Destined Mate. Katie Reus

grabbed his forearm—definitely much too young to have any sort of fear of him—and stepped around him. “Don’t hurt her. She’s only here to protect me!”

      Angela stepped closer to them but ignored him. “I don’t understand, I thought you were taken by the wolves.”

      Natalia’s face flushed a deep red as she faced her friend. She cleared her throat nervously. “I was taken but not the way you think. I, uh, fell in love with a werewolf and when I told Titus, he threatened to kill me so I ran.”

      Angela fell silent and it was obvious she’d had no idea her friend had left on her own. Finally she spoke. “Why didn’t you tell me? I…thought we were friends.” The last part was said softly and even though Knox knew she was trying to mask it, her friend’s deceit had hurt her. More than Natalia realized.

      “If Titus questioned you, I didn’t want you to know anything. I thought keeping you in the dark was best for your safety.” Natalia’s voice was pleading.

      Angela’s eyes hardened as she turned away from Natalia. She was completely cutting her emotional ties with her friend. He could see it in her expression as clearly as if she’d taken a pair of scissors and sliced through a string. Natalia probably didn’t understand it but Angela didn’t give many chances to people and she had few friends. Or at least she’d been that way when she was human. He could only guess that now as a vampire some things hadn’t changed. Turning from the blonde vampire, Angela focused on him, her gaze hard. “So what’s my punishment? Torture? Death?”

      He could think of a dozen ways to “punish” her but kept his thoughts to himself because of their audience. Without turning away from her, he spoke to her friend. “Tell everyone we have a house guest and they’re to treat her with respect while she’s here.”

      “Angela, I’m so sorry. If I’d thought you’d come after me, I would have told you.” Natalia spoke quietly, desperately.

      Angela wouldn’t look at her. Instead she tightened her jaw and continued to glare at him as though he was to blame for all this.

      Natalia paused, but eventually hurried from the room. He held out his arm to Angela and for a moment, felt as if he’d been transported back to when she was still human. Back when he’d been courting her. Before she’d turned into a vampire then run from him. She’d held on to his arm then, everywhere they’d gone. Just the feel of her fingers grazing his skin had turned him on. “You can stay in my room.”

      Those pale eyes of hers turned icy. She snorted and took a step back. “I don’t know what kind of games you’re playing but I’m not staying in your room.”

      “It will be daylight soon and unless you can—”

      “I’m a day walker,” she said quietly, as if it were no big deal. As if her kind weren’t the rarest of vampires. Practically extinct.

      The admission surprised him. Most day walkers kept their existence quiet, often even among their own kind. Being able to walk in the sun caused hatred and jealousy in those who couldn’t. So he had no reason to keep her. Not truly. He sure as hell wasn’t going to hurt her. No matter what her kind thought of him, the day he learned that Angela had been turned into one, his views of vampires had changed as well. Like a switch flipping, his entire world had shifted. Suddenly he hadn’t thought of vampires as soulless monsters anymore. Not when the woman he loved had become one.

      Unfortunately she’d run from him before he could tell her that their differences didn’t matter. That he didn’t care what she’d become. He didn’t know for certain that’s why she’d left, but it was better than the idea she’d run off with a vamp over him. A little over fifty years ago he’d hunted her to Alaska but then he’d lost the trail. Some days he’d wondered if she was even still alive. The last thing he’d expected was for her to show up on his doorstep. Now that she was here, he wasn’t letting her go. “Day walker?”

      She nodded tightly. “My maker was one so…” Her shoulders lifted in what he was sure she meant to be a casual shrug, but it came off jerky and unsteady.

      He had so many questions for her, but he kept them to himself. By law, he could keep her as long as he wanted. She’d trespassed and gone against both their species’ laws.

      “You will stay in my room—”

      “No way, you freaking animal!”

      Knowing she was baiting him, he took a deep breath. “Unless you wish me to lock you in our dungeon with the feral wolves waiting to be judged, you’ll stay in my room.”

      She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. Because of his tone or the threat, he wasn’t sure. And he didn’t care. “Fine, but don’t think that means anything.”

      He advanced on her, partially because he needed to assert his dominance but mainly because he wanted to touch her. To run his fingers all over her. He kept going until she bumped against the edge of the bed and before she could react, he had her pinned on the mattress. She yelped as he settled on top of her, pinning her back against the soft covers. She was leaner than he remembered. Stronger. But she was soft in all the right places. Her breasts pressed against him, making it hard to breathe. “You trespassed on my land, hurt members of my pack—”

      “I used tranquilizers,” she hissed as she struggled against him.

      “—and damaged my property. You will stay as long as I say.”

      “That doesn’t mean I’ll sleep with you.” Her voice was cold, determined.

      “Why not? We’ve done it before,” he murmured.

      “So what? You’re going to force me?” Her voice slightly trembled.

      Anger surged through him that she could actually ask that question. “I wouldn’t have to force you.”

      Growling, she shoved at his chest. The strength behind her push shocked him to his core. Whoever had turned her must have been a powerful vampire. Considering she was a day walker, he had no doubt. Instead of moving off her, he tightened his thighs around her then leaned closer so that their noses touched. “I can smell how much you want me, Angel.” And he could. It was so potent, like fresh spring rain and it nearly bowled him over. She was doing her best to hide it from him but failing miserably.

      “That means nothing,” she muttered.

      Instead of pushing up from her, he shifted against her, letting her feel his erection. The heat and sudden burst of lust she emanated threw him off-kilter.

      Taking him by surprise, she half smiled and rolled her hips against him. “Some things haven’t changed, I see.”

      The way her soft pink lips curved up made his brain short-circuit. The abrupt change in her made him falter. Maybe she was remembering how good they’d been together. How was it that he’d been thinking about this moment for years but couldn’t think of one intelligent thing to say now? He’d always been better with actions anyway. As he leaned down, her pale eyes flared with heated desire. When he cupped her face, she reached out and splayed her fingers across his chest. Yeah, talking could definitely wait.

      As their lips touched, he felt a sharp jolt through his groin as she kneed him. Before he could react, she twisted and elbowed him across the face. Using her momentum, she lunged up and flipped him over until they tumbled to the ground. The thud when they landed made his teeth rattle.

      “I’m not some whore and if you think you can play with me, you’re wrong. I don’t care if you’re the Alpha of this pack or not, I’ll tear you to shreds if you try to touch me.” Angela’s words were laced with a deadly promise.

      And that turned him on more than it should have. He could easily flip her off him but he liked the feel of her body on top of his. He couldn’t remember the name of the last woman he’d slept with. But he remembered everything about Angela. The way she’d willingly opened her body to him. What her tight sheath had felt like as he sank into her. How she moaned when she climaxed.