Destined Mate by Katie Reus Read Free Book Online

away. As she did she realized he really was healing. The wounds that would have shredded another wolf or vampire were almost completely sealed up.
    The coppery scent of his blood teased her nose and she hated herself for the light-headedness she experienced. She’d always be drawn to blood, but his blood…was different somehow. It made her crave him with a primal awareness that almost scared her.
    “You’re mine, Angela, and I intend to claim you. Tonight.” The raw possession in his voice as they reached his bedroom door jerked her out of her thoughts.
    He placed her on her feet, shut the door behind them and all the air rushed from her lungs. When he slid the lock into place, she could almost swear her heart stopped for a moment. Wolves didn’t claim each other lightly. When they did, it was forever. But what if it was a mistake? They hadn’t seen each other in so long and the reason she’d left had been because of his hatred for vampires. There was still too much to talk about. Too much they didn’t know about one another.
    “I need to know why you ran from me,” he said softly.
    She sighed tiredly and sat on the edge of the bed. “Of all people I knew how much you hated vampires. I’d seen you kill… I didn’t want to become one of your hunted. I knew when you killed me it would be hard for you to live with it. I didn’t want you to bear that pain, but mainly I really didn’t want to die. And the thought of you killing me…” She shuddered as she trailed off.
    Knox was silent as he stared at her, only imagining what she was remembering. Though he wished she hadn’t, she’d witnessed him kill more than once. Both times untamed vampires roaming the streets had tried to attack her and he’d had no choice.
    The first time she’d witnessed him rip apart a newly turned vampire had been within days of their first meeting. Times had been different then. New Orleans had just entered what was now known as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties. At the time he’d been a furniture and wine importer, and from the moment he’d seen Angela dancing at one of the many dance clubs that had popped up around the city he’d known he would possess her. She’d been so full of life and everything about her had drawn him in. Before her he’d been all about making money and expanding his pack’s power but she’d shown him how to enjoy life. She’d even convinced him to dance a few times. They’d just been in the courting stage, had barely known one another. Hadn’t even kissed.
    But he’d still known she’d be his.
    She was the first human he’d ever been completely honest with. After she’d seen him kill the vampire he’d had to tell her what he was. To his surprise she hadn’t panicked. She’d taken everything in stride. Maybe because of where she lived it had been easier for her to digest. Whatever the reason, he’d fallen a little in love with her in that moment.
    After that it had all been downhill for him. He’d told her about his pack, his true age and the reason he hated vampires so much was that they’d killed his parents and baby sister. And she’d just taken everything he’d thrown at her and only shown him love and compassion.
    He hated that she assumed he would have killed her. “You really think I would have killed you?”
    She lifted a dark eyebrow. “The only good vampire is a dead vampire,” she said, quoting him in a semimocking tone.
    “But you and I—”
    She shook her head and propped up on her elbows. “You and I, nothing. You hadn’t promised me any kind of future. I knew when you left New Orleans you wouldn’t be taking me with you. After I was turned I was afraid I’d change into this evil being but I never did. I had to learn to control my cravings but I was still me. Something you’d never told me. You said vampires were all evil and I knew that just wasn’t true. If you’d lied about that…”
    Her words pierced his heart with the force of a silver dagger.