Page 79 of Accidental Blood Lust
“Uh, we ended up having some excitement. We thought it would be safer to come back here until we deal with the consortium.”
I come around the couch and sit down next to him, the wheels in my head already turning. Rune is powerful and he knows things, he studies things, if anyone can come up with a solution to my mortality problem, it’s him. But what if he tells me that thereisno solution? I’m afraid to hear those words. I’m afraid to have it confirmed that my only choices are to become a vampire or know that I’ll die one day and leave Roman and Loch.
“What’s up?” He raises his eyebrows, studying me over the rim of his teacup.
“I have a problem,” I confess. “I’m mortal, but Rome and Loch aren’t. Is there a way? Is there a spell or a ritual? Hell, is there a cursed amulet,somethingthat could make me live forever with them?”
Rune snorts a laugh. “I’m sure there’s a cursed amulet or two you could get your hands on to give you eternal life, but that seems kind of extreme. Plus, that shit always comes with the worst side effects, like you live forever but your body keeps aging until you wish you could die.”
I shudder. “What am I supposed to do, then?”
“Easy, just let him bite you.” He shrugs like it’s the simplest answer in the world.
“I guess.” I sigh. “I don’t want to be a vampire though. It feels wrong. It doesn’t feel like it’s meant for me.”
“I didn’t mean Loch. Let Roman bite you.”
I perk up. “What do you mean?”
Rune gives me a patient look like he’s talking to a child. “A wolf bite will make you his mate and your life will be tied to his.”
“But Loch is his mate. He’s going to give Loch his mate bite. That’s the whole problem. Well, not a problem for them, but aproblem for me. Roman will bite Loch, which will tie his life to his mate’s, which means they’ll both live forever.”
“Babycakes, Roman is awolf,” Rune says.
“Iknowthat.” This is the most exasperating conversation I’ve ever had.
Rune chuckles. “Okay, sorry, I thought that Roman would have mentioned this to you, but wolves can take more than one mate. It’s a pack thing, I guess? He can bite Loch and then you, and all three of you will share Loch’s vampire immortality.”
My heart jumps and relieved laughter clogs my throat. “Is that real? Are you sure that’s how it works?”
“Positive,” he says confidently. “Weird that Roman didn’t know that.”
“Holy shit, thank you! I have to go.”
ROMAN
“Rome, wake up.”Jareth’s voice yanks me out of a dreamless sleep.
He sounds frantic, but he smells happy.
“Wass wrong?” I mumble, blinking as I grapple with sudden consciousness.
Loch stirs in my arms, and I lift my head to see Jare, dressed in my clothes, crawling onto the bed from the foot of it with a manic smile stretched across his face.
“Sorry. Don’t be mad at me for waking you, I just couldn’t wait.” He climbs on top of the two of us, and I nuzzle the edge of his jaw instinctively, scenting him, claiming him as mine in the most basic way my wolf knows how.
“Couldn’t wait for what?” Loch yawns, scooting over so Jare can wedge himself between us.
“I just talked to Rune, and he said that wolves can take more than one mate. You can bite me and then I’ll be immortal too.”
That jolts me awake better than a shot of adrenaline straight into my veins.
“What? Is he sure?”
He nods and smiles even wider. “He said he was positive.”
“Will you be a wolf too, then?” Loch still sounds a little drowsy, but more alert now.
