Katrina

For the first time in my life, there is no pain.

Although it's probably because I'm not alive.

A slow smile spreads across my face when I inhale the smell, still keeping my eyes closed.

It smells like him.

The afterlife is not bad at all.

I snuggle towards the warmth, but I am not as cold as I was in life.

Arms wrap tightly around me.

Grinning, I don't bother opening my eyes, because I don't care that this is some afterlife hallucination, because it feels real.

I extend a claw and shred a line down the shirt of the Fake Killian, who inhales sharply in surprise. Yes, definitely not Real Killian, because he is never surprised.

So similar to me in so many ways, yet different in so many.

I pull the halves of the shirt to the side, kissing along the plains of his muscular chest until I reach his Claiming Spot.

His chest still makes the same rumbling sound like it did in life, and it makes me chuckle softly against his neck.

"Something funny, darling?" Fake Killian asks bemusedly, winding his hands into my hair.

"You sound just like him," I say in disbelief, still laughing slightly, kissing that same spot, and I feel goosebumps raise on his skin.

"So lifelike," I mutter in wonder, my canines descending, resting on his throat. "It's good to know I didn't go to Hell."

Fake Killian stiffens. "You know you're alive, right?"

I pull my head back, laughing, and finally open my eyes. I can see, so I'm obviously dead.

"Hysterical, Fake Killian," I say, rolling my eyes.

His mouth twitches in amusement. "You think you're in Heaven because I'm here? Baby, you have no idea how much that inflates my ego."

I freeze, staring at his purple eyes, which only hold amusement and happiness. I move my eyes to his shirt, which has my blood staining it.

Blood from last night.

"No," I say in horror. Tears well up in my eyes. "No, I'm supposed to be dead."

The tears spill fast and Killian looks at me in a combination of confusion and panic.

"Katrina, what's wrong? You're alive, you're here," he insists, holding my face between his hands.

"N-No," I cry. "I can't be here. I'm supposed to be dead. The pain-"

The pain is gone.

"No," I whisper in disbelief. "No, this isn't possible. There was no other way-"

Killian's hands roughly grab the back of my head and neck and bring my face to his, and kisses me.

For a moment, I freeze, but my will crumbles and I give in to the storm that is Killian.

I kiss him back like my life depends on it.

Our mouths move against each other frantically, and I put my hands on the side of his face as he pulls me in top of him so I'm straddling his waist.

He breaks the kiss first, but his lips don't leave my skin as he slowly kisses along my jawline and down my neck.

"I told you there was another way," he murmurs, making me gasp when he presses his lips to my Claiming spot.

There's a crashing sound, and before I can blink, Killian flips me back on the bed.

I look up, completely dazed and surprised, and see Layla and Maryn running into the room, and they jump on the bed, screaming.

"I tried stopping them," Kage mutters, following Jae, Gabe, and Knox inside.

I smile inwardly, knowing exactly why he couldn't stop Layla.

Maryn moves to hug me, but Killian snarls at her, shifting himself in front of me.

Instantly, he cools off. "Sorry, Mar," he apologizes calmly.

Maryn just shrugs, and my eyebrows furrow.

"Can someone please explain what's going on?" I ask, still not sure if I'm alive or this is a very weird afterlife.

"Oh, Killian's wolf is all territorial because you almost died and he feels like he needs to protect you from threats, and doesn't want anyone near you," Gabe answers factually.

Killian sighs, and I suppress a smile, believing more and more every minute that I'm not actually dead.

"No, I mean, why am I not dead?" I clarify.

Knox frowns. "You didn't tell her?"

Killian grins wickedly, his eyes darkening. "We were otherwise occupied. Feel free to leave anytime so we can resume our, uh, activities."

Definitely not in Heaven.

I smack Killian's chest, scowling, and his grin just widens as he takes my hand in his.

Kage hands me the stupid red leather book.

I look at him questioningly.

"Just... Open it," Kage says quietly.

Sighing, I flip open the book to a random page.

"There's... words?" I say in disbelief.

"Not a thing gets past you, my darling," Killian says sarcastically, and I roll my eyes in annoyance.

Five minutes of being alive and I was already considering killing him.

"Seers," I mutter, reading the headline.

And then I read the entire section, Killian reading over my shoulder, mind linking what he reads to the others.

I'm too stunned to say anything. The whole time, I had thought that my visions with all of the blood was about the missing wolves, when it was my Sight trying to tell me how to save myself.

This didn't feel real, I couldn't believe that I had cheated death. In every vision I had seen, I was dead. Someone had to have made a split second decision, one they did not intend on making.

"You're a vampire!" Layla says gleefully once I'm finished. "Hey, can you try biting me? I want to know what it feels like."

"No," Killian and Kage say at the same time, equally harshly, and Layla pouts.

"She's not a vampire, Layla," Gabe corrects. "She just needs to drink blood or she dies."

"Vampire," Layla says seriously.

"No," Gabe argues. "Katrina isn't immortal. And she still has her wolf. And she eats normal food, she just needs blood sometimes."

"Vampire," Layla nods.

"No-" Gabe starts up again in frustration, but Killian interrupts him.

"As much fun as this vampire vs. werewolf debate is, Katrina and I have some things to discuss, so I'm going to have to pause the reunion for now," Killian says, his voice terse.

Maryn and Layla look at each other and giggle, nudging each other as they get off the bed, and they all say goodbye. I'm still frozen solid, too shocked to say anything or move.

I'm supposed to be dead.

Drinking blood... That is not natural, not what Nature intended.

"You're quiet," Killian says, pulling me back on his lap, concern etched into his face.

"I-I don't know what to think about this," I say, frowning. "I was never supposed to live past nineteen. And now..."

Killian's eyes shine in excitement. "We have time, Katrina. That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about."

I squirm nervously. "What?"

Killian, for once, looks nervous. "Before you left a month ago, I told you if you stayed, I would make you my Luna. I... I still want that."

My eyes widen. "Umm..." I say, caught off guard by the topic.

"And since now you aren't dying," Killian continues, looking more nervous with every passing second. "There's no reason we couldn't... be together."

"I can't be your Luna," I say quickly.

Killian frowns. "Why not?"

"I don't... I'm not..." I struggle to externalize how I feel. "I mean, you should be with a stronger wolf. From a stronger bloodline, make sure your heirs are strong."

Killian snorts. "I'm the Ultimum Viatorem. My pups will be strong no matter who I mate with."

I roll my eyes at his arrogance, no matter how true that probably is.

"And," Killian continues, putting his hand on the side of my face. "There is no other she-wolf on the continent I would make my Luna. If I can't have you, I won't have anyone. Crimson Shadow already accepts you as their Luna."

His words just confuse me further. "I don't-"

"Katrina, you're trying to come up with excuses because you're scared," Killian deadpans, stroking my face with his thumb as he looks into my eyes intensely, only making me more nervous. "You don't have to be scared. I wouldn't ever hurt you."

Not like Leo, is what he doesn't say, because it's clear.

"Yes or no, do you want to stay in Crimson Shadow?" Killian asks.

I swallow. "Yes."

"Yes or no, did you mean it when you said you love me?"

My heart pounds. "Yes."

"So just to be clear, you love me, you want to be in Crimson Shadow, but for some reason can't be my Luna?" Killian asks, smiling slightly in amusement.

"This is just... happening so fast," I mumble, looking away.

Killian snorts again. "I've wanted to make you my Luna since I saw you in Blood Lake nearly two years ago. Waiting for this has been the most painful and infuriating thing in my life."

I suppress a smile, and I'm about to respond when I cough. Not blood, just a normal cough, as I get a random, harmless vision of Onyx Knight with the former Gamma of Blood Lake.

Killian's eyebrows pull together. "Do you... need more blood?"

I wince. "No offense, but the idea of drinking your blood is horrifying."

The corners of Killian's mouth turn upwards. "Believe me, darling, you very much enjoy drinking my blood. Almost didn't leave any left for me."

Cringing, I tell Killian, "That really doesn't make me want to do it more."

Killian sighs. "You have to. You can either drink it of your own free will or I force-feed you. I'm equally okay with either option, my dear. But I'm not letting you get anywhere near death, so those are your two options."

I wince again, knowing that he's right. I don't really understand how the blood thing works, how much of it I need to consume to not die, but I feel better now than I have in my whole life.

I feel... alive.

"Fine," I say uncomfortably. "How..."

Killian extends his neck, pulling me up and closer until my face is by it. "Bite. Drink. Easy."

"I don't want to hurt you," I mutter, horrified by myself, that this is what I'm going to have to become.

Killian chuckles lowly, and for some reason, his eyes darken. "Trust me, darling, this won't hurt at all."

Hesitantly, my canines descend, and the vein in Killian's throat pulsates.

I squeeze my eyes shut before opening, not believing that I'm about to drink Killian's blood like a freaking vampire.

Shutting off my thoughts, I follow my instincts and bite into his neck.

Warm blood floods my mouth, and to my horror, it tastes good. I had tasted Killian's blood before when I bit his Claiming spot, and when it made me feel better, I had assumed it was because of my wolf.

Holy shit.

The answer was right in front of me the whole time.

Drinking his blood began to make my head spinning, in a good way, like alcohol, filling me with euphoria.

Still following my instincts, letting my body take control so I didn't overthink, I wrap my legs around Killian's waist. One of his hands goes to the back of my head, pushing it into his neck like he had done the first time I bit him, and the other one pushes my back until our torsos are pressing against each other. Killian groans as I rub against him, wanting more friction, my head still spinning, my body brimming with pleasure.

Finally, I unlatch my jaw and pull away, my thoughts still whirling.

Killian's eyes are completely black.

Killian grabs my jaw with one hand, and uses the other to wipe blood off of my mouth.

"Sorry-" I begin breathlessly, but before I can continue my apology, he flips us so I'm underneath him.

Killian dips his head to the base of my throat, placing a single kiss on my throat.

"What... What are you doing?" I stammer out, still trying to catch my breath.

I feel Killian's smirk against my flesh.

"My turn."

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