Chapter 36: Chapter 36
“You don’t need to worry,” Ryder said. “I won’t involve you in anything of the sort.”
“Does that mean our clan has enemies?” she asked, unease sneaking back into her. Ryder and Chump exchanged a glance, and for a moment, nobody answered her. Tension settled in between them. Elena spotted a hint of something dark in her soulmate’s expression, but it was gone faster than she could blink.
“Not everyone likes us. And sometimes we disagree with the callous ways of other vampires. When someone causes trouble right under our nose, we can hardly ignore it,” Chump said, keeping it vague, which didn’t calm her suspicion.
“We have made some enemies over the years,” Ryder added, capturing her gaze. “Same as you.”
“Another vampire clan,” she summed up.
“Or several,” Chump said. “But that’s none of your concern.”
“Are you sure?” Elena wasn’t convinced since this sounded like bad news. What she needed was to avoid getting tangled up in a conflict between rival clans.
A wide grin spread over his face, revealing his sharp canines. “Of course. Your soulmate might not be the tallest person in the world, but he knows how to kick ass. He’s practicing hapkido. It’s safest to be on his good side.”
Ryder glared at his friend. “What does my height have to do with anything?” he growled.
“I just felt like mentioning it,” Chump countered cheekily and braced himself before he received a punch in his shoulder. “Oww.”
“Shut up, Chump,” Ryder said, lacking the seriousness that he had displayed a second ago. A mischievous glimmer lit up his blue eyes.
“Can’t even take a joke,” Chump sighed dramatically and winked at Elena. “Good luck with him, you will need it. He’s so violent.”
“I disagree. He’s not,” she noted, putting her hands on her hips. “I didn’t know you practiced hapkido, that’s interesting.”
“You think so? Maybe I could show you a few tricks,” Ryder answered. The smirk that stretched over his lips was nothing short of smug. He hugged her from behind and put his chin on her head, challengingly gazing at Chump.
“Oh, please do. I would love to see it,” she smiled.
“Are you serious, Elena? I bet you just want to get a glimpse of his abs,” the red-haired vampire joked, his laughter sounding so cheerful she couldn’t help but join in.
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The reddish glimmer in Ryder’s eyes was the first warning she received. They no longer returned to their original blue color but were streaked with ruby undertones. She could have sworn his complexion was paler too, the shadows under his eyes darker. He never mentioned anything, but Elena saw the signs. Gradually, his thirst returned. Around five days had passed since he had first drunk her blood, and soon it would be time again. She didn’t know if she was ready for that, but it wasn’t like she had a choice. He depended on her blood as she depended on the security he provided her.
It wasn’t just Ryder’s appearance that changed once his vampiric nature surfaced. He behaved differently, too. She wondered whether he even noticed it, or whether it was pure instinct. She often found herself in his presence—he remained close to her and rarely let her out of his sight. He became increasingly possessive, especially when the other vampires talked to her or came close to her. She got glimpses of his elongated fangs when he spoke.
Elena began to wonder what exactly Ryder saw in her. Did he genuinely like her? Or did he just keep her close because he needed her blood to survive? Elena wasn’t sure about this, but she wasn’t sure about her own feelings either. Perhaps she needed to find out more about him and the things he was still hiding from her.
This evening, she sat cross-legged on her small balcony with a book in her lap and a few lit candles next to her. She enjoyed basking in the moonlight when her surroundings were quiet and peaceful. That’s when she could concentrate best on her novels.
The clicking of the door in the room behind her announced the arrival of a visitor. She hardly heard his footsteps since he moved with the grace of a vampire. The curtains rustled as he moved them aside and stepped onto the balcony.
“Ryder,” she mumbled and gazed up at him. “What brings you here?”
He shrugged, red eyes gazing into the distance, watching the city lights of New York as they shimmered in front of a dark backdrop. They were far away from the city center, so the typical noise of traffic didn’t reach them.
“I wanted to see you,” he answered with a slight edge in his tone. When he gazed at her, she read something akin to yearning in his eyes—or was it lust? She took a deep breath as she forced her growing nervousness back. Her book remained on the ground when she got up and stood next to him.
“You’re thirsty,” she murmured.
“How did you…”
“I’m not blind, Ryder. You can’t hide it from me.”
“Sorry,” he said, curling his lips. “I know it makes you uncomfortable.”
“You don’t have to apologize, it’s completely natural. I just need to get used to it, that’s all,” she whispered.
His ruby eyes lingered on her neck, zeroing in on her jugular. The melody of her heartbeat was tempting, but he stayed rooted to the spot and didn’t give in. Even if it was hard. Her sweet smell was difficult to resist when his thirst began to grow. It made his throat burn, and his fangs elongated. She had no clue how enticing she was, how much he wanted to sink his fangs into the soft flesh of her neck. His hands curled into fists as he fought against his craving.
“I can wait if you need more time,” he heard himself say, grinding his teeth. She smelled too damn amazing. Maybe it had been a mistake to seek her out now, when he was so close to…
“No, you may drink my blood,” she answered, shifting her weight from one leg to the other. She couldn’t stop gazing at his red eyes like she was hypnotized.
Her words instantly heightened his desire for her blood. He licked his lip and came closer, splaying his hands on her hips. “Where do you want me to bite you?” he asked, voice husky and dark.