As the black smoke slowly dispersed, I began to see my surroundings again. The first thing I saw was the moonlight reflecting off the bushes. Then I felt the cool air against my skin. It felt good to be outside again.
My body suddenly moved and began searching through the bushes.
"Gone."
What's gone?
"My body is gone," Kongar said.
Are you sure? I asked.
"Yes," he said with a sigh. Then his smile spread across my face.
"Maybe I'll live in your body from now on."
Oh, no!
I couldn't let some witch-like dead being take control of my body.
"That's hurtful."
Hurtful?
He was claiming my body now, instead of just my heart. This was too much. I tried with all my strength to regain control of my body.
Was Arkan going through the same thing with Bozok?
"Kayra, stop!" he shouted, grabbing my head. "You're tearing my soul apart!"
I stopped when Kongar cried out.
Are you okay? I asked.
Why did I care whether his soul was being torn apart or not? Wouldn't it be my salvation if his soul disappeared?
My heart suddenly ached.
Kongar began taking deep breaths through my body. I think I had actually hurt him… his soul, I mean.
"I'm fine," he said, using my body to lean against a tree. "I'll recover in a moment."
I'm sorry, I said.
Kongar's faint smile spread across my face.
"I should be the one apologizing."
For what?
"Your body is mine now—"
When I tried to take control of my body again, Kongar couldn't finish his sentence.
Serves him right.
"Ah!" he groaned in pain. "Okay. Okay, I was joking… just joking."
I hope you were, I said, and pulled back again.
He took a moment to catch his breath.
"They shouldn't see you."
Who?
"The wolves."
Why?
"You're a vampire now," he said. "They might not want you."
Arkan will help me.
"Maybe."
What do you mean, maybe?
"He couldn't even protect you," he said, and suddenly, I felt my jaw clench.
Was he angry?
Don't worry. My heart is still beating, I said.
He was silent for a while.
"Yes, it is."
What was that supposed to mean?
"Let's go," he said, and black smoke began to surround me.
When the smoke dispersed, we were inside the pack house this time. The scent of wolves filled my nostrils, and strangely enough, I could actually recognize it.
"Your senses are developing."
It seems so. I hope that's a good thing.
Kongar dragged me from room to room. One moment, I was appearing in one room. The next, I was somewhere else.
"Where did that damn Lycan hide my body?"
Why don't you ask him?
Kongar froze at my question.
"You're right," he said. "Can you find out where Arkan is?"
Me?
"Yes."
How?
"You're a vampire now, and…" He paused for a moment. "…you're his fated mate. You can find him by following his scent."
What are you going to—
"…do?" I asked.
But I had said the last word with my own mouth. I brought my hand to my mouth in surprise. I could move my hands, too.
Had I taken control again? What about Kongar?
I looked around in fear and saw a shadowy mass of smoke in front of me.
"Kongar, is that you?" I asked.
The shadowy mass shifted, making a rustling sound, and circled around me. I guessed it was Kongar's soul.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. But I immediately regretted it. Because I could smell blood.
The scent was intoxicating.
As soon as I opened my eyes, I started running, following the scent. The smoke… Kongar, I mean, was trying to enter my body again as I ran. But I wouldn't let him. I was too hungry. We could find Kongar's body later.
As I followed the scent, I made my way upstairs. The scent grew stronger as I walked down the hallway.
Thump.
I stopped when I heard the sound of a heartbeat. It was coming from the room right next to me.
Thump.
Thump.
Before going inside, I took another deep breath, taking in the scent.
Amazing.
Kongar beat me to it and slipped under the door into the room. I quickly grabbed the doorknob after him, but it came off in my hand.
Had I gripped it too hard?
It didn't matter.
I tossed the doorknob into a corner and went inside. A moment later, the sound of the doorknob hitting the floor echoed through the hallway.
The first thing I saw when I entered the room was darkness. However, the moonlight cast a faint glow inside. Then again, I didn't need the light. I could see everything perfectly clearly. I took a deep breath.
This time, I could smell alcohol, too.
"Kayra."
Ah, that voice.
"Arkan?" I said, turning toward the voice. Was that wonderful scent coming from him?
When I turned my head, I saw Arkan sitting in a single leather chair. There was a desk behind him. When our eyes met, the blue glow in his eyes seemed to pull me in.
Thump.
Thump. Thump…
Its heartbeat seemed to be getting faster.
Was that Arkan's heartbeat?
When my gaze fell on his hands, I noticed that one of them was bleeding. So that was where the smell of blood was coming from. I immediately noticed the broken pieces of glass on the floor, too.
Had he cut his hand?
I couldn't take my eyes off his bloody hand. My breathing became uneven, and all the sounds around me suddenly faded away.
"Oh, no," I said in disappointment. His wound had already started to heal.
Why was it healing so quickly? The blood was just dripping onto the carpet and going to waste, too.
Without thinking, I lunged at Arkan. Arkan looked at me in surprise at first. When he realized I was running toward him, he opened his arms to me.
When I reached Arkan, I collided with him hard, knocking both of us to the floor along with the chair. Without wasting any time, I grabbed Arkan's injured hand and licked his healing wound from one end to the other.
"Hmm…"
Absolutely amazing.
"Kayra," Arkan said.
His voice was amazing, too.
I tried to lick every drop on his hand. Some of the drops had gotten between his fingers. I opened my mouth and started sucking on each of his fingers.
Ah, I was practically drunk.
As I sucked on his fingers, I started hearing Arkan purr. His voice was just as addictive as his blood.
When his wound had completely healed, I pulled away with a low grumble. Arkan protested my retreat with a soft growl, then quickly pulled me into his arms and sat down on the long leather couch in the room. Now I was sitting in Arkan's lap.
"Kayra," he whispered. Then he grabbed the back of my neck, pulled me toward him, and pressed his lips against mine. At first, I froze at the sudden movement, but it didn't last long. I grabbed him by the hair and deepened the kiss.
The room was filled with the sounds of both of us moaning. I couldn't get enough of him. Besides, I was genuinely hungry. Unable to hold myself back, I bit Arkan's lip.
"Ah."
At first, Arkan tried to push me away, but when he felt me licking his bleeding lip, he froze. Then I felt something stir beneath my hips. His reaction made me start rubbing myself against him, too.
I had never been so completely at the mercy of my own desire before. Not even the first time we were together. Of course, I couldn't control myself then, either. But this time was different. I wanted all of Arkan's blood inside me, while at the same time, I wanted him inside me, too.
Arkan's purrs drowned out the sound of our heartbeats. Every now and then, he growled as he pressed himself against me.
I pulled away from Arkan's lips and made my way down to his neck, leaving little kisses along the way. At this, Arkan grabbed my hair from behind and pulled it downward.
"Ah."
"You're mine… vampire," he growled. The growl shook my entire body, and I squeezed my legs tighter around him. Even his growl was enough to make me come.
When he loosened his grip, I quickly grabbed Arkan's head and tilted it to the side.
"You're mine, too, wolf," I said as I leaned toward his neck, ready to sink my teeth into it.
But a shadowy mass appeared in front of my eyes, and before I could react, it entered through my nose and filled my body.
Kongar had entered my body again.
I had completely forgotten about him.
As my body, under Kongar's control, pulled away from Arkan's neck, my hand rose into the air.
Then I slapped Arkan.