Dhampirs of Sgiach

42. Kieran

Kieran led Altina out of the lodge to his truck and the others. She was quiet as she looked around her. At least until he went to the driver’s side, and Echo moved to get in the front next to him.

“I’m not sitting next to those two fangers,” Altina said as she pointed to Artem and Hikaru.

“Altina, what did I say?” Kieran asked as he moved closer to her. She gasped and took a step back with how fast he moved.

“Not to say that word,” she growled.

“Exactly.”

Altina screamed out as Kieran’s fangs pierced the soft flesh of her neck, his arms pinning her to his front. Her blood was sweet and hot to the point of scalding as he drank her down. She struggled against him, but he was bigger and stronger. When he finally released her, she screamed curses at him as she beat his back. He felt the shiver through her body as his tongue licked at the bite languidly and knew she could feel how happy his body was to be there.

“Don’t make me repeat myself,” he said as he shoved her away from himself. She fell to the ground and glared at him as he returned to the car. “Echo, do you mind sitting in back with Artem and Hikaru?”

Echo looked slightly pale as she nodded and slipped into the back with the other two. Altina got up from the ground and silently got in on the passenger side. The drive home was silent and slightly tense. Kieran kept his attention on the round but breathed deeper than usual to take in as much of Altina’s funnel cake scent as possible.

When they returned to the apartment, he kept Altina back for a while as the other three got out of the truck and headed up.

“I’m sorry,” Kieran said. He hadn’t turned off the truck yet, and the only sound was the heater as it kept the cab warm in the late autumn evening.

“For what,” Altina said through gritted teeth.

“For biting you.”

Altina narrowed her eyes at him. “You told me not to insult the… dhampirs. You punished me.”

“I don’t want to bite you as a punishment.”

“Then hit me next time.”

“I don’t want to hit you.”

She was silent for a long time. “Guess you’re stuck,” she finally said.

“Unless you cooperate with me and don’t give me a reason to punish you. Just play nice for the next twenty years, and you’re free of us,” Kieran said as he pressed his forehead to the steering wheel. “We could always lock you in a box and only let you out to finish the mating ritual.”

“Isn’t that what the mundane humans do?” Altina asked.

“Yep.”

Altina sighed. “You are being kinder than we would have been. Even with this on my wrist,” she said, playing with the silver bracelet that encircled her left wrist.

The bracelet looked simple, but the spell was anything but. Unless she was attacked first, the bracelet compelled her never to attack Kieran’s Clan, Auron’s Sleuth, or Alpha Zahkar’s werewolf Pack. It could also never be taken off except by one of the Alphas, and the spell would pass to the next in line when they took over the Clan/Sleuth/Pack.

“Why not just kill me? Why offer me the chance to marry you in exchange for my freedom?” she asked.

“I chose you during the full moon. The shifters consider the union blessed, and they don’t go against the Anuga’s wishes lightly. It would not be considered blasphemy if you chose to walk away.” Kieran didn’t add that he had wished it had been Kage he had woken up next to.

Altina mumbled something under her breath before she raised her voice. “I guess the moon being full that night saved my life.”

Kieran shrugged. “Guess so. Did you want to go to the store and get some clothes and necessities before we head inside? We can get some dinner after.”

“Are you offering me a date?” Altina sounded scandalized and surprised.

“Yes. I told you, I would rather us get along than fight each other every moment of the day.”

“Is there anywhere nice to eat in this damn city?” she asked.

Kieran pulled out of the parking garage. “We’re underdressed for the nice places. But I know a good seafood place.”

Altina grumbled but accepted Kieran’s reasoning when he explained that the more excellent places would be closed by the time they bought her a nice outfit, and she gussied herself up. The seafood place was a more casual restaurant owned by a Furian family and open late.

When they were done shopping, it was late, and the Wyvern’s Call wasn’t as busy as it usually was during lunch and dinner, but they still had about a twenty-minute wait before they would be seated.

“This place smells good,” Altina said as she sniffed the air.

“It’s one of my favorites,” Kieran agreed.

Dinner was quiet, and Altina could pack the food away. Kieran wondered if it was because he had turned her or if she had always been able to pack food away like that. He did count it as a win that he ate more of the endless seafood boil he had ordered. Not that they were competing, but she did glower at him when she finally called the quits and sat back in her seat.

It was late by the time they returned to the truck and headed home. “So… How big is your c**k?” Altina asked as she watched the city go by the window.

Kieran raised an eyebrow at that. “Seriously?”

“I might as well get an idea of how disappointing the s*x will be when we complete the damn ritual,”

“Micro p***s,” Kieran said with a straight face and didn’t look at her.

“Seriously?”

“Yep. Still trying to figure out how I got the cheating w***e pregnant before he rat did.”

“Are you sure it’s not the rat’s?”

“Paternity test says he’s mine.”

Altina was silent for a time. “Are you lying to me?”

“About?”

“Your dick.”

Kieran shrugged. “I don’t make a habit of comparing myself to other men.” He didn’t bother to mention that he was larger than Kage. He felt a pang in his chest as he thought of Kage. His eyes widened as Altina’s hand slid between his legs to grope him before she pulled it away.

“Micro p***s my ass,” she growled. “That will tear me in half!”

“I doubt that. And if Kage could swallow the whole damn thing, you’re p***y can handle it,” Kieran snapped at her.

“Will you even be able to get it up for a woman?” Altina asked as he parked in the parking garage under the apartment complex.

“It got hard for your little grope just now,” he pointed out and was pleased to see her face go red. Kieran opened his car door and got out, pausing long enough to adjust himself before he started to grab bags from the back seat.