Chapter 6 Is She Yours? - Craven's POV

My undead heart nearly came out of my chest when Darren disappeared with Adele. I stood there for a moment, then moved.

By the time I reached the bottom of the stairs, Tyler was coming out of the kitchen with a look of dread on his face as he realized what I was about to do.

“No, you don’t.”

He blocked me from leaving, but that didn’t stop me from lunging and my hand accidentally getting to a beam of sunlight.

I hissed. “Ah, I hate this.’

“Why are you getting so worked up over Darren taking her out for a few minutes?”

I angrily rubbed my hand with the other as I stared out the door. They weren’t ten feet from the house, but his arm was low around her waist. Oh, it was going to drive me insane.

When I actually hissed out of anger, Tyler took a step back.

“What is wrong with you? Stop hissing,” he said, growling back at me.

I turned, a snarl forming on my lips. “Leave me alone.”

As if things couldn’t get worse, Arwen, our resident elf and healer stepped out of his room upstairs and yawned. 

“What is with all this noise? You’d think there was a battle.” He turned and found us at the door. “Why is Craven so close to the door? It’s daylight.”

“I think he’s jealous,” Tyler teased.

“Jealous?” Arwen asked.

“I am not!” I snapped.

Arwen’s silver brow raised. “You are. Is this over the newcomer?”

“Yes,” I bit out. “No. I don’t know what it is.”

“Could she be your fated—”

“Don’t even start,” I cut Arwen off. “We’re not speaking of this. Do you understand?”

My head snapped to the side, my eyes locking on his while he grinned down at me with a smirk that set me on fire. I was ready to stalk up those steps and wring his neck. 

Arwen glanced at the door, that infuriating smirk growing wider. “Would you like me to go with Darren and keep an eye on them? It looks like I’m free today.”

A low growl rumbled in my chest, sounding more like a wolf than vampire. “Do you have a death wish?”

Arwen didn’t even answer me as he came down the stairs and stopped near the door. “Well, here I am, Craven. Do your worst.”

He was calling my bluff. I knew that, but it still didn’t stop the urge to rip out his throat.

“Let me guess,” I started, then stopped. “You’re interested in her as well.”

Arwen flashed me a grin, his brows raising. “Oh, we all are. The moment you brought her home, she became ours to care for.”

The mere thought of having to share her made me irritable. I wanted her all to myself, though I had no right to feel that way. I didn’t even know her and hadn’t spent time with her. This feeling didn’t make sense.

Yet, I felt it anyway. I wanted her as much as I wanted blood, which meant that I’d do just about anything to have her. 

“For someone who ‌said they’d share if we were ever lucky to find a female, you look set on destroying anyone near her,” Arwen remarked. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’d go outside and beat Darren with the door you tore off the hinges on the way out.”

“It’s daylight. I’d burn,” I replied dryly, turning with a huff.

I glanced at him, then back at the door. He’s not exactly wrong. My thoughts were headed that way and I knew I couldn't stop them. Without hesitating, I stalked toward the door, staying out of the beams of light so I could look at her a little closer.

Her long auburn hair glistened in the sun. It was a captivating shade of red, one that reminded me of….

Blood.

My thoughts trailed off as Darren’s voice grew louder.

“Do you want to meet everyone else?” 

She stared at him with wide eyes. “I’ve met…Tyler, Craven, and you. I guess I need to meet the rest, right? They live here too and if I’m your guest—”

“They’d love to meet you.”

His voice was soft and unlike my gruff tone. When she smiled at him, it seemed the softness delighted her and that made me spiral worse.

Was she falling for him? Could he be winning her over with his soft demeanor?

I could see it now. He’d gaze at her with a straight look, his cheeks blushing crimson before he turned away. To women, it could be seen as adorable, while others would find it infuriating.

The stupid demon. He knew how to flirt to get what he wanted.

“Before I go in to meet them, can I ask what creatures they all are? I understand vampire, wolf, and you’re a demon. What are the others?”

He grinned. “We have a dragon and an elf.”

“So everyone else is a wolf, vampire, or like you.”

His grin turned feral. “I’m the only demon in this house.”

I rolled my eyes at his words. He was trying to be clever, making himself seem more important than he was in hopes of attracting her. Though she was intrigued, I wasn’t sure if she was buying it.

“I think I’m ready to meet them.”

They turned, and her eyes caught on the door. She found me first, then Tyler, and Arwen. Her eyes widened in shock.

“Oh,” she gasped.

I gave her a casual wave, trying to avoid the beams again. Her gaze narrowed when she noticed how I moved and flinched when I got too close.

“Can you not come out?”

“No,” I said, biting back a laugh. 

Darren rolled his eyes. “Vampires. He has a sun sensitivity. It won’t outright kill him the moment he steps out, but he gets a nasty sunburn quicker than others. Then, of course, if he is out too long—”

“I burn to a crisp,” I finished, not liking the fact that he explained it instead of me.

He turned, his grin returning. For one moment, we locked eyes and I knew then that he had noticed the jealousy rolling off me.