VAMPIRE Wolf

Chapter Four

Claude

By the time the meeting draws to a close, the rain is coming down so hard it’s going sideways. Connecticut isn’t prone to storms, especially not storms that make the clouds churn like rogue waves.

“Be safe on the drive home, Claude,” Thales says with a wink, shaking my hand. A storm is no threat to a vampire. A car accident would be a minor inconvenience at the worst.

I leave his mansion with the throng of fellow vampires that came to the meeting and climb into my sleek black 1969 Mustang, the only possession I have that I’ve allowed myself to get deeply attached to. In all honesty, the Mustang is like a friend -- my only friend. I don’t get along with the other vampires. They’re all proud of what they are and don’t understand my hesitation to embrace it.

The meeting concerned Steve Birch’s illness. We gathered to draft a new treaty for him to sign that promised the alpha who succeeded him would not target us. All shifters hate us, but Steve is more reasonable than most and is willing to work with vampires if it means we behave ourselves and respect the wolves’ wishes.

Today, it’s my job to step foot on shifter territory and deliver the draft to make sure that understanding becomes permanent. Our leader, Thales himself, tried originally and was met with flashing wolf teeth and a territory brawl that fortunately didn’t result in any serious bloodshed. As the second - in - command of my coven, the duty now falls on my shoulders. We’re hoping the rain means the wolves won’t be out on patrol. That’s the only way I’m going to get anywhere near the alpha’s house.

I pull out of Thales’ parking lot and curse under my breath when my tires spin in the mud. I’d be lying if I said I’m not a little anxious about my unannounced visit. I don’t want to fight with the wolves. If I had it my way, we’d leave each other alone entirely. Unlike most of the other vampires, I’m not constantly looking for an excuse to slay one. They’re just people to me, not mortal enemies, however they might see me.

Because of rain - induced traffic, it takes me awhile to enter shifter territory, which is marked by a special “adopt a highway” plaque dedicated to the Birch family themselves. Outside of the vampire coven, the Birches as a whole are arguably the richest family in Gull Bay. They’re. especially known for pouring money into charity when they’ll get to put their name on something -- a public bench, a section of highway, a hospital wing.

I pull up to their glorious three - story home and park alongside the massive SUV I can only guess belongs to the alpha. Right away, I see the curtains briefly part. Guess they’ve already noticed me. I pick up the manilla envelope that contains the draft and take a deep breath before exiting my vehicle, glancing around for any sign of wolves surrounding me. Fortunately, it looks like catching them by surprise paid off.

The door flings open and Anette storms out onto the porch. “What are you doing here?” she shouts venomously into the wind, all manners thrown out the window since her only audience is a vampire.

I wave the envelope. “I’m here with a proposal,” I call back. “Is your husband home?”

She glances back at the house. “Yes, but stop where you are. You’re not coming inside.”

I stop in my tracks and shield the envelope in my arms, protecting it from the rain pouring in cold streams down my hair and face. “You can’t be serious. It’s storming,” I reply. “We’re not having a meeting outside.”

The alpha comes up behind her, a huge wall of a man who looks every bit like the leader the other vampires fear. “Let him in,” he says to his mate, placing a heavy hand on her shoulder. “It’s alright.”

“I’m not letting that thing into the house,” she hisses at him. I wince, but when he stares down his nose at her and doesn’t budge, she heaves a frustrated sigh and shakes her head. “Fine. Come in, but make it quick.”

The alpha gestures for me to follow him into the house and leads me through the decorated parlor to an open door at the top of a flight of stairs. I follow him down into the finished basement, which has been converted into a ritzy office. He sinks into a padded leather chair on one side of a glossy mahogany desk and nods to the opposite chair. I sit, too, self - conscious of the fact that I’m dripping rainwater everywhere.

“Let’s see this treaty,” he says gruffly, holding out a huge hand. I pass the manilla envelope to him and watch as he shakes it off, frowning, before opening it and sliding the papers out. Fortunately, they’re dry, thanks to the envelope’s lining. “I see the vampires haven’t invested in briefcases.”

“A briefcase would be viewed as suspicious,” I reply. “I thought it would be better to come with an envelope and nothing else.”

His shrewd eyes glance over his glasses at me. “Smart man,” he grumbles, returning his attention to the papers. “It looks like the treaty is based on my passing.”

“Yes.”

He chuckles. “Gutsy. Always planning ahead, aren’t you?”

I nod. He’s right. The wording in the proposal is gutsy. If I had my way, it wouldn’t be written the way it is, but Thales does whatever he wants.

When Steve finishes reading the proposal, he slides it out of his way with a sigh and leans back in his chair, watching me. “You’re after immunity,” he says. “Immunity from the next alpha, which will be Eric, now that he’s getting married.”

“Yes,” I say. “And in return, the vampires will continue to uphold our promise to hunt outside of Gull Bay.”

“Not that you have a choice,” he says, his eyes twinkling. “If any of you did hunt in Gull bay, I’d have his head impaled on a stick and I’d burn it in front of Thales’ house.”

The mental image almost makes me flinch, but I can’t flinch in the presence of the alpha wolf. I can’t show any sign of weakness. I straighten my back instead and nod. “There’s no need to threaten me,” I say. “Thales and I both make sure every vampire in the coven upholds the treaty. However, if it expires with your passing, it may be difficult to convince the other vampires to hunt elsewhere. As you know, when we hunt, we endanger the local wolves and other supernaturals, who may be blamed for our messes.”

He sets his jaw. “Don’t manipulate me, bloodsucker.”

“I am not here to manipulate you. I am here to speak the truth. I don’t want the vampires hunting in Gull Bay either. There’s no one here that’s deserving of being hunted.”

“Oh, yes. You’re the moral one, aren’t you?” he scoffs. “The one who only eats thieves and murderers?”

“I don’t ‘eat’ anyone, but yes. I am.”

“That doesn’t change anything. You know that, don’t you? You’re still a monster. All of you are.”

“I know,” I mutter.

I can’t disagree with him. I know what I am. Sure, I wish I’d never been turned, but wishing doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t change the fact that my diet is nearly exclusively blood, or that I’m immortal, or that I’ve taken more lives than I can count because there are more vampires than there are willing donors.

Steve sits forward and slides the papers across the desk to me. “I won’t be signing this new treaty,” he says. “I trust my son to make whatever decision he sees fit.”

I reluctantly take the papers from him. “The lives of Gull Bay citizens will be lost if the coven does not renew the treaty,” I say warily. “There are vampires who would rather hunt here.”

“And my son will eradicate them,” he says, brow furrowing as he leans in close. “He may even eradicate all of you. Don’t think we don’t have the power to do so. I haven’t myself because I have a heart.”

“You can’t eradicate the coven. We outnumber you.”

“In numbers, maybe. Not in spirit.”

I collect the papers and slide them back into the manilla envelope with a sigh. “I hate this, Steve. I really do. I don’t want to see blood shed in my town.”

He scoffs. “As if you care about the fine people of Gull Bay.”

“I do,” I say firmly, staring into his icy gaze. “I used to be one.”

He grumbles something unintelligible under his breath as he rises to show me out of his house. Anette waits at the top of the stairs like she was ready to charge down and attack me if she heard the meeting going south, but I give her a polite nod as I pass her and go to their door.

Then everything slows down.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a figure standing at the top of the stairs, looking down at me over the balcony. I’ve only caught a glimpse of him, but as I turn, I’m suddenly aware of my sluggish heartbeat pounding languidly in my ears. As I focus on him, my vision goes white around him, forming a tunnel that highlights my perfect new god as if he’s the only thing that exists. The sight of him--his heart-shaped face, his wide brown eyes, his floppy dark hair, his willowy body, his unblemished skin--steals what breath I have in my lungs, and when I find myself able to breathe again, my nose and mouth fill with his exquisite vanilla-and-forest scent.

I force myself to drag my gaze away from him as he stares at me with his beautiful mouth hanging slightly open. I am not worthy to meet his eyes.

“Good day,” I mutter to the alpha and his wife before leaving for my car as quickly as I can, leaving my heart behind with my fated mate who can never be mine.