Paul - Present Day
Sturdy strides carry me to the closed double doors while a hammering heart chisels away inside my chest. A soft scent of lilac persists in my nostrils, bathing me in bliss. The girl is asleep in my arms. I have to resist the urge to gaze at her rather than where I am going.
Ana opens the main doors. "What happened? Who is she?"
I finally look down and see her face. That's what makes my knees go weak. She's so beautiful that it hurts to think about anything else. The light from the chandelier above us illuminates her pale skin as her eyelashes lay gently over her upper cheeks.
"She's—" My voice trails off when I realize I don't know the answer to any of Ana's questions.
Dan follows me inside the house. "From what I could tell from Paul's stuttering on the way here, someone tried to shoot him, and the girl leaped in front of him."
Ana darts forward to examine the girl. She tugs the ruined blouse down over the girl's shoulder, displaying far too much for my liking. I choke as I glance up at the chandelier.
"Are you certain she was shot?" Ana inquires, her voice filled with skepticism.
Dan nods. "The bullet hit her in the shoulder."
My eyes leap back to the girl. Her wound has already closed, and only a small scar rinds her perfect skin.
Ana takes her wrist as the mark on the girl's shoulder shrinks under our very eyes. "She has no pulse." Ana's verdict can mean only one thing. This beauty is an undead.
Dan stretches out his arms. "Give her to me. I'll throw her out!"
"No." I shook my head while climbing the stairs to the upper floor. "I still have a debt to pay."
"You owe her nothing, Paul," Ana yells from the bottom of the stairwell. "There is no way to repay a life debt to a dead lady. What's the point of bringing her upstairs?"
There's no need to explain my decisions to them. I'm the pack leader, and I get to decide things around here. If they don't like it, that's fine. They can come and challenge me under the full moon. My wolf and I are ready and eager for a fight.
With a kick of my left foot, I swiftly make the doors whoosh open to one of the guest bedrooms. Why is all my attention focused on her? Maybe it's just because I've never seen someone who has such wonderful copper-red hair. Or perhaps it's the way her body curves in all the right ways under my palms and fingers.
I place her gently on the bed. I crawl close to her, taking great care not to wake the sleeping beauty. Creeping into position one slow motion at a time, I move just like my wolf while hunting his prey. Without touching, I continue my thorough examination of her features.
She looks like a sugary, colorful lollipop in a candy shop window, and I sure have a sweet tooth. My wolf wants to lick her, more to make sure she tastes as good as she looks. Of course, I will not do such a thing. I'm not a pervert licking a sleeping stranger.
What expression will she wear if she opens her eyes now and catches a glimpse of me? Will her face melt into a smile or a frown when she first notices my proximity? Her freckles are perfect on her cheeks, and her lips are drawing me in like a magnet.
My wolf growls, whispering inside my head, "What has gotten into you? I will never kiss or lick the undead. Maybe just to bite her head off."
But even he is hesitant to do so. He talks out of turn and acts on instinct. We've known each other for a long time. He knows me more deeply than anybody else. He's my other self.
I get up from the bed and pace across the room. I'm not the patient type, not when I'm curious, and especially not when I need information. Feet tapping on the polished marble floor, the gears in my head spring to life. I see two options: make a move now, press her to tell me everything, or wait and see what she's like. My wolf is not too fond of planning; it's not his forte, so he pushes me to take the first option.
As I turn toward her, I glimpse the girl's face. It's impossible to keep my eyes off her. I want to touch her again. But her lashes flutter and her eyes start to open. I check her out with the coldest and most spiteful glare I can muster. "Who are you? Why are you stalking me?"
For her sake, I hope she won't lie to me. Nothing stays in my path if I run rampant. I have zero tolerance for lies and undead.
Her turquoise eyes widen slightly before she raises a little, leaning on her elbows.
"Why did you jump in front of me?"
She lifts her chin defiantly. "Because I can't die. You, on the other hand, are quite easy to kill, wolf."
"How do you know about me?"
"You are the powerful leader of the Muntenia pack and the ruler of the supernatural underworld. I don't mind being shot just to meet you." Because of her smirk, her demeanor changes. She transforms from that exquisite, perplexing beauty into sexual temptation, the type that is unhealthy yet too alluring to refuse.
"What do you want from me?" I ask.
"I want you to kill me." She looks me straight in the eyes, daring me to deny her.
"That's a good one, strigoi. You're already dead." I march toward the door.
As I clutch the doorknob, her voice caresses my ears. "No jokes. I want true death, and only you can give it to me."
I don't look back at her. "Then you should have thought twice before saving my life."
I push open the door and walk out. My wolf wants to hunt this creature down and tear her apart, to give her what she wants. I shake my head. This time we're in a disagreement.
Laura - Present DayThe door closes shut behind him. This man is quite a character. Ha! I guess this is how one acts when the entire world revolves around him. Sure as hell, I’ll not save his life again. I can find another alpha to kill me, but he’s the strongest, the surest bet. That is if the old hag didn’t lie to me when she said only the Dacian Draco could kill me.I’ve researched for years, trying to grasp the ancient legends and the true lore of Dacian culture. Draco, or Dracon, was the battle flag of the Dacians, Costobocs, and Tyrrhaites from the current territory of Moldova as well as the Dacians south of the Danube.It had the shape of a wolf's head with an open mouth, which continued with a dragon's body, made of textile or leather that swelled in the wind, making a noise that mimi
Paul - Wolves Inc Office BuildingI press a finger over the mouse. The screen wakes up, revealing a shit ton of emails and other official notifications. But not even the silence of my empty workplace can help me concentrate.My mind goes wherever it wants, without any consideration for my duties. Two days have passed since that girl saved my life, and for whatever reason, I can’t stop thinking about her. Every time I close my eyes, I see her sleeping in my arms. I have to keep reminding myself she’s a strigoi, not just a beautiful woman.Instead of reading those tedious emails, I watch the crowd rush from one location to another. Their noses buried in their phones and fingers typing away at tinted glass displays entertain me. Students carry bulkier backpacks that can hold books and binders, while others
Laura - Her apartmentThe doorbell rings. I place the leather bookmark and close the book.As I unlock the door, Alisa bursts out of her room, TV noises in the background. She’s always curious, and I’ve already stopped telling her that’s what killed the cat.A young man stares at me with a package in his arms. “Laura Nedelcu?”“Yes,” I reply as I realize he’s a wolf. His mind is closed shut to my power."This is for you." His veins bulge as my palm brushes over his fingers to take the package. It must be the dress for the party.The intensity of this wolf's stare hit me like a club. He would love to kill me and I would let him. Too b
Paul - RBO partyBoring people with heads filled with possibilities to make more money, as their pockets are already overflowing. The only interesting thing around here is the incredible champagne. The drinking practice from the parties I’ve been to is keeping the three glasses I already hurled down my throat from having any impact on me.Looking at the last drop of the sparkling liquid on the bottom of my crystal glass, I circle my hand and play with it. It's the most interesting thing here so far. People around me talk, but their words are muffled in a cacophony of tedious affairs.Lilac scent. My head swivels. I follow the enticing hourglass curves as she walks through the door. Her silhouette is stunning, accentuated by the light from the chandeliers. It's as though the room has suddenly sprung to life. It
Laura - Her apartmentI fumble to close the door, the keys jingling between my fingers. Why do two strigois bother locking their door? I would mourn the fool trying to steal from the undead.After letting my small purse drop on the counter, I settle my elbows on it too and let my head drop into my palms. What has gotten into me? It’s totally out of character for me to act that way with a man. The need to reply to him in the same style overwhelms me. It’s like I’m a different person when he’s around.Or maybe I’m more myself than ever before. Not hearing his thoughts relaxes me. The silence of his mind draws me toward him. He’s a mystery to me, while the others are an open book. I can take off all the safeguards I struggle to maintain, so I do not hear everyone all the
Paul - Wolves Inc Office BuildingAfter days of my men digging into Bogdan's background and scrutinizing his every action, I still don't have anything definitive that proves he's the one who wants to murder me. The digging efforts of my team have not yet yielded any results. All I have is Bogdan Badea's name and the fact that he bought shares in Wolves Inc from persons I had no idea wanted to sell.My wolves are in a state of tenseness. The pack is growing distrustful of my actions, particularly the one associated with a certain strigoi. I must avoid Laura for the sake of both of us. Whatever occurs when she's around is something I'll never understand.My mood is worsening now, as I have to hear Cristian applauding the results from the RBO party. I don’t know which is worse: when he’s pestering me to do
Laura - Wolves Inc Office BuildingPaul's gray eyes have darkened to the point of becoming pitch-black. Maybe this is what he looks like when someone pokes him more than he can handle. His wolf is furious, but this is what I want. We'll be done with this if he bites me in a fit of rage.I look toward the window, stretching my neck for him and making it easier for the wolf to bite me. His hot breath strolls over my skin, making it crease. He sniffs me as if to see if I’m a worthy meal for his majesty.“I like my meat raw and warm.” He licks my neck and then spits on the floor. “You’re rotten and cold.”His words hurt me more than I thought possible. Why do I care what he thinks about me? I know what I am, and no one hates me more for th
Paul - His villa“Dan, you’ll be in charge until I get back.” I throw another shirt in the small suitcase.“Why do you have to leave now? Tomorrow night is a full moon. You’ll miss it.”I slam shut the suitcase and turn to him. “Do you think I don’t know? Do as I ask and stop questioning me.”What am I supposed to say? That I told Laura to wait, but she insisted she would go alone? He will mock me or even resent me for leaving the pack on such an important night to protect a strigoi.“At least put Alin in charge. He has done it before.” Dan follows me through the room as I’m scouring after a tent. My wolf likes to sleep on the grass, me not so much.