Mated & Blooded

Chapter 3

(Kalli POV)

I wanted to open my eyes but they felt too heavy. My mouth was so dry and I could feel the hunger racing through my veins. The hunger was my need to feed on blood. That need was what kept me from being like all the other wolves. The hunger burned inside of me. It wanted blood. It needed blood. I was starving.

I must have some pretty severe injuries I thought. Since I had fed just last night. Usually, I didn't need to feed more than once or twice a week. I could generally get by with normal cooked food as long as every three to four days I consumed fresh blood. What I mean by fresh is straight from the vein.

One huge misconception by most humans and wolves is that bagged blood is the same as fresh blood. I can tell you it is not. Once blood has touched the air, it is no longer fresh and can no longer sustain me. I must drink blood straight from the vein. Blood that has just been pumped through a heart. Blood dies the second it leaves the body. Dead blood doesn't help vampires. Dead blood makes us sick.

Since the moment the doctor realized I needed fresh blood, my mother had taken to feeding me from her wrist every three days without fail. She never let it go longer and she always begged me to feed even if I wasn't hungry yet.

I have never fed from anyone but my mother and I didn't think my mother could feed me this soon. It took her body time to regenerate between my feedings. When I was young and unable to control myself there were times when I would lose control and almost drain her dry. But as a healthy she-wolf she would always heal. She never tried to stop me from taking the blood I needed from her.

I could feel my body searching for fresh blood. I was so hungry. I sniffed deeply, and realized I could smell wolf nearby. It was a strong wolf with strong fresh blood. It smelled so good. I could feel myself begin to salivate with the idea of drinking the unknown wolfs blood.

I tried again to open my eyes but still couldn't force them open. I strained to listen so that maybe I could figure out where I was, and more importantly who is the wolf so near me that smells so damn good.

"You'll need to call her mother, she is the only one who can provide fresh blood for her"

I heard someone say. My mind thought yes, bring me my mother. She can provide for me. She always provides for me. Then I remembered that she had just fed me.

"No" I managed to croak out loud.

"Don't, she just fed me. It could kill her"

I wasn't sure if anyone could hear me. I tried to speak louder but my stupid throat and vocal cords refused to obey me. I couldn't seem to make another sound. Suddenly I felt myself being lifted into a lap. Then, I felt a wrist being shoved into my mouth.

"Drink from me" I heard a voice demand.

Oh and what a voice. It was deep and raspy and had all the right tones to it. I could fall in love with that voice I thought. No one should have such a manly husky wonderful voice. I sniffed again and knew the wrist in my mouth belonged to the wolf that smelled so good. Great I thought, it's a he and he has a great smell and an unbelievably wonderful voice, and I am going to puncture his wrist with my fangs and drink his blood.

Oh well, if he didn't like me before, this is sure to make him hate me and with that thought I bared my fangs and drove them into his wrist. His blood slid so smoothly down my throat. I could feel it pulsing through my veins and instantly healing my wounds. First I felt my head begin to heal.

I heard a moan come from the wolf that I was feeding from. Oh I am so sorry I thought. This must be awful. Mother said it hurts and burns a bit but nothing she couldn't handle. I found myself wondering if she had lied. His moans were getting louder. She must have lied it must hurt so much more than she said. It wasn't painful for me though, in fact I was amazingly wonderful. I've read a lot of romance novels and I tend to think that feeding fresh blood is a lot like having an orgasm. It is so good.

I started to feel the pressure lifting off my eyes. I felt my leg twinge and knew it too was on the mend. He moaned again, and this time I wasn't sure why he allowed me to continue to feed. It must be causing him such pain. I had to see what the male looked like. I had to see why someone other than my mother was allowing me to feed from them. I slowly opened my eyes. I lifted my lids slowly and found myself staring into the most amazing blue eyes I had ever seen.

Oh My God. The memory slammed back into me. These were not just any eyes. This is the same wolf that was in the stairwell with me. He had called me his mate. I am drinking the blood of my werewolf mate.

I immediately retracted my fangs and pulled back from his wrist. I wanted to dart my tongue out and lick his wrist to heal it but I was a little scared at what his reaction might be. I felt myself tense. What should I do? What should I say? Oh my god!

He must have noticed that I was going into a panic. He looked like he was trying to force himself to relax and take on a non aggressive stance. The wolf in me immediately identified that he was not threat to us.

"Easy mate, you're safe with me" he said

The vampire in me was not comfortable. It was quivering with the desire to run. I heard his heart pounding it sounded like it was getting harder and faster. Something was not right. I heard blood drip and looked down to see his wrist was continuing to spill blood from it. I made an involuntary gasp and quickly went to grab his wrist. He froze and I was unable to move his arm. I flinched back afraid now that my wolf was wrong. Maybe he is a threat. I nervously said

"I just want to close the wound" He seemed sad that I had become afraid and slowly moved his wrist back towards me.

"Don't be afraid of me. You are my mate. I could never hurt you. Have you had enough blood? Do you need more?"

I watched drops of blood spatter on the white paper on the cot. My tongue flicked out and I licked my lips. His blood was so sweet. I don't know if I could ever say I'd had enough. Instead of plunging my fangs back into his wrist, I flicked my tongue out and over the puncture wounds sealing them instantly closed.

"Thank you" I stuttered.

"I'm fine and have had enough"

Then it hit me. He said mate again. Could he possibly mean to claim me? How could he want me if he already knows what I am? He will never claim us. My wolf whined. He knows we are tainted. He is being kind but he will reject us.

My wolf was suddenly disgusted and ashamed of us. Feeling her pain, I tried to move away from him. I tested my leg and could tell that it had healed enough to hold my weight. I swung them off the cot with the intention of running as fast as my legs could carry me. He must have sensed the change in us, because the moment my legs touched the floor he had both of his arms securely wrapped around my midsection.

"Hold on there a second Kalli, just where do you think you are running off to? I just told you we are mates; don't you think we should talk about this before you decide to go running off?"