Twice Bitten (Virgin Blood 3)

When I step out of the bathroom I’m disappointed to see they’re both dressed. I reach for a robe that’s lying over the chair and put it on. They’re both talking in low voices to one another and they turn to look at me as I move towards them.

“You’re right, sweets. There are some things we need to handle,” Erik confirms what I knew would be coming.

“Bishop needs to see us. All of us,” Ezra adds, with an edge of anger in his voice.

“Ezra?” I take a step towards him, wondering why he’s angry at Bishop.

I haven’t told them all the things I learned about him. They barely let me get a word out after they found me yesterday. I’m not sure I care for Bishop either, but maybe they slipped into my mind and heard me thinking about him now that we’re mated and our connection is deeper. Though since they got me home and into bed, there were only a couple things I’d been thinking about.

“It’s his fault you were taken.” Ezra lets the anger come out and I glance over at Erik to see he’s pissed too, only he’s doing a better job of holding it in.

“That day wasn’t the first time I met the man that took me.” I glance between the two of them. “In fact, he warned me away from you two. He told me…” My words trail off because I don’t want to say what he told me about them. I know in my soul that it’s impossible. I’d never believe the hands of these men would do something like that. The same hands that worshiped my body aren’t capable of the things Gordon accused them of.

Erik puts his finger under my chin, making me look up at him. “You can tell us anything, sweets. We won’t be angry. We’re sure you were scared when you found out this world had vampires. It would be easy for someone to use that fear against you.”

My eyes meet his, then glance over to Ezra. “I wasn’t scared,” I admit. I should have been. I’d tried to reason it was because I had to make sure no one was being hurt, but really I couldn’t stay away. They called to me and now I know that it’s because we were destined to become mates. “I came to find the two of you even after he told me—”

“About all the dead women,” Ezra finishes for me. His jaw clenches and anger rolls off him again. “Bishop is going to show up if we don’t get going. We might as well make this a family discussion because I won’t want to talk about it again if I don’t have to. Furthermore, I don’t want our mate tainted with the past that never lets us go.”

It’s not only anger, it’s hurt I can feel in him, too. I reach out for Ezra as he goes towards the door and grab his arm. I need to touch him, and I know it will make him feel better. He stops instantly and it’s amazing to actually feel him calm under my hand.

“Nothing about you two will ever taint me. I need you to understand that. We’re going to have a long life together.” I give him a smile that makes him relax even more. Erik moves behind me, wrapping his arm around my waist. His chin brushes the top of my head. “It doesn’t matter what comes next as long as we’re together. I love you both and we’ll get through this,” I finish. Ezra moves, trapping me between them.

“We love you, too. And we’ll always be together.” He leans down and kisses me, making his point clear. He didn’t need to make it because I’m on the same page, but if he wants to do his alpha thing I’ll let him and enjoy every second of it.

“Let’s do this,” he says when he pulls his mouth from mine and takes my hand. Erik gives me a wink with a silent thank you for bringing Ezra back down. For the first time I don’t feel like the two of them have their own silent conversation. I’m a part of it now.

When Ezra starts to lead us out the bedroom door I pull on his hand, stopping him. “If I ever wanted to leave—”

“You never leave us,” they both say as the hold they have on my hands becomes tighter.

“If you let me finish,” I laugh before turning serious. I need answers. “If I ever wanted to leave here and go somewhere else—only the three of us—would we do that?”

“We would question why, of course, because if you’re unhappy than we’re unhappy. If leaving is something we need to do for you, then we’ll do it,” Erik says easily with no hesitation. Ezra nods in agreement.