I could have blamed it on a hunger for blood, my body feeling off-kilter because I needed to feed. But Luca made sure I was sated... all the time, which had a flush stealing over my face at the thought of when he demanded I bite him as he pounded in and out of me.
I glanced down at my mate, who slept soundly beside me. Waking him would have been the smart thing to do, right? But I didn’t feel as if I was in danger, as if either one of us were. It was just this… sensation inside me. A familiarity.
It was unusual, something I’d never experienced before, but it was so strong that I found myself slowly getting out of bed.
I grabbed the robe that was tossed across the chair and slipped it on. Just earlier today, boxes upon boxes of clothing had been delivered for me. Designer shirts, jeans, and lounge clothing had been hand-selected from Edinburgh. And then there had been the undergarments, the delicate panties and detailed bras, even sexy lingerie that made me blush as I ran my fingers over the silky, lacy designs etched into them.
Although I was curious on how he managed to pull off not only ordering all these elegant, clearly made-to-fit-me items in such a short time—like no time at all—I was living in this fantasy of pleasure and euphoria that I didn’t let myself ponder on anything but giving myself over to Luca.
Maybe it was foolish of me.
Maybe I was living in a world that wasn’t quite real yet, not allowing myself to really experience this independence.
Or maybe I needed to live for the first time in my life and throw caution to the wind.
So regardless of what I should or shouldn’t do, I was just enjoying every single moment, because I was selfish and... felt that I deserved this happiness and freedom.
So any guilt was banished without a second thought.
Once the robe was tied together with the sash knotted at my side, I looked around the room—our room—at the boxes that were pushed in the far corner and out of the way. They all still held the majority of my new wardrobe.
It was clear that Luca wanted to stay here for an extended period of time, and I couldn’t deny I wanted that as well. This place was perfect for us. It already felt like our home.
I was lost in thought when I felt that strange but familiar urging again. It was like... my blood was alive, singing in my veins in this weird tempo.
With one last look at Luca, who still slept, I followed that pull like it was an invisible tether through the estate, down the stairs, and found myself heading toward the back door.
This voice inside my head told me to heed this as a warning, to wake Luca up. Something that felt like this couldn’t be right... right?
This wasn’t right. If I’d never experienced anything like this before, it should’ve sent those red flags up even more. But I couldn’t deny that my curiosity got the better of me. And because I was inexperienced in... pretty much any kind of living, any new thing would send red flags up, I assumed.
Maybe this was nothing but my inner animal urging me to stand on my own two feet and really explore for the first time in my life.
I felt a thrill at the very idea and opened the door and stepped outside. There’s a chill in the air despite the summer months coming on, and I wrapped my arms around my waist to keep the cold out.
I stared at the grounds, the woods in front of me and stretching out on either side seeming dark and ominous from the shadows. In the midnight hours, the trees seem like angry clawed hands sprouting out from the ground.
But I feel no fear even if it is creepy out here alone.
I stood still as I looked around the property, the darkness thick and cloying, and my lack of supernatural senses made it hard to see much of anything the moonlight didn’t touch.
I was just about to go back inside, curl up against my mate, and push this experience away as nothing more than my new surroundings playing with my imagination, when I saw a flash of movement to my left.
My heart jumped harder in my chest, and I took an involuntary step back, every warning bell in my body going off. But I didn’t see anything else, no movement, no shadows. I breathed out slowly, shaking my head, and told myself I was letting the darkness and my imagination get the best of me.
I’d go inside and wake Luca up, tell him about what I felt, and let my mate reassure me. That’s why we had each other. I was there for him, and he was there for me. He could help me navigate this new world that was opening up to me, the same way I would be there to help him heal.