Hagen, Lynn - Montana's Vamp [Brac Pack 16] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) (3 page)

Rage tore through him at how cruel fate was. His mate was a fucking blood sucker! The word echoed in his head as white-hot fury consumed him. He stood as if an explosion had propelled him from the couch. His head fell back as a howl tore from his chest.

He spun around, his canines biting into his bottom lip as his vision blurred from pure anger at the situation. “Do what you want with him,” he snarled.

Montana stormed from the office, knocking things over as he made his way to the kitchen and out the back door. He shifted, his anger heightened when he realized that he had indeed fallen for the fireball in just a short time.

A blood sucker.
Damn it.

His feet ate up ground as he moved through the forest, pain weighing heavy in his heart at the irony of the situation.

* * * *

Gabby stared out of the window as the doctor drew blood. There was a large wolf howling and racing toward the forest. Was that Montana? The man probably hated him for not telling him as soon as they met.

Shifters and vampires weren’t known to get along. At least not from where he came from.

He felt like a part of him had left with the wolf, leaving him feeling cold and alone. Gabby couldn’t understand the feelings jumbled inside of him, feelings that had started to affect him since laying eyes on the big bald man in the diner. He rubbed his belly, wishing Montana was holding him again. He yearned to have those strong arms wrapped around his body, cradling him in his arms again.

Nicholas squatted down in front of him, his eyes smiling kindly at Gabby. “Can I ask you a personal question?”

Gabby blinked back the tears as he nodded, looking out of the window once more, but the wolf was gone.

“How can you be a diabetic and a vampire?”

Gabby shook his head, not really wanting to talk right now, which was out of character for him. He hadn’t acted like himself since meeting Montana. “I’m half vampire, half human. The blood that runs through my body is my own. Although, I do have to feed twice a month. With the vampire trait in me, the need is there. The thirst.”

“Do you need to feed? I don’t think my mate would like it, but if you need to…” The doctor held out his wrist and Gabby shrank back.

“No! I’ve never taken from a person. I’ve had one donor my whole life, and the doctor brings that person’s blood in a bag, heats it. I-I can’t bite you. I just…can’t.” Gabby became agitated. He needed to get out of here. The entire house was full of shifters. He wasn’t sure what they would do to him, and he didn’t want to stick around to find out.

“This doctor must regulate your medicine with the donor’s blood in mind. I need to know what you’re taking, the amount, and what type of blood you drank.”

Gabby shook his head as the feeling of hopelessness washed over him. “I don’t know the type. Can I leave, or am I a prisoner?”

Nicholas ran his hand through his hair, exhaling loudly. “You’re not a prisoner, but I don’t think you should leave. I can get you the things you will need minus the blood since I don’t know what type you need. Can you wait an hour until I can get it?”

Gabby eyes him warily, wondering if this was some sort of trick. He decided to trust the man with the kind eyes. “I can go after the blood. Promise it’ll be okay?”

Nicholas didn’t look pleased, but he nodded. “Maverick isn’t the kind of Alpha to hold you prisoner. He would never hold you here against your will.” The doctor took Gabby’s hands in his, as his eyes softened even more on Gabby. “What about Montana? Are you just going to leave him?”

Gabby looked back out of the window, sadness engulfing him and threatening to swallow him whole. “He left me.”

Gabby scooted over as the doctor sat down next to him. “His best friend was killed by a vampire. Give him time to adjust to the idea.”

His stomach rolled as his head started to pound. Reality came crashing down around him at the knowledge that Montana would never want to set eyes on him again. “So he hates me,” he whispered.

“Not you per se, but he does have a chip on his shoulder.” Nicholas patted Gabby’s knee as he stood. “I’ll be back in an hour.”

Gabby curled up on the bed, feeling like his world was imploding. Montana had called him his mate. Gabby knew about mates. The vampires had them as well. Was that the aroma he smelled in the diner? Was that why he felt the need to be in the large man’s arms? The tears ran silently at the loss he felt. This wasn’t fair. He couldn’t help who he was.

He must have dozed off because the sound of the bedroom door woke him. Nicholas came in and shut it quietly. “I have what you need.”

Gabby rolled over and accepted the black pouch. His trembling hands unzipped it, and he was shocked. Inside where a ton of alcohol pads, five syringes, three more bottles of his insulin, and even a glucose meter. He had been kicked out before he could retrieve his. He looked up at the doctor. “Thank you.” He zipped it back up and held it to his chest like it was the most treasured item in his life, and it was.

Nicholas smiled at him as he put his hand on Gabby’s shoulder. “If you need more, come to the Medical Center on the other side of town. Ask for me, I’ll make sure you get what you need. I’ll have to examine you though. I would like to talk with the doctor who treated you, get your records.”

Gabby knew that was impossible. Not even he knew how to contact the man. Any time he needed him, someone else summoned him.

Besides, shifters and vampires didn’t get along. Even though Nicholas was human, he lived with shifters. “Thank you,” was all Gabby could offer as he walked out of the bedroom and out of the front door.

* * * *

Montana sat naked on a fallen log, staring at the house, at the window his mate was behind. He twirled the twig around in his hand as he thought of his best friend. He had hated vampires for what they had done for so long, that he wasn’t sure he knew how to let it go.

Gabby didn’t look like them.

Montana smiled. Not with those little orange spikes growing wild all over his head and those breathtakingly beautiful green eyes.

Was he really willing to give up his mate to let that hate fester inside of him? He thought of those green eyes peeking over the back of that booth, widening in surprise when he had been caught staring. Just that fast he had wormed his way into Montana’s heart.

The news had taken him by surprise, knocked him on his ass. His pumpkin a vampire? Montana sighed, confused as hell.

“Scoot over.”

He looked up to see the naked warrior, Tank, standing there. Being nude around each other didn’t bother shifters. They had grown up with it, were used to it, but damn, that side of beef hanging between Tank’s legs...

“Pervert, move over.”

Montana scooted over, wondering how the hell Tank’s mate handled that.

“You don’t get a choice in who your mate is, Montana. Gabby was given to you for a reason.”

Montana twirled the twig around, staring down at it as he thought of the little fireball. Could he get past the fact that his mate drank blood? His eyes glanced around as he licked his lips, watching the warm breeze dance through the leaves of the trees. It had felt good having his mate in his arms. He wouldn’t deny that. His breath hitched in a small laugh as he thought of the look on his mate’s face when he knocked the needle out of his hand.
Pinch the fat.
Montana smiled. His mate was far from fat, healthy, but not fat.

“How do you let go of something you’ve held on to for so long?” Montana glanced back down at the twig, missing his pumpkin already. He didn’t feel hate toward the little fireball, just confusion.

“Hold your mate in your arms and then repeat the question.” Tank squeezed his shoulder as he stood. “Go to him, Montana. If you don’t, you’ll regret it.”

Montana sat there wondering if Tank was right. He leaned forward and placed the twig on the ground before standing. He would talk with Gabby, see how he felt about him before making a decision.

He smiled when he saw a folded pair of jeans and a T-shirt sitting on the ground by the kitchen door. Someone didn’t want to see his ugly ass strolling upstairs naked.

Montana pulled the clothes on, rubbing his hand over his bald head as he opened the kitchen door. Dawn would be here soon. He would have to cover the windows upstairs to protect his mate. No matter what his decision would be, he would never send the guy out into the sun.

He knew from what little knowledge he had about vampires that Gabby wouldn’t burst into flames, but he would blister pretty badly if exposed too long. He wouldn’t allow that to happen.

“Hey, I made a plate for you and your mate.” George pointed to a tray on the table with his spatula. It had bread, cheese, and some roast beef on it. It looked delicious. His stomach began to rumble just looking at the tray.

“In case no one has informed you, which in this house I doubt that, my mate is a blood su…vampire.” He’d have to remember not to use that insulting phrase anymore. Because no matter what happened, Montana knew he wouldn’t let Gabby go.

“Well, seems no one informed you, he’s a half-breed. Eats human food and all, go figure.” George snorted, disapproval clear on his face. Montana could tell George was being a smartass.

Wait
, did he just say his pumpkin was a half-breed? What did that mean? Well, he knew what it meant, but if he was half human, did he drink blood? A couple of the mates were half wolf. They couldn’t shift but still had the ability to extend their canines. Little canines, but still.

Montana grabbed the tray, anxious now to see his pumpkin. He hurried up the steps, balancing the tray in one hand as he opened the bedroom door, a newfound excitement racing through him.

Gabby wasn’t in the room. Maybe he was in the bathroom. Setting the tray down, he knocked on the door. When no one answered, he opened it.

The room was just as empty as the bedroom. Where the fuck was his mate?

* * * *

Gabby walked along the dark road past town. He clutched the black pouch to his chest as he watched every shadow, waiting for something to jump out at him. Kind of ironic that he was a night dweller and afraid of the dark, something else he had been picked on for.

He prayed no other shifter came by. Would they attack him? The ones in the diner hadn’t recognized him as a vampire. Maybe he would be safe. He needed to find shelter for the day.

His heart felt heavier the further away from Montana he went. “It’s not my fault,” he grumbled to himself as he kicked a rock that lay on the roadside.

Why did life have to be so dang hard? All he ever wanted was for somebody to love him and to have someone he could give all his pent-up love to. He had a lot of it to give.

Gabby’s step faltered when he heard a truck coming down the empty country road. He looked around frantically, but there was nowhere to hide. Pulling the pouch tight to his chest, Gabby ran over to the field that ran alongside the road, laying flat on his belly.

His heart leapt into his chest when the truck slowed down, stopping not even ten feet from him. The headlights flooded the early morning, making it impossible for him to see who it was. He heard the truck door slam shut.

Oh no, whoever it was must have spotted him. Gabby crawled backward on his stomach, praying that he wasn’t about to die.

Chapter Three

Montana looked over the hood of his truck. His eyes scanned the area until he spotted a little tuft of orange color lying on the green grass. He smiled. His mate really was trying to hide himself. Too bad his hair prevented it.

“I spy something orange,” Montana called out.

“T–Tanny? Is that really you?” came a small voice from the direction of the hair.