Prologue:
The hunger was excruciating. It was all she could think about as she prowled around the darkened club she'd had to sneak into. All she could think about was finding her next meal.
The redhead had just caught the eyes of an average looking male in her electric blue pools, a smirk had begun to raise the sides of her lips when a throb went through her, demanding she turn to face back towards the entrance behind her. A dark haired man wearing a leather jacket had just walked in. His life-force was tremendous. It was the largest she'd ever come across. The room reverberated with him at the centre of the pulses.
Before she could comprehend what she was doing, she'd crowded into him, pushing him back outside. He offered little resistance to her manhandling. Once she'd got him outside, she dragged him to the nearest alleyway where she proceeded to shove him against the wall and glue her mouth to his.
It was like an explosion in her mouth. Her jaw ached with the need for more. More, more, more! He was the definition of delicious.
She could feel his hands exploring her body. Tracing down her sides, sliding up her top over her stomach, curling around to her back. The touch left a burning trail behind. She couldn't get enough. Persistently pushing forward, a slight tremble went through her body, and a deep growl could be heard. The man's hands tightened around her before she was suddenly thrown over a shoulder, causing her eyes to widen, dimming back to grey with a yelp of surprise before they flared an electric blue again as she was placed into a black car.
Their breathing was heavy, hers bordered panting, as he drove. His hands so tight, the leather steering wheel groaned in protest. She let out small whimpers as she rubbed her legs together, the anticipation for their destination building the further they went.
Once they had parked up, the trip between getting out of the car and getting into a loft apartment was a blur of lustful touches, heated kisses and demanding shoves. They had removed their tops half way between the front door and the bed, they had been fumbling with each other's trouser zippers when the back of her legs hit the bed and they toppled down onto it.
Her body was drenched with his energy, her instincts encouraging her to drain him, but just being near his strong life-force allowed her hunger pangs to dim enough for her to come to her senses in order to remember the self-imposed rule. She wouldn't kill them if they weren't scum. And once she started feeding, she wouldn't be able to stop.
"Wait," She grunted as she pulled back from his intoxicating touch. He growled deep and low, but did as she said, stopping above her, his head buried in the side of her neck. She could feel the puffs of breath tickling her neck as he panted, her breathing just as laboured. "I'm Astrid."
"Derek." He grunted in reply as he pressed his nose further into her neck as he began to mouth at her collar.
She moaned as her eyes rolled back slightly. She quickly raised her hands to his shoulders and pushed slightly. "Wait, wait. I have a confession to make." She hurried out.
He sat back with an unimpressed and agitated look. "Seriously? Now?" He growled out.
"Trust me," She let out a panting laugh. "You'll have wanted to know this going in. It might just change your mind." It rarely did before, but she seriously didn't want to drain to one decent guy of his life because she didn't bother giving them a chance anymore.
Derek scrubbed a hand over his face before pushing it through his hair with an aggravated groan before snapping out a "What?" and glaring into her eyes.
For moment, it seemed like his eyes had flashed red.
"I'm only sixteen." Astrid admitted as she watched him wearily.
Derek seemed to freeze up as what she said registered. "You have got to be kidding me." He deadpanned with dark eyes.
"Noo." She drawled out as she squinted her eyes. It was make or break time. If he stopped, he'd have been the first person to do so in the year she'd begun her monthly feedings.
With a heavy sigh, he got up from the bed and walked over to pick up their tops, zipping up his flyer as he went. She watched him curiously. Was he really stopping?
Suddenly, her vision was blocked by a black vest hitting her in the face. A small "Mm!" of surprise escaped her as it fell into her lap.
"Put that back on. I'll drive you home." Derek commanded as he pulled his jacket back on.
Hope rose in Astrid for the first time in the year she had needed to kill to live. "Wait!" She reached a hand out to him. "What are you? You're not human, too much life-force."
Derek scoffed. "You can't tell? Are you newly turned?" He asked.
"I've been, whatever I am, for a year now. I don't know what I am and you're the first non-human I've met. Please, you have to help me." She pleaded.
Derek looked reluctant to help her. "Why should I? In what way would I benefit?"
"Uh... I could help you out! Yeah. Like, a live in maid, cook, and personal assistant all wrapped up in one while you teach me control!" She exclaimed excitedly. "Please. I don't want to die and I don't want to kill anymore." She whispered as she looked down whilst clenching her top above her chest.
It was silent for a moment and Astrid felt her eyes begin to tear up as her heart sank. He wasn't going to help. She was going to be alone again with this horrible hunger she couldn't control and she'd kill even more people because she was too scared to do the right thing and just kill herself. A growled sigh reached her ears as Derek tugged angrily at his hair.
"Fine." He bit out in agitation. "But first I'll take you home. Come by tomorrow afternoon, and we'll figure something out."
Astrid straightened so fast her back cracked. "Really?" She gasped out. "You'll help me?"
"Yeah." Derek grunted. "I'll help you, but in exchange, you'll be part of my pack, which makes me your Alpha, your leader, and you'll have to do everything I say from now on. Got it?"
"Yes!" Astrid shouted. "I can do that!" Her eyes began to glow purple in her happiness. It was the first time she had felt positive in a year. And it was because he was going to help her, protect her and give her a place to belong. She owed her sanity to him now, she would have lost it soon enough if he hadn't walked into that bar when he did.
"Great. Get dressed, I'll take you home for now."
"Ah." Astrid started. "I'm an orphan. I ran away from the place I was staying when I accidentally killed the guy I was kissing."
Derek sighed again, this time with exasperation. "I'm not giving up my bed. You can sleep on the sofa." He stated warningly as his eyes flashed red again.
"Aye, aye Cap'n!" She saluted him. At his continued glower, she scrambled off of the bed with a giggle, a beaming smile never slipping from her face. She was on cloud nine, she was finally going to belong somewhere, a place where she wasn't some freak.
As she was about to pass him, she lunged towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He stiffened almost before she even touched him, but that didn't faze her. She buried her face in his side as she whispered her gratitude. "Thank you, so much." She let go almost as quick as she had grabbed him and went to the sofa, where she sat down before twisting and flopping over onto her back with closed eyes, letting out a content sigh.
A few moments later, a soft rectangular material settled over her. She opened her eyes to see Derek retreating back to his bed before looking down at herself. He'd placed a black bed throw over her. With a grin she snuggled down into its warmth. She might still be starving for some sensual touches and another's life-force, but this was the most content she'd felt all year.
"Goodnight, Derek!" She called out cheerily. All she got in reply was a grunt, but it was the best grunt she had heard throughout her whole life. As she settled down, she let out the breath she felt like she had been holding in all year. It was going to be okay. She was going to be okay. And that was awesome.
