Kayden and Alec gave me the bath. The water and their gentle touches soothed me perfectly. When I was finished, I could walk on my own, the aches barely there.
I ambled down the hall, passing by the rooms of my mates until I reached Damien’s, but he wasn’t there. I called for him in my head to no avail.
Slowly, I climbed down the stairs and went outside, shrugging into a light jacket. My one-third wolf was keeping me warm enough. I touched the snowman, admiring the exquisite work, a smile on my lips.
It was almost…alive. And the more I looked at it, the more I felt it was staring back at me.
It was cute. Not enough to make me forgive Damien, of course, but it was a start.
Come back, Damien. I’m ready to talk.
Chapter 4
Joshua
As much as I missed my loft and hated the devil and the Beastly twins—and having to live with their stench for all eternity—I loved it here. Up the mountain from Hagg Lake, our new home was perfect for us. The two-story cabin was huge with five bedrooms, a massive kitchen and a beautiful lounge with a hot tub in the back. Private, secluded and away from the hiking trail. Plenty of animals to hunt and the occasional hiker gone astray. Spacious grounds to bury the kills…
Perfect.
“Cover your nose. The bloodsucker is back.” Alec’s voice came from the lounge as I was about to open the front door.
I rolled my eyes, covering my nose as well. I wouldn’t let them get to me, especially after the nice meal I’d just had. I wished Isabella had been with me. The thrill of the hunt was even better with her by my side.
We’d only hunted twice together. Both times she insisted it’d be an animal. The elk she got the first time was enough to sustain her thirst and her predator side but not for long. The second time she wanted to catch something bigger.
We were lucky to have sighted a cougar the last time, but I knew a few months from now, nothing was going to satisfy her but the mouthwatering taste of real blood. Human blood.
I licked my lips, savoring the taste of the lone hiker that lingered in my mouth, and bent to rub some more snow on my dirt-smudged hands before I opened the door.
The snowman caught my attention for a moment. There was something unnerving about this jolly figure, even for me. Damien couldn’t have built it. I hadn’t seen it all day. If Damien had left earlier, when did he get to build it, and how could I not hear him doing it?
Something was off.
“Do you need an invitation, vamp?” Alec’s laugh from behind the door made me roll my eyes again. Fuck these mutts.
I sauntered inside and took off my dirty boots. Then I blurred and plopped down between the twins on the couch, smothering them with my vampire scent, mud and blood.
They cursed and jumped off the couch, and I grinned. “Evening to you, too. Where’s our queen?”
“Sleeping. I suggest you do the same,” Kayden said.
Alec crinkled his nose, his whole face contorting. “But after you take a fucking a shower.”
“Why, you don’t like my smell, dog?”
The angry beta snarled, and my lips curled, baring my fangs.
“Joshua?”
The temptation to feast on the purposeless nugatory animal faded with Isabella’s sweet voice coming from upstairs. “Yes, my love?”
“If you’re done bickering, please come up.”
“With pleasure.” My snarl turned into a shit-eating grin at the wolves. “Excuse me, ladies. My woman needs me.”
“Don’t even think about touching her tonight,” Kayden warned.
“Or tomorrow,” Alec added.
