Chapter Eight

Scott

My throat burnt as I pressed the button on the blender to start the bloodshakes. I hadn’t thought to grab any of the emergency blood pouches from the fridge when I fled. My mate walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. I leaned back against him, reveling in his warm, strong body. I should’ve pushed him away to protect my clothes since I didn’t bring extra, but I didn’t want him to stop touching me. If I could never show my face again with my family, I’d have him. I didn’t want to lose my parents, Duke, and Blithe, but I couldn’t stop them from choosing a side that might not be mine.

“I never did get your name,” I said, pushing the thoughts of what might happen later away for now.

“I have to tell you something,” my mate whispered.

“Did someone hurt you? Are they gonna try again? I swear I’ll eat them – I’ll take every ounce of blood out of them. I’m done with bullies and brutes.”

He chuckled and kissed the top of my head. My mate towered over me, but he didn’t feel like a giant looming in the distance. He was here and close and I’d do anything to keep him with me. Not everyone gets to meet their true-mate. I had nearly resigned myself to never meeting him. I had my magic and my baking and a few good friends and I would make do, but now that he was here I was never letting him go again.

“I don’t think so. Maybe, but I don’t know. I woke up in the woods, mate. I don’t remember anything. I don’t even remember ever being a dog. I’m only slowly putting together the fact that I’m a vampire – mostly because I want to put my face in the blender right now. Maybe I’m an elf too – my ears are pointy.”

When the blender finished, I switched it off and turned to face him. My heart sank into my stomach. What sort of injury would cause total amnesia like that? I needed to call the clinic here. I reached for my phone again, but it was still back home.

I looked up at him and tucked his long dark hair behind his ears. He was right. They were elven ears. We had plenty of cousins with them and they were impossible not to recognize.

“Are you from the Lost Fang Coven?” I asked.

“Maybe,” my mate said.

For a second, my eyes locked to his lips. With his mouth slightly ajar his fangs showed, but I wanted to kiss him. I wanted to gobble him up and keep him with me forever. My wolf whined from inside his inner sanctum.

“I’ve read a lot of stuff about any vampyric group I could find. My grandparents were from Scotland. So we’re not connected to any stateside group really, but I still researched a lot. The Lost Fang Coven is mostly comprised of vampyric elves. No one knows if the elves started out vampyric or if that was brought around by marriages over the centuries, but that’s what they’re known for. Well, that and taking no crap from human governments or serial killers.”

He blinked at me, and his brow furrowed in concentration as if he reached back into his mind trying to remember.

“You think about that, and I’ll pour our drinks,” I said, raising up on my tiptoes to kiss him on his cheek.

“I don’t want to let you go. It’s crazy,” he chuckled. “I don’t know who I am, but I don’t want to let you go.”

“Okay,” I nodded and twisted in his arms to face the counter again.

Thankfully, I grabbed the cups before starting the blender. I had to be careful not to elbow him, but I managed to pour the drinks. Thirst burnt up and down my throat as the coppery scent of blood filled my head. I drank mine down in a few gulps.

“Have the other, mate,” he said from behind me.

“Nope. You’ve lost blood. You’re going to drink it. No arguments, mister.”

He chuckled again and kissed the top of my head. He stayed there for a long moment with his face pressed into my hair, breathing in my scent.

“Drink,” I said, picking up the full cup and turning to face him.

“As you wish, mate,” he said and took a sip.

“Don’t play with it,” I said, sounding more like my carrier than I cared to admit.

“Bossy. I sorta like it. Got the dog’s tails wagging anyway,” he winked at me and my knees went all wobbly for a second.

“Scott? Are you guys decent?” Blithe called from the top of the basement stairs.

“Yeah?” I called back, trying not to blush again.

“Okay. I called Liam,” he said, stepping into the kitchen with us.

“Good, because I think we have to call Dara too. He has amnesia,” I said, spitting out the full story before Blithe got so caught up in what he wanted to say that he totally forgot that a conversation included more than one person.

“Shit!” He swore under his breath.

“You’re telling me,” my mate laughed, spinning us both around to face my baby brother.

“I think we have to forget about Trista and Travis for a while,” Blithe said, his face turning two shades paler. “Liam told me to call him back if this happened. I think he knows something we all don’t. I don’t want to freak you out anymore than you already are. I’m going to call Liam back and then call the doctor. You just tell me how much distance you want from the twins.”

“All of it,” I said and meant every word of it.

“You got it. We can’t deal with their antics. Duke and me are dads now. We have kids to take care of and they can’t come here acting like that. I’m sorry for whatever they did that made you run all the way here, but,” he glanced at my mate, “maybe you were meant to be here today.”

“Still fuck them,” I managed to say without tearing up.

“Keep him drinking blood and maybe wipe off his face before anyone gets here,” Blithe said, taking his phone out of his pocket.

“Thanks, Blithe.”

“At least you have real problems and not made up social media ones,” he sighed, turning to go back downstairs.

After my mate finished his drink, I unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it into the sink. Then pulled it back out and laid it over the chair. Maybe Dara would test the blood stains to ensure it was all his. Maybe whoever hurt him left behind some DNA. Something big had to happen for him to end up so bloody.

Usually, I’m a sucker for abs and pecs, but I didn’t have time to worry about how beautiful my mate was. I sat him down at the table and found some clean cloths. I washed him methodically, starting at his forehead and working my way down, stopping to rinse the cloths every few seconds because the blood just kept coming.

“This isn’t how we planned to meet, was it?” my mate asked as I moved the sudsy cloth in circles over his belly.

“Nope. If it was I don’t remember it either,” I told him.

“What did she do? You smelled so afraid of her and she’s your sister?” he asked.

“She is my oldest sister. She’s Travis’s twin,” I sighed. “I guess you’ll find out sooner or later. I bake a lot. I do a lot of magic and they cross over. I made a video about one of my recipes and I shouldn’t have. Social media is their thing. I guess they felt I trespassed on their virtual territory, because she made this weird video where she pretended to be me and said horrible things. She implied I was stupid and didn’t know what I was doing. That I wanted to ride her coattails and everything was lucky it didn’t catch on fire because I was so flaming.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to eat her?” he arched a dark brow and I forced down a laugh.

“She made a mockery of me, and people were laughing about it. I know hearth magic is out of style. I know there are huge things vampyric magic can do, but I like baking. I like making people happy with my food. I like putting magic in it all. Maybe I overreacted by running away, but her fans were all commenting how I needed just to go be barefoot and pregnant or have a dick in my mouth, so I’d shut the fuck up about things no one cared about.”

“Should I eat them?” he asked as I rinsed the cloths again.

“No,” I shook my head. “I think I just have to live with it.”

“I think I should --- how did you put it? Drink every last ounce of their blood?”

“You’d probably end up with fucking food poisoning,” I sighed. “I’m used to it. Duke and Blithe are nice enough. I don’t think they get it or get me, but they’re not mean. The twins usually aren’t this vicious, but I guess I should’ve known trying out vlogging was going to be a bad idea.”

“Do they own the internet?” he asked, arching his brow again.

“Now, you remember the internet?” I chuckled.

“Don’t change the subject, mate,” he said and put his hand over mine as I rinsed the last of the soap from his torso.

“They don’t, but they’ve always been more popular than me.”

“Are they popular or do their fans enjoy watching rich trustfunders make a mockery of themselves?”

“Hey now!” I laughed. “I’m a trust fund baby too.”

“Yes, but you seem to have posted one video about something you wanted to share with the world and I don’t think you mocked anyone.”

“I’m not cruel. Sometimes I wish I was. Sometimes I wish I was just as stonehearted as the twins are. Maybe then I’d have more friends.”

“I’ll be stonehearted enough for both of us,” he said, his voice growing deep and husky.

He took the cloth from my hand and laid it aside before kissing the back of my hand.

“I might not remember who I am or where I come from, but instincts are instincts, mate, and I will keep you safe. Your battles are my battles and it doesn’t feel like I’ve lost very many fights – all the blood and amnesia aside.”

I leaned down and my lips hovered inches from his. Before they met, someone knocked on the back door and I swore under my breath.

“I could just eat them,” my mate offered, but I shook my head.

“It’s not the twins,” I said. “They don’t knock like that.”

“Hello?” Liam’s voice called through the door. “Came around back because I thought you guys might be in the kitchen. I’m alone. I left mean and meaner back at the house with Bobby.”

I looked down at my hand still in my mate’s. I didn’t have the heart to pull away. Trista and Travis overshadowed so much of my life, and I didn’t want them to steal this moment too. Our meeting was precious. It would be the only one in this lifetime and I wanted to stretch it out forever.

“Hello?” Liam called again. “Scott! I see you! It’s important, friend!”

“You better let him in,” my mate chuckled and kissed the back of my hand.

“I have an extra key, but I’m trying not to be pushy! I will if I have to, though!” Liam called again and my mate let go of my hand.

“Hey, Liam,” I managed to say without any bitterness in my voice.

It wasn’t Bobby’s mate I was angry with. It was my older siblings who finally destroyed any shred of trust I had in them.

“Liam, this is my mate. Mate, this is Liam. He’s my cousin’s mate and the First Mate of the pack here. He’s also a seer with the Omega Sight and a witch. Did I forget anything?” I glanced at Liam.

“I don’t think so,” he managed a laugh, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I think we should sit down. I’ll put the kettle on.”

“I can do it,” I said, but Liam gave me a look that said his news was better taken in while I was seated.

I started for a chair, but my mate pulled me into his lap. Liam flashed me a sad smile that made the pit of my stomach curl into a ball and try to hide.

“Do you remember how you became a pit hound?” Liam asked, filling up the electric kettle at the sink.

“No, but I don’t remember being one before either,” my mate said.

“Do you remember anything?” Liam asked.

“I’m a vampire and an elf. I figured that much out,” he said.

“And he remembers what the internet is,” I said, because I wanted – no I needed – a silver lining.

“That’s good,” Liam nodded. “Do you remember your name?”

My mate’s arm tightened around my middle, and I knew the answer was no. That wasn’t a good sign. He’d probably need a brain scan and all sorts of stuff we’d have to go to Hemlock Mountain for.

“Our dads will figure it out,” my wolf chimed into my thoughts.

“I think I need everyone together for this. So, when Sam and Dara get here, we’ll see if they’ll let us all go down to the basement. If this is what I think it is, we’ll need to move fast.”

“What do you think it is, Liam?” I asked.

“Divine intervention, if I’m assuming correctly,” Liam frowned, turning the kettle on.

“Like the gods?” My mate asked. “Like Ozari? The first of us?”

“The Lost Fang Coven,” Liam and I said at the same time.

“That’s probably where he’s from,” Liam looked at me. “Vampire. Elf. The first of them was Ozari, but he apparently left for the Other World just like Frost and Juda did.”

“Did Ozari do this?” I asked.

“Not if I’m right,” Liam sighed and rubbed his palm over the center of his forehead. “It’ll be easier to explain it to you all at once. If I’m right we’re going to need all hands on deck. Keep trying to remember.”

A shadow played over the kitchen window, and I winced. I knew that poofy-haired shadow anywhere. Here came Trista again.

“Look him up on social media!” She banged on the back door with her palm. “Take his picture and reverse search it!”

“She’s right,” Liam said, but no one moved to open the door.

She could stay outside with the other bugs and pests. She stopped banging on the door once Liam pulled his phone out.

“Can you stand up for a second?” he asked me and for a second, I didn’t think my mate was going to let me up.

“Do they have social media in the Lost Fang?” I asked Liam.

“They do now, that the human governments have no part in it because they’re not around,” Liam said, a trace of amusement in his words.

My mate reluctantly let go of me and I moved out of the way for Liam to take his photo. I made a mental note to ask him to text it to me later.

“We can look at the real thing,” my wolf said, wagging his tail as he tried to find the silver lining to our crazy situation.

As soon as Liam finished taking his photo my mate pulled me back onto his lap. He kissed my cheek and held me tight around the middle as if he feared what Liam might or might not find online.

Liam scrolled and typed silently as I tried to enjoy the moment of being cuddled up to my mate. Worry tensed all my muscles, and I almost called my dads. They were doctors who specialized in vampyric medicine. They might know what was going on. They might have the answers, because someone had to have them. Someone had to come in and tell me what to do to make him better.

“Terrick?” Liam said.

“Huh?” my mate answered.

“Terrick Lost Fang, Prince of the Lost Fang Coven,” Liam said, locking his gaze above my head. “Does that ring a bell?”

“Terrick,” my mate rolled his name around on his tongue as it rolled around my brain. “Sort of,” he answered a second later.

“Scott, your call. Do I make the call to the coven or not?”

“Not yet,” I shook my head. “We don’t know who hurt him.”

“CHECK HIS POST HISTORY! NEVER MIND! I’LL DO IT MYSELF!” Trista shouted through the door.

“Sure you don’t want me to eat her?” my mate asked.

“It’s tempting at this point.”

“Your parents cut her and Travis off from their money. Anything they didn’t make themselves they can’t access,” Liam said. “They’re shitty siblings. Maybe shitty people, but we have your back, Scott. Me, Bobby. Your parents. Everyone has your back. They’re cruel and that’s not something we can put up with and let go unchecked.”

“Did my parents see it?” I asked, looking down at my legs and my mate’s.

“I’m afraid so, but they’re working to have it taken down. I’ll be honest. Someone or someones probably saved it and it’ll be a long battle, but anyone half-way decent knows that the video is more about Trista and Travis than you. I saw your video but didn’t know about hers. I don’t follow them. I thought it was really good. It had a lot of views coming and I think you should keep going when you feel better. I think they were jealous, because they talk about what they have and what they buy and there you were sharing a skill.”

“Well, if they didn’t act so dumb they could too,” I sighed.

“There you go looking for the best in everyone,” Liam flashed me a sad smile.

“Not anymore,” I shook my head. “I can’t anymore.”

“It’s not the worst habit in the world,” Terrick said.

“Some people don’t deserve it,” Liam countered. “Believe people when they show you who they are.”

“There has to be a balance,” Terrick said.

“You do realize we’re still talking about her, right?” Liam asked, jerking his head toward the back door.

“Why is your social media so naked?” Trista called through the door right on schedule. “A bunch of pictures and stuff of kids.”

“Do you have a kid?” I twisted around to look at Terrick.

“I don’t think so,” he shook his head and furrowed his brow again. “A--- sister.”

“More than one by the looks of it!” Trista called through the door. “Nothing really recent, though. See, if more people updated their social media then we’d be able to ---”

“Shut up!” I shouted and Terrick flinched.

I muttered an apology to him, but Trista got what she deserved. Wasn’t it enough for her that she humiliated me? Why’d she have to take a dig at my mate too?

“We need to talk!” She called back.

“Go talk to Travis!”

“Scott! This isn’t funny! This is my life we’re talking about!”

“Isn’t it always about you?” I rolled my eyes.

“It was a joke!”

“It’s only a joke if the person you make it about laughs too!” I called out.

“One second,” Liam said. “If you guys can check in with them downstairs, I’ll get rid of her. Dara and Sam should be here soon. Though, we don’t need Sam’s old connections to figure out who you are thankfully.”