Page 31 of The Vampire's Redemption

Melli jabbed a finger at Stephen. “Stop growling.”

When Stephen opened his mouth to protest, her brows rose. It was an elegant gesture, both polite and threatening. The man’s mouth snapped shut, thinking better of it. Felix would’ve laughed if his chest didn’t hurt so much.

“And you! What are you doing here instead of with your mate?” The Chinese woman whirled on Felix. “You think she’ll be impressed you beat her friend to a pulp?”

“He didn’t beat me.” Stephen’s lips clamped shut at Melli’s snarl, which was as frightening as any vampire’s.

The adrenaline from the fight was seeping out of Felix. Every single cut and kick and punch made themselves known. Thirst became his constant companion.

Raising a placating hand, he said, “Don’t hit me. I’m done.”

As Felix struggled to his feet, Melli went to Stephen and helped him up.

“How’s your knee?” Gone was the kick-ass witch, replaced with the tender tones of a mate’s concern.

“Healing.” Stephen winced as he took a step forward.

“Serves you right.” A grumble. “Maybe I should’ve let you two finish.”

Stephen’s kiss on Melli’s forehead was light as air. “You love me too much for that.”

Something shifted within Felix as he watched them. What Stephen and Melli had, he would give an arm and a leg to have it with Gabby. When Stephen’s gaze met his, the hard edge in them softened. Not yet gone, because he probably still considered Felix Gabby’s enemy, but Felix didn’t mind.

He tamped down the unreasonable jealousy and instead focused on the fact that Gabby had such loyal friends.

Your mate’s terrifying.He sent the thought to Stephen mentally, because he didn’t need Melli to freeze him into a popsicle.

Stephen’s lips twitched.And yours isn’t?

Felix would never have used the word “terrifying” to describe Gabby. Then he recalled how she’d had the dagger up against his neck in the blink of an eye and grinned.

Yes, perhaps his mate could be terrifying.

The thought lightened the unrelenting pressure over his heart, the pressure that had squeezed at him ever since Gabby’s human death.

When Stephen and Melli reached Felix, Stephen clapped Felix on the shoulder. “I’m only warning you because I care about Gabby, but your plan won’t work.”

“My plan?”

Melli rolled her eyes. “Yes, your plan somewhere along the lines of maybe kidnapping Gabby.”

Felix narrowed his eyes. Did he have a traitor in Eden? And why should he be surprised if that was the case? After all, he had people planted in the other Houses. “Who said I plan to kidnap Gabby?”

“Vampire nature,” Melli replied. “You vampires all think the same.”

“Actually, ignore what I said. Go kidnap her. See what happens.” Stephen’s grin indicated he couldn’t wait for the fallout.

Melli punched him at the spot where Felix had sliced his chest. “Don’t listen to him. You’ll never win her back with force.”

If not force, then what? Should he have waited another six hundred years? How long was long enough?

Felix beat back the onslaught of emotions attempting to drag him down into a dark pit of his own making. “I have a question.”

Stephen and Melli exchanged a questioning look before Stephen said, “Shoot.”

Felix took a deep breath. It hurt to even think of asking strangers for relationship advice, but he refused to go down the same road where he thought he’d known best.

Look what it had gotten him.