Blood Claim by Laura Mykles (free e books to read .txt) 📕

table before him. The man he could very well have fallen in love with was a vampire?

He sensed movement on the other side of the room but didn't look up. “Matthew, I cannot begin to tell you how much I regret Shawn's actions. I've tried to make up for what he did in the past two years."

"My job."

"Yes."

That made quite a bit of sense. Now he knew why Wolfe accepted his odd behavior.

Matt frowned. Make up for what he did? “Daniel wasn't the only one he killed that night."

"I know."

Wolfe's been taking care of me. He could now think of any number of little things that had happened to help him or casual suggestions Wolfe made to point him toward people who could accommodate his strange schedule. The support had been seamless, making him wonder why he hadn't seen it before. “Have you been taking care of the other families as well?” He didn't know the other people, but he knew of them. He'd known their names once, thought of trying to contact them, to see if they knew anything or if they'd been visited.

"At first, yes. But the other losses weren't as devastating. You have, by far, suffered the most."

Matt drew into himself. Pity. Wolfe was in his life because of pity. That almost felt worse than the vampire part, which was just ridiculous.

He jumped, shying toward the far end of the couch when Wolfe appeared beside him. “I tried to help you. I tried to give you time to heal.” The voice implored him, begged him to understand. “I didn't think you'd want further proof that vampires really exist, so I stayed away. I'd hoped that you'd convince yourself you'd been seeing things and would go on with your life."

Matt shook his head, tucking back against the arm of the couch. “I wasn't seeing things."

"No."

"I wasn't hearing things. He called to me!"

"I know. I'm sorry, Matt. I've only recently realized that."

Matt opened eyes he didn't remember closing, swiped a hand at tears he hadn't realized he'd shed, and glared at the vampire. “What do you mean?"

"I didn't know he'd found you like that. I didn't know you could hear the call until a few weeks ago."

"What are you saying?"

Wolfe took a deep breath. He needs to breathe? Or is that just for effect? “We can modulate our voices to compel humans. Most don't even recognize it, but they can't resist. But some do. The ones who can are very attractive to us. Because the humans who can resist the call are the humans who can be converted into vampires."

Again Matt froze. He remembered the other vampire—Shawn?—calling to him, telling him to open the door. He remembered resisting for what seemed like forever.

Wolfe continued, watching him sadly. “I only realized you could resist the call when I tried it on you."

"What?"

Wolfe winced, gaze skittering away. Long, pale fingers dug into the arm of the couch. “I wanted to try and help you. Get you out during the night and let you see that you were safe. I tried to call you from your apartment last Friday. I doubt you even realized when. But you resisted. It was mostly fear that let you do it, but fear in another human wouldn't be enough to resist me."

"You tried to call me?” Last Friday. What had he been doing last Friday? He'd long ago lost true track of days. Had there been a pull? He often felt small urges to go outside, but they'd been easily squelched. Had that happened on Friday?

"I wanted to get you outside. I thought that...” Wolfe shook his head, standing straight. One hand speared through the loose black hair at his temple, forcing shimmering curls to sway about his neck and shoulders. “It was a mistake, but I was at my wits’ end. I wanted to help you get on with your life, and I hadn't found any other way to do it.” He walked away, toward the kitchen. “After that, I knew. I knew that Shawn had likely found you. Scared you. Scarred you. I knew that your fear was more grounded than I'd expected.” He fingered an empty plate that sat on the counter dividing the kitchen and living room. “I knew I'd have to actually see you."

Realization slowly dawned. “You called me last night. You got me to open the door."

He saw the small smile in profile. “Only a little. You were already inclined to open the door. I just had to nudge the fear away some.” He faced Matt. “I used lust to do that."

Matt glared. “You made me want you."

"No. I fanned the flame, but it was already there. You wanted me, just as I wanted you."

"You?"

"Yes. I can see now that I've been falling in love with you for some time. Finding out you could resist the call was just the proving point."

"Love?” The word, said so casually, rang in Matt's befuddled brain. Wolfe loved him? Wolfe was a vampire. So what? said a tiny voice in his head.

"Yes. Love."

Matt shook his head. “You don't know me."

"I know you. We've talked on the phone almost every day for the past two years."

"I don't know you. I didn't know you were a vampire."

"That's why I couldn't expect you to love me back. Not until I told you want I am.” He spread his hands out to the side, palms out and open, presenting himself. “That's why I'm here."

Matt shrank back against an urge to fling himself into those arms. “L-last night...?"

Wolfe's arms dropped, hands slapping his thighs. “I'd intended for us to have this talk last night. I...” He shook his head, looking sheepish. An absurd expression for such an exquisite creature. “I severely underestimated the effect of your presence on me. I lost control. Again, I apologize."

I wanted to go slow. Please understand. Please understand that I need to have you. Wolfe's words echoed in Matt's memory, together with the heated cloud of lust and longing that had surrounded the moment.

"Did