To Bite A Bear (4 page)

needed a good killing. He couldn’t remember

why, but he was certain of it. The bear snorted his

disapproval of Rohan’s assessment.

“Shift back, beloved,” Rohan said.

The handsome vampire didn’t attack or order.

He merely waited on Harris. With his anger gone,

Harris allowed the change to overtake him.

Gasping, he reached out to grab the wall but,

instead, found warm flesh.

Rohan wrapped his arms around Harris. “What

happened?”

“I’m not sure. It’s been a long time since I lost

control like that.” He thought back to before the

change. “Vick came here to say rude things, like

usual—”

“What do you mean
like usual
,” Rohan

interrupted.

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To Bite a Bear

Harris shrugged. “He always comes in here and

pokes fun at my work or says something snide.

Usually, I ignore him, but for some reason, it

really bugged me today.”

The vampire hadn’t let up since Harris started

work. He didn’t know what Vick’s problem, was

but hopefully, smacking him against the wall a

few times knocked some sense into him.

“I will talk to him. He won’t come near you

again,” Rohan promised.

Guilt struck Harris. “I don’t usually attack

people.” He didn’t want Rohan to think he was an

out-of-control shifter. Generally, he had excellent

control. A combination of a snarky vampire and

sexual tension had led to his temper snapping like

a dry twig in the summertime.

Rohan cupped Harris’ face and forced him to

face the vampire. “You have the right to not be

bullied in my house. Defending yourself is not a

crime.”

The kiss froze Harris with shock. He hadn’t

expected Rohan to go from nothing to an intense

lip lock. Harris rubbed against the vampire. His

clothes had ripped during the change and dangled

like rags across his skin. The sensation of rough

fabric against naked flesh made the entire

situation far more erotic than a mere kiss. Harris

leaned into the embrace, more than willing to

follow wherever Rohan wished to lead.

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Amber Kell

When Rohan broke away, Harris growled his

displeasure.

“Don’t be that way, beloved. I plan to take you

out to dinner first, then we’ll see where it leads.

Go to your room and get dressed,” Rohan

instructed.

Harris kissed Rohan’s cheek, making sure to

slide their faces together and rub off some of his

scent on the vampire. “Are you sure you want to

eat? I can think of something else to do with our

time.” All his silent vows to stay away from the

vampire’s bed vanished when the chance to be

with Rohan appeared again. Maybe he should

move to a new country. He doubted there was

another way he’d be able to resist Rohan.

His cock, ready and eager for action, rose

happily between them.

Rohan wrapped his cool fist around Harris’

erection. “As much as I want to take you up on

your offer…” He tightened his hold.

Harris gasped. Rohan’s grip didn’t have quite

enough pressure to bring him off but enough to

keep him interested. His hips convulsed on their

own. “I want to feed you first, so later, I can take

your blood.”

Harris nodded, not really listening to the

vampire’s words. “Take me,” he groaned.

“Oh, I will, my beloved, but only after I have

you fed. I don’t want you passing out because I’ve

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To Bite a Bear

taken too much blood from you,” Rohan’s

wonderful touch disappeared.

Harris growled. It was either snarl or cry. “You

didn’t have to stop. You could’ve gotten me off

then bought me dinner.” He was flexible like that.

“No. I want you to anticipate how it will be

when I have you back in my bed.” Rohan scraped

one fang across Harris’ neck.

Shivers racked his body.

“First, I will feed you, then you will feed me.

After that, I will fuck you until you’ve forgotten

anyone who’s come before me and refuse to

acknowledge anyone who wants to come after.

You will be mine, beloved. Everyone will know

not to touch you—ever.” Satisfaction poured off

the vampire in waves as if he were already

anticipating that magical moment.

When Rohan released him, Harris stepped

back. His mind fought with equal urges to wrap

himself around Rohan and flee. Harris knew he

had to put some distance between them before he

agreed to whatever Rohan wanted no matter his

views on the subject. “I’ll go to get dressed.”

Unable to face the vampire any more, Harris

fled to his room. Over the past few days, he’d

collected enough of his wardrobe to fill the closet

of the room adjacent to Rohan’s. The vampire

allowed Harris his temporary independence, but

Harris knew his time was limited.

29

Amber Kell

The vampire pushed all of Harris’ buttons,

handsome, kind and really supportive of Harris’

art. Rohan would make the perfect mate.

However, Harris wasn’t ready for perfection. He

planned on keeping his flawed life a little bit

longer. Maybe he should take a few days off to go

to the cabin. Rohan had said the mural didn’t need

to be done right away.

Harris’ greatest fear was that he’d finally

commit to Rohan only to have the vampire toss

him aside when he was done with him. Vampires

didn’t mate and keep their other half for the rest of

their lives. Sorrow tried to grab onto Harris like a

bear trap, but he shook it off. He didn’t tend to

dwell on things he couldn’t change. He’d enjoy

Rohan while he could. If things worked out, he’d

stick around until the vampire tired of him. Harris

might be a dreamy artist, but he wasn’t a fool. He

wouldn’t beg for the crumbs of Rohan’s affection.

As soon as the vampire began to tire of Harris,

he’d head back home. Harris might be

heartbroken in the end, but he was a person who

enjoyed what he had while he had it.

Smiling, Harris dug through his clothing and

found a relatively nice pair of slacks and a button-

up shirt. He wasn’t a dress-up kind of guy, so he

hoped Rohan didn’t plan to take him any place

fancy.

30

To Bite a Bear

The restaurant smelled divine. Rohan had taken

Harris to a steak and seafood restaurant

overlooking the water. Harris had heard of this

place before but had never eaten there. A discreet

sign posted Copper River salmon had just arrived.

Harris loved salmon. His inner bear gave a

happy growl.

“I see I chose well,” Rohan commented.

Harris nodded. “Yes.” He could smell the chef

cooking the fish in the back. Delicious.

Rohan slid his fingers through Harris’, clasping

hands as he led him to the server podium. “The

coven recently hired a new chef here. Let’s see if

he lives up to your standards.”

“Good evening, Master Rohan. Welcome,” the

maître de said smoothly.

It figured that a vampire-run restaurant would

know the vampire leader by sight.

“Thank you. Table for two,” Rohan ordered.

“Oh yes, of course, sir.” The maître de waved a

hand and beckoned a server forward.

The waitress wore a black sheath dress and

high heels.

Harris bet her feet killed her at the end of the

day.

“This way please,” she turned and led them

between rows of white cloth-covered tables.

Harris released Rohan’s hand to walk behind

him, enjoying the view. The water was nice, too.

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Amber Kell

“Here you go, gentlemen,” the waitress waved

them toward a beautiful spot overlooking the

sound.

“Thank you,” Rohan said. He brushed the

waitress aside to seat Harris himself. The

vampire’s possessive touch calmed Harris’ bear.

His inner animal relished Rohan’s attention. If he

were a cat shifter, he’d be purring. Foolish bear.

Rohan sat himself across from Harris, a pleased

smile crossing his face as if everything was now

right in his world.

“I’ve heard they have the best salmon in town,”

Rohan declared.

Harris laughed. “You can stop selling, I’m

already here.”

“Sorry. It’s been a while since I took someone

out to dinner,” Rohan said.

Harris suspected that Rohan’s dates were

usually dinner. A waiter appeared by their table.

Dressed in black pants. a white shirt and tie, he

matched the restaurant for elegance. “Hello,

gentlemen. I’m John. I’ll be your server tonight.

Can I get you something to drink?” The waiter’s

gaze slid across Harris with an appreciative

glance, but he carefully turned his attention to

Rohan when the vampire growled.

“I’ll take a glass of AB positive, and my

companion here will try…”

32

To Bite a Bear

“Water, I’ll have some water,” Harris

interrupted.

“He’ll have water,” Rohan finished.

“Excellent.” John nodded and left.

“Afraid I’ll take advantage of you?” Rohan

asked.

“No. I want to remember if you take advantage.

I’m not much of a drinker.” Harris had never been

able to handle his alcohol. Even with his larger

body mass, something about liquor affected his

brain poorly.

“I’ll remember that.”

“So, how long has this been vampire owned?”

It made sense for the vampires to buy their own

restaurant. Not many places offered choice of

blood off the menu, even in Seattle where the

population had a more liberal slant.

Rohan nodded. “Two years. A few of our

members run it. The wait staff are human but

most of the managers are vamps.”

“Huh.” Glancing around, Harris could tell the

restaurant did pretty well. Most of the tables were

full, and the wait staff rushed about. “Is that how

you knew about the salmon?”

It didn’t occur to him that, until now, that

Rohan probably didn’t usually track food trends.

“Yes, beloved, that’s how I knew about the

salmon.” Rohan propped his chin on his hand.

“You fascinate me.”

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Amber Kell

“Why? I imagine you’ve met a lot of people

over the years. I can’t be very different.” Harris

needed reassurance that he wasn’t simply one

more person to warm Rohan’s bed. Strange, he

wasn’t usually so needy, especially after his pep

talk about taking things as they came.

Rohan shook his head. “You are more special

than you know. You are my blood bond. I’ve

waited for you all these years, and now, you are

mine.”

The waiter returned with their drinks and

interrupted them. “Are you ready to order?”

Harris’ mouth dropped open. He still couldn’t

find any words when he turned to face the waiter.

“He’ll have the salmon special. I’ll be fine with

just the drink,” Rohan replied.

“Very good, sir. Would you like rice or potatoes

with that?” John stood attentively waiting for

Harris’ response.

“Um, potatoes, please.” Harris clung to that

answer as if it were the last solid truth in the

universe.
How am I supposed to respond to Rohan’s

statement?
His idea of not being tied down and

taking things as they came faded under Rohan’s

insistence that he was the only one for him.

Harris’ mind was still spinning when the waiter

gave an approving nod and walked off to put in

his order. Shaking his head, he tried to find out

more information. Maybe they were talking about

34

To Bite a Bear

different levels of commitment. Harris had never

heard of vampires sticking with one person

before.

“Is that like a mate?” Harris hated to admit how

little he knew about vampires.

“Sort of. As I understand it, for a mate, you

crave each other but can be apart. Is that right?”

Rohan asked.

“Yes. It’s uncomfortable to be away from your

mate, but as long as your mate is alive and well,

then you are fine,” Harris said.

Rohan took a sip of his glass of blood before he

responded. “A blood bond means once we mate, I