Amara’s POV
Killian’s cold hands traced along my neck as I pressed myself against him on the velvet sofa, my legs wrapped around his waist as I surrendered to the electric pull that always sparked between us.
His fangs grazed the sensitive skin of my throat, drawing soft gasps from my lips that I couldn’t suppress.
“Killian!” The sharp voice cut through our moment like a silver blade, making us both freeze.
“Damn it.
That’s Lydia.” Killian muttered, his crimson eyes flashing with irritation as he pulled away from me.
“Kind of hard to miss that tone.” I replied, trying to steady my racing pulse while Mist stirred restlessly in my mind.
“I’m sorry about this.” He stood up, running his pale fingers through his disheveled dark hair as he scanned the ornate library.
“If you even think about suggesting I climb out that window, I’ll make sure you spend the rest of eternity unable to sire offspring.” The threat rolled off my tongue easily, and I caught what might have been a smirk flickering across his perfect features.
“I’ll lead her to my private study.
You can slip out through the main entrance when I give you the signal.” He said, already adjusting his expensive shirt.
So I remained hidden among the ancient tomes and leather-bound chronicles, surrounded by centuries of clan history and the lingering scent of our interrupted encounter, until his voice echoed through our blood bond, telling me the coast was clear.
I grabbed the historical text I’d been studying and made my exit from the Pendleton manor.
Walking back through the moonlit streets to my rundown apartment, I felt Mist’s fury rolling through me in waves.
My vampire spirit was practically snarling in the depths of my consciousness, desperate to return and tear Lydia apart with claws and fangs.
I had to focus all my mental energy on keeping her contained and calm.
Her emotional turmoil was giving me a splitting headache that pounded behind my temples.
“Doesn’t this make your blood boil?” Mist hissed in my thoughts, her ancient voice dripping with disdain.
“Should it?” I shot back.
“Of course it should.
Our blood mate just had us hiding like some shameful secret because his political arrangement appeared.” Mist’s voice was laced with the fury of a primordial predator.
“Please stop making this more complicated than it needs to be.”
“Why aren’t you enraged?” She pressed, her presence growing more agitated in my mind.
“Don’t tell me how I should react.
I stopped caring about things like this years ago.
You know that.” I said firmly, pushing down the ache in my chest. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
“Right.
I forgot.
You’ve turned your heart to stone.” She said with bitter sarcasm before retreating to the shadows of my consciousness.
“Exactly.” I muttered, pushing through the apartment door and letting it slam behind me.
I tossed the book onto the kitchen table and changed into comfortable clothes, then headed out for my usual nighttime routine.
This time though, I pushed myself twice as hard as normal.
I ran multiple circuits through the old cemetery where I practiced my speed and agility, then spent extended time attacking the makeshift training equipment I’d set up in the abandoned warehouse until my muscles burned.
By the time I dragged myself back inside, the night had grown deeper and colder.
I stood under the scalding spray of the shower until the water ran lukewarm, then pulled on my pajamas.
I prepared a light dinner for both my mother and myself, sliding her plate into the oven to stay warm while I ate my portion.
The historical text lay open beside my plate as I continued reading, searching for answers to questions I wasn’t sure I should be asking.
I was particularly fascinated by references to possible alliances our clan had formed with werewolf packs centuries ago.
The very idea seemed impossible.
Vampires and werewolves existing as anything other than mortal enemies went against everything we’d been taught about the supernatural world.
We were supposed to be apex predators, competing for territory and prey, which was why the lycanthropes had always been our greatest rivals throughout history.
These days the werewolves kept their pack activities much more hidden from human society.
We accepted that they needed to hunt and protect their territories, but in the past they had been completely territorial and aggressive.
They would attack any vampire who entered their domain without provocation.
That was before the Vampire Council stepped in and our kind began establishing formal boundaries with the packs.
Now they limited their conflicts to when absolutely necessary, and they were skilled at making any supernatural incidents appear to be natural animal attacks.
Nothing that would draw unwanted human attention or raise suspicion.
When a vampire clan lived near a human settlement that experienced an unusual number of wolf sightings or unexplained attacks, that clan would be assigned to investigate and negotiate. This story is hosted at novelping(.)com.
But most of the time, we never encountered lycanthropes at all.
Despite everything I’d been taught, werewolves had always fascinated me.
I’d always harbored a secret desire to meet one face to face.
I couldn’t explain the attraction.
There was just something about their wild, primal nature that intrigued me in ways I didn’t fully understand.
Not that I could ever admit such thoughts to anyone in the clan.
They already considered me an anomaly and a liability.
This revelation would only confirm their worst assumptions about my mixed heritage.
Killian would probably be obligated to have me executed for even entertaining such dangerous curiosity.
The book revealed just how extensive our clan’s documented history truly was.
The records began centuries ago, when the first Lord decided to chronicle every significant event within our bloodline.
Every noteworthy occurrence had been carefully recorded in elegant script.
A movement outside caught my attention.
Through the frost-covered window, I could see Flint standing in his usual position, enduring the falling snow and bitter cold that would have killed a human.
I pushed the window open.
“How much longer are you supposed to keep watching me?” I called out, my breath forming white clouds in the frigid air.
“Until Lord Killian orders me to stop.” He replied, his pale features showing no sign of discomfort despite the freezing temperature.
“Get in here.” I said, closing the window before he could argue.
He appeared at my front door within moments, and I waved him inside.
I immediately started preparing coffee to help warm him, knowing he’d been standing guard out there for hours in the brutal winter weather, even though vampires were more resilient than humans.