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COLBY BROCK
I'd tried not to get distracted from the security footage on Dima's computer, but it was hard when my One was talking about despising the idea of our logical next step. Something in my chest felt tight with every word she spoke, every bit of unease I could hear in her voice.
Was she trying to piss me off? Making out that letting her bite me was any different from letting me bite her? Regardless of whether it was a repeat action, I did let her bite me regularly. I knew how much she liked it, secretly, and how it pleased the wolf within her... and admittedly, there was something exciting about a pair of canines latching onto my neck in the midst of heated moments for me, too.
What was annoying about all of this was that she'd decided to talk about it when we were around other vampires; vampires who were most definitely able to hear even if they didn't want to. Dima hadn't said a word about it, but I'd seen him flinch in the corner of my eye right after Amira began to freak out about it all because of Sam. I, too, chose to pretend like I didn't hear a thing, like she wasn't openly talking about a very private aspect of our relationship around strangers.
Her conversation with Cassie had ended about fifteen minutes ago, not long after Dima moved onto photographs his clan had taken of foreign vampires taking his feeds home with them, instead. They were always just out of hearing range.
"You're not being paranoid," I told him as I handed the manila folder back, eyes on his computer. "I recognise one of those vamps, they're from Aiden's clan directly. He's sniffing around you."
"Trying to boycott, or something?" Dima asked as he settled on the corner of his desk. His whole body was stiff and I'd yet to see a smile on his face since we were alone.
I nodded. "Something like that."
"Shit."
"Confront them if you see them again, but not before contacting us," I said, raising from his chair to my full height and taking a step away toward the door. "We'll make sure we get here before anything happens between you. A fight with them is one you're likely to lose."
Dima slowly weighed his hands. "We're stronger than we were before, but I appreciate the offer. I'm glad Sam got in touch, we really didn't know what to do about these vamps or those rumours going around."
I pressed my lips together in annoyance. Some of those rumours included Amira, which would throw a wrench in our plans if we wanted to use her undercover again. If she was human, it wouldn't be an issue, but a werewolf randomly showing up at a vampire's den would now be suspicious, especially if any of those rumours included how goddamn gorgeous she was.
"I'm gathering my allies together soon," I explained, distracted by the images in my head, "so you'll all be aware. It'll be a short meeting. I can't have you together for too long, it's an easy target."
"I get it," Dima agreed briefly, nodding. He reached out so I clasped my hand with his, allowing him to drag me into a brief bro-hug. "Yo, just to settle things, I wasn't making a pass at your girl. Just being friendly."
I sighed. "I know, it wasn't my choice to react the way I did."
"Pain in the ass, ain't it?"
I shrugged a shoulder without responding, and motioned to the door. He vaguely gestured in that direction so we both headed back out into the main room. My eyes narrowed in on my One immediately, standing beside that dented claw machine where Tara was trying to win something for Jake. She looked like she was trying to smile, but her lips just couldn't quite make the effort.
Sam zipped over away from Corey and Devyn at a table, stopping at my side. I knew by the look on his face he knew I'd heard, but we didn't mention it.
"What's the verdict, brother?"
"If Dima calls, we answer," I replied. Sam nodded in agreement. He probably already knew that was the result of this little meeting.
As I opened my mouth to tell him we would head out and had to gather everyone, which would be a fight for some of them, a low growl across the room drew my attention away. Amira's head was facing a window, her eyes glowing orange as she let out a guttural sound from the base of her throat.
"What?" Tara asked nervously, looking away from the claw machine.
Amira didn't answer. She abandoned the two of them, rushing for the door. I felt my anxiety spike instantly when she opened it without any regard for her own safety. I didn't like that she thought there was a threat outside and still headed towards it on her own. But I hesitated to approach her for one second too long, and a pale white hand reached out for her.
Unfortunately, I could only move as fast as the vampire who suddenly had her in his grasp. Our entire group gathered outside in half a second, standing on the street in front of the arcade with Dima and his clan watching from the doorway. Amira's mouth was covered, her body held to a chest. I recognised the vampire vaguely as one of Aiden's stronger minions.
Of course with no sense of self-preservation or... well, sense, Amira instantly reached up with her claws and slashed the vamp's face as she bit down into his hand. He jumped, and she elbowed him in the stomach so hard he actually staggered back a step. Her glowing eyes disappeared as she spun to him, shoving her boot directly into his chest with as much force as she had in her. He was sent flying, giving me my cue to dart up to her. She allowed me to stand between them.
"Mike!" I yelled but received no response. He was supposed to be out here keeping an eye out for anything suspicious, but I could barely sense his presence.
"He's hurt but healing!" another voice called back from the bushes. One of Dima's vampires was supporting a much-taller Mike on his shoulder. "I was hiding with him, didn't want any more damage to be done while he was injured."
I assessed Mike's condition swiftly. For now, it was enough that he was alive. The vampire responsible was still alive and conscious, so he was the more pressing matter.
"Where's Amira?" Mike murmured, his voice strained from whatever pain he was in. I could see a dozen dark spots scattered around his white shirt, particularly around his stomach where his hand was.
I felt my anxiety growing again. "She's behind me."
"Did the vampire get a hold of her?" Mike continued, sounding strangely worried. I was trying to put it down to concern for himself, but his eyes were searching me for any sign of the little wolf whose entire body could be hidden by mine.
"Yes," I answered, "wh-"
"Colby..."
My One's voice had never been so soft. Had never been so weak. I reacted instantly, but it wasn't enough. Amira was already dropping to the floor, and all I could do was reach out to catch her before she hit her head. I was knelt on one knee in a second supporting her shoulders, her head laid back and her arms limp.
"He had wolfsbane," Mike called out, as the sound of a struggle was followed by a breeze appearing beside me. I glanced up as he knelt with me. "I could smell it on him but I didn't get a chance to yell or anything. This guy hits hard."
My jaw clenched. "Apprehend him."
Breezes zipped around but my only focus was the woman lying completely still in my arms. She was breathing, but it was slow and her heart didn't sound right. She looked almost dead, which terrified me.
"How does a wolf recover from wolfsbane poisoning?" I demanded, staring at Mike. He shrugged, rubbing his wound uncomfortably. "Why do you know what it smells like if you don't know anything else?"
"You know more about wolves than the rest of us," he defended with a frown. "It's got a distinct stench, like vervaine. Hard to miss."
Werewolves healed by the Goddess's touch. They had to be in moonlight, had to be worthy of it. But the one thing the Goddess couldn't heal was wolfsbane... that was why it was such a good offence. That was why I knew about it. It didn't stop me from hoping desperately that there was some secret way to heal it without harming her. Vampire blood didn't work on werewolves at all like it could a human.
If I wanted to find out safely what to do, I had to go to someone who'd dealt with stuff like this before.
"Find her phone."
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Her ex-pack already knew where we lived, so I couldn't be as annoyed about inviting them over.
Anna's shock when she heard my voice instead of Amira's could have been comical, if it wasn't immediately followed by worried rambling and panicking. To my annoyance, she, Blake, Kian and another member of the pack all showed up. Anna wasn't allowed off of pack grounds without the two brothers by her side, and the other woman, Kristen, was the medic.
Amira was laid on our couch, where I stood behind it with my arms crossed glaring at the floor while Sam politely greeted and led the werewolves into the house. Anna darted across the room instantly to her friend's side, and the two men smartly kept their distance.
"How did the wolfsbane enter her system?" Kristen asked, skipping the introductions and bullshit, and getting straight to it. I already knew I'd like her.
"Don't know," I replied.
Mike scrunched his nose. "Smelt it on a vampire before he attacked her, must have been a physical piece but it can be made into almost anything. It's hard to say how he got it in her."
Kristen bent down to swipe a finger over Amira's forehead. We'd wiped a few drops of the vampire's blood, but it seemed to have stained her.
"Well, based on the symptoms, he forced her to ingest a bud, which is the most dangerous form of wolfsbane to us. Like vervaine, it can't kill her, but it has put her into a coma." Kristen frowned. "That's not all, though. Her skin has been burnt in places. Did he throw anything at her? Liquid, specifically?"
"She slashed him so there were blood splatters. Nothing else," I explained.
She nodded. "That must be it. If he fed from someone who's ingested wolfsbane — even a human — he'd have it in his bloodstream. This was a premeditated attack. He knew she'd fight back and make it worse for herself."
I snarled as I glared at Amira's fingers. She couldn't have known his plan but she was stupid to rush after him the way she did. If she'd stayed back, he wouldn't have gotten his hands on her and we wouldn't be in this situation. We'd rubbed off on her but her impulsivity was ever present. Damn werewolves.
"How do you heal wolfsbane?" asked Sam worriedly, drawing Kristen's attention.
"That's the awkward part." She twisted to face the rest of the room as she explained. "When a lone werewolf is poisoned like this, the only way to heal them is a second — or first, in some cases — marking from their mate. Since that's almost always another werewolf, it's fairly simple. But" — she found me — "you're not a werewolf."
Cassie crossed her arms. "Does a vampire mate's bite count?"
"I don't know," Kristen admitted.
"What did you mean by a lone werewolf?" Jake countered.
"A werewolf who is not in a pack. If she was still with us, we'd be able to heal her through a ritual with the Moon Goddess."
"It's not as weird as it sounds," Anna interjected in a low voice. "We just have to stand together and the alpha has to use the combined will of the pack. All mental."
"That's wild," Kevin murmured, but Kristen didn't even look at him.
Cassie sought Sam's gaze, which was already locked on her in return. They were both thinking the same thing. The very same day Amira had expressed her utter disgust in the idea of me biting her, was when a vampire decided to do the one thing to her that my bite might just fix. But we didn't even know for certain.
"Could you try the pack method?" Sam asked nervously, his prior conversation at the forefront of his mind. I wouldn't be able to bite Amira without her getting very, very angry when she woke up. Maybe she'd even leave, or do something stupid that would get her hurt even more.
Blake was shaking his head. "She isn't one of us at all anymore, I can't even feel a sliver of bond with her."
"Dammit, Amy," Anna whispered softly, brushing Amira's hair from her face. She looked as annoyed as I felt about this whole thing.
A few moments of silence rang out between us all. I didn't know what to say or do; I didn't know how to save my girlfriend; I didn't know how I'd let this happen. Why did I hesitate? Why didn't I drag her back from that door before she got too close?
Why'd this have to happen before I could talk to her about everything she'd said to Sam and Cassie?
Kristen turned to face me now and I knew what she was thinking. The intelligent side of her was curious to see if a vampire mate's bite would work the same as a werewolf mate's bite, and neither she nor the rest of the werewolves knew what a big deal this actually was. They didn't know Amira's potent feelings.
"So... what's the plan of action? Will she wake up on her own eventually, or do we have to find a miracle cure?" Mike questioned, annoyance in his voice. He was still clutching his stomach but he wasn't as injured anymore. A blood bag was enough to heal the exterior of the wound.
Kristen sighed. "I've told you the only option. She won't wake up on her own. Wolfsbane puts us into a coma that lasts a lifetime without help."
I tried to distract myself with the small furry creature running into the room toward her owner, but I just felt angrier that I couldn't witness Amira using a baby voice and nuzzling it. I wanted her back already.
The black fur ball jumped onto the couch beside her, meowing as she nudged her leg and pawed at her. As much as I hated thing, I carefully reached over the back of the couch to place her on the floor. I didn't need her accidentally hurting Amira.
"Let me guess," said Anna, watching as the cat tried to bite me for picking it up. I ignored it as its paws hit the floor. "That's Amira's. She loves animals and you picked it up like it's a plague."
"It's hers," I confirmed, resisting the urge to scrunch my nose.
"Is her name Neoma, by chance?" I frowned, causing Anna to chuckle to herself. "I forced her to pick a name she likes when we were teens. The typical baby talk. I thought she was mad for picking that one for a child, but looks like she's found a better use for it. A cat suits it much better."
I chose to ignore that Amira had a name in mind for a future child she'd never have with me, and looked down at her comatose form with a stern gaze.
After a few moments, Kristen sat down on the coffee table, her eyes on me, and said, "You really do only have one choice I can think of. She can't agree to join the pack so we can't heal her whilst she's like this. If your bite doesn't work... I don't know what will."
"She doesn't want that." The words were out before I could stop them. Kristen knew what I meant — so did everyone else. Amira didn't want me to bite her. Ever. She wasn't just not ready, she was adamant against it.
"She's in a coma," Kristen reminded me, rolling her eyes. "She doesn't have a choice if she wants to wake up. I suggest you just try it."
I wanted to tell her how it wasn't so simple, how she was ignoring the fact I didn't think I could do it without permission. I'd spiral if she did wake up and hated me for it; I could even lose her.
This was all too complicated, but something had to be done. I wasn't going to sit back and let her turn into a vegetable.
Casting a glance at Sam, who uncertainly nodded, I gave Kristen a look.
"Werewolves mark each other on their necks, but as you're a vampire, I think it would work the same on her wrist. Try both — wrist first, as it's not so permanent. She may not be as angry with you."
"That's a long shot," Kian muttered. I instantly glared at him, my eyes shifting to red as I caught sight of his face for the first time since he'd entered. He took a step back, mumbling an apology.
Since my fangs were stabbing my bottom lip, anyway, I leaned down and picked Amira's arm up, supporting myself on the back of the couch. The allure of her blood had never been quite so potent, quite so tempting. We were all ignoring the fact that if I started, I may not stop and end up killing her. But if this was the only option, I just had to get my shit together, didn't I?
Stop stalling and just fucking do it.
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