Even now, the Lycan's blood sang out to Jan in dulcet tones, beckoning him to indulge. It pushed aside his rage, clearing his mind. His eyes shifted back to their normal silver color. As if under compulsion, he took a step forward. Then another and another until he was walking toward the trembling wolf who stared at him with wide eyes.
Less than an arm's length, he stopped and studied the enigma in front of him.
How can a wolf's blood be so enticing? Jan's tongue flicked out to moisten his lower lip.
Ethan took a sharp breath which drew Jan's eyes to his. His cold molten-silver irises locked on warm hazel ones, opened wide with a touch of recognition. His heart doubled its beat.
Looking at him, Jan felt a sense of familiarity. He recognized those eyes as his, yet the vampire knew his irises had been clear silver since birth. The sweet musky smell from the Lycan was as intimate to him as his own breath. He wanted to do nothing but curl up in it for the rest of his life.
But how is this possible? I hate the stench of all wolves.
Ethan's pounded with a rhythm that echoed his own heartbeat. Even if he was blindfolded, Jan would be able to pick this Lycan out of a crowd. He knew the wolf in front of him, yet they had never met. He held Ethan's gaze captive as he searched for answers beyond the fear he saw in them.
For what felt like an eternity, it was just the two of them: taking each other in, breathing the same air, weaving the beginnings of a deity-blessed bond that Jan had never asked for.
Then a scrambling from the side of the room broke the spell.
Jan's blood rage swelled back in deluges, changing his eyes from silver to red. With reluctance, he turned away from the fantasy of Ethan to face the last wolf, who had opted to stay and fight instead of running away.
The young wolf with the black stripe down its back growled as he stalked him. Its wolf bore several dark stains, and there was a patch just under its rib where the fur was entirely torn off. Yet, it approached him.
Brave, but foolish.
The Lycan charged at him, and Jan dodged. He back-handed the side of its head, knocking it away from him. The vampire flexed his fingers, reeling from the force of that hit. He walked over to the supine wolf and picked it up by the neck, intent on ending its life.
"No!" shouted Ethan from behind him.
The curly-haired Lycan took a step toward him, but his mangled leg gave out. Jan's heart clenched as he saw him collapse. In a heartbeat, he dropped his conquest and dashed to Ethan's side, catching him just before he hit the floor.
But being this close to him was a mistake. The smell of that sweet blood overpowered the vampire, and in a ritual as old and natural as breathing, Jan leaned in and sank his fangs at the base of Ethan's neck.
The hot, tangy liquid flowed through his mouth and hit the back of his throat. The taste was so exquisite that he could not help groaning.
It triggered his senses to relax. The flow of Gaia, that stormy rush of energy connecting all things of this earth, bubbled up through him and into his prey. This secondary pleasure crested the one that teased his tongue, creating an exhilarating experience for him, almost like an orgasm.
Jan had never felt that on a feed.
A typical meal was like fine misty rain that slowly drenched his clothes. In contrast, this felt like the force of whitewater rapids squeezing its way through a narrow crevice.
Ethan struggled, but the vampire gripped him tight, holding his head in position until the flow of Gaia ebbed and faded. Finally, he retracted his fangs and licked the punctures on his neck to seal it.
Dear Gaia. Even his smooth skin feels divine.
The vampire's tongue flicked over the warm flesh again and again, long after the marks were gone.
For a moment, shame flooded him as he remembered whom he was lavishing such amorous attentions to; a Lycan. A male Lycan. But it was quickly chased away by a near ravenous hunger.
Jan licked his lips, wanting more of that nectar.
Whoever laid the trap had chosen an excellent bait.
Ethan was unconscious now, his pulse slow but steady. The deep gashes in his clothes were soaked, and dark red blood coated his arms and legs liberally. But in the dim glow of the moonlight streaming through the jagged doorway, Jan could see that the torn edges of flesh on the Lycan's body had already begun to knit together.
"What witchcraft is this?" Jan murmured to himself, slipping to his native Danish in his astonishment. He glanced once more at the sleeping face.
How had he healed so fast without transforming? Was that the reason for the surge in power? But that does not make any sense. A wolf can't manipulate Gaia's energy.
With his mind deep in thought, contemplating the implications of this incident, Jan's fingers moved of their own volition, brushing the curls away from Ethan's brow. Days after studying this Lycan, Jan was nowhere closer to the truth. And this little meeting had given more questions than answers.
One of those questions, which he pushed to the furthest recesses of his mind, was why he had liked this wolf's blood so much?
He glanced out the door to the descending moon. He was running out of time.
For now, he could not take Ethan away by himself. He needed backup, and Ethan needed a doctor.
With his decision made, the vampire pushed his senses out, listening to the earth and the sounds of the night, trying to locate the tracker who guarded Ethan. The old wolf was already on heels, sniffing Jan's trail here.
The diversion the vampire had created had not held him for long.
Impressive. But best to bait him and make sure he gets here first.
The vampire did not know who else might want Ethan dead. For now, the only one he could trust with the werewolf's safety was that man.
A/N
Hi lovelies, thanks for reading.If you loved it don't forget to vote, comment and add to your library.
Ooooh the tension! I felt it all over again when editing.
Hands up if you remember who the last wolf standing was?
I would love to here your feedback on the story in general and this chapter in particular.
What did you like?
And what didn't you like?
What did you think about the characters: Jan and Ethan?
Next chapter is already being edited. I will post it in a couple of days.
Ciao!
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Blooded Mate
Fantasy[[MATURE CONTENT]] Pack, family, mate. Loyalty, respect, honor. These are the words that form the foundation of the wolf society. At six years old, Ethan had to choose between his Alpha title and his survival on the night of his father's death. As a...
