Sanibel Alpha Vampire Werewolf Menage (Fanged Romance Series Book 5.5) (3 page)

“Yeah, thanks.
”
His parents were dead? But he had a sister, Rebecca.
“
So you and your sister have guardians?
”

“I take care of my sister,
”
he answered almost angrily, then seemed to compose himself as they walked the darkened boardwalk behind the island shops.  

“But you
’
re so young to be like a father to someone.
”
Her eyes rounded as Bren swung the heavy garbage bag across the parking lot, landing it precisely in the dumpster.  

“I
’
m stronger than I look.
”
He slipped his hand around the bank bag and tugged.
“
I
’
ll drop it for you.  You shouldn't be taking cash to the bank at night alone.  It isn
’
t safe.
”

He was right about that.  Tatum hated making night drops at the bank.
“
It
’
s not safe for you, either. A weapon is a weapon. A blade or a bullet can go through you just as easily as it could me.
”

He opened his mouth as if to refute her, then clamped it shut.  Glancing at a watch that had to have cost more than her car, he said,
“
I have to be somewhere within the hour.  Indulge me, Tatum Shirley.
”  
When she shook her head no, he amended,
“
Then I
’
ll follow you to the bank.
”

“I have to do this four times a week now.
”
Tatum made her way to her car, jabbing the keys in the lock and turning.
“
What difference is one night going to make?
”

“One night can change your life, Tatum.
”
His breath whispered across her cheek.  
“
I can protect you every night you work.
”
One hand shot out and caught her door; his other came around her opposite side, caging her in.
“
And the nights you don
’
t work.
”

This wasn
’
t right. She
’
d started dating Troy Hillman two nights ago, and they
’
d agreed to be exclusive.
“
Bren, I
’
m going to be late getting home,
”
she explained softly, expecting Troy would be there soon.  This could be her night, her first time, since her parents were weekending in the Florida Keys.
“
I can
’
t stop you from following me to the bank, and I appreciate your concern over my safety, but this is where your concern has to stop.
”
A strange vibration whipped through her body, one pulsing with static power.  
“
What the
…”  
Tatum looked around but found nothing out of sorts.

“Tatum, don
’
t tell me to stop.
”
The weird sensation ended when his eyes locked onto hers.
“
I don
’
t think I could handle it very well.
”

This was incentive to keep him away as his instability was entirely evident.
“
Don
’
t make this more than it actually is.
”
  She gripped his biceps, noticing the lines and swirls of ink that mimicked Jill
’
s motorcycle man.  Tatum doubted the marks were merely a fashion statement, but asking him such questions would lengthen their time together.

“Give us a chance,
”
Bren murmured as the weight of his body leaned into hers.

Tatum
’
s thighs tensed when he traced a wet line down her throat with his oddly scratchy tongue, stopping to nip her between her neck and shoulder.  Keeping his teeth firmly attached to her tender spot, he lowered himself, aligning his distinct hardness against her.
 “
Bren,
”
she warned in an unconvincing voice.
“
No.
”
She gasped when he bit harder, circling his hips.  Just when her knees grew weak, fear shot through her like a piercing bullet.  The same fear that had flared the night they
’
d gone out, when he
’
d kissed her.  It was telling her to run.  Run away and never look back. Still, Tatum had to get away from him without any further damage to his pride. It wasn
’
t in her to hurt him.
  “
Come on,
”
she whispered, pushing at his chest with shaky hands,
“
private school doesn
’
t mix with public school.  Everyone knows that. You
’
ll lose your friends
’
respect for slumming.
”

“Do not ever talk about yourself like that, Tatum,
”
he chastised with a growl.  
“
Do you think I care what anyone at the Academy says about me?
”
He inhaled again, stiffened, and pulled away from her body in blurring speed.  
“
Believe me when I say that we
’
re more alike than you realize.
”

His breaths were harsh, his hands now fisting at his sides. His frustration was palatable, filling the air around them and enticing her to get in the car quickly.  She turned the engine while taking deep, calming breaths.

“
Your father,
”
he said in a gravely voice.
“
He keeps your head in the sand, but he can
’
t do that forever.
”

“Whatever you say.
”
She realized her mistake in entertaining this conversation.
“
You
’
ve scared me for the last time.
”
Shutting the door, she backed out of her parking space and yelled through the window before she took off.
“
Stay away from me, Bren Walker.
”

Briefly, he closed his eyes and uttered a single word,  
“
Impossible.
”

“
Bren, you missed football practice again tonight,
”
he whispered.
“
Why are you following that mixed blood again?
”
He inhaled sharply, scenting her Irish, werewolf blood.
“
She
’
s intoxicating.
”

“
Yeah, well, don
’
t get carried away,
”
Bren snarled quietly, keeping his eyes on Tatum.

“Carried away?
”
Jayce almost groaned as Tatum
’
s car left the parking lot.  
“
I couldn
’
t even get started with Tatum Shirley.
”  
He
’
d met her at the last beach bonfire, had made the mistake of asking her if she wanted to be with him for the night. She had the nerve to act all insulted so he
’
d shrugged and went for a run.  He
’
d never been turned down by a female before, and to this day, it just blew his mind.  Why wouldn
’
t she want him above all other males?  Perplexed, he shook his head and then sent out his senses to encompass his surroundings, making sure no other threats were around as she drove home.

“
She wants absolutely nothing to do with me.
”
Bren admitted,
“
Won
’
t give me a chance.
”

“You had more of a chance than I did. You just fucked up somehow.
”  
Jayce watched her taillights disappear in the distance.
“
Wasn
’
t she the one Jill fixed you up with on that blind date?
”

Bren kicked a rock out of his path.
“
Does everybody know about it? I mean; is there any way of getting any privacy around here?
”

“Not when you
’
re sniffing around a rarity, such as an Irish mixed-blood,
”
The island breeze lifted the hair off his forehead, soothing him.
“
How many female werewolves do we have around here? I can count them on two hands, including the ones who are already mated.
”

Bren spun around, glaring.  
“
I want her.
”

“Well, now, so does every other male at the Academy.
”

“Including you?
”

Jayce shook his head, lying,
“
Oh, I
’
ve got my hands full with other females. You know this.
”

“As long as they aren
’
t full of Tatum, then we
’
ll stay friends.
”

“
Like it works that way in our world, Bren, even for Alpha blood.
”
He jumped high on a Live Oak, swinging to the next tree.
“
You know everybody ends up sharing. There
’
s too few females to go around.
”

Bren landed onto a rooftop with silent feet.
“
Statistics aren
’
t something I want to discuss now.
”

“Well, let me spell it out for you anyway,
”
Jayce whispered, the moon nearly bleaching his features, apart from his glowing eyes.
“
Tatum
’
s father is a half-ling.
”

“You
’
re wasting my time with facts I already know,
”
Bren said tightly.
“
I think he
’
s the one who
’
s keeping her away from me.
”

“
Possibly.
”
Jayce jumped to the next roof, nearly sliding on the mildewed, barrel tile before adjusting his balance.
“
Considering he
’
s not a Pack male, he probably doesn
’
t want his daughters learning their true heritage and mating with werewolves.  Easy fix, man, give her up
…
for now.
”

Bren scoffed.
“
If I could shake her off, I would. Problem is
…
I don
’
t want to shake her off. Every time I close my eyes at night, all I see is her. I think I
’
m going to go insane until she
’
s underneath me. I want to bite her. I want to protect her, and I don
’
t want to see any other male around her, especially human males.
”
He blew out a long suffering breath.
“
God help me
…
What do you think this all means?
”

“
Let me check.
”
Jayce grabbed Bren
’
s arm, searching his be-spelled tattoos.  Jayce
’
s father insisted all Youngling males wear them so they wouldn
’
t go nuts on females during their hardest, hormonal years. The urge to bite and pin down a female shouldn
’
t be hitting Bren with those babies in place.
 “
All still there.
”
But hadn
’
t Jayce felt those primal stirrings when encountering Tatum?

“Yeah,
”
Brin snapped, while rubbing his arms.
“
They
’
re there yet every primal instinct is roaring inside me, telling me to scratch them off, release my werewolf, and go after her.
”