, lying in Daman’s arms after another night of feeding, I wonder who I am anymore. The venom makes me beg for him, and I do. I don’t feel guilty when we’re together.
I feel adored. Safe. Beautiful. He looks at me like he sees me.
“Who was that girl you visited the night you were kidnapped? ” The words tumble out before I can stop them. His expression turns horrified. “Why are you asking about her now?
We were having a moment. ”
“Well, excuse me for thinking about your girlfriend while we’re together naked. ”
“She’s my sister. ”
My jaw drops.
“Your sister? ”
“I don’t want to think about my little sister when I’m in bed with you. ” He pouts. No girlfriend.
Just a sister. My heart is soaring. “Were you jealous? ” he asks, amused.
“I was kind of jealous, I guess. ”
He laughs, delighted. “I knew it. You’re so into me.
”
“Not helping. ”
“You have nothing to be jealous about, my Chloe. I love you. There’s no one else but you.
”
My eyes widen. Infinite joy and fear collide inside me. He can’t be serious. If it’s true—if he loves me—then that changes everything.
I can’t tell him what I am. Ian Cromwell’s compulsion won’t let me. And now I’m mated to someone else. “You don’t have to say it back,” he smiles, kissing the tip of my nose.
“I can wait. Though I should probably tell you—seeing how I’ve been drinking so much of your blood lately, we can’t very well continue like this without you officially becoming my bride. ”
“Your bride? ”
“If I continue drinking from you for too long, we’ll eventually form a blood bond.
That means I won’t be able to feed on anybody else until the day you die. We’ll be tied together. My survival will depend entirely on you. ”
A huge commitment.
One I didn’t come here to make. “I can’t,” I gasp, tears pricking my eyes. His expression crumbles. A knife plunges into my heart.
“It’s not that I don’t want to,” I plead. “I would love nothing more than to be with him forever. But you don’t understand. Your grandfather—there are things I can’t tell you.
”
He furrows his brows. “Wait. Is this about you being a werewolf? ”
I’m stunned speechless.
“You knew? ”
“Chloe, there were two werewolves following you the other day. One is constantly hanging out in my backyard. And you beat up at least ten vampires with your bare hands the other day.
And if that wasn’t enough, you don’t pass out when I bite you. Of course you’re a werewolf. ”
He’s known this entire time. He never said anything.
He just waited until I was ready. “Were you afraid of telling me? ” he asks, his gaze warm and full of love. “Is that why you broke my heart and said you couldn’t be my bride?
”
“Your heart? ” I whisper. “It’s yours, Chloe. If you’ll have it.
”
Our lips meet in a kiss filled with tenderness and longing. “We’ll still need to ask for my grandfather’s permission,” he tells me a while later. “But don’t worry. I’m sure he’s going to love the idea.
”
The next morning, I’m waiting in the sitting area while Damen asks his grandfather for permission. For a few minutes, there’s silence. Then—
“I absolutely hate the idea! ” Ian Cromwell’s voice booms through the door, furious.
“I forbid it, you hear me! It’s out of the question! ”
Damen and I sit in front of him, holding hands nervously, while the man towers over us. “This needs to end,” he says, pointing an accusing finger at Damen.
“You two have no idea what you’re getting yourselves into. ”
“A blood bond between a vampire and a werewolf is simply unfeasible,” Ian says with a tired sigh. He looks conflicted. Sorry.
“A werewolf’s blood has healing properties,” he explains. “So should a vampire form a blood bond with one, having to rely only on the werewolf’s blood to survive—that would make said vampire mortal. Essentially, the blood would heal the vampire back to life, and the vampire would age along with the wolf. ”
My eyes widen in shock.
“You mean if I were to become Damen’s bride, it would eventually kill him? ”
