MinetoChase Read online

  “You read that in a book.”

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t sparkle or burst into flames in the sun. I bet you read that too.” He continued before she could voice her thoughts. “I don’t shift into a wolf. My bloodlines aren’t pure enough. I don’t have a tail, nor do I howl at the moon when it’s full. I don’t kill people to drink blood but yes, I need it. We buy it from blood banks. There are always employees willing to make some extra income by selling contaminated blood instead of destroying it.”

  “Contaminated?”

  “We can’t catch human diseases. Contaminated blood doesn’t affect us. They can’t use it on humans so they believe they are helping medical research by selling it and reinvesting the profit.”

  Her lips parted.

  “We set up a fake research company with a small office for deliveries. It avoids suspicion.”

  “You really drink blood?”

  “Yes. You will too after we mate.”

  “That’s gross.”

  He fought to hide his amusement when she purposely refused to acknowledge the part about mating. “You’d only drink mine. I promise you’ll enjoy it.” His dick hardened thinking about her at his neck or chest, taking from him while he fucked her.

  “Why? I mean, if you want to turn me into a vampire, couldn’t I drink anyone’s blood?”

  She was so enchanting and had inner strength he respected. His words disturbed her, she was afraid, but she was attempting to be brave. “I don’t want you to be fully vampire. You couldn’t withstand the sun. My blood will protect you from having that weakness.”

  “Because you’re also a werewolf?”

  It was difficult to follow her thoughts. Many of them were streaming so quickly he could only catch a word or two. Jasmine was smart, something he already knew. She was trying to make sense of it all, using books she’d read and logical guesses to fill in the blanks.

  “Exactly.”

  Mate. That word kept popping into her thoughts and he concentrated harder, attempting to focus on just the ones on that subject. Mate. Sex. God, he’s hot. It wouldn’t be so bad. Who am I kidding? The guy would probably blow my mind with sex if he didn’t suck me dry of blood and kill me first.

  “I barely know you. I need to think about this,” came out of her mouth.

  I love his eyes, regardless of what color they are. And his chest. He’s so big. I wonder if he’s one of those guys who are all muscle because he uses steroids. Did it shrink his package to a tiny size? Don’t you dare glance at his crotch. He’s watching and he’d notice. That would be so embarrassing. Are you kidding? Who cares about that? He says he’s a vampire who is also a werewolf. Of course, I’d have to be attracted to him, right? Of all the men to pick to obsess over. Good going, Jas. Oh my god. How can this be real? Do I run? Scream? Fight? What the hell do I do? I’m so out of my league. Shit! He’s staring at me and his eyes are glowing again. Can he really read my mind? That disturbs the hell out of me. Who could date someone like that? There’d be no privacy at all. What relationship could survive that? Shit. I think he is reading my mind. La, la, la, la, la. Does that even work? Maybe I should start singing nursery rhymes. I know I’d want to get the hell out of my head if I had to hear them.

  Chase shielded her thoughts to prevent them from reaching him. He had expected her reservations about becoming his mate but not how bothered she’d be by his ability to read her mind. He decided to make it clear there really wasn’t a choice. She was logical. “Your life was already taken. It belongs to me now.”

  He regretted the words instantly when she lunged at the weapon, waving the curved point of the poker at him. It was the wrong approach.

  “Get back!”

  “Sweetheart, you couldn’t hurt me with that.” To prove his point, he moved fast, removing it from her hold before she could gasp. One arm wrapped around her waist and hoisted her off her feet to pin her against the wall. “The important part is that we’ll be together.”

  Her hands flattened on his chest as her eyes widened with fear. He hated her reaction but could understand. He dropped the poker and slid his fingers into her hair to protect her head from the bricks if she attempted to pull back.

  “Let me go.”

  “I can’t. You’re mine, Jasmine. I wanted you when we met but I didn’t want to introduce you to the darker side of life. Someone else did that when you were taken.”

  “You could make me forget it all, couldn’t you?”

  “Yes.” He lowered his gaze to her mouth, wanting to kiss it. “But you were almost killed. It could happen again. I’m not willing to risk that. I wanted you and destiny brought us together for a second time for a reason.” His gaze held hers.

  “Destiny? You believe in that?”

  “Yes.” He was tempted to read her again but resisted. It made him feel guilty, considering she was probably singing Old McDonald or some other childhood song inside her head right now, believing it would protect her from that invasion of privacy.

  “I don’t.”

  “Not yet, but I’ll convince you.”

  “I don’t think you can.”

  “Kiss me.”

  He’d show her there was passion between them. It had always been there but he’d resisted it when they’d spent those four evenings together. Seeing her in that basement, understanding how close she’d come to death, changed that. She was everything he’d always wanted but she deserved better than living in a dark world. She could have died and good intentions be damned.

  The second her mouth parted to voice a protest, he was there. Jasmine’s lips were as soft as they looked when he covered them. She gasped but his tongue muffled the sound as he asserted his dominance to his mate. White-hot fervor rolled through him when she kissed him back, her hands fisting his shirt. The animal side of him snarled, wanting to claim her.

  Chapter Three

  No one had ever kissed Jasmine the way Chase did. It wasn’t just lips coming together. Her entire body seemed affected by each thrust of his tongue against hers. A spark of warmth turned into a burning need that flared to life and slowly spread to her lower belly. His fingers tangled in the hair at the base of her neck and tugged her head back to gain better access. Carnal images were forced into her mind.

  She clawed at his shirt, tearing at the fabric in desperate need to feel skin. One of her legs wrapped around his waist to hook over his muscular ass. It was as if pure lust poured out of him and into her. Jasmine couldn’t get close enough—rubbing against him, she moaned. She’d gone from frightened to burning alive with sexual need.

  Her back flattened against the wall as Chase’s body pressed tighter to her front. His pelvis ground between her thighs, rubbing his trapped, stiff cock along the seam of her panties.

  The nightshirt she wore rode up, only the thin barrier separating them. The rigid length of his cock brushed back and forth, heightening her desire to feel him inside her. It was insane yet it all made sense. She didn’t want to question—just feel.

  This was the guy she’d fantasized about almost nightly. He had been a gentleman, holding her hand while they’d traipsed around woods in the dark, and he’d always opened her car door when she’d met him. He made her laugh with his quick wit. Chase had been mysterious with his short replies about his personal life but he was a good man. She’d known the difference after dealing with a lot of clients who hit on her at the first opportunity. Not once had he made her uncomfortable or afraid.

  It had been the complete opposite instead. She’d felt safe with Chase—protected and comfortable. He was smart, talking about books he’d read and current events. They had things in common. He loved to watch the same action films she did and enjoyed cooking. He’d listened to her as if what she said mattered and he was attentive. She’d just really liked him. It had been disappointing when he hadn’t asked her out after she’d dropped hints that she’d welcome more time spent together. And his package was impressive, not small at all.

  His hi