Blood on the Moon

Rose

“Yes?” He answers slowly, eyeing me warily. “What about him?”

“Well…” I trail off, my voice high. “I was really upset when we last left things before last night, and I was distraught and crying in the middle of the woods. He saw me.”

“I’m sorry you were so upset,” he apologizes, frowning. “I know I put you through some bullshit, and it wasn’t fair of me.”

“That’s not the end of what I have to say,” I admit. “He and I kissed, and he asked me to sleep with him. Then Victor interrupted us, and I left and said we should just be friends.”

Asher’s eyes glow with his wolf, an intense gaze I can’t quite read.

“Are you angry?” I ask, worried.

He isn’t saying anything, and it’s almost as if he’s holding his breath, a low growl in his throat like an idle car engine.

Suddenly, he grabs my face and kisses me passionately, his tongue slipping into my mouth and dominating me. He takes a deep breath, his fingers dug in my hair.

“You’re mine,” he mumbles into my lips. “You’re my mate.”

“Asher,” I whisper, taken aback.

“You belong to me, and I belong to you,” he continues, nipping my bottom lip playfully.

“I-I-” I stammer, gasping. “Are you angry?”

“Not at you,” he replies. “I’m angry at myself for hurting you so much that you sought someone else’s comfort. I don’t blame you or fault you for that, and you didn’t do anything wrong. But I am jealous.”

“Jealous?” I ask.

“Yes,” he answers. “You’re a gorgeous woman. Any man would do anything to be with you. I know this. I’m sorry I neglected that in the beginning.”

“It’s okay, Asher,” I reassure. “You don’t have to worry about other guys. I only want to pursue this.”

He kisses me again, his hands on my hips now. “Do you feel the mate bond, too, Rose? I wonder what it’s like from a vampire’s side.”

I press my lips in a line, thinking.

“I’m not sure if what I feel is a mate bond,” I admit. “Maybe that’s what I’ve always felt for you and why there was such an instant attraction? I’m not sure. Maybe it’ll hit me all at once, and I’ll know?”

“You could have felt it for me all along,” he replies. “It’s almost like the world stops turning for a moment, and you have tunnel vision for that person. Like everything else fades away.”

“Interesting,” I breathe. “Maybe it’ll take more time since I’m a vampire? Or I’ll have to mark in the ritual vampires use to mate for life to make it official?”

“One day,” he replies with a smile. “I’d proudly wear your mark. We just can’t right now, for obvious reasons.”

“I know,” I reply, wrapping my arms around his neck. “I look forward to when it’s just us two and none of this other bullshit with Genevive.”

“Well, our next task after that would be to somehow get my pack on board with me being mates with a vampire, and the same for your Clan.”

“Oh, God, don’t make me think about that yet,” I moan, pinching the bridge of my nose. “It’s giving me a headache already.”

“We’ll put out one fire at a time,” he laughs. “The first one being a blazing forest fire.”

“Yeah,” I scoff. “No kidding.”

“I’m sorry you have to deal with all of this because of me,” he laments. “My only hope is it’ll all be worth it in the end, and I’ll be a great partner to you.”

“I believe that, Ash,” I reply, stroking his hair gently. “I really do.”

He presses his forehead against mine and says, “I need to be going now, though. Who knows when Gen is going to come back to the house. I don’t want her to see I’m missing this late at night.”

“I understand,” I reply sullenly, disappointed that he’s leaving. But I know he has to. It still hurts, though.

But at least I’m not left in the dark now. All I cared about before was feeling lied to and being kept out of the loop. I just wanted to know what was going on.

Now I do, and the truth is terrible. But ignorance isn’t always bliss.

“I will see you again as soon as I can, baby.”

“Promise?”

“I promise,” he replies, lifting his pinky.

I giggle, wrapping my around his and sealing the deal with a kiss.

“Good luck getting the pack on your side again,” I tell him. “Remember what I said. Be yourself, and that’ll win them over.”

“I will, honey,” he replies, taking a deep breath as we stand, holding hands as we walk out of the cabin.

I reluctantly let go as he turns to head back toward his pack.

He looks over his shoulder at me one last time before lifting his lantern and disappearing into the dark woods.

A tear slips down my cheek, too quick for me to stop.

Each time he leaves is like a paper cut. It stings, bleeding only a little, but quickly scabbed over.

But how many paper cuts can one person take? How many times until the skin begins to scar?

Can I handle this pressure? Can I be there for him the way he needs me to be?

Am I fit to be his mate?