be conditionally immortal like a
vampire, but immortal like a demon?
“Well… Cain told me. When a vampire makes a claim,
it’s forever. If it’s a human, the human stops aging… but they’re
only conditionally immortal, because vampires are…”
“You aren’t a vampire. And I’m not a human. So why
are we having this conversation?”
“I know, we’re a special case. When demons find a
mate, those are always human and they kill them but take their soul
so they can stay. When I got changed, the bond didn’t break, but
you got tied to my lifeline, like a vampire claim.”
Cole could feel his hackles rising. “Can you control
me? In that fucked-up vampire way? Because that shit isn’t going to
work with me, Jane. I am not subordinate to anybody.” His stance
turned intimidating, and he hated himself for directing it at his
mate, but she had to know how things worked. Her species-upgrade
couldn’t change the pack dynamics. He couldn’t let it.
“No… I don’t know. I haven’t tried. I don’t think
so.”
“I don’t want to fight you for dominance. An alpha
should never have to fight his own mate like that. You know the
hierarchy with the wolf pack. Are you going to challenge me?”
“Of course not! Who do you think I am?” She looked
offended and a touch pissed off.
“Not who. What.”
Her face fell, and Cole felt like a jerk for hurting
her. He’d just gotten her back and he was treating her like the
enemy. What the hell was wrong with him? All he wanted was for
things to return to normal. “I’m sorry. This is hard for me. I
don’t know how to react to you. I was used to you being weaker, and
hell, for all I know, you could take me in a fight…”
Jane strode toward him and, as if there were any
doubt before, shoved him across the room. He went flying to land in
a heap of pillows. “Stop being an ass. You want me all weak and
defenseless? Finally, I never have to worry about not being able to
defend myself or about staying away from the rest of the pack
during the full moon, and you’re concerned with posturing?”
He got to his feet, and his eyes glowed. “I warned
you. I’m taking that as a challenge.”
Jane stood her ground. She looked so pissed off with
her arms crossed over her chest, her body flushed, that he didn’t
know whether to be angry or turned on.
Deciding on anger and his baser instinct for
dominance, Cole rushed her. The two of them went flying, hitting a
support pole and taking the tent down around them. They struggled,
rolling around in the heavy fabric that had collapsed around
them.
“Owww, fuck!” Cole growled, as sharp claws dug into
his flesh. Had she partially shifted? She couldn’t be too weak from
hunger if she could do that. “Are we really playing that way, Jane?
I’ve got claws too, don’t forget.”
She punched him in the arm as they continued to try
to extricate themselves from under the fallen tent. “This is
ridiculous, Cole.”
“It’s not.”
“Yes, it is. You know it is. I’m not challenging you,
you brute. You didn’t walk all over me before, why start now?”
Before, she hadn’t been able to challenge him. He’d
been secure in their roles and who had the power. He hated the side
of him that considered things like that mixed in the same bowl with
feelings of tenderness and love.
Cole went still. “I can’t have this discussion
wrapped up in a tent.”
“I told you it was ridiculous.” She began pressing
kisses across the scar on his belly, trailing her tongue over it,
making him shiver. “Be the man who got this scar protecting his
mother. Don’t be the monster with me.”
He groaned. Oh now she was playing dirty.
“Please, Cole,” she panted. “I’m hungry. Take care of
me.” She managed to crawl up his body, and straddled him. She knew
just the right words to appease the beast. Take care of me. He was a brute. But he’d be her brute as long as she’d have
him.
He sighed. “Well, hop on.”
“Such a
vampire, but immortal like a demon?
“Well… Cain told me. When a vampire makes a claim,
it’s forever. If it’s a human, the human stops aging… but they’re
only conditionally immortal, because vampires are…”
“You aren’t a vampire. And I’m not a human. So why
are we having this conversation?”
“I know, we’re a special case. When demons find a
mate, those are always human and they kill them but take their soul
so they can stay. When I got changed, the bond didn’t break, but
you got tied to my lifeline, like a vampire claim.”
Cole could feel his hackles rising. “Can you control
me? In that fucked-up vampire way? Because that shit isn’t going to
work with me, Jane. I am not subordinate to anybody.” His stance
turned intimidating, and he hated himself for directing it at his
mate, but she had to know how things worked. Her species-upgrade
couldn’t change the pack dynamics. He couldn’t let it.
“No… I don’t know. I haven’t tried. I don’t think
so.”
“I don’t want to fight you for dominance. An alpha
should never have to fight his own mate like that. You know the
hierarchy with the wolf pack. Are you going to challenge me?”
“Of course not! Who do you think I am?” She looked
offended and a touch pissed off.
“Not who. What.”
Her face fell, and Cole felt like a jerk for hurting
her. He’d just gotten her back and he was treating her like the
enemy. What the hell was wrong with him? All he wanted was for
things to return to normal. “I’m sorry. This is hard for me. I
don’t know how to react to you. I was used to you being weaker, and
hell, for all I know, you could take me in a fight…”
Jane strode toward him and, as if there were any
doubt before, shoved him across the room. He went flying to land in
a heap of pillows. “Stop being an ass. You want me all weak and
defenseless? Finally, I never have to worry about not being able to
defend myself or about staying away from the rest of the pack
during the full moon, and you’re concerned with posturing?”
He got to his feet, and his eyes glowed. “I warned
you. I’m taking that as a challenge.”
Jane stood her ground. She looked so pissed off with
her arms crossed over her chest, her body flushed, that he didn’t
know whether to be angry or turned on.
Deciding on anger and his baser instinct for
dominance, Cole rushed her. The two of them went flying, hitting a
support pole and taking the tent down around them. They struggled,
rolling around in the heavy fabric that had collapsed around
them.
“Owww, fuck!” Cole growled, as sharp claws dug into
his flesh. Had she partially shifted? She couldn’t be too weak from
hunger if she could do that. “Are we really playing that way, Jane?
I’ve got claws too, don’t forget.”
She punched him in the arm as they continued to try
to extricate themselves from under the fallen tent. “This is
ridiculous, Cole.”
“It’s not.”
“Yes, it is. You know it is. I’m not challenging you,
you brute. You didn’t walk all over me before, why start now?”
Before, she hadn’t been able to challenge him. He’d
been secure in their roles and who had the power. He hated the side
of him that considered things like that mixed in the same bowl with
feelings of tenderness and love.
Cole went still. “I can’t have this discussion
wrapped up in a tent.”
“I told you it was ridiculous.” She began pressing
kisses across the scar on his belly, trailing her tongue over it,
making him shiver. “Be the man who got this scar protecting his
mother. Don’t be the monster with me.”
He groaned. Oh now she was playing dirty.
“Please, Cole,” she panted. “I’m hungry. Take care of
me.” She managed to crawl up his body, and straddled him. She knew
just the right words to appease the beast. Take care of me. He was a brute. But he’d be her brute as long as she’d have
him.
He sighed. “Well, hop on.”
“Such a
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