The warmth spreads through my chest, a lump in my throat keeping me from saying the jumbled mass of sentences that so desperately want to leave my lips. Confessions of emotions I'm not strong enough to admit. Luckily, my silence doesn't seem to upset the man standing in front of me, dressed in dark jeans and a black button-up that is pulled tight against his broad chest.

Is my mouth-watering?

My teeth ache to push themselves through his skin, to taste the blood he's offered up so many times before. I've never been this speechless, so overwhelmed by emotion that everything else seemed to fade away. It wasn't the fact that Alarik looked so fucking good while dressed up, or that the lighting in our hall had somehow become as romantic as any I'd ever seen.

I think it's the change in my mindset, the way my body and mind have almost come to an agreement that this man is ours now. That submitting to him is what I've always been meant to do and the past of me fighting his has just delayed fate.

My own choice has been taken from me but in such a freeway. This was meant to be.

My eyes travel over my mate, his eyes burning with a hunger I recognize too well. Those large hands fisted at his sides as his gaze moves over me, and eventually, I look towards the tanned neck I want to be teeth deep in. The biceps that call out for my hands to be touching, muscular thighs held in by a material I never thought was sexy until he'd worn it.

His flaring nostrils tell me that all this praise is not just in my head. My own body is betraying me, telling the Lycan just how much I enjoy the sight of him. How much I want him.

"You are so beautiful, Eira." Alarik grabs my hand, pulling me against him and effectively sending my mind reeling as his arm wraps around my body. A soft gasp leaves me, my eyes staring upwards to meet the silver ones that speak volumes. "But you always are."

The Lycan has me with those words, my chest constricting with the happiness of his acceptance. His compliments feeling like the sun shining down on me, bringing me a warmth I haven't known in ages. I barely notice Asger and Valda watching us, or the rest of the creatures around us that have quieted to watch as the now tamed vampire almost blushes for her mate. If only my heart could beat if only Alarik could have a physical show of how much he affects me—as I have of him.

Heavy breathing, those silver eyes flashing back to black as his beast fights for control—the need to finish the bond is overwhelming.

"Thank you, Alarik." My embarrassment is obvious, but I do my best to push through it and not make a complete fool of myself. Usually, he would have joked about it, cracked some line about making a vampire blush but the way his eyes moved over me now told me there was no humor.

Only hunger.

Need.

The room full of Lycans around us almost disappears as I find myself unable to look away from him, from the perfection of a man-made just for me. I don't think regret has ever been something I've felt on a large enough scale to affect me, but today I feel it. The anguish that comes from the remembrance of my past choices. I could not be blamed; I fully believe that but still—knowing Alarik had waited so long for my hurt.

It was just sex, and yet to him, it was so much more than that. To me the simple act meant nothing, no one meant anything until he came along. With his brooding and the constant growls, those eyes that I feel on me no matter how far away he may be.

I was becoming a sucker for the male.

"I told you there would be a surprise..." Valda grins at me, and I barely acknowledge her as I try to spend every second drinking in the sight of my Lycan. My male. My mate. "Where could she..."

I hear her before I see her, loud and demanding with the threats that would make a god cower before her. Leslie is the only person I would ever turn away from this man for, a different kind of happiness lighting a fire inside of me as I search for her.

Beautiful, and a little pissy, my caked-up friend seems to be pushing through Lycans without a problem as she looks around for me. The seemingly never-ending frown turns to a crooked smile that I know very well when she spots me, neither of us saying a word as we make our way to meet in the middle. Everyone watches as we embrace one another, and although I want to laugh and say something stupid I can't.

Instead, we just hug, enjoying the company of a close friend in a room full of curious eyes.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Leslie," Alarik speaks to my friend in a low, welcoming voice but I know that he is receiving a glare from over my shoulder.

Probably some very mouthy words with the small movement of her lips. When we pull away, I grin up to her, missing the way her short black hair frames her more than a beautiful face.

Unlike myself, she hasn't changed a bit. As usual, she has come ready for a party, with a knee-length satin dress that hugs her curves. Her heels only bringing more life to her perfectly sculpted legs and the slight appearance of her chest made even the straightest of women drool a bit.

"I've missed you." Leslie pulls me in for one more long embrace before releasing me. I feel a range of emotions knowing that I have everyone I care about standing before me, well—most of them.

It's like a family reunion that is just missing a few people, but I know all of them would be happy for me. My mom and father would relish in the maleness that is my mate while my brothers would enjoy attempting to beat him in whatever competition they conjure up. Alarik would fit in well, but so would Leslie.

"I'm so happy you came." I am beaming upward, my eyes moving between the vampire and Lycans standing before me as the reality of today hits. There is a little tension, as there had been when Alarik had led me onto their land the first time.

I understood their disliking for our kind, especially after the coven they'd known so well for so long had turned out to be that of the monsters who'd slaughtered my family. Valda is side eying Leslie, noting the way my old friend is casing the room with determined eyes.

"So, you have a new set of teeth, I see." Leslie throws the joke out there making it sound like a friendly conversation, but the narrowing of my eyes sends another giggle from her lips. I've missed it, the happiness this woman brings me. The agitation is just as much, it seems.

"Alarik thinks they are sexy." I throw a wink in her direction, a look of disgust her only response before the Lycans surrounding us laugh heartily. I feel my mate moving closer, eventually slipping his arm around my waist before pressing his nose into my hair. I used to be thrown off when he sniffed me, now I found it endearing...in a way.

Everything seemed to be going well, even with the way a few Lycans were still eyeing the new vampire I could tell tonight would be a success. Or at least, I could hope. Without warning, Alarik shoots Leslie a wink and is dragging me towards the open floor that has only a few people dancing. Even centuries of living had not given me to want of learning to dance, and if he started doing anything more than a slow-motion or two—we would be in trouble.

My concerned squeal only amuses the man pulling me passionately around in a way that has him looking like a King, and me his clumsy servant. This realization did nothing to make me try harder, his insistent movements my only guidance as my laughter eventually followed behind his. Lycans begin filing in around us, their worlds standing before them as mine clutches me tightly and looks at me in a way I never could have imagined.

Alarik always seemed to enjoy seeing me. No matter how hard I scowled, or how angry I made him—the light he held for me in his eyes never dimmed. My arms find their way around him, enjoying the feeling of his warmth melting through the overly thick wall I've built up.

"What are your thoughts?" He whispers, brushing his lips against my forehead. I try to form a coherent sentence as I sort through myself, trying to come up with something that won't give way to the storm raging inside of me.

"Is this how it would be, forever? All of us, taking care of a pack and throwing little parties after I whip you a few times?" A rumbling laugh leaves him and somehow, I am pulled closer to him, a smile lighting up both of our faces for all to see.

"Everything except for the whip sounds like a great plan, but it would be different once you are fully marked." His mouth moves near my neck again, his human teeth bite down just enough to make me gasp before he soothes it with a kiss. "You'd be more untuned with our pack, with me as well, and you'll finish the change before long. There will be no rejecting me, no running away, and no hesitation when I ask you who you belong to."

Another bite has my knees giving out, a pleasured whimper passing through me as I ignore the embarrassment of what this man can do to my body. Every inch of me begged to submit to him, who needed to finish the bond when I was already putty in his expert hands.

"We will see," I whisper, using him to keep myself upright while ignoring his low growl. Why did I feel the need to elongate his waiting? Surely, he knew by now that I was a few warm touches away from giving him every piece of me? Alarik was smart, I'm sure it was obvious for him but with the furrowing of his brows, he seems to be questioning himself.

I almost lay rest to his worrisome expression, but Leslie approaches us with a strange look etched across her face. Carefully I pull away from Alarik, my friend's quickening steps sending a sense of dread through me. Just like earlier, she is surveying the room, her eyes seemingly searching for something she has still yet to find.

"Leslie—Leslie what's wrong?" The vampire grips me by my shoulders, pulling me close but not meeting my gaze as she moves to whisper in my ear.

"I thought it was very normal, otherwise I would've mentioned it earlier. Am I the only vampire planned to be attending this party?" My body goes rigid at the question, my brain already having a thought forming of what she could mean. "I'd met a few by your property line on the way in and they said they would be here as well...but not they seem a little sketchy."

"Alarik!" I call for him, my eyes meeting his just as a few of the Lycans begin to tremble. Their bodies morph, low grunts and groans forced between broken jaws as they become the beasts within. Hesitantly I follow where their eyes lay, and feel my own body reacting with anger as I note the three vampires standing in the middle of the hall.

Ivan stands out to me; bloodied hands and a look of triumph are the most noticeable attributes while the female beside him wears a glum expression. She is shorter than I, with natural red tinting her hair and big green eyes. Was she this monster's new fascination?

The third vampire has his face covered by a hood, keeping his eyes on the floor while his hands clench and unclench at his sides. Although most of him are hidden, I feel something strange about him standing before me. The shape of his being pulling an unknown string in my body that I try to rid myself of noticing. This vampire is just another follower of a male so prone to violence.

"What the fuck are you doing, Ivan?" Alarik's booming voice echoes throughout the now stilled hall. Not even the four-legged beasts surrounding us make a noise as the Alpha of these lands approaches his once dearest friend, my tormentor.

My mate stands in front of me, attempting to block my view of the male or his of mine—I'm not entirely sure but I feel Leslie pulling at my hand and I realize she has never seen this man. She does not know the most recent developments.

"I've brought what I see to be a white flag, something to calm the hate that still stands between us all." He is smiling, I can hear it in his sickly depraved voice as I bite my lip trying to keep my threats held back. Alarik could handle this. "We didn't want to miss the big party either, you know how much I love a celebration."

Something about his smartly spoken words has me pulling my hand out of Leslie's and taking a firm stand beside my mate. My gaze is steady, body calm as I look at Ivan with nothing but disgust racing through my thoughts. He is a sicko—that is all he will ever be. The vampire watches me while his female moves closer to his side, the not yet healed wounds on her neck telling me she has not been in this state long.

Her blatant glare in my direction tells me the girl holds jealousy for the last woman this monster held captive. I hold no pity for the female, not after the slums I'd been comfortable with crawling through just for the sake of freedom from that coven.

The other vampire tips his head further, only hiding his silhouette more.

"Unless it is your head on a silver platter, we aren't interested," Valda speaks up from somewhere behind us, and the hiding figure jolts to life at her voice. I give one last look before turning my gaze back to our biggest issue.

"Your head would look so much prettier, Lycan bitch." Ivan's voice is snappier than usual, his cool is not usually lost that quickly and we watch as he seems to pull himself together. Another smile is given to us. "I think your Luna would like this one."

My brow raises, Alarik's hand moving to sit on my opposite hip as he does his best to offer me comfort. Sinking my teeth into this male and ripping him to pieces would be the only peace I'd ever need. Not even the mate's touch could fix the slowly rising rage building within. I look back to his new female, in need of a reason to attack this group.

"He likes his women small, and defenseless, doesn't he?" I know I should not taunt the girl, throwing her obvious disadvantages in her face. Ivan is enjoying the intersection, while my mate must feel the tension I am creating.

I want this little vampire to attack, to lunge for my throat, and give me a real reason to destroy them. All of them. Alarik would let me have the final bite of the male, allowing me to kill him myself and all I needed was one wrong move from them. Three against an entire pack? Easy.

"At least his taste has gotten better over the years." She bites back, and I grin in accomplishment. If it could, blood would be flushing her cheeks right now as I rile her up. For a century's year-old vampire, I sure was stooping down to the level of a child with this tactic.

I laugh, my head going back as I show my amusement for her witty reply. When our eyes meet again, I am sure I've gotten the little mouse right where I want her, the natural predator within me coming to life.

A switch, from normal Eira to the creature of the night.

Alarik hasn't seen me like this before, in fact, it's been over a century since I have felt this instinct of mine kick in. This female has fed, but she has not had to hunt. She likely did not survive this vicious male's attack, did not watch him slaughter everyone she loved—she most likely chose this.

This little biter is a creature by choice and the way her big green eyes flash with fear I know she can sense the difference between us. I hear Leslie whispering behind me, telling me not to lose my bearings in the middle of this room but oh, how much fun it would be to end this all once and for all.

To start my new life off with a clean slate, to take this smartass out before she gets any more ballsy.

Ivan is beyond amused, watching his two creations stare menacingly at one another. In his mind, this is a fight in his honor, when really—I know I'd have two take his two henchmen before I ever got my hands on him. Making her jump me would make it easier, one quick snap or a bite and rip would end her. The other vampire is older, his patience telling me this although his reaction to Valda's words does strike me as odd. This would be something I asked about later, perhaps after all their blood smeared this once heavenly dance floor.

I shake out the thoughts, take a step out of Alarik's hold and towards the trespassers on a property that was soon to be shared with me. After I bathed in these people's blood, I could have my mate finish the bond.

Kick our lifetime of happiness off with a bang, yes?

"You are exceedingly beautiful." I throw her off with the laughed compliment. The movement of her eyes from me to Ivan, and then around the room, gives way to her increasing anxiety.

Being turned did not make her into what Ivan and I are, not even Leslie could understand the depth of this beastly nature.

As much as I hated saying I and the male were anything alike, it is pure truth that the older vampires held something none of this century would ever experience.

A different kind of corruption in one's soul. A hunger that cannot be quenched by the simplicity of a few blood bags that have been ordering from a bank. No, our nature has been engrained into us from the very moment our last breath left out bodies. Ivan's even more so with his eldering me by many years. It's the same thing as the humans today, versus the ones in my time.

Sure, there are the ones who struggle to survive. Living off the cheapest food and sleeping on cold streets, starvation, or the elements always a worry in their mind. When I was human, however, it was much more meticulous.

You did not buy your clothes from a store, perfectly sewn and given handy in a bag. Your mother sewed those, your wives, or your daughters. You killed every animal you ate, nothing was processed in a factory and handed out for a price. There was the option to buy from others, but not so easily or safely.

Today's vampires get the humans that walk into their homes, they flash themselves on dating websites and sports bars and take their meal home. Never fearing that when they round a street corner the next day there will be no more food. They'd never know what it is like to be forced to choose your vicious, bloodthirsty self over the last man alive in the village because there isn't another one for you to reach before you are starving again.