“I’d advise against that. My father is not one to look the other way if a vamp goes searching through his stuff.” A familiar voice came from behind us.
Isadora turned to look at who was there while I remained facing away. My breathing hilted. I had almost lost track of how much time had passed since I last heard this voice. However, hearing it now, it was as though that time had never passed at all.
“And who are you?” Isadora demanded in a curt tone.
“Lance Strickland and who are you?” he shot back with a matching tone. His voice still had an effect on me that caused the feeling of guilt to flood in along with it. How could someone still create such a reaction from my heart after finding a mate?
“I’m Isadora Dumas and this is—.”
“I know who Mel is,” Lance said before I felt arms circle my waist. My heart skipped at the sudden intimate embrace. “Are you still upset with me?”
His words vibrated against my back and despite my guilt, I found myself leaning against him. “Not completely over it, but as an adult I understand why you left. I understand even more now.”
“I came back,” he breathed against my hair. “I told you I wouldn’t leave you forever.”
I heard Isadora inhale sharply as she looked at us. The guilt finally overwhelmed me, pushing me from his arms and closer to her. Lance looked a little hurt, but when he noticedIsadora standing in front of me in a more protective way, something seemed to click for him. He pointed between the two of us with an inquisitive expression.
“Not me, but my brother,” Isadora answered the unspoken question. He looked at me then to her. “Yes, they have.”
“Willingly? I know how your kind can be.”
“Completely willing,” she nearly snarled at the accusation. He looked at me, but my eyes fell to the ground. He made a sound beforeI heard him step away. “We need to ask about a coyote that was dumped at our house. It had whittled wooden pins in it with a note. It had ‘Bloodsucker’ written in blood.”
“Theatrics aren’t a hunter’s form of intimidation. I’m sure this local killer you have is trying to scare you and judging by how you’re shivering in your dwarven designer boots,” he eyed Isadora with venomous amusement. “I’d say it worked.”
“Or it could be your father. From what my brother tells me, he seemed very theatrical when he met him. Where is he?”
“That’s none of your business,” Lance shot in her direction. The increased octave in his tone had me lifting my head again to look at him. I noticed then how terrible he actually looked. The bags under his eyes suggested a lack of sleep while the shake of his hands let me know he also hadn’t eaten in a while.
“What happened, Lance?” I asked. I had known him since we were kids, I knew him well enough to tell he was going through something. “I know it’s been awhile, but my eyes still have sight. You don’t look so good.”
He scoffed. “Thanks for the compliment.”
Isadora began sniffing the air. Her fangs descended and I knew what that meant. Blood. There was blood nearby. Shegripped my arm, struggling to fight against her own urges at the scent. Lance watched her in curiosity.
“He got hurt,” Isadora managed through her gritted teeth. Her jaw muscles pulsing as they fought to unhinge the jaw that wanted to sink its teeth into something alive.
“That killer came after him. Shot at him through the window with enough aim that we now believe this killer might have been ex-military. If dad hadn’t been a hunter, that bullet would have gone through his head instead of grazing it. I just got back from the hospital out in the city.”
I wanted to abandon my building guilt and hug him, but I didn’t. I wanted him around me like a blanket of familiarity that I had missed since the arrival of Isadora and Ambrose. The familiarity that seemed to vanish more every day.
I had learned vampires existed, that I had a mate, that my town was full of supernaturals and that there was a secret world where they all lived. I hadn’t had many normal days over the past couple weeks and seeing Lance was almost an awakening. It felt so wrong to feel that way that I wanted to weep.
“We should go then. If this isn’t your work then it’s not your business. Come on, Mel,” Isadora urged with a slight panic in her voice. When I turned to look at her, I felt my heart plummet.
“I felt something weird down our bond,” Lucien stated. His lips pressed in a thin line as he looked at Lance. “It makes sense that it would be a hunter that would make you uncomfortable.”
Lance chuckled at his insult. “You must be the mate to my Mel.”
“My Mel,” Lucien snarled. Isadora placed a warning hand on his shoulder before whispering something in his ear.Lance brushed his hand against my cheek, causing me to look at him in confusion.
“It looks like our reunion will be cut a little short, but I’ll come by and visit. Does your dad still grill on Tuesdays?”
“Yeah, uh, yeah he does.”
“Good then I’ll be over tomorrow.”
“Mhmm,” I mumbled as he brushed his hand against my cheek once more. Showing the apple didn’t fall far from the tree, Lance pressed a kiss to my forehead to elicit a growl from Lucien. It was intended to create that reaction. “Don’t provoke him, Lance.”
