Adres clenched his teeth. “Whatever it is you’re searching for, I promise, you will not find it, young wolf.”
The air swelled around him, and the feelings of virtuousness and honor slammed into Adres’s chest hard enough to make him stumble backwards. Before he could shake off the overwhelming feelings, Macauley shifted and crowded him against the rough base of an aspen birch. A very naked and wet Macauley, in all his splendid male form. Adres didn’t want to admit the truth, but his resolve continued to falter in this man’s presence. He was the most fascinating creature Adres had ever encountered; he didn’t know why he literally got under his skin.
And then he spoke.
“Drop your shield, vampire. And I will find it.”
Adres remained silent as his gaze traveled up Macauley’s throat and over his stern features until he was staring him straight in his eyes. The glacial-blue irises were as blinding as they were sharp. But Adres was insulted that a man so young—a shifter—had the audacity to tell him what to do. Adres wasn’t as tall or muscular as Macauley, but he was still able to hold their eye contact enough that it made the alpha bristle against him.
“Are you challenging me?” Macauley growled.
A long vein bulged at the side of Macauley’s throat, and Adres’s gaze fell on its own, his most natural instinct homing in on the blood coursing through it. He’d never drank from a shifter and had no desire to, so he was surprised at his sudden pang of hunger. Ignoring the discomfort, he figured he should probably make a trip into the city to feed at the first opportunity.
“I would not dare,” Adres said coolly, despite how hard he was working to combat Macaulay’s righteous energy he was so rudely forcing into him. “I am a guest here. I was invited by your own brother and my king. I have a duty to fulfill and—”
“Liar,” Macauley sneered as he pushed even harder, not with his body but with pure energy.
Adres’s lids almost fell shut, a soft moan escaping his lips before he could stop it. He was horrified by his reaction, as wave after wave of warm virtuous goodness flooded his body. The sensation generated in his chest before it spread throughout his system, flowing smooth and sweet like honey down to his limbs, until he could no longer feel the buzzing beneath his skin, only decency and lightness. His knees felt weak, but he refused to go down.
Adres glared at Macaulay, inhaled a deep breath from his center, and threw his shields up full force, enough to push the young wolf’s moral power off of him. “Get out of my head, damn it. You or your wolf is not welcome there.”
Macauley bared his teeth, but he must’ve realized that Adres was right, and he was acting like an entitled ass. After a long pause, Macauley eventually stepped away. “You may have convinced my family, vampire, but my wolf can sense you are being dishonest.” Macauley turned and casually went to retrieve his sweatpants and T-shirt from near the water’s edge, either completely unaware—or unashamed—of his nakedness.
And why should he be? Macauley Volkov’s body was toned and muscular, his ivory skin striking under the brilliant moonlight. Adres wasn’t the type to ogle another individual with interest, but for some reason, he could not look away. Macauley kept his back to him as he pulled up his pants, not bothering with underwear. Interesting. In fact, most of the behavior he had witnessed from the shifters during the past week had been interesting. For example, a wolf taking a late-night swim in below-freezing temperature.
“I consider myself proficient in my knowledge of wolves, therefore I know you are proficient swimmers. But I did not know you did it for recreation.” In the middle of the night… in subzero waters, Adres inquired, moving closer. It felt as if the weirdness beneath his skin was not as noticeable in Macauley’s presence.
“And I didn’t think vampires, especially ones as old as you, were dishonest. What is it you’re blocking me so hard from sensing, huh?” Macauley’s T-shirt clung to the curves of his wet chest. He appeared flustered as he shoved a handful of his dark hair away from his face.
“I am not blocking you.”
Macauley snapped his head around. “Liar.”
Adres grimaced, unsure how to proceed. So, he is a human lie detector. Splendid. Adres had in fact lied. It seemed foolish to try it again. He should’ve been intimidated by such a powerful man. A Volkov alpha. But it was as if he knew deep down—from a place unexplored within him—that Macauley would not attack him. “I am not lying, young wolf. It is a half-truth, if you will?”
“I will not.” Macauley’s icy gaze roamed over his face before it lowered to his dark clothing. His voice dipped to a rumbling timbre. “Why do you lie to me? Do you think I will judge whatever secret you’re hiding?”