much Vadim was shaking, the pure misery that clouded Vadim’s scent as he relived the death of his bonded mate. Josh stroked Vadim’s hair, so like his own, but so much lighter in color, and hoped that the beat of his heart or his own scent would soothe the man. Vadim didn’t struggle in his embrace, didn’t hide how he was feeling – maybe he knew how impossible it was to hide strong emotions from a wolf shifter, or maybe he was too steeped in grief to care.
It was a long time before Vadim’s scent lightened, and Josh got the idea that his mate was pulling himself together. Unable to resist, because he was a wolf, and it was in his nature, Josh bent and whispered in Vadim’s ear, “Did you get them? The people who killed Edward.”
Vadim’s head came up and the man gave a low growl. “All four of them, buried alive just as they did to Edward. I stood guard and listened to them struggle to get free for two weeks underground before I pulled them up and ripped their heads from their bodies.”
Ugh, gruesome, but Josh’s wolf could understand the need for revenge even if the method seemed a little archaic.
“Did it help?” He said instead.
Vadim shrugged which Josh was starting to think was a standard answer for his taciturn mate. But then Vadim said, “The vampires that hurt Edward, took him and killed him, they were looking for me. They killed my bond mate because they knew it would hurt me even when they were cowards who didn’t have the guts to go after me themselves. I made the vow to never love again as I buried the men that killed him – if I didn’t love anyone else for the rest of my life then I would never have to go through the pain of knowing someone else was hurt or killed because of who I am.”
Even as he empathized with his mate, Josh had this overwhelming urge to laugh, but he did his best to hide it because Vadim wouldn’t understand. But he couldn’t help but wonder where he heard that line before – oh yeah, Damien.
/~/~/~/~/
Vadim was waiting for Josh to climb off him, to get up, get dressed or just plain kick him out of the house. When Josh settled down, getting more comfortable, happily resting his head on Vadim’s chest as though nothing was wrong, he had to admit to feeling a bit confused. Being so close, bare chest on bare chest, cocks nudged together with only a towel and a flimsy pair of sleep pants between them, was playing havoc with Vadim’s libido even after reliving the worst of his memories. Vadim wanted to kiss Josh, taste him, finally sink his fangs into Josh’s neck, mark them as mated. But he held himself back. He would not claim Josh until the man totally understood what Vadim’s vow meant for them as a couple.
“You do understand don’t you Josh?” He said out loud. “I can take you as my true match. I can stay by your side for as long we both shall live. But I can’t love you.”
Josh’s mouth twitched against his chest, and then he let out a funny sound. A rumble went through his chest and seconds later Vadim realized his mate was laughing. How the hell could the wolf be laughing about something so serious and potentially damaging to a mated pair? Wolves fell in love at the drop of a hat, even Vadim knew that. But he’d never love Josh in return.
“I’m not laughing at you,” Josh hiccupped clearly trying to stop his laughter as he raised his head. Vadim was inclined to believe him although the mirth was still evident in the gleaming eyes and the wide smile. “It’s just Damien, he’s the Alpha of my home pack and like a hundred and sixty odd years old or something like that. He’d made the same vow when he was twenty and then he met Scott, who is Troy’s twin, and boom – three weeks later he was soppier than any of the other mated couples. I know you believe what you’re saying, but I have faith in the Fates, so I am not going to call you on it, or tease you, when you’re proven wrong. The Fates have paired me with the one man
It was a long time before Vadim’s scent lightened, and Josh got the idea that his mate was pulling himself together. Unable to resist, because he was a wolf, and it was in his nature, Josh bent and whispered in Vadim’s ear, “Did you get them? The people who killed Edward.”
Vadim’s head came up and the man gave a low growl. “All four of them, buried alive just as they did to Edward. I stood guard and listened to them struggle to get free for two weeks underground before I pulled them up and ripped their heads from their bodies.”
Ugh, gruesome, but Josh’s wolf could understand the need for revenge even if the method seemed a little archaic.
“Did it help?” He said instead.
Vadim shrugged which Josh was starting to think was a standard answer for his taciturn mate. But then Vadim said, “The vampires that hurt Edward, took him and killed him, they were looking for me. They killed my bond mate because they knew it would hurt me even when they were cowards who didn’t have the guts to go after me themselves. I made the vow to never love again as I buried the men that killed him – if I didn’t love anyone else for the rest of my life then I would never have to go through the pain of knowing someone else was hurt or killed because of who I am.”
Even as he empathized with his mate, Josh had this overwhelming urge to laugh, but he did his best to hide it because Vadim wouldn’t understand. But he couldn’t help but wonder where he heard that line before – oh yeah, Damien.
/~/~/~/~/
Vadim was waiting for Josh to climb off him, to get up, get dressed or just plain kick him out of the house. When Josh settled down, getting more comfortable, happily resting his head on Vadim’s chest as though nothing was wrong, he had to admit to feeling a bit confused. Being so close, bare chest on bare chest, cocks nudged together with only a towel and a flimsy pair of sleep pants between them, was playing havoc with Vadim’s libido even after reliving the worst of his memories. Vadim wanted to kiss Josh, taste him, finally sink his fangs into Josh’s neck, mark them as mated. But he held himself back. He would not claim Josh until the man totally understood what Vadim’s vow meant for them as a couple.
“You do understand don’t you Josh?” He said out loud. “I can take you as my true match. I can stay by your side for as long we both shall live. But I can’t love you.”
Josh’s mouth twitched against his chest, and then he let out a funny sound. A rumble went through his chest and seconds later Vadim realized his mate was laughing. How the hell could the wolf be laughing about something so serious and potentially damaging to a mated pair? Wolves fell in love at the drop of a hat, even Vadim knew that. But he’d never love Josh in return.
“I’m not laughing at you,” Josh hiccupped clearly trying to stop his laughter as he raised his head. Vadim was inclined to believe him although the mirth was still evident in the gleaming eyes and the wide smile. “It’s just Damien, he’s the Alpha of my home pack and like a hundred and sixty odd years old or something like that. He’d made the same vow when he was twenty and then he met Scott, who is Troy’s twin, and boom – three weeks later he was soppier than any of the other mated couples. I know you believe what you’re saying, but I have faith in the Fates, so I am not going to call you on it, or tease you, when you’re proven wrong. The Fates have paired me with the one man
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