Then another thing made my whole body jolt. Thehunger.
“Boys, you better come here and be ready,” Rian said, sounding very far away despite being right there next to me.
The door opened and Ben, wearing only sweatpants, came in first. Max trailed after him, looking hesitant where his brother only seemed determined. The scent of them was like nothing I’d ever smelled before. Like the essence of the woods around the pack house wrapped in something wild and untamed anddelicious.
Ben rounded the bed and came to my side, smiling slightly. His eyes, so similar to his brother’s, were determined and gently amused.
“The hunger’s hitting you?” he inferred.
Normally, I would’ve looked at him. I knew he was wiry, almost thin with corded muscles as his body still adjusted to being sober and having all the food he could eat. It barely registered now, because my gaze latched onto the pulse point on his neck.
Then strong arms—Rian’s—moved me on the bed to give room for Ben to climb onto my other side. I yelped, the sound rough and foreign.
“It’s okay,” Ben murmured. “I got you, sweetheart.”
I barely registered his words, guided by his tone, as he leaned closer and pulled me to his neck.
There was something new inside me. A predator, an instinct that knew exactly what to do as the part that hung onto my humanity was kind of horrified at what I was doing. What wasflooding my mouthas my fangs sank into Ben’s neck.
Then all the hesitation was gone, as the best thing I’d ever tasted overwhelmed me. I could hear the sound Ben made and smelled something hotter, more potent, but all I could concentrate on was the blood flowing down my parched throat.
It made me want to climb inside him. To bathe in it. To suck him dry and—“That’s enough, Luca. Let him go.”
The hand on my shoulder pulling me back made my temper rise. I made a sound I didn’t recognize.
“Enough!” Rian snapped, his voice the loudest I’d ever heard it.
Yet still, I couldn’t let go.
There were words I couldn’t quite catch, let alone understand as my whole being concentrated on the primal urge roaring inside me.
Then another touch on my shoulder, another voice, right by my ear said, “Please don’t hurt him.”
It was like magic. My concentration went to that voice, the touch that was scorching even through my shirt. I pulled my fangs back, lifted my head and looked at… Max?
He smiled at me, his eyes filled with hesitation and the tiniest hint of fear. “There you are. Hi.”
I felt Ben slipping away, and Max took his place. I blinked, feeling confused for a moment. I licked my lips, managed to poke my tongue with a fang, and frowned.
Max chuckled. “You’re such a baby vampire.”
And that’s when it hit me: I was a vampire now.
Without another thought, I pushed into Max’s embrace, hiding my face against his chest and whimpered.
“It’s okay. We’ve got you,” he whispered, but I heard it loud and clear.
Want to see what happens for the boys when the lights go out? Click here
Chapter Two
Max
Iheld him in my arms, feeling the trembling that had a different cause then before. When I’d first felt him close like this, it had been after a brutal bout of coughing. Now, he was literally shaken to his core by what he’d become.
I glanced over at Ben, who gave me a quick thumbs up. He did look a tiny bit spooked which wasn’t something I saw in my brother often. It was scary how much effort we’d had to put in to get Luca to stop drinking from him, and while it would’ve taken a lot more to be dangerous for Ben, I was pretty sure he was woozy and hiding it. Besides, very few things were dangerous to wolves. Vampires could be one of those things.
After waiting for a minute or so, I moved to make myself comfortable. Luca whined and crawled up with me, never letting go of my T-shirt. It was awkward and endearing and just… everything. My chest felt tight.
