Chapter 205

Jane “So, what does that mean exactly? If I prick my finger in front of you, are you going to go all Dracula on me?” I squeak, my mìnd absolutely reeling with this revelation.

“Of course not.” Devon laughs, “I wouldn’t have ever rejoined shifter society if I couldn’t control myself, Jane.”

“It must be difficult though, if you see or smell blood?” I guess.

“No harder than it is for you to see a nice meal laid out in front of you. As long as I’m not starved to the point of insanity, I can easily keep that part of me in check.” He explains “Well what about food? I mean I’ve seen you eat regular meals.” I’m leaning towards him now, so intrigued by this news that I can’t bring myself to be frightened or upset – not yet anyway.

“I can eat regular food.” He shares, the corners of his mouth tugging into a frown as he watches my avid expression. “I just also have to drink blood a few times a week.”

Now a healthy dose of fear does trickle through my senses. I’m trying to resist the urge to flinch away from him. I’m trying to be kind and understanding, I don’t want to make him feel like a monster just because he experienced something bad. It’s not his fault, it’s not his fault, it’s not his fault. I chant in my mind. He’s still Devon. “Does that mean.. do you have to hunt people?” I whisper.

Devon shakes his head, never breaking eye contact – it’s almost as if he thinks I might run if he drops his gaze from my own. “No, I get it from a blood bank. And if things get really bad I can always hunt animals, but I don’t have to kill them in order to sustain myself – I only have to take a little.”

“Oh.”I state, struggling to process this, “what about other powers? How are you able to be out during daylight?”

“Janey, not everything you read in the horror novels is true. Devon teases. “I’m still alive – not undead.

The sun doesn’t hurt me, neither does garlic or holy water. Just like silver bullets don’t hurt wolves at least, not any more than regular bullets.”

“So no fun vampire abilities?” I press, smiling now, “you can’t turn invisible or hypnotize unsuspecting v!rgins?”

“I didn’tsay there were no advantages, just that they aren’t the ones you might assume.” Devon explains, “I can run even faster in human form than my wolf can when I shift, I don’t need to sleep anymore, and I’m extremely hard to kill.”

“Will you live forever?” I murmur, my mind already leaping to thoughts of how sad this would be for him – to outlive everyone he loves and cares about.

“No.” Devon replies gravely, his face taking on some of the grief I already suspected. “But I will live longer than any of you.” He gestures to the pups bedroom, and I feel my heart swell with sympathy.

That also means that if he were ever to have children of his own, he’d have to watch them die. No parent should have to experience such a loss, but then again I’m not sure if he can even father pups.

“I’m so sorry Devon.” I breathe, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. He remains very stiff for a moment, apparently shocked by the affectionate gesture. However after a moment he relaxes, and returns the hug, holding me more tightly than I suspect he intended. “How did you get away in the first place?”

“It wasn’t easy.” He confesses, his nose buried in my long hair. “I had to fight. I had to do a lot of things I’m not proud of. And then it took many years to re-establish myself among regular wolves.

It wasn’t easy to keep the secret, but I managed to keep the truth from my last pack, and I have no intention of coming out here.”

“Do vampires have specific traditions around coming out?” I tease, peeking up at him and desperately wanting to take the horrible grimace off his handsome face. “Any parades or flags you wave?”

“No.” Devon laughs, finally releasing me from the hug. He looks down at me with a warm smile and wide eyes. “You’re really not scared of me?”

“No.”I answer honestly. “I’ve met plenty of monsters in my life Devon, and none of them slept in coffins.

I don’t think being a shifter or a vampire or.. or a troll decides a person’s character. That has to come from within. I know you’re a good person, and if you want to lurk around cemeteries in the dead of night or hang upside down from the ceiling like bat, that’s your own business. I won’t judge.”

Devon chuckles again, “How is it you can be so sweet, and such a brat at the same time?”

“It’s a talent.” I grin, “and if my mother were alive, she’d be beyond thrilled to see I’m getting my just desserts by having such adorably mischievous pups.” As I speak, I look towards their bedroom door, praying they haven’t been eavesdropping on this conversation. As loving and open minded as my babies are, I don’t trust them to be so accepting of a vampire in the house – even if it is Devon.

Of course, I should have known better.

Eavesdropping comes as naturally as breathing to my pups, so if the opportunity arises, they’re bound to jump right on it.

3rd PerSon Riley, Ryder and Paisley were huddled behind their bedroom door, their ears glued to the wood as they eagerly listened in on their mother’s conversation with Devon. Of course, their excitement faded more and more with every word the grown ups spoke, quickly transforming into disbelief and fear.

When the conversation finally concluded and Jane set a date to go out with the Beta, the pups finally backed away from the doorway. They looked around at one another with stunned expressions, their small mouths hanging open and their eyes wide with shock. “A vampire?” Parker whispered in horror.

“What is Mommy thinking?”

“She’s not thinking.” Riley answered, wringing her little hands. “She just sees her friend.”

“But vampires are dangerous! Everyone knows that.” Ryder added, shaking his head.

“Ryder’s right.” Parker agreed. “I don’t cares what he says, or how nice he is, sooner or later he’ll turn on her – just like Daddy did.”

“We has to do something.” Riley frowned, “If he does turn on her, she might not survive. What if he sucks out all her bloods? Or makes her move into his coffin with him?”

“I don’t wanna live in a coffin!” Ryder exclaimed in outrage, “if she tries to make us move with her, I’m not going.”

“Hey, if Mommy goes to live in a coffin, we all goes, for protection.” Parker scolded, ever the voice of reason and responsibility among his siblings.

Just then the phone rang, and they listened as Jane answered the landline in the other room. The moment she picked up they knew it must be Paisley on the phone, because their mother’s voice sounded the way sunshine felt. Then her footsteps were approaching, and Parker, Ryder and Riley backed away from the door so she wouldn’t know they’d been listening. The door swung inward a moment later, and Jane’s beautiful face was smiling down at them, “pups, your sister is on the phone, do you want to talk to her?”

The pups gratefully accepted the phone, and then Paisley’s familiar voice was floating out of the receiver. “You guys, thank goodness, we has an emergency.”

“Talk about a ‘mergency?” Ryder sighed. “Mommy’s dating a vampire!”

“What!” Paisley squeaked, “since when?”

“Is Devon.” Parker revealed, “he’s been lying to her this whole time.”

“I can’t believes this.” Paisley moaned. “Mommy’s dating a vampire, and Daddy’s getting married!”

“Married?” Ryder, Riley and Parker repeated aghast. It was true that they were all furious with Ethan for hurting Jane, and they didn’t trust him as far as they could throw him. Still, they knew there was something profoundly wrong with the Alpha choosing another woman over their mother.

“To who, that Nina lady?” Riley questioned.

“Yes!” Paisley shared, sounding deeply forlorn.

“Sorry Paisley, but I don’t think that really compares to a monster drinking Mommy like a juice box!”

Parker scoffed. “Daddy had his chance with Mommy and he ruined it.”

“You don’ understand!” Paisley insisted. “Daddy didn’t reject Mommy cuz he wanted to. He was paralyzed when he killed King Aimon, and now his wolf is trapped and he might die. He made Mommy take us away cuz he couldn’t protect us anymore.”

The three pups sat by in total silence as their sister’s Words washed over them, unable to process the gravity of what they were hearing.

Are you serious?” Riley inquired after a moment, her voice barely louder than a whisper. “Why didn’

you tell us?”

“I wasn’t even s’possed to know.” Paisley explained. “I figured it out and then Daddy swore me to secrecy.”

“But that means..” Ryder mused aloud, slowly piecing together the puzzle.

“It means Daddy isn’ bad after alls.” Parker declared gravely. “We have to stop his wedding, and we have to find a way to get them backs together and keep Mommy away from Devon.”

I know.” Paisley confirms, “and I has a plan.”

Ryder, Riley and Parker exchanged a meaningful glance. “We’re listening.”

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