The Vampire’s Servant
Chapter 55

When we returned to the house, I found it bustling with activity. The rogues were getting their orders for returning home. Marius was pacing in the entry way while Talia was trying to soothe him. I tried to mount the stairs to go see Echo, but they stopped me. "Dillon and Jean-Claude are with her, they're finishing cleaning her up and getting her into her pajamas. They'll let us know when someone can go see her." Talia told me. I looked to Grayson. He appeared as upset to hear that as I was. He let out a small growl.

Bellamy walked over and slapped him on the chest. "Don't start. She's in a fragile state and they said she hasn't woken up at all. Neither one of them is interested in your female. This is what they were here to take care of. None of that possessive bullshit, Gray. She needs you caring, not posturing." She scolded.

Shame and embarrassment crossed his face. He hung his head. I understood. The idea of another male touching Echo put me on edge as well.

"She didn't wake up. We weren't able to get any real food into her. Once she's up, we'll get her fed. With how much blood was on her clothes, it could be a while. For a wolf, I would say half a day, for a human, more. I have no clue on a dhampyr. Did you want me to prepare her food with blood in it?" Bellamy asked.

"If Echo needs blood, I want her to know it will be there. I would rather not force her through hiding it. With the way you make it taste like there is no blood at all, I might see if she would be interested in trying blood foods. I would never lie to her about it." I told her.

"Good. Looks like the boys are done. Echo will need the two of you. I see those marks. Mates are important to healing, no matter the species. Even humans heal better around the people they love. Let's go." She smiled and waved us up the stairs.

We followed her up to Echo's room. She opened the door and I saw Echo laying in her bed. She looked like she did whenever I would check in on her in the middle of the night.

I hadn't realized how tense I'd been until that moment. Seeing her peacefully sleeping in her bed, it made me suddenly realize that I had to know for sure if she was my Solus Amor. I couldn't go on not knowing until her death.

She would be reported to be my bride to the rest of the council. Having the title of 'The Hunter' would be a bigger threat than just being Victor Nightshade, especially after this business with Darknight. No one would take her again after the revelation that she was Master Marius' daughter came to light.

"Bellamy. Talia said you can tell if she's my Solus Amor. Please. I need to know. I'll step back from my pursuit and help Grayson more if she isn't. Don't think that will free you of me, Grayson. Not all vampires have a Solus Amor. If I don't have one at all, I'll still be your competition." I smirked at him.

"I'll win. No matter how hard you work, I'll be working harder." He chuckled.

I turned to her. Bellamy had her lips pressed in a tight line. I knew she didn't approve of our competition. She wanted me to be friends with Grayson and share Echo's heart. Or wait my turn, for her to pass into her next life.

"I'll check. I can tell the strength of your connection, how close you are, to your mate. I could tweak the connection for a response, but I don't think you'll get much. She didn't react to being bathed or changed at all." Bellamy warned. "Please. I need to know." I insisted.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them, they were focused near my heart. Bellamy looked closely.

"I see two connections. Both are strong." She said.

"One is the marriage bond with Echo. The other would be the connection to my Solus Amor." I told her.

"Yes. I can see that one of these connections is new. It's strong, but also delicate. The other seems well-worn. I'll just tug the older one a bit." Bellamy smiled slightly.

She reached out as if she was touching something. I felt a stirring in my chest that made me long for my Solus Amor. It made me need the comfort of her arms. Bellamy hooked her fingers around it and tugged toward me. "No! Please, stop! Don't leave me." Echo whimpered.

I grabbed Bellamy's wrist and stopped the pulling. When Echo calmed, I let go and Bellamy's hand jerked forward. Echo started crying hopelessly.

Grayson and I hurried to her. He looked up at me with an upset look

"You really had to test it that hard?" Grayson hissed.

"I needed to make sure it wasn't a nightmare or a coincidence. Get on that side of her in the bed. She needs us for comfort." I told him.

He went over, took off his shoes, and crawled onto the bed gingerly. I got onto it from the side nearest the door. There wasn't a lot of room for the two of us, but Grayson would be less comfortable in a room filled with my scent.

We laid on our sides, close to Echo. Her crying subsided as she reached out and grasped our shirts. She really was my Solus Amor.

"I'll go grab you each a pillow from your rooms. Looks like you're stuck there for the night. Lucky girl, having two mates." Bellamy chuckled. "Just make sure you're thinking of her. I know it's easy to think of yourselves and think you're thinking of her. I've done that with my own mate before. She's going to be fragile for a while after all this. If I see either of you pushing her, I'll kick your asses." She finished seriously.

We nodded and she left. Grayson didn't seem to know what to do with his free arm. It seemed like he wanted to touch her. I did, too.

"Just lay your arm across her middle." I suggested.

He looked shocked, but did as I instructed. Echo relaxed under the weight of it. I laid my arm just above his and her grip on our shirts loosened. Echo's hands went to our arms and settled on them.

I watched her face. She smiled a little and gave a quivering sigh.

"She's beautiful." Grayson whispered.

"We have to be better for her. Bickering will cause her stress. I'll work on my issues with werewolves if you work on your issues with vampires." I said.

"You're talking like this is a forever arrangement. This is only until Echo tells you she chooses me." He stated.

"We only just got her back and you're reverting to your childish self, Grayson? That won't win you Echo's heart." I chided.

"At least I'm not a cold, bloodsucker." He growled.

Echo whimpered. A little frown furrowed her brow. It froze the snarl that was working its way out of me.

"Stop fighting." Bellamy scolded from the doorway. "Didn't you hear me when I said you need to think of her? Before they took her, did she seem to like the idea of you two fighting? Did she like it when you were upset? From what I understand, Echo didn't like any conflict in her life." She walked in and put my pillow behind my head, then did the same for Grayson. Her eyes were on where our hands were. I looked down and saw that we'd both been gripping Echo around her waist. I relaxed my grip.

"You two need to work out your differences and stop fighting over her, at least until she's healed. I'm here for another week. I want to see you two getting along better. This is your final warning." "Sorry, Bellamy." We murmured.

"I'm going to call my mate and go to bed. I'll let you off from training in the morning, Gray. I expect you at the very next one after she's awake." She said as she headed out the door. "Get some sleep."

The realization of what staying by Echo's side meant dawned on me. I was going to have to sleep here for the day. If she woke in a bed with only Grayson, Echo might think something untoward happened. She would know I wouldn't permit it.

"Grayson, you need to sleep. I won't have the option to stay awake at some point and she'll need someone to explain what happened to her. I can wake you before the sun takes me for the day." I told him. "You'll trust me?" He asked.

"I'll have to. You won't toss my body into the sun, will you?" I questioned.

"No. I need to think of Echo. If your marks are like ours, it would hurt her if you died. Even if they're not, I'm pretty sure it would hurt her. I don't want to do that." Grayson said softly.

"Sleep. I'll message my supports so they know that I won't be available for a few nights."

Grayson got comfortable and took a couple deep breaths before closing his eyes. I knew it would be hard for him to relax with the scent of vampire around him, but he fell asleep more quickly than I thought he would.

I watched them both sleep for a while. Having Echo back made me happier than anything else had in centuries. It put me at peace.

Pulling out my phone, I contacted Talon and Silence. They gave me their report for the night and I put Silence in charge of the territory while I was occupied. I trusted her and Drew more than Talon and Penelope.

I worked on other things I could do with my phone without calling anyone. I wanted to have things handled so I could focus entirely on Echo's healing. Marius texted me that Verity had already started talking. He was passing relevant information to Bellamy and would fill me in when we could talk.

-

After a couple hours, Echo started moving. I put my phone in my pocket and turned my attention to her.

She started rubbing her gums. It can take a little while to get used to fangs, but I didn't know why hers were coming out. Maybe she was hungry.

I started moving away to go get her something to eat, when she was suddenly on me, pinning me to the bed. Her eyes were still closed. I realized it was her instinct taking over. Echo was still deeply asleep.

Her head dipped down to my neck and I felt her licking my skin. I knew what was coming. My body was reacting to the anticipation to having her bite me again.

Echo's fangs slipped into my skin smoothly. She was a natural at feeding. Even asleep, she'd made sure the biting spot was numbed.

As she drew blood from my body, she sighed and moaned in the most enticing way. Her body writhed on top of mine. I groaned at the feeling of her on me, her scent so tantalizingly close.

"What the hell?!" Grayson hissed.

I looked over at him. "She's hungry."

"Your fangs are out." He said.

"I'm controlling myself. Though, it's not easy. I think she's almost done." I told him as I felt her pulling back and sealing the wound.

Echo laid her head on my chest and sighed happily. I couldn't help but smile. Wrapping my arms around her, I held her tightly for a few moments. I needed to relieve the pressure I was experiencing from having my mate feed on me. "Grayson. Take her off me. I need a few minutes." I whispered.

He didn't look happy about it, but he rolled her onto the bed. In the few moments it took me to get off the bed, I heard him whimper. Turning back, I saw Echo licking his neck, right over the mark she'd given him.

"Relax, Grayson. She's about to bite." I warned him.

"Oh, goddess, I want her to bite me." He groaned.

As if answering his wish, I saw Echo strike. I made my way to the restroom to handle my situation while she fed. We hadn't thought of this possibility. Darknight got her hooked on blood. Her body craved it. He must not have let her have anything else. When I returned, Grayson was twitching and breathing heavily. I knew he was fighting his wolf, and went to pull Echo off of him. She had finished her feeding, and was resting on him like she had me.

He growled, then looked apologetic. "Sorry. That was Rex. Thanks. I didn't know how much longer I could fight him."

"Just keep reminding him of how angry she'll be with you if she wakes up with a mark. She didn't mark us intentionally. We can't just mark her because she did it to us. That would hurt her more than it would help."

"I do. He's getting there. Thanks for taking her. I'm... umm... I'm gonna go to the bathroom. Excuse me." Grayson mumbled and rushed from the room.

I placed Echo back in her bed and covered her up. She snuggled down under the blanket. I went back to my side of the bed and slipped in next to her, taking Echo's hand in my own and watched her sleep more. Soon, she'd be awake and I would truly have my Echo back again.