Part 1: Mate's Lore (5 page)

“Are
you done?”

Tanya
felt her cheeks heat.

“You
need to fight fire with fire as the saying goes. You are a smart human. Use
your brain.” Stephany smiled deviously and linked her arm with Tanya’s. “About
that drink.”

Tanya
squeezed the other woman’s arm. She was grateful for the advice even though she
didn’t really know what to do with it. As much as she knew she was being silly,
she just couldn’t help it.

Tanya
gasped. As she got closer, she noticed that the bar looked like it had been
sculpted out of ice. She touched its smooth surface realizing it was glass.

Stephany
ordered. The bartender went to work and within minutes he placed a pink
cocktail in front of her.

“Right.
Drink that and make sure you keep your cool. I expect that Brant—”

A
really good looking man stepped into their personal space and interrupted,
“Who’s the human?”

He
spoke to Stephany but kept his crystalline, blue eyes on her. Dark hair, six
o’clock shadow. Enough to have the most iron willed virgins clutching at their
panties.

“Brant’s
chosen so I suggest you back off.”

“Interesting,”
he turned his eyes on her, nostrils flaring.

“Hi,”
she croaked. Her hand going to the fluttering pulse at her neck. A normal
reaction since his gaze had dropped there.

“What’s
your name?” he purred.

“Get
lost.” Stephany took a step towards them using her body to partially shield
Tanya from him.

“It’s
a reasonable question. The human will soon mate with the king of this little
coven.”

“I
would suggest—”

“I’m
Tanya.” She put her hand out and he took it. Stephany took a step to the side. His
eyes flashed for a second as their hands touched. So quick she almost thought
she’d imagined it. Her arm extended as he brought her palm to his lips,
lingering longer than what was necessary.

A
familiar, feminine laugh snared her attention. It was Alexandra. Somewhere
between them arriving at the bar and ordering their drinks, Brant had approached
with the annoying vampire in tow. They had stopped ten or so feet away, huddled
together in animated conversation.

Alexandra’s
dress was even shorter up close. If she so much as sneezed then her girly bits
would pop out. Although, with a tight body like that, they would more than
likely gracefully slide into view.

The
bitch.

Brant
noticed her looking and threw her a half smile. He leaned back against the
railing behind him and crossed his arms across his massive chest. Dressed in
all black, he looked all the more dangerous, and so damned attractive.

Bastard.
It irked her that he didn’t come over to greet her.

“I’m
Reece.” The vampire in front of her had a deep voice, it made Tanya realize
that her hand was still in his, so she snatched it away. He smiled in a way
that should’ve had her legs turning to jello. Probably would’ve, if she’d never
met Brant.

 “Good
to meet you, Tanya. I’m surprised you’re still unmated.” Reece cocked his head.
“I happen to really enjoy strawberries.”

“Healthy
choice.” Tanya risked a glance in Brant’s direction. Alexandra had plastered
herself to his side, but his eyes were still fixed on her. The brunette
whispered something in his ear but he didn’t react.

“…and
cream.”

She
looked back at Reece. Tanya wasn’t sure whether Brant minded her talking to
another man or not. He didn’t seem to, which irritated her even more. Either
way though, she needed to take Stephany’s advice and not react to Alexandra.
The best way to do that would be to attempt to maintain at least the semblance
of a normal conversation. “Cream is less healthy but quite delicious.”

“Sumptuous.
Oh so very tempting.” He took another step towards her. So close that his body
was mere inches from hers.

Tanya
tried to step back but with the chunk of glass behind her there was nowhere to
go.

“You
are after all unmated.”

“So
you keep saying.”

Stephany
tried to step closer but Reece beat her to it by taking another half step which
placed him almost against her. Her neck hurt as she craned to keep eye contact.
This time there was no denying it, his eyes were glowing. Bright, glazier blue.
They were electric, mesmerizing.

“I
don’t think…” Tanya wanted to ask him to move away.

“Nonsense,”
Reece said.

Was
it her imagination or were his fangs way longer than they had been seconds ago?
He clasped her hand.

“Please
give me some space.” She had a bad feeling about this, but she didn’t want to
cause a scene.

Reece
pulled her hand up, his eyes landing on the blue veins on the inside of her
wrist. He inhaled deeply. Tanya tried to remove her hand from his firm grasp
but to no avail.

“Never
had a human before. Just one little, itsy, bitsy…” his fangs flashed.

“No.”
She should be screaming. Fighting. Something. Yet all she could manage to do
was to whisper that one little word.

“It
would be best if you crawled back to your side of the fence,” Stephany
whispered. “Stop now before this gets ugly.”

Reece
ignored Stephany, he pulled her hand closer turning her arm so that the
underside of her wrist was more exposed.

“Let
her go,” soft spoken, yet with deadly intent. “Now,” a growl.

Tanya
could recognize his voice anywhere.

“She
is not mated,” Reece kept his eyes on her as he spoke.

Brant
laughed. The sound sent shivers of icy fear up her spine. “Are you saying you
wish to fight me for her?”

Reece
turned to face Brant. Tanya let out a pent up sigh.

“I…”
he paused to consider his answer. In a flash, Brant was at her side, there was
a god awful scream together with a cracking sound. Reece flew back several feet
landing on his back.

“You
touch her again and you die. Am I clear?”

Tanya
gasped. Reece’s hand was at a right angle to his arm, broken below the wrist.
He cradled the mangled extremity and nodded.

“I’m
sure you’re feeling proud of yourself,” Alexandra hissed. “Feeling full of it.”
She spoke directly into her ear. Tanya felt too shell shocked to respond. “Two
big vampires fighting over a little human.”

Tanya
did her best to ignore her. Even though a feeling of uneasiness weighed like a
rock in the pit of her stomach.

“Well…let
me bring you down a wrung or two. You interrupted us earlier.” A pause. “Brant
had only just started to feed. He’ll need me again before the night is out.”

“Get
out of my face.” Using one hand, Tanya shoved the brunette away.

Alexandra
laughed, the sound twisted Tanya’s gut.

Brant
spoke with York. He gestured at the downed vampire and then at the door when he
turned to her, his eyes were blazing. Two quick strides and he was at her side.
“What were you thinking?”

“It
happened so quickly.”

“Until
we are mated, anyone can challenge me to drink from you. To fuck you.”

The
air lodged in her throat. Maybe because an icy fist had surrounded her air
pipe. “What?” She managed to choke out.

“You
heard me.”

“No
one would, right? I mean surely…you’re the king.” She was shaking.

“You’re
such a temptation.” As he spoke, his nostrils flared. Her heart rate picked up
and his eyes dropped to the fluttering at the base of her neck. She so needed
to buy herself a turtle neck or a scarf maybe.

“Stop
that,” Brant growled.

“What?”

“Calm
down. You smell fantastic and this is heightened when your heart beat speeds
up. Incase you didn’t notice, we’re in a room full of vampires.” His voice a
low vibration.

Shit.
Shit
. Surprisingly, Tanya still held a
mostly full cocktail. She downed the liquid in one quick motion, placing the
glass on the bar. “How do we fix this?”

“The
only way to fix this would be for me to mate with you.”

“Oh,”
Tanya fought to keep her breathing even. “No way.”

“Look,
even if you were, by some miracle, to agree I still wouldn’t mate you.” His
eyes had narrowed. His dark lashes touched.

“Why
not?” The words were out before she could stop them and she mentally kicked
herself. Had the whole Reece thing put him off her? Surely not. It wasn’t like
it was her fault or anything.

“Do
you know how vampires…mate?” He ran a hand through his hair.

“Sex.”

Brant
ground his teeth. Every muscle hardened. “Not just sex,” he paused. “I would
need to drink from you at the same time.”

“I
thought that was a myth.”

Brant
shook his head. “You saw how that vampire reacted to you?”

Tanya
nodded.

“He
had to have known I was watching.”

“You
never know, you were over there”—she gestured to where he had been standing—“and
it’s busy, maybe…”

“He’s
a vampire, he knew yet he came after you anyway.”

“Which
means what exactly?”

He
sighed. “Two things and neither are particularly pretty. Firstly, you’re too
appealing to go anywhere without me. At least until we’re mated.”

“Wait
just a—”

“Look,
it’s up to you. Would you like to become an all you can eat buffet? If so, then
be my guest.” His eyes had turned an impenetrable black.

Not
trusting her voice, she shook her head.

“Good
choice.”

Not
really much of a choice. What Tanya really wanted was to go home, but since she
knew there was no chance of that happening she kept the thought to herself.

“I
also can’t mate you right now because I don’t trust myself. I’m…”

Stephany
arrived with another little pink cocktail. “I thought you could use this.” She
handed the drink to Tanya and a glass of the red stuff to Brant. Keeping a
glass of the stuff for herself.

“Is
that…?” Tanya gestured to Stephany’s glass.

Stephany
nodded, “With vodka, my favorite.” She winked and took a long drink.

Tanya’s
stomach lurched and she must’ve made a face.

“Just
wait until you’re a mated woman. Then you’ll sing a different tune.”

“Excuse
me?” She shook her head.

Stephany
swayed to the beat. “Some humans develop a taste for blood after they’re mated
and I’m willing to bet big money that you’re one of them.”

“Not
happening.”
No way in hell.

“Want
to take a little bet?” She raised her eyebrows.

Tanya
shrugged. She had nothing to lose since there was no way in heaven or hell she
would ever drink someone’s blood. Just the thought had her feeling feint.

“Sure
thing.”

Stephany
held her gaze for a few moments. “I don’t know you well enough yet to discuss
terms. You agree that terms are to be decided and agreed at a later stage?”

“Don’t
do it,” Brant looked amused. “She always wins.”

“She
won’t win this.”

He
shrugged as if to say
do this at your own peril
.

“Fine,
but we both have to agree to the terms.”

“Not
so sure of yourself then? Sip?” Stephany raised her brows and held out the
frosted glass to Tanya. The ice chinked.

Tanya
looked down at the beverage for a few moments. “Fine. You get to decide the
terms. I’m never drinking that stuff.”

Brant
chuckled. “Pregnancy doesn’t count.”

“You
love spoiling my fun.” Stephany mock punched Brant on the arm. “Fine,” she
sighed. “Pregnancy doesn’t count. I’ll let you know the terms.”

“I
feel sorry for you.” Brant looked Tanya’s way. His eyes lingered on her lips.
He put his hand on the side of her arm and stroked her. “Stephany is never kind
when it comes to bets.”

Her
flesh heated at the contact. Shivers raced up her spine. She had to work not to
lean into the touch. Her mind fogged over, yet something nagged at her. “What’s
that about drinking blood during pregnancy?”

Stephany’s
eyes sparkled. “All humans drink blood while they are with child. The thirst
will begin even before we will be able to scent the changes to your body.”

“About
that,” Tanya whispered.

Brant
slid his arm around her waist and onto the small of her back. He stepped
towards her, his heat and scent engulfed her. Almost making her forget what it was
that she wanted to say.
Almost.

“This
whole mating thing, as well as the whole making babies thing. It’s not going to
work for me. I need to get home.”