Then, the tinted car door beside Jan opened, and Ethan's worried face peered in. Those warm hazel eyes sparked the fire in his belly, heating up his whole body.
"Jan?"
He drew in a deep breath, filling his nostrils with the unique, masculine scent that eased his nerves like a drug. His thoughts scattered, and he blinked, wondering why he was so anxious.
"Jan?" Ethan called, leaning further in the car. He curled a large hand around his cheek.
On instinct, Jan leaned into the warm palm. He rubbed his cool skin against it, soaking up the heat and soft caresses. Eyes locked on his silvery ones, Ethan's mouth inched closer, and Jan tilted his lips up, waiting.
A petite, sensibly-manicured hand snaked into the car and grabbed Ethan by the ear. With a twist, it pulled the large Lycan out.
"Control yourself. Stop embarrassing us in front of another pack!" Naomi hissed.
"Ow! ow! ow!" Her son cried in response.
Jan unbuckled the seatbelt and got out of the car. Rubbing his reddened ear, Ethan scowled at his mom. But as soon as the vampire brushed against him, his gaze softened, and he turned back to Jan.
"You okay?"
Sensing the numerous eyes on them, Jan simply nodded.
The gate was a long gray concrete hallway, about a couple of cars wide, crowned with a high white ceiling. It had no less than two dozen deployed warriors spread out as guards, but from the way they all stared at the vampires, Jan doubted the vanguards were here to protect them.
Chris and his own staff got out and began organizing themselves around the gate.
Ignoring everyone else, Ethan placed a hand on the small of Jan's back, nudging him towards the bank of elevators.
The cheers of thousands of people up on the rafters echoed through the hall, shaking the walls and threatening to bring down the roofs on their heads. Damien zipped by, shrieking as Cody chased him, laughing maniacally. They were already infected by the excitement from the crowd outside.
"Oooh yeah!" Brent exclaimed, rubbing his palms as he approached them. "We got VIP treatment today."
"Really? Did your dad do this?" Ethan asked.
Breanna scoffed. "Don't nobody care where he sits his scroungy little behind. I'll bet it's 'cus of your mate."
In fact, Chris' team had organized today's seating arrangements backed by Jan's credit card. But the vampire did not see the need to clarify that point.
"Well, I don't care who or why we ended up here. I'm going to enjoy this. I've never been in a VIP box, and I ain't waiting around till they change their minds or decide it was a mistake," Eri announced. He followed the two youngest boys into one of the lifts.
Jan glanced around until he spotted Lorr, talking a mile a minute with the human doctor, who listened with a slight gasp. Behind her, Jeb's eyebrows hovered high above his glasses as he overheard the conversation. The vanguard turned to him then, watching him intently.
I should have warned Lorr to keep this quiet!
But deep down, Jan knew that would do little good. His niece could not keep a secret for her life. So, biting his inner cheek in frustration, he walked into the closest elevator.
Ethan trailed close behind. When the doors closed, he had Jan cornered on one side of the metal walls, body pressed against his and hands climbing up the slender waist.
YOU ARE READING
Blooded Mate
Fantasy[[MATURE CONTENT]] Pack, family, mate. Loyalty, respect, honor. These are the words that form the foundation of the wolf society. At six years old, Ethan had to choose between his Alpha title and his survival on the night of his father's death. As a...
