The Power Of The Bite (5 page)

Chapter Six

Zane woke up stifling hot, feeling more energetic than he had in months, and covered in something heavy and smelling delicious. As the memories from the previous night hit his brain, Zane smirked. Dax. Of course. And being a wolf shifter the man had to sleep in a puppy pile. It would have been adorable if he didn’t have an urgent need to pee. Some subtle wiggling, then a hefty push when the man just wouldn’t move, Zane managed to get free, surprised when Dax stayed asleep.

Wandering through to the bathroom, he took care of his needs, cleaned his teeth and splashed water on his face. Catching sight of himself in the mirror, Zane was shocked and pleased to see that he was looking a lot more like his old self again. He had a bit more fullness in his face. The black rings under his eyes were gone, and his eyes seemed full of life. Looking down at his chest he noticed that his ribs weren’t as visible as they had been the night before either. Another couple of decent feedings and he would be back to his normal self.

Patting his face dry, Zane heard a series of growls, and the snapping of teeth. Fuck. Rushing back into the bedroom, he saw Dax, well, he presumed it was his mate, had shifted and was facing off against a very pissed off Van and Broz. Dax was a large, very black wolf, but Zane didn’t have the time to appreciate the beauty of his furry form.

“Don’t hurt him.” Zane wasn’t sure who he was protecting from whom, but he moved quickly, putting himself between his friends and his mate.

“What the fuck, Z?” Broz snarled, trying to see past Zane. “Since when did you start taking wolves to your bed? Since when did you have anyone in your bed full stop? You’re a hook up kinda guy and this one is well out of his territory. He’s got no right to be here.”

“He’s done you some good though,” Van added thoughtfully, studying Zane’s face. Then he turned to Broz. “Your friend is looking a lot better than he was a few days ago.”

“You’re feeding from a wolf? I left you blood in the fridge.” If anything, Broz seemed even more incensed, and with Dax still growling and showing his teeth, the situation was getting beyond tense.

“I’m not having this conversation naked,” Zane said decisively, suddenly conscious of his mating scar. With his pale skin it was barely noticeable but he wanted the protection of clothes before Broz had something else to get shitty about. He wasn’t going to hide his mate, not now. He’d just prefer to share the information about his mating on his own terms, preferably with clothes on.

“Let’s go put some coffee on,” Van said, slapping his mate’s arm. “You’re gonna scare the puppy with all your macho posturing, and no one deserves that after putting up with Zane all night. Fancy some breakfast, Z? You and your not-so-little friend?”

“Yeah. Thanks. We’ll be out in a minute,” Zane said. Thank God for Van. He was always the voice of reason in contrast to his volatile natured friend. He waited until Van had dragged a grumbling Broz from the room and then shut the door firmly behind them both. By the time he had turned around Dax had shifted back to his sexy human form, and Zane felt his body responding. It was automatic and there was nothing Zane could do about it, although he could and would ignore it.

“You have no idea how badly I want to plow that ass of yours right now,” Dax said, the growl still evident in his voice as he slinked off the bed and stalked Zane as if he was lunch. Zane could still see the wolf in Dax’s eyes, the spikes of yellow an odd contrast to the green.

“Do you think I could introduce you to my friends first?” Zane wasn’t going to challenge Dax with the wolf still riding so close to the surface, but he knew that Broz wanted answers and wouldn’t wait around for an explanation. “Maybe share some breakfast?”

Dax’s stomach picked that moment to rumble loudly around the room, and Dax stopped just short of Zane and laughed.

“Yeah, I’m guessing some food might be in order. What are you going to tell your friends? Did you need to palm me off as a hookup for now?”

Zane looked over at Dax in surprise. What was he meant to tell them? “No, actually. I was thinking the truth was probably the best idea. These guys are my friends, the closest thing to family I have. Why? Changing your mind already?” His heart lurched. Did Dax mean to renege on everything they had talked about the night before? If Dax left now, Zane would have to talk Broz into killing him, otherwise he would expose their relationship within days. He wouldn’t be able to help himself. If Dax left he’d be powerless to stop himself hunting down Dax all over town, and as his hunger grew he wouldn’t care about Dax’s safety from exposure if and when he found him again.

Dax seemed to pick up on his concern. “It’s okay my mate,” he said softly, pulling Zane into his arms. “I’m not going anywhere, and I meant everything I said last night. For better or for worse, we’re mates and we’ll stick together and face whatever comes our way – together.”

Zane let himself take comfort from the hug, no matter how foreign that action was too him. With no family to speak of, and vampires not known for their tactile nature, being held in a non-sexual way was pleasant, but would take a bit of getting used to if Dax was in the habit of doing it often. Pulling back after what he hoped was a decent moment, he grinned at his mate. “I’d better find you some clothes then, cos I’m sure yours are in the living room.”

“This first,” Dax said, leaning forward.

Oh yes, this. A kiss. A kiss, not as a prelude to sex, but as a means of connecting with each other. Zane couldn’t remember the last time he’d kissed someone without sex being involved, but it seemed Dax was rather partial to their lip-locking. Small moans, little gasps, sensual mouth movements that weren’t going anywhere, but were a journey and a destination all of their own. Beautiful, and more than enough to help Zane relax.

After a long minute, Dax pulled away. “Show me your wardrobe lover, and please tell me you have some jeans somewhere that will fit me.”

Zane smiled at his mate’s casual attitude. He ran a critical eye over his mate’s physique. “Jeans probably, a shirt – when you’re built like a tank? It’s not likely I’ll have anything that will fit you.”

“Tank top, muscle shirt, anything without sleeves should be fine. I run pretty hot no matter what the weather.”

“You look it too,” Zane said. This joking about, gentle teasing, just being with his mate for longer than five minutes. Up until ten hours ago he’d never believed it was possible, but it seemed that for now at least, it was. Dax was in
his
bedroom, pulling on
his
clothes, and more importantly to Zane, he was wearing a decent set of bite marks with apparent pride. Quickly pulling out some black camo pants of his own, and a muscle shirt, Zane didn’t bother with shoes or anything else on his feet. Dax’s boots were still in the living room, so he and his mate headed their first, before walking out to the kitchen where it seemed Broz and Van were still arguing.

“Hi there,” Dax cut in with a cheerful grin. “Bacon smells great. I’m Dax Portrain. I believe you’re a frequent visitor at my club.” He held out his hand and although Broz shared a long look with his mate first, he finally accepted it, shaking quickly and then dropping Dax’s hand like a hot brick.

“Broz Callahan, and this is my mate, Van.”

“Van.” Dax held out his hand and Van was quicker to take it, although Zane noticed the man’s eagle eyes had settled on Dax’s neck. Dax didn’t seem to notice, or rather ignored the pointed stare, sitting himself down at the table and making himself at home.

Van nudged Broz towards another seat, while Zane quickly took the one next to his mate. He didn’t think his friend would be as rude as to attack someone in his home, but he couldn’t be sure. When Broz’s temper got going it was hard to stop him sometimes.

“So this is the reason you didn’t want to come to the club last night?” Broz said, after an uncomfortable silence broken only by the sounds of Van cooking and serving up food.

“Nothing to do with it,” Zane said honestly. “I was super tired, and as you know I haven’t been too well lately. Dax’s visit was an unexpected but pleasant surprise.”

“That’s a hell of a risk you took, young pup,” Van said as he laid platters of food on the table. “This area was given to us by your father. We don’t want any trouble with the pack.”

“Yeah, well, there’s gonna be trouble anyway so get ready for it.” Dax’s drawl seemed more pronounced than usual and Zane wondered why. He wondered if it was nerves when Dax continued. “Given your friend and I are mates, and we’re now double claimed, unless we get out of town, trouble’s gonna fall all round us like flying dog-shit.”

“MATES? You have got to be kidding me!” Broz roared, pushing himself back from the table so fast his chair tipped over. Van tutted at his mate, set the chair upright again and sat down, a calm contrast to the man who was now pacing the floor like a caged lion.

“Eat, eat,” Van encouraged, smiling at Dax and Zane. “You guys must have worked up an appetite last night if there was claiming involved. Don’t let this food go to waste.”

Zane handed a plate to Dax and then filled his own. Broz was muttering under his breath and Zane wondered if his mate could actually hear what his friend was saying. Shifter’s senses were far more acute than a vampires. He just hoped Broz wasn’t being too rude. Dax didn’t seem overly concerned, filling his plate, giving his thanks to Van for the food, and eating like nothing was wrong. Zane tried to follow suit, although he was acutely aware of every move his friend was making. If Broz laid a finger on Dax there was going to be trouble.

It was a full five minutes before Broz would sit down again, although he ignored the plate of food that Van had filled for him. Grabbing his coffee instead, he glared at Zane and then Dax – looking between them as though they were two puzzle pieces that just didn’t fit. When he did open his mouth Zane knew they had just walked into yet another landmine.

“Tell me Mr. Portrain. Just how long ago did you claim my friend?”

/~/~/~/~/

If ever there was a moment that Dax appreciated his heritage and the teachings from his father, it was in that exact moment. He could sense the agitation coming from Zane and his wolf didn’t like it. Unfortunately attacking two vampires in his mate’s house was probably not a good idea, although he would protect his mate to the death if necessary. He just hoped that a strong dose of honesty and openness would get them all through the next half hour without any bloodshed on either side.

“About three months ago,” Dax said, casually picking up another piece of bacon and stuffing it in his mouth. He chewed thoroughly and swallowed before continuing, something that wasn’t easy to do with a vampire with blood red eyes giving him a death stare. “I have to admit I panicked a bit after I did it, but I like to think I have come to my senses now.”

“And that’s why my friend has been getting sick? Because you’ve been too wrapped up in playing baby Alpha to look after your mate?”

“What would you have had me do?” Dax could meet that evil stare and double it, even as he kept his voice calm. “Vamps and wolves don’t get on. Don’t know why, don’t fucking care. But if my pack had found out that I’d mated with Zane they would have been after him with a shotgun and claws. I wanted to protect him from that.”

“It was a failed mating,” Van said around his own mouthful of food. He looked at the others when they all stared at him. “Not yours,” he added, swallowing hastily. “The grudge between vamps and shifters. It was a couple of centuries ago, right here in Portrain. A vampire coven leader, the Alpha of the pack – they were mates. But same sex matings were against the law, and the Alpha bonded with a female instead. The coven leader died of a broken heart they say, although he was bitter and twisted to the very end and caused all sorts of trouble for the pack. There’s been bad blood between the species since that time, which is why no formal coven has been allowed to re-establish itself here. At least that’s the gossip from your pack elders. We were lucky that Nathanial Portrain let us stay here at all.”

Dax shivered. He and Zane were a classic case of history repeating itself. Except Zane would have cheerfully died to keep Dax safe. And Dax? Would he have married or claimed a wolf just to keep his father happy? No. Dax liked to think he had more strength than that. He might have stayed away from Zane when he could. Been a shit assed mate in many respects. But even without the push from his father, he was confident he would have come to his senses eventually.

“So why are you here now?” Broz said. “The situation between vamps and wolves hasn’t changed. Yesterday my friend was on deaths door, thanks to the lack of access to your blood obviously. But here you sit today, smirking like your shit doesn’t stink, thinking things are going to magically resolve themselves?”

“Broz, don’t,” Zane warned. “It was my fault I wasn’t taking enough blood. Dax offered it to me every week without fail. I was the one who chose not to take what I needed. He didn’t even know what I needed. My getting sick wasn’t his fault.”

“You were killing yourself?” Broz sounded horrorstruck, but Dax couldn’t understand why. Sure, suicide was a bit extreme but at the time Zane did think he was doing the best thing for both of them. Dax didn’t like it, but he understood why Zane did what he felt he had to do. He would have to live with his own guilt for the rest of his life for his own callous behavior as it was, but it really wasn’t Broz’s business.

“You know I can’t commit suicide,” Zane said crossly. “Otherwise, yes I would have done it. Not because I didn’t want Dax, but because I do believe Dax would make an amazing Alpha here. He’s a good man, a strong wolf, and he cares for the people around him. His business is a raving success, he’s provided a safe place for all paranormals to hang out, he doesn’t judge…”