Page 59 of Fire in My Blood

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” I’ve only experienced that kind of energy surge once before, but I know exactly what’s happened.The energy came from Lucas, and there’s only one way he could release that amount of energy. Lucas has mated.

I groan in anger and frustration. What the fuck has gotten into him? He has never been the type to be irresponsible and rush into anything. As far as I know he’s never broken a rule. If I was going to pick anyone in my team that would break our vow and take a mate, it most definitely wouldn’t be Lucas.

Closing my eyes, I sag in my chair. I’m not ready to lose him. I’m not ready to lose any one of my team. And I’m not ready to lose Lynette.

∞∞∞

Lyn

I jerk awake. Something just happened, although I don’t know what. Energy unlike anything I’ve ever experienced just passed through the room like a shockwave.

Frowning, I scan my surroundings. Everything is exactly the same as when I went to sleep. But I know the source of the energy was close, so close, in fact, that I suspect it originated inside this house.

It wasn’t a physical event, though, like an explosion or earthquake. And the energy wasn’t aimed at me. It just passed over me because I was within its range.

I get out of bed, even though it’s a little early for me to move around the house. The sun will still be up for another twenty-three minutes. I don’t need a watch since I can feel the sun’s movement and always know exactly what time it is and when the sun will rise and set.

After taking a shower, doing my makeup, and getting dressed, I can feel the sun sinking below the horizon. It’s time to talk to Lucas and Erica about taking down the asshole vampthat’s obsessed with her. Hopefully, we can find and kill him tonight, and Erica can get back to her normal life without living in fear.

I exit my room and go to the den. There’s no one there, so I head to the west wing of the large mansion. Lucas told me where he and Erica were staying this morning when he showed me to my room.

I knock on the double doors to Lucas’s room. When there’s no answer, I move along the corridor to the next set of double doors.

But just as I raise my hand to knock, I pause. There are sounds of someone crying. It’s muffled but unmistakable.

Fuck.I press my lips together not to swear aloud. Why is Erica crying? Does it have to do with the vampire who assaulted her, or has something else happened?

My eyes widen when I remember the energy surge I felt earlier. I don’t know what that was, but for all I know, Erica might be hurt.

I rap my knuckle on the door three times. The crying immediately stops, and silence reigns for several seconds.

∞∞∞

Erica

There’s a knock on the door, and I hold my breath, hoping it’s Lucas coming back. It has to be. Who else would be knocking on my door?

Quickly swiping away the tears covering my face, I open my mouth to answer. But before I can get the words out, Lyn’s voice sounds from the other side of the door.

“Erica? Are you all right?”

There’s a sharp pain in my chest like a knife slicing through my heart. Tears overflow down my cheeks again, and I can’t stop the sobs that force their way out of my mouth.

I don’t know how long I’ve been lying here crying. When Lucas left, I was so shocked that I could do nothing but stare at the ceiling for several minutes. When I finally recovered enough to move, I knew it was already too late to go after him. I don’t know why or how I know, but he’s no longer in the mansion. I can feel it as certainly as I can feel my own hand. Although I can’t tell where he is.

The door opens, and Lyn stands in the doorway with her expression tight with concern.

“What’s wrong?” She walks over to me hesitantly before sitting down on the edge of the bed.

I don’t know what to say. I’m not usually such a cry-baby, and normally I would be embarrassed if someone saw me like this. But right now I couldn’t care less who sees the tears and snot on my face. What does it matter when my heart is in pieces?

I pull in a shaky breath between the sobs that clog my throat. How am I going to tell her that I’ve been stupid enough to fall for Lucas? And that he ran from me in disgust, after I tore into his shoulder during sex like some kind of animal.

He’s an elemental, and it’s part of his nature to bite, but I’m human with no need for blood. No wonder he was so shocked when he realized what I had done.

I suddenly think of something and frown at Lyn. “Why did you ask me this morning if I had drunk Lucas’s blood?” My voice is raw and nasally.

Lyn frowns back at me before her eyes widen in shock. “You drank his blood. You’re mated. That was the burst of energy I felt earlier. Holy fuck!”