“They didn’t suspect anything? It all went fine?”
“Yeah,” I said blankly. He noticed my somber mood and decided to be nice.
“Tate, I know you wanted to complete this one but your time will come. Your parents were legends and you’ll be even better than they were. We’ve always known you’d be great. You’ll make us all proud. This is your family's legacy.”
“I thought you hated me,” I said quietly. He huffed.
“I'm furious, probably will be for a long time. You need to be punished. But… you’re family, you’re Brotherhood—” I clicked to end the call and dropped the phone back in the cup holder, not capable of hearing any more.
He’d know soon enough I wasn’t Brotherhood and then he’d come for me if Sebastian hadn’t already done the job for him.
6
Isputtered awake and the sensation of suffocation grasped my mind. I flung up in bed and sucked in air so hard it hissed between my teeth.
My bedroom was dim. It was night—yellow lines of light painted the back wall of my room, filtering through tree limbs below.
Dirt fell from the folds of clothes. Under my fingernails was black and I began dusting myself off in confusion, struggling to remember what was going on.
It took me a full minute to realize Tate was sitting in the dark, his hands gripping his thighs tightly as he watched me from my desk.
My tongue moved over my teeth and I raised my hand, brushing my fingers over fangs. My hands clenched into fists, anger simmering under my skin. I remembered slowly how he had refused to kill me. It appeared he actually helped the transition. Now I was a monster.
“How could you do this?” I asked, the first noise in the room since I woke up.
“Because Sebastian,” Tate said, leaning forward onto his knees. A stream of light from outside lit up a bar across his eyes. “I don’t know how to let you go.”
His smell finally hit me, masculine and clean. He’d showered after burying me it seemed, but I could smell the dirt on his hands from where he pulled me back up from the earth and carried my body. The beat of his heart thumping was loud. His body was thick with blood–a large man with a strong heart.
“I’m hungry, Tate,” I said, pressing my hands to my stomach and bending over as sharp pangs bit into me like knives. A groan came from my mouth. Tate got up from his chair and stalked closer. I gripped the blankets, shaking as I controlled the need to grab him. He smelled like the most delicious meal I could ever have.
Tate reached down and grabbed my jaw, tugging my head up roughly, forcing me to look at him. His blue eyes seared my own. His hand felt so warm. I kept clutching the blankets in my fists, my fingers twitching to pull him into me and feed.
“I know you aren’t really Sebastian anymore but I just…” he trailed off with a sigh, his fingers bruising me. I hissed and tried to tug from his grasp but I couldn't. I was weak from the change. “I can’t let you go,” he said blankly, dropping my face.
He turned and left the room, his broad back disappearing into the dark hall. I heard as he trailed down the stairs and into the living room. The soft groan of the pullout couch was loud as he sat on it. My senses were already different.
My throat felt dry. I closed my eyes, feeling the growing compulsion to drink. It was fierce already and growing stronger. Freshly turned vampires weren’t known for their control. What was Tate doing? Was he down there waiting to be a sacrificial lamb to my blood lust? What the fuck was wrong with him?
I took a deep breath and pulled the blankets off myself. I could leave—jump out the window if I had to. The scent of Tate was calling to me though, pulling me through the house. My shoes pressed silently into the steps as I descended. All I felt was hunger and need–awakened from death with instincts burning in my veins.
Tate smelled like his shampoo, dirt, and sweat. My mouth watered while my lips twitched over my fangs. I gripped the handrail of our stairs tightly, trying to move slower but unable to stop myself from going to him. My hands shook as I turned and saw him on the couch, his head resting on the back, his legs spread wide. His neck was stretched, inviting my eyes and hunger to be seduced in.
What did he think he was doing? He was just waiting for me, resigned and willing, his arms stretched wide across the back of the couch as if he were on a crucifix. It made no sense but I didn’t have the mental capacity to keep ruminating about it. Not when I was so thirsty and a meal was right there–eyes closed, head back.
I moved into the room, stalking up behind him. I heard his heart thumping steadily. There was a moment of indecision as I warred with myself internally. What was I going to do though? If I left I’d just attack some innocent person out there. Which meant I was chained to staying here with him and dealing with whatever that led to.
I settled my fingers on his wide shoulders, feeling the muscle before dragging my hand down his arm while rounding the couch. His heart rate picked up as I touched him, blood pumping faster in his body. If I bit him,whenI bit him, a fast heart rate would mean it would spill into my mouth faster, giving me great mouthfuls to swallow down.
He stared down his nose at me as I stood there, swallowing thickly as I looked him over. He looked strong and despite his heart thumping loud and fast he looked calm–far too comfortable with the vampire in front of him.
There were streaks of mud across the green shirt that clung to his chest and shoulders. I could see dirt under his fingernails as he gripped the couch. His black hair was pushed away from his face, his blue eyes barely blinking as he watched me, waiting for me to do something.
Tate was large, strong, and handsome. I wanted him to bemine–my prey. I wanted to grab him in my hands, pull him close, sink inside him with my teeth, and pull his blood into my mouth. My cock grew hard in anticipation.
My conscience was throbbing in my head,stop stop stop, don’t do itbut I knew I would. My humanity couldn’t stop the hunger I had for Tate. I dropped to my knees at his feet.
“Why did you do this?” I asked him. He didn’t answer, silent and stony. I inhaled deeply, taking in his scent. I looked up at him as I scooted closer, feeling the bruising sensation of my knees on the hardwood.
