Forever Broken

“The blood exchange!” Laurent got up and began pacing beside the couch. “Mon Dieu! What have I done?” And more importantly, what would the consequences be when Paul realized what had happened? Would he run away or come back to find out the cause of his new awareness? Laurent had to hope for the latter because now that they were bound, he would be in deep trouble if he never saw the were again.

Chapter Seven

“Paulito! Thank the holy virgin you’re all right.” Lucia pulled him into a tight embrace the moment he parked his bike in the corner. “I was so worried! But you’ve only been gone a few hours so I was hoping you were all right, that you’d call.”

“Decided I’d better come back instead.” Had it really only been a few hours he’d spent with the vamp? It felt like he and Laurent had been together days and days. Like Paul had somehow gotten to know the other man better than anyone else he’d ever met in his life. How had that happened?

“So you’re feeling better?” She looked at him anxiously. “The poison is gone?”

“All gone,” he assured her.

“Ai, your neck.” She touched the side of his throat with her fingertips.

“What about it?” Paul put a hand to his neck. It was a little tender but it didn’t sting or burn anymore.

“Nothing—it’s nothing.” She frowned. “The scratches are healed but I don’t understand why you can still see his…his…” She broke off, blushing.

“His fang marks,” Paul finished for her roughly. “Yeah, he bit me. How else was he going to suck the poison out?”

“Of course—of course he had to bite you. I didn’t expect anything else.” Lucia cleared her throat but from the look on her face, Paul was sure his stepmother knew some of the wilder rumors about vamps and the other things they liked to do while drinking blood. Add that to what she already seemed to have guessed about him and Angel and who knew what she thought of him now?

Lucia must have seen the uncertainty on his face because she patted his arm and gave him a small smile. “I’m not judging you, Paul. I just wondered why the scratches that little bruja made on your neck are gone and the marks of his teeth are still there.”

“Maybe because they’re fresher—I don’t know. Probably fade by morning.” Paul sighed.

She bit her lip. “Was it very painful? You look like you’ve been crying.”

“C’mon, Lucia, don’t start that mierta—I mean crap. Of course I wasn’t crying.” He brushed self-consciously at his damp cheeks. “I didn’t shed a single tear the night I was jumped-in to the Locas. So how is a fucking—sorry—freaking muerto gonna make me lose it?”

“I don’t know.” She frowned, studying his face. “Did it hurt much? What he did to you?” Not as much as what I did to him. Paul looked away, not able to meet her eyes. “Not so much. Look, I’m really tired. Did, uh, did you tell Dad where I was?”

Lucia frowned. “I was about to but I wanted to give you a little more time. I thought if your father knew…”

Paul nodded. “Yeah, okay, I got it. Thanks.” If he knew I’d been practically having sex with a vampire—and a male vampire at that—he would completely lose it. Forget disowned—I’d be fucking dismembered before the sun came up.

Lucia cupped his cheek. “Paul—”

“I’m really tired.” He stepped away from her gentle touch, shrugging his shoulders apologetically. “Completely exhausted. I think I’m going to just go sleep for about a month. That okay with you?”

“Of course.” She smiled. “I’m just so glad you’re okay. Sleep as long as you want— I’ll make sure nobody bothers you.”

That meant she would run interference for him with his dad, which was a good thing. Paul didn’t think he could face the old man right now—not after the things he’d been doing. He had a feeling his father would see it on his face or maybe just know somehow. Know that his son was…what? Paul didn’t know himself at this point and he was too exhausted to try to figure it out now. He nodded at Lucia. “Thanks, Lucia. That would be great.”

“What’s going to be great is seeing you at the top of your game again. Didn’t you tell me you had a challenge with that cabron Chulo tomorrow?”

Paul widened his eyes. “Language, Mom.”

She laughed and there was mixture of relief and worry in her deep brown eyes.

“Hey, sometimes you have to call them like you see them, Paulito. I’m just saying I want you to be well rested.” She frowned. “Are you sure you’re going to be up to it? I mean, maybe if I talked to your packleader, that Angel—”

Paul shook his head. His stepmother didn’t understand. Despite having the were genes she’d never run with a pack before. “It’s not like school when you could write me a note to get out of gym. This is a challenge—if I don’t fight, Chulo gets my spot and I get kicked down to the bottom of the pack.”