ETHAN’S MATE (Book One: The Vampire Coalition) Read Free Page B

rotated away with barely a scratch.
    The fallen tried to stalk Ethan, who wasn’t in
the mood to play. He was a vampire protecting his mate and he
didn’t feel like doing anything but destroying the threat. He
struck hard and fast, landing blow after blow with his knife as he
kicked and weakened his foe.
    Ethan took a claw to his back as he spun around,
trying to take the creature off balance.
    Ethan didn’t have a full set of claws, but he had a
knife and fury on his side.
    The battle raged on as the creature tired and Ethan
got his chance. He pinned the fallen into the wall, slamming
its left arm over his head as he plunged his knife deep, rupturing
the heart of the evil bastard that was stalking his mate.
    Rupturing the heart of a fallen was the only
way to permanently vanquish it. While killing a vampire required
beheading, bleeding dry, or prolonged exposure to the sun, it was
necessary to annihilate the heart of a fallen to ensure its
demise.
    Ethan watched without a twinge of remorse as he
muttered sarcastically, “Have a good afterlife, asshole.” He knew
there was no real afterlife for the fallen . They wandered
aimlessly, absolutely harmless and constantly tortured, for
eternity, in another realm. He hoped the bastard enjoyed it, having
no pity for any being that would have torn his woman to shreds.
    The fallen dissolved until it was nothing but
a pile of ash on the carpet.
    Ethan heard a gasp and instinctively whirled to
defend himself, still in fight mode. It took him only a few seconds
to realize that the exclamation had come from his mate.
    She stood at the bedroom door, complete horror
evident on her face. He felt her fear and he didn’t like it. She
should never be afraid of him.
    Okay… maybe she had a slight reason to be
afraid. His eyes were still wild from battle, his clothing
covered in blood…and the living room looked like a war zone.
    He shrugged. It was pretty much a normal situation
for him, but it was obviously making his mate hyperventilate.
    Ethan quickly flipped his hand and the living room
righted itself in seconds. With another sweep he changed his
clothing and cleaned the blood from his body, new clothing
appearing in moments. He couldn’t immediately heal his scratches,
but they would disappear soon enough.
    Okay….everything good now? Ethan reached for
his mate with his mind… but she didn’t answer. She just continued
to stare at him with an appalled look on her face.
    Damn. Didn’t work! Ethan thought she would
feel better if he cleaned up, but it just seemed to freak her out
more. Oh hell… he didn’t know how to act around a woman anymore. Or
a human who didn’t know his nature! It had been four hundred years
for Christ’s sake! He guessed that perhaps he should hide a few of
his abilities until she calmed down.
    He started toward her, asking gruffly, “Are you all
right?”
    You just did your personal grooming in seconds with
your magic. The woman is human. She’s probably not exactly okay
with that.
    Ethan cursed himself as he tried to think of a way to
approach her without scaring her. Magic was as normal as breathing
in his world. It was difficult for him to remember that she was
human and not used to anything that couldn’t be explained by
logic.
    “Please don’t be afraid. I’m here to help. The demon
is gone. Remember me?” Ethan tried to activate her subconscious
memory as his mind reached for hers.
    Her mouth moved but no words came out. His eyes
pinned hers and held them steady. “Remember me,” he ordered
softly.
    Brianna shook herself, but her eyes were glued to
his. He held her captive with his gaze, and she couldn’t look away.
“The evil is gone,” she whispered in a trembling voice.
    Ethan nodded. “Yes.”
    Brianna slid down the wall as though her legs
wouldn’t hold her. Her gaze didn’t leave his as she asked in an
agonized voice, “What’s happening to me?”
    Ethan released her eyes with a sigh. She
remembered. Everything! And she