Claws and Fangs Read online

  “It’s not that.” She walked up to him and appreciated how he peered at her face without staring at the scars. “Some people are rude enough to ask what happened to me.”

  He reached up and tenderly traced the largest scar. “You’re beautiful.”

  She searched his gaze, believing he really meant the compliment. “I didn’t leave my house much and only went shopping when I had to, always in the middle of the night to avoid people.”

  “There will be no more hiding as my woman. Wear your scars with pride, Matty. They are a part of you, and no one would dare offend you.” His expression hardened. “Not twice.”

  She laughed. He was a big man, intimidating, and she could see how he’d discourage anyone from saying a word to her that might hurt her feelings. “You’d beat them up for me?”

  “I would.” He lowered his hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. “I’d do anything for you.”

  She was falling in love with him even more. “Thank you.”

  “It’s my honor to defend you. Even from blind, petty fools with no brains.”

  She laughed again. He had a way of making her happy and amused. “My hero.”

  “I aspire to be that, now and forever.”

  “I appreciate it.”

  He leaned in and she held her breath, heart pounding as he brushed his mouth over hers. She closed her eyes and opened her hands on his chest. He pulled away too fast, making her long for a deeper kiss than the teasing one he’d given.

  “We should go upstairs. I’ll introduce you to everyone and then take you to the feeding room.”

  “That sounds ominous.”

  He chuckled. “Never. One of the biggest difficulties I faced after being turned was knowing I’d need blood to survive. It’s a different time now. I shall make it easy for you. We acquire our blood by buying it from humans. The werewolves run a truck that collects it a few times a week and we store it in the feeding room. We provide a little money for those who donate; they give us what we need.”

  “You said I could drink it directly from you, though, right?”

  “Aye. It will be highly enjoyable for us both. Plastic will never need touch your bonny lips.”

  “But I have to give up food?”

  “You could eat it, but that means you’ll still have to deal with body functions.”

  She arched her eyebrows, not certain what that meant. She could guess but it would be better if he spelled it out.

  “Your digestive system works differently for food and other drink than it does for blood. The bathroom, Matty. Once you stop eating food, the toilet only collects dust. Is that a delicate way to put it? My body absorbs blood without causing waste.”

  “I understand.” She didn’t have to give up chocolate after all. It would just come at a small price. One that she was already used to as a human. “Let’s go and see what you want to show me.”

  He took her hand, placing it in the crook of his arm. “My pleasure.”

  She took a deep breath, allowing him to lead her out of the bedroom and into a living space. There was no kitchen in his apartment. She guessed he didn’t exactly need one since he didn’t cook. They exited through a solid door into a well-lit hallway. The basement seemed pretty large. Another sturdy door blocked the end of the hallway, behind which they came to stairs.

  “Why so many doors?”

  “Protection in case the basement is ever breached by hunters.”

  “Is there an escape route?”

  “Of course. There’s an old sewer system we could flee through and stay underground until the sun set. Lethal is all about survival.”

  “Why did you move out of here again?”

  “No matter how much soundproofing we tried, the music is still audible to our kind. I grew tired hearing it every evening while the club was open.”

  “Ah.” That made sense to her.

  Blaron led her through the club’s kitchen, smiling at the werewolves who worked for them. They gave Matty pleasant glances and a few waves.

  One of the cooks stepped into their path, looking at Matty. “It’s nice to meet you. My name is Velma. Just let me know if there are any specialty foods you enjoy, and I’ll be happy to provide them.”

  “Thank you. That’s so nice.” Matty flashed him an uncertain look.

  “Velma is a werewolf.”

  Matty’s eyes widened, then fixed on Velma. “Wow. You look so normal. I never would have guessed. I mean, I’m sorry. That was so rude of me.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’m not offended. We hide in plain sight. We’re just glad one of the masters found a companion.”

  “Masters?”

  “That would be me and Lethal,” Blaron stated. “It’s a polite way to refer to us older-than-dirt vampires.”

  Velma laughed. “Both of them gave us jobs where we could be ourselves. We’re grateful. It’s difficult to work for humans. We have to watch our every move and word in case we reveal too much. The club also doesn’t require drug testing. That’s a great thing.”

  Matty’s eyebrows arched. “Um, is that a problem?”

  “They aren’t human,” Blaron explained. “A simple blood test can be dangerous if the results come back as odd. At the very least, misunderstandings happen, like assuming they purposely messed up the test to hide something.”

  “As if we might take drugs, when in fact only a moron would,” Velma added. “They don’t have the same effect on us as they do on humans. Give a werewolf cocaine and he’d puke his guts up for days. It’s like food poisoning to our kind.”

  “Oh.”

  Blaron cleared his throat. “We must be going. Thank you, Velma.”

  She stepped out of the way. “Have fun.”

  He led Matty out of the kitchen and behind the bar. Chase waited there, playing bartender. He introduced them. Chase bowed, shook her hand, and winked.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Matty. Nice job this morning. The Barlo brothers filled me in. You tied up a vampire hunter. That was very courageous of you.”

  “Don’t flirt with her.” Blaron narrowed his eyes, glaring at his friend. “She’s mine.”

  Chase chuckled and stepped back. “She’s a beauty. You’d better keep her close, lest someone try to steal her away.” He grinned at Matty. “You’re with a man who wears a skirt. Not everyone could pull that off.”

  Blaron relaxed, realizing Chase was just being friendly. “’Tis a manly kilt. You’re just jealous that you have knobby knees and feel the need to cover yours.”

  “Aye,” Chase mimicked him. “’Tis manly since you terrify anyone you glower at.”

  He tugged Matty out from behind the bar. Some of the regulars had arrived already but it wasn’t crowded yet. Some couples were dancing but most were sitting at tables, grouped in numbers of two to four, chatting. He immediately held the gazes of some of the vampires who picked up Matty’s scent, silently warning them to think twice about approaching her. She wasn’t an unattached human they could attempt to seduce and take a sip of blood from in the heat of the moment.

  “Would you like to dance with me?” He wanted to hold her.

  “It’s eighties music. I grew up listening to my mom play this stuff. Do you know how to dance to New Wave?”

  He turned his head, caught the attention of the DJ, and made a hand signal. The music abruptly ended, a slow song coming on next. He gripped Matty’s hand, faced her, and then placed her other hand on his shoulder. Smiling, he put his arm around her, turning them in a circle.

  “Ever waltzed before?”

  She appeared stunned. “No.”

  “I’ll teach you. Just follow my lead. This is a simple one.”

  “There’s more than one type?”

  “There are many.”

  “I didn’t know that.” She smiled though, relaxing in his hold and swaying with him.

  He noticed a few of the vampires rising from their tables, taking partners, and coming out to join them on the dance flo