Free VampireMine by Aline Hunter Page B

Since the Shepherd
attacks everyone remained on edge. He didn’t have the balls to look her in the
eye and say that, so he bent at the waist and tugged on his boots.
    “I have to talk to Diskant first. We’ll have to discuss how
we want to handle the issue.”
    “The issue. Of course.” There it was again, that god-awful
deflation in her tone. He resented the hell out of it, even if he understood.
She didn’t trust him, not one bit. And he didn’t blame her. “Well then,” she
continued, “I’m sure you understand I have issues with my coven to address. You
need to let me go. I have to tell them what’s happened.”
    “Don’t take this the wrong way, baby, but if the coven
really gave a shit Leigh wouldn’t have had to come to us for help.” Nathan
quickly tied his boots and stood. “I got the impression she was afraid to.”
Able to meet her gaze, steeling himself for the hatred he expected to see from
her, he was surprised to see a flicker of remorse in her eyes. “Do you really
think they’ll help you or her?” he queried gently. “Do you think they’re more
capable of protecting your friend than we are?”
    “Diskant Black will never agree to help me or Leigh.” She’d
stopped fighting Nathan, passive in the man’s hold. “I’m the enemy, remember?”
    “You saved his mate’s life,” Nathan reminded her. It was an
important detail. “Ava means more to him than anything. Without you he’d have
lost her. He owes you and he knows it. His pride won’t allow him to turn you
away.”
    “If you say so.” She lifted her arms in mock surrender. “You
don’t have to hold me. I’m not going anywhere. We have the same agenda.”
    “If you say so,” he chimed, throwing her words back at her.
    Her glare of sheer disdain wounded him more than a solid
punch in the gut ever could have. Fuck it to shit . He’d meant to be
playful, not push her buttons. He approached her, strides steady. Once he
reached her he wrapped his fingers around her wrist. He knew it pissed her off
when Nathan let her go and Trey pulled her into his arms but fuck if he cared.
She was here, in his world, where she belonged.
    He wasn’t letting her go.
    “Until I know that for sure,” he lifted her from the ground
and marched toward the door, “I’m not letting you out of my sight.” Glancing
over his shoulder, he told Nathan, “Get her amazing Ginsu knife and bring it
along, would you?”
    “What are you? A caveman?” She snorted and shook her head,
waves of her thick blonde hair cascading down her back. “Why don’t you just
drag me out of here by the hair?”
    Maybe he was a bastard for laughing but who could blame him?
His mate was feisty, smart and ballsy as hell. The pack had no idea how lucky
they’d just become. This woman wouldn’t back down from anyone or anything,
including him.
    Striding for the car, he bent his head. “I’m going to be
whatever you want me to be, Sadie. No more running away. No more bullshit.
You’re mine, darlin’. All mine.”
    “Barbarian,” she huffed, sounding indignant.
    “If that’s what you want.”
    Nathan opened the door and Trey sank into the passenger
seat, situating Sadie on his lap. He gave her hair a soft yank, chuckling when
she wriggled her ass against him. His body responded, the wolf reminding him
they’d yet to fully stake their possession over her. The quick and sensual act
against the wall had only been a prelude of what was to come. He wanted to see
his female beneath him, her blond hair fanning over the pillows, and look into
her eyes when she came next time.
    Soon.
    Even with danger knocking at their door—despite the threat
of Shepherds, Aldon Frost and everything else he had to deal with—the future
looked brighter than it had in weeks.

Chapter Five
     
    A multitude of thoughts ran through Sadie’s mind as she
tried to formulate a plan. Nathan had been correct. The coven wouldn’t have
come for her. Even if Leigh had pleaded Sadie’s case and