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“Me?” he asked.

I rolled my eyes playfully. “Well, I wasn’t talking to Wasabi.”

He stepped up closer, still keeping a respectful distance. I could tell my scent was affecting him, and wished I could really reinthat in. But it also made me appreciate the effort he was giving.

“Well, I’m from New Orleans originally, but I moved to Austin when I graduated high school. I’m really into music, and after college I found my dream job working as a sound engineer for a local recording studio. I’ve been there ever since.”

“Oh, that’s really cool!”

“Yeah, Austin’s amazing. When this is all over, you and the guys should visit sometime. I know all the best breweries and barbecue places.

Even though I’d been with Mike for years, and had argued with Ezra over the banality of typical vampyr existence on Earth, for some reason I still had this image of them being dark and mysterious.

Not drinking IPAs and eating brisket.

“I’ve always wanted to go. Do you, um… have a…”

“Servaglio?” he said sheepishly.

“Yeah.”

“I do. But I didn’t trick them or anything. I heard how your ex handled his, and if it makes you feel any better, most of the vampyrs I associate with would never force a woman, or omega, into a servaglio. Some of us are assholes—my dad being a prime example—but the rest of us are just normal guys. Aisha, my Lunessa, was the one who wanted me to add another and Jasmin knew about her from the get-go. I love them so much. It’s been really hard being away from them for so long.”

The way his voice softened as he told me about his servaglio, how they’d met, what they liked to do together… it reminded me of how I spoke about my pack. I could really feel the affection and care he had towards them, and thankfully it sounded like they were on board with the vampyr lifestyle.

And really, with five alphas, who was I to judge?

A wave of growls rippled through the pack, their hackles raised. Kian positioned himself in front of me, staring at something I had yet to see.

Then the soft scent of cherry and almond wafted through the air, and my heart raced.

Ezra.

It was hard to communicate through the bond with my pack when they were in wolf form and I wasn’t, but I slid off Wasabi’s back carefully and spoke to them out-loud. “Stand down, I don’t want him to use his bark on you guys. Kian, can you withstand alpha commands?”

“Definitely.”

“Good. Stay behind me, though. Ezra doesn’t like vampyrs, and the last time he fought against them, he burned them from the inside out.”

“Fully prepared to hide in your shadow, thank you.”

I made my way towards the scent, my eyes darting towards every darkened movement as I searched for his jet-black fur.

When the scent got stronger, I paused, holding my hand up and feeling Kian stop behind me.

There was no sound aside from the wind rustling through the trees, and my heartbeat echoing in my ears. Even the birds and insects had stopped making any sort of noise.

The crystallized Aetherium hung heavy on my neck, and a drop of sweat beaded from my temple down my cheek.

A twig snapped in front of us, and Ezra’s wolf stepped into view. His lips curled as he snarled, snapping towards Kian behind me.

“Don’t you fucking dare, Ezra,” I said, keeping my arms out to shield him. “This guy has been helping me, which is more than I can say for you.”

His wolf snapped at the air again, bluff charging and driving me a step back.

“Shift back so we can talk.”

He shook his head, and bluff charged again.