Soren (Vampire's Mate, #2)

by Grae Bryan

And what if the one they did find didn’t like them one bit? That was a dilemma Soren was very…invested in…at the moment.

Poor baby Soren.

It’s a false beauty, Gabe reminded himself. The allure of a predator. Designed to lure in unsuspecting prey.

And you’re in his sights bb!

“That’s what you smell like. Like if the sea met a pine forest. And, um…cold. I don’t know how a person can smell cold, but you do.”

Because instead of doing better, Gabe had been getting worse. His world had stopped making sense a year ago. His anxiety kept building; his emotions kept spiraling. He felt like he was…pretending all the time. Pretending to have it together. Pretending to be happy. And he was terrified of anyone seeing through it. And now here he was, failing his family. Again.

At some point during the drive over, the bigger man had grabbed Soren’s hand, seemingly without noticing, and now he was still clinging to it like some sort of lifeline, his usual cocky swagger completely gone. The rare sign of vulnerability was doing very strange things to Soren’s heart.

Cute

Well, if Gabe needed someone to push him, to force him to acknowledge his own emotions instead of leaving them inside to fester, Soren could definitely do that. Soren was excellent at getting under people’s skin.

And why the fuck does it matter what Gabe smells like? Soren chose not to answer himself. He and his brain weren’t on speaking terms anymore.

but still…there was a weight lifting off his chest, just in saying it out loud: he had complicated feelings around his mother, beyond just unconditional love and devotion.

Where do these complicated feelings come from tho. And what are they?

But on the drive home, Soren still found himself letting Gabe hold his hand again. Because he was selfish. And he wanted this man with every fiber of his being. He’d had a taste now, and he could see it quickly becoming a true addiction.

When the flirty, teasing vampire let Gabe be soft and needy. Gabe was apparently turning into a cuddle slut in his thirties. It was weird; he’d never been one before.

Adorable

But Soren listened. He comforted. He teased a little, yes. But he didn’t make Gabe feel lesser just for having feelings.

So sweet

So what if Soren was nice to him? So what if holding Soren on the couch made the tight ball of anxiety ever-present in Gabe’s stomach suddenly melt away?

“You’re jealous.” Soren approached Gabe with a shark’s grin on his lips. “How silly of you.”

Gabe’s skin burned. His whole body was on fire. Had Soren really been celibate? Was he really saying what Gabe thought he was saying? This achingly beautiful vampire, this little psycho flirt who could have any man he wanted, only wanted Gabe?

“I just—the thought of you with someone else…,” Gabe started, but he didn’t know how to end the statement. “You don’t like it,” Soren finished for him. “I hate it,” Gabe bit out. “I wanted to strangle Monroe.” Soren grinned at him, his hand and hips stilling. When had that manic grin stopped looking unsettling and instead become sexy as hell? “Good,” Soren declared, baring his teeth even wider. “Because if I see you with anyone else, I’ll rip their throat out.” Jesus.

“Would you— I could—” Even though Gabe had started this conversation, he struggled to get to his point. “Would you want to feed…from me?” It was something Gabe had never thought he’d offer. Something he’d thought he feared. But apparently even stubborn assholes could change. Soren’s body went still as stone, and his pale eyes darkened. “You’d let me?” “Um…yes?” Gabe would.

“And I don’t mind who you flirt with, brat, as long as I get to be the one who takes you home at the end of the night.”

“He came from a small community of vampires. A den,” Soren continued. “They were of the mind that if you turned a human, they were yours. To do with as you wished. To serve you however you wished.”

He is an evil bastard.

“But as you know”—Soren gave a wry twist of his lips—“I’m no angel. And over the years, anytime I would act contrary to the way he wanted…anytime I acted like myself, it made him…angry. And he let me know it. In many varied, creative, violent ways.” Gabe’s stomach hurt. His chest hurt. His fucking heart hurt. Poor Soren.

“I want to hold you.” Gabe made “gimme” hands at the reluctant vampire. Soren was smirking now, the little brat. “Why?” Gabe sighed but kept his arms up. “Because you just told me a sad story, and I want to comfort you.”

Vulnerable, a voice in his head taunted. He pushed it aside. Gabe’s weight felt comforting, like a big security blanket. Soren was done listening to that fearful, cowardly side of himself. Because there was another, deeper-rooted voice whispering the same word over and over again in his head. Mate. Mate. Mate.

Had he really been fooling himself all this time? Letting Hendrick push him around, convinced somewhere inside himself that he was still lesser just because some dysfunctional group of vampire rejects had told him so?

Fuck that guy up Soren! He’s an ass.

But the time had come. Soren would risk it all—loneliness, madness, death—if it meant a chance at a free life.

“Maybe we can get Jay to make you something.” “Don’t even— Oh fuck, do you think he heard that? Vamp hearing and all?” Gabe had forgotten about their vampire guest. It was way too easy for him to focus in on Soren and only Soren. “I didn’t hear anything!” Jay’s voice sounded from across the hall.

Jay is precious.

Hendrick had touched Gabe. He’d hurt him. He would pay for it. Soren would make sure of it. He’d pay for all of it. Soren just wished he’d been better prepared. This motherfucker deserved a slow, painful death. But that might not be possible at this point. Soren knew one thing though. Only one of them was getting out of this situation alive.

Get him Soren!

So he hadn’t been able to protect Soren because he was human—fragile, weak, mortal. Well, then he wouldn’t be human anymore.

So it was time to dispose of Hendrick. The world would be better off without him. Soren wondered if perhaps Hendrick had wanted to end his own existence. If that was part of why he’d continued to pursue Soren even without the threat of his den of vampire friends to keep him safe. Soren found he didn’t care much either way.

Take out that trash BB!

“I came to rescue you,” Gabe said sheepishly from his place on the porch, not making any move to get closer. “I’m burning a body,” Soren explained, voice dull. He didn’t know what to think. He didn’t know how to feel. Gabe sighed, running a hand through his hair. He looked at Soren with hopeful eyes. “Can I help?”

I love them.

Soren glared at him. “Why not?” “I want to be with you. Always. Forever. I want to be your mate.”

Soren huffed. “So annoying. How are we going to explain all this?” He gestured vaguely at Gabe, trying to encompass their relationship and his former human’s change in mortality. “They leave for three weeks and now you’re a vampire.”

The three remaining vampires stood in silence, until Jay cleared his throat once more. “So,” he said sincerely, his voice already coming out clearer, “your friends are super nice.”

“He’s taken him out before,” Soren reassured his friend. “Ferdy likes him. Your dog’s a bit of a slut, honestly.”

🤣

Soren giggled. “And your childhood home is little. And quaint.” “You’re little and quaint” was Gabe’s super mature response. Take that, vampire. “I’m little. I’m not quaint,” Soren said indignantly. “I’m gorgeous and chic and way too good for this town.”

You are too fabulous for us Soren! We bow down to you.

Gabe reached a hand up, running a finger along Soren’s cheek. “I want to marry you because we belong to each other, and I want everyone to know it. I want a ring on your finger. I want a ring on my finger.” Oh. Well. Soren wouldn’t mind that part.

“I thought that the first time I saw you. That you were the most beautiful person I’d ever seen. It terrified me, the attraction I felt toward you.”

🥹

“I love you.” Soren spoke the words into Gabe’s chest. Gabe smiled softly down at him, golden eyes shining. “I love it when you tell me that.” Soren poked his ribs. “Say it back.” “I love you, brat. I’m so happy you came to Hyde Park. So happy you stayed.” So was Soren. Staying was the best decision he’d ever made.

🥹