Werewolf and Vampire Mate [Book 1 Complete]

chapter eight.

April

I watch as Reed speaks to two other men. North and Heath, he called them.

They speak in hushed tones on the other side of the motel room, devising some kind of battle strategy.

Something about ambushes and formations and flanking the vampires.

I'm still desperately trying to understand how all of this can be real. I never should have believed that someone like Nik would just randomly be interested in me. My naivety seems so glaringly obvious now; at the time, it had just felt like fresh hope. But here I am in this horrible situation and I don't know right from wrong.

Is Reed telling me the truth? Or should I trust Nik, who I have known longer? Hardly longer, though. And he never told me anything about himself. At least Reed seems willing to share. But Nik has done nothing to make me distrust him whilst Reed took me and is keeping me here against my will.

"Go gather the others. I'll meet you there soon," Reed tells North and Heath. The latter is pale as a sheet, looking like he's about to pass out or throw up at any moment.

North wraps an arm around his shoulders and glances at me before steering Heath outside.

Reed and I are alone again.

The intensity of his gaze focuses on me immediately. It is like being cocooned in his grasp, even though he stands on the other side of the room.

"April, I need you to know that I'm not just going to hand you over to the vampires. I would never do that. You won't be hurt, I promise. The vampires took one of my packmates and I have to get her back; Lark's my responsibility. But you are my priority. Always."

I have never been anyone's priority, except maybe Harper's on occasion. I look down at the duvet covering me and twist my fingers in the fabric.

Apparently the shock of these events has resulted in me being practically non-verbal. I can't find my voice.

He steps around the bed and crouches down beside me. "If you're afraid, you don't need to be. Nothing is going to happen to you."

Finally, I manage to say, "Who were you talking to on the phone?"

He blows out an irritated breath. "Nikolai Goncharov."

I'm unsurprised. "What did he say?"

Now, Reed hesitates. He pushes a hand through his dark hair, looking younger than he has before. More stressed. "He was spouting lies, that's all. You can't trust vampires, April. They're manipulators and they have ways of influencing humans, making them believe things that aren't true."

"What do you mean influencing us?"

"They call it swaying someone. It's a way to make humans believe things that aren't true or make certain decisions. As far as I'm concerned, it's a form of mind control, although most vampires see it as more like persuasion."

My hand covers my mouth as tears burn my eyes once more. "You think Nik did that to me?"

"I don't know," he admits and reaches out, touching my arm. It is like the flicking of a lightbulb, my skin set ablaze by his. It makes me throb, my head going fuzzy.

An overwhelmed tear slips down my cheek and I pull away from him. "Why does it feel like that?" I question on a shaky breath.

He swallows hard, amber once again flecking his gaze. "Because you're my mate," he says, like that is a catchall explanation.

My head drops down onto my knees. "This is too much." I never believed in the saying ignorance is bliss—knowledge is power always seemed more accurate to me—but I wish I could unknow everything from the past day. Werewolves and vampires, I want it all erased.