An Unacceptable Mate

Chapter Thirty Seven

Acera stood quickly, bringing me up with him. His arms enveloped me.

Abruptly, a harsh wind ate at my bare skin but I ignored it momentarily. Lying – what I hoped asleep – was Dremos. He had no physical wounds, but his face was screwed up in pain.

Inerra knelt next to him, fingers pressed to Dremos's forehead. Everyone was huddled around, some mystified, others scared.

    "What's going on? Is it Violem?" Acera asked, moving down on the other side of Dremos. I followed, reaching for the dead vampire's icy hand as if it would bring him back.

  "Yes. Mind invasion. Same old same old," Inerra replied.

        "This isn't a joke," I snapped. "Dremos could be dead." Even if he was screwing his face up.

Piercing blue eyes locked with mine and the flood of memories between us came rushing back. Was he doing that on purpose? Why couldn't I dismiss them?

  "I'm aware of that, human," he muttered, casting his eyes back down to Dremos. I was relieved to be freed of their intensity.

I could hear Katria sobbing quietly and my brows tugged together slightly. Acera had said family to vampires was not the same as to humans. Vampires were typically selfish. Then again, the only type of sibling he knew was Inerra and his parents were horrid people so I couldn't blame him for his opinion on family.

After a moment of strained silence where no one knew what to do or say, Inerra heaved a sigh, pulling his hand away. "He'll be fine. Perhaps shaken up by Violem's attack, but not dead which is...good." He quirked a brow over to Katria who just cried harder.

I scowled. "Is Violem still in his head? Will he attack again?"

Inerra didn't look at me as he stood. "No and probably. You all have to guard your minds. It'll be easy for him if you're vulnerable."

    "Surely Charlie is vulnerable all the time? Being the human that she is," Leneth said pointedly.

  "I'm not weak," I growled, shooting the dark haired, dark eyed pessimist my meanest glare.

He fought a smirk as Inerra spoke while Acera found my free hand and gently squeezed.

    "I'm able to defend her mind as well as my own. No worries."

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. Inerra was really protecting me? Like right now? I fought off the wave of flattery and returned my attention to Dremos. His fingers had started to twitch, eyes rolling beneath his lids and face smoothing out. He groaned, reaching his free hand to the centre of his forehead and wincing.

  "If I had the balls, I'd smack that purple haired Initiator into next month," he grumbled. I smiled with a feeling of strong relief. 

    "If only," Acera teased, causing me to chuckle.

Dremos opened a brown eye and narrowed it though his mouth was smiling. "You're cute."

My laughter increased. He started to push himself up, but just as his back straightened, Katria flung her arms around him, knocking him back to the ground. He grunted.

  "I hate you! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" she wailed into his shoulder.

    "I didn't know we could have heart attacks...I mean...ah...I'm sorry for making you worry," he managed to murmur, giving his sister a tight hug.

It was times like these that I wished for a brother or sister. Well, not to have them nearly die of course but just to love someone no matter what and not have any complications.