“You don’t have to lie to me, Ravana.” He pulls me in for a hug.
“I think I’m mated to Valen,” I whisper as he hugs me. “I’m mated to a man who kills my kind.” History sure does have a way of repeating itself, doesn’t it? Not only that, I would never be able to give my mate what he truly wants.
“I won’t let anything happen to you again,” Bishop vows. I don’t want him to make a promise he can’t keep.
“I won’t be able to stay away from him. I’m already fighting myself from going to find him right now.”
“I’ve locked down the house. You can’t get out, Ravana.” His eyes lock on mine. “Even if you wanted to.” He’s not smug about his words, but they do hold an edge of warning to not even try. I know he probably has guards everywhere outside. Uncontrollable anger rises inside me.
“I know you’ve mated, but I’m seeing what can be done. Maybe we can break it. I still need to find out more about your mate. He’s made a name for himself, Ravana. Feared by vampires. It’s not only his name. It’s his family. He was born to kill our kind.” His words hang for a moment. “I don’t only mean that he’s trained in killing vampires. It’s in his blood. He’s human, but he’s is a little more than the average man. Faster, stronger, and can even sense our kind. He’s even more dangerous if he’s mated with you. Had your blood. Who knows how strong he is now. There is no telling.”
“He would never hurt me,” I defend. I know this. But more than that, his words still ring in my ears. This isn’t over, he said to me. “I don’t think you understand. I need his blood. It hurts. I feel hunger. Real hunger.” My hand goes to my stomach, the ache growing even more intense.
Bishop pulls out his phone and taps at it. “We need Kane. I want to know if he felt the same thing. I thought the wanting of blood was an indication of desire, a need for sex to feel connected. Are you sure that’s not what you mean?”
I shake my head. “Oh, I feel those things, too, but this feels like I’m starving to death.” I glance towards the door, but Bishop grabs for me, pulling me back. His strength is too great for me to fight. In my mind, I scream out Valen’s name.
“What the fuck?!” Kane bursts into the room, his mate not far behind him, followed by the twins. I turn to look at them all and a growl comes from deep inside of me.
“What the actual fuck is going on?” Ezra growls. Everyone is on edge.
“Let me go,” I demand.
“Calm down and I will,” Bishop responds coolly. “Breathe. I promise we will work this out.” I know he’s trying to calm me down, but I can’t find reason in my mind. Only one thing matters right now. Valen.
“He’s mine. You can’t keep me from him.” I jerk in Bishop’s hold, but it’s unbreakable. “I need him!” It comes out in a cry this time.
Everyone stands there in shock while I feel like I’m being ripped apart.
“Spit out what’s going on,” Kane demands. I can tell he’s not sure if he should attack Bishop or help him restrain me.
“She wants to go to him. I thought they might have mated. It’s clear now they have, but something is different.” He’s right. Something is different.
“I need him,” I say again.
“She craves his blood,” Bishop tells them. “This is more than mere desire. This is hunger.”
“I’m starving.” It comes out in a whimper.
“That’s not how it felt for me. Oh, I wanted to bite my Juliet, but it wasn’t starvation.” They all keep staring at me like I’m going crazy. Maybe I am.
“I feel it,” Juliet says softly, stepping out more from behind Kane. She places her hand on his arms and he pulls her into him. “I enjoy biting Kane, too, but I think that hunger I get, like the one you’re talking about, is coming from the baby.” She rests her hand on her stomach. “I thought I’d crave things like ice cream and pickles, silly stuff like that, but no. When a craving hits, it’s for Kane’s blood.”
Her words rain over me. I try to soak in what she’s saying. “But…” I can’t even form words. There is no way I’m pregnant.
“The first time Kane and I made love, he knocked me up.” Juliet’s cheeks pinken as she says it. Kane gives her a smile, something that used to be a rare thing to see, but not since he found Juliet.
I shake my head. “It can’t be.” I don’t even want to hope for something like that. I close my eyes, trying to focus on my body. Bishop finally lets me go. I turn to look at him, searching for guidance.