The Blood Moon Twins
Chapter 56

REMY

I ran as fast as I could, making my lungs burn from the lack of oxygen. I had my bag in my mouth, since in my wolf form I couldn't carry it on my back. I didn't stop to slow down or take a break until I made it to the lake. I dropped my bag the moment I saw the water

and looked around. Blade had to be here. I knew he would be waiting for me.

When I didn't see him, I closed my eyes and listened for the slightest change in the environment. Everything was still, and I couldn't pick up on the smallest indication that Blade was here. My heart raced, waiting for him to show up. It was earlier than the time we normally met, but I was still hoping he would be here.

I started to shift into my human form, ready to wait here as long as it would take for Blade to come. However, in the middle of the transformation, I heard a noise, and I knew someone had just shown up, but I was already in the middle of transforming, and I couldn't stop. I was the most vulnerable during the transformation, so if whoever had shown up was someone who wished me harm, there wasn't much I could do.

I hoped it was Blade, but I expected the worst. When I was finally in my human form, I looked around, prepared to defend myself if necessary. I stopped when I saw a figure standing at the edge of the beach, staring at me.

I didn't hesitate to run forward, not caring for a second that I was still completely naked. Blade moved to meet me, and he quickly enveloped me in his arms. He picked me up and spun me around. I held onto him tightly, never wanting to let go. I knew in my head that I hadn't known him for very long, but it felt like I had known him for my entire life. It felt right being in his arms again.

When he finally set me down, he didn't let go of me as he pressed his lips against mine. He was hungry and desperate, but I could also feel the tears running down his cheeks as we kissed.

I pulled away and wiped the tears with my hands. I held his cheeks and looked up into his teary eyes. "What's wrong?"

He pulled me closer and let his head fall onto my shoulders. "When I heard you got injured, I thought I might never be able to see you again."

I pulled him tighter. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

He pulled away and rubbed my cheek with his thumb. "You have nothing to apologize for. You did it to save your brother, which is admirable. You're okay. That's what matters now."

I couldn't imagine how terrifying the past week had been for Blade and everyone else. I was in a coma, and I had been nearly killed. There was no guarantee that I would wake up, so I was sure everyone was stressed. I had seen the lack of sleep in Caulder's eyes, and the way Blade continued to hold me told me he was afraid to let go. They didn't need to say how much it affected them, because I could feel it.

For me, the week had gone by in a flash. It hadn't felt like any time had passed for me at all, but for everyone else, I was sure tensions were running high. Maybe that was why my mother had acted as intensely as she had. She was scared she would lose me again. "What are you thinking?" Blade asked, watching me closely.

"We need to get out of here. Run away together before anyone replaces out," I said. Whether or not my mom was scared of losing me, it didn't mean that she had the right to forbid me to ever see my mate again. I couldn't risk her following through with that threat and locking me or Blade away.

Blade took a step back and looked me over. "What are you talking about? What happened?"

I looked down at the ground. "My mother doesn't want me to see you. She thinks it's too dangerous, because you might be tricking me."

"I would never do that." Blade kept his face still, but I knew he was being serious.

"I know that, and Caulder knows that, but she wasn't listening to reason." Thinking about the conversation with my parents again made my stomach turn into knots. I wished she would have just given me a chance.

"Then we should show them. I don't think running away will do any good. Introduce me to your parents. I will prove to them that I'm on your side." Blade didn't even seem phased by my parents' disapproval, and I didn't understand how he could be so calm.

I pulled away from him, wrapping my arms around myself. "I can't risk it. What if they attack you or throw you in jail? I don't want to lose you before we have even had a chance to figure out what this is." I walked over to the lake and closed my eyes. The air felt thick, and I felt like I was caving in on myself.

Blade walked forward, and I listened to his footsteps crunching on the ground. He draped his coat over my shoulders and then wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed the top of my forehead.

"It might be a risk, but I think it's worth it. You care about your family. I know this because you nearly died to save your brother. You care about your wolf pack. It wouldn't be right for you to run away because of me." Blade's voice was soothing in my ear, and there was something about it that made my entire body relax. "I want to get to know you better, but I want to do it right. I don't want to run away because the situation is difficult. If I did that, then I wouldn't be here with you right now."

I took a deep breath. His logic made sense, but it didn't make it easier to accept. I didn't want to run away from Caulder or the pack. I had just been angry at my mother and everything else. But I didn't want to face the reality of how frustrated I was with everything. I just wanted to stop thinking and run away from everything.

"Can we just stay here for a while?" I asked, barely able to get the words out of my mouth. "I just want to spend a moment with you without worrying about anyone else."

"We can stay here for as long as you need." Blade's chest rose and fell behind me, and I found myself syncing my breathing to his.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against him. Being in his arms felt right in a way I didn't fully understand. Every inch of my body relaxed to his touch, and I felt safe. For the moment, nothing else mattered. "Blade?" I whispered, breaking the silence.

"Hmm?"

"If I'm not your mate, then what was it about me that drew you to me?" Blade was fated to me, but after what he told me about vampires, I knew I wasn't fated to him. It would have been easy for him to decide all of this was too much work and leave. He didn't have to stay here with a werewolf he hardly knew.

Blade hummed as he thought about his response. "It's hard to explain. The moment I laid eyes on you, I just knew there was something about you that made you special. I knew I had to replace out more about you. It was like there were a thousand invisible strings pulling me towards you. Even if I wanted to, I don't think I could have pulled away from the idea of you."

My heart raced as he spoke. Even though he didn't have one true soul mate, his description of me made it seem like I was just that to him.

I found myself turning around in his arms and kissing him deeply. His lips were soft, and his hands were rough in comparison. My core tingled, and it made me want so much more. When we finally parted, I felt breathless and eager.

"I want you," I whispered. That wasn't what I had expected to say, but the words just slipped out of my mouth. As Blade held me in his arms, stroking my cheek slowly, it made a fire burn inside of me. I didn't want to think about what my mother had said, how she forbade me to ever see Blade again. I just wanted to enjoy my mate for all that he was.

"I'm at a severe disadvantage here," Blade said, looking down at me. His cheeks flushed slightly at the thought. "Seeing how you're nearly naked and all. It would be nearly impossible to say no to you."

"I don't want you to say no. I want you," I repeated. The desire inside burned brightly, and all I could think about was Blade and I touching each other until we became one. I wanted to know what it felt like to be that close to someone, and I was desperate to feel the connection with him.

Blade studied my eyes a moment longer before he crashed his lips onto mine. I pulled myself closer to him. I didn't want any distance separating us. I wanted to feel his skin on mine. I tugged at his shirt before sliding my fingers underneath to feel his nicely sculpted torso. He grunted against my mouth and then nipped at my lips. The sensation spurred me on, so I pulled at his shirt until he helped me pull it off.

We were pressed against each other in a split second, sparing not a single breath. I could feel his need growing as much as mine, and all I wanted was him to touch me everywhere as we treasured each other.

He slid his hands down my body until he cupped under my thighs, allowing him to lift me up with ease. I wrapped my legs around his torso, never letting my lips separate from his. I could feel him pressing against my core through his pants, and it only made me want more.

Blade started carrying me somewhere. I didn't know where he was taking me and I didn't care as long as he was with me.

"My, my, my, I wasn't expecting to replace a show here." The voice was one I did not recognize, and I instantly froze. The hair on the back of my neck rose, and a bad feeling seeded in my gut. I had been so absorbed in Blade that I hadn't been paying attention to our surroundings.

Blade dropped me and spun around me until he was standing between me and this stranger. It had happened faster than my brain could process, and I had to grab Blade to steady myself.

"What are you doing here?" Blade growled, holding his hands out to create an even larger barrier for me. The way Blade spoke had a familiarity to it. Whoever this was, Blade knew him.

"I came to investigate why my plan hasn't been working. I'm not surprised that I found you here, Blade." The man's voice was deep and sultry. There was an arrogance to the way he spoke, and I had a feeling his face matched the arrogance, but I couldn't get a good glimpse at whoever this was through Blade.

"I suggest you leave before I tear your throat out," Blade warned. His voice had deepened, and he no longer sounded like the sweet Blade I was used to.

"Now, why would I do that? I still have business here, or do you want to be the only vampire with a werewolf plaything? Interesting choice, by the way."

Blade's body tensed, and his fingernails started growing until they were at a sharp point. He had never used that ability while training me, and I was grateful. I wouldn't want to be at the other end of those things. "Leave now, Draven."