My Jealous Alpha Stepbrother
: DAMIEN BONUS STORY 8

Melissa

This is the best day ever!

I’m riding on my boyfriend, not in a dirty sense! No, god, no. Damien is still transformed into a white unicorn, and he is entertaining me by taking me on a forest ride. He neighs and jumps over a fallen log, and I laugh as I’m sent forward, forced to grip his mane tighter not to fall off.

A worried black eye meets mine, but I shrug it off. “I’m fine, worrywart!”

Damien neighs, and I giggle before stroking my hand over his beautiful glittering mane. “I promise.Now, can we speed this up a little? I want to go fast!”

He shakes his head and speeds up his pace, his hooves thundering against the ground as we go.

It’s so beautiful out here.

The night is crisp and clear, and the soft, hazy light of the moon is shining down at us from above. Damien’s mane is drifting in the wind, and I’m amazed when he takes us to a beach. His hooves strike out against the sand, and my eyes are drawn to the moon reflected on the surface of the water and the waves drifting in.

A smile curls my lips. “That is so gorgeous…is there any chance you could shape-shift into some animal that can swim and carry me over the ocean? A beautiful merman? A whale? Or why not a Kraken? A giant dolphin?”

‘Which one would you prefer?’ Damien asks in his melodic voice through telepathy. ‘I’m all ears.’

“Surprise me.”

Damien lowers his glowing horn and closes his eyes, his body starting to shimmer as he shifts forms. In a matter of seconds, he has transformed into a beautiful merman with the tail of an orca, black and white.

I gasp at the sight, feeling my heart race with excitement as I move around on his back. He is just as large as an orca, maybe a tad bit bigger, with black and white tattoos running over his upper body, which is that of a human.

“You look amazing, Damien!”

He smiles at me over his shoulder, eyeing me with his glowing red eyes. “Come on, hold on tight to my neck. I will take you on a ride you will never forget.”

I don’t hesitate for a second. I wrap my arms around his neck, and Damien uses his arms to crawl over the beach before kicking out with his fin. We are propelled forward, and I shriek when he dives into the water, taking us deeper and deeper into the ocean.

At first, I panic. I don’t expect myself to be able to breathe, but then I hear Damien laughing.

“I placed a spell on us. You can breathe and talk just fine,” he chuckles. “I hope you will like this tour.”

Instead of replying, I smile and hold on to Damien. He is swimming fast, and I can feel his power as we navigate through the water.

Suddenly, a pod of dolphins appears, swimming alongside us. I reach out to touch one of them, feeling their smooth skin under my fingers. It’s like I’m in another world, one where anything is possible.

After a while, Damien jumps out of the water, carrying me with him. We fly through the air, the wind blowing through my hair. I’m laughing, tears streaming down my face while adrenaline courses through my veins.

“Do that again!” I shout.

Damien chuckles before diving back into the ocean, pulling off a series of flips before rocketing back into the sky. I scream in delight, absolutely loving every second of this.

As we fly through the air, Damien suddenly slows down and points at something below us. “Look, Melissa! It’s a shiver of hammerhead sharks!”

I gasp in amazement as we glide toward the graceful creatures, watching them swim in large circles below us. “Wow, this is incredible!”

Damien nods, smiling. “It’s even more amazing when you’re a part of it. Just wait.” He dives down towards the sharks, and they scatter for a moment before regrouping around us.

To my surprise, Damien starts to sing. It’s a beautiful, haunting melody that echoes around us, and the sharks seem to be drawn to it. They swim around us, twisting and turning as if they’re dancing to the music.

I’m speechless, watching as Damien continues to sing under the water, drawing sharks and fish alike closer to us until we are surrounded by colors.

The colors are so vivid that they almost don’t seem real, but I can feel the water and the animals around me, and I know that I am not dreaming. Damien’s voice is like nothing I have ever heard before, smooth and silky, and I feel it like a warm breeze on my skin.

As the song comes to an end, the sharks slowly swim away, leaving us alone in the water once again. Damien and I are both glowing with happiness, and I feel a sense of closeness to him that I have never felt before.

“Thank you for this amazing experience,” I tell him, holding on tightly to his arm while I’m leaning onto his broad shoulder. “I will never forget it.”

Damien smiles down at me. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. And there’s plenty more where that came from, my sweet. We have all the time in the world to explore and have adventures together.”

I grin back at him, feeling like the luckiest person in the world to have him as my mate.

We make it back on land, and I laugh when Damien transforms into a silky smooth, fluffy animal that resembles a lamb to help me dry off. Once I’m done, he is back to his charming vampire self and carrying me toward a tree.

“I can walk by myself, you know!”

“But this is more romantic,” Damien peers down at me, clearly not at all bothered to carry me like a bride. “Wouldn’t you agree? Besides,” he leans in to place a k**s on my forehead. “I like holding you. It puts me at ease. I’ve never had a mate before, and I’m just…thrilled.”

I blush at his words, feeling my heart swell with affection for him. “I’m glad, Damien. I feel the same way.”

His lips form a warm smile that is almost out of character. He is so tender with me that I’m afraid he will all of a sudden stop treating me nicely, even though that’s silly.

“It’s definitely silly,” he murmurs. “I would never hurt you.”

“I know,” I place my hand on my cheek. “You’re my protector. My brave and handsome guardian.”

I’m rewarded by a smile with teeth for saying that, and Damien sits underneath the tree, his arms still wrapped around me as I sit in his lap.

“Do you think you’re going to like to spend eternity with me? I’m not boring you, am I?”

“Boring me?” I snort. “Heck no. You make me feel more alive than I have in ages.”

Damien’s response to my words is to hold me in his strong arms tenderly, and I can feel his heated breath on my neck. His embrace is gentle but passionate, and I can sense the love pouring from him. This moment is filled with romance and our deep connection to one another.

I don’t want ever to leave.

This is my happy place.

The moon’s light filters through the branches, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Damien leans in, his lips brushing against my neck. It’s a soft, tender k**s, full of love and warmth, and I feel my body responding to his touch.

His lips leave my neck, and Damien holds me close. “Melissa, there’s something I need to tell you.”

I feel a twinge of anxiety in my stomach, but I nod, encouraging him to continue.

“I know we’ve only been together a short time, but…I can’t imagine my life without you. You’ve changed me, Melissa. I was lost before I met you, and now I feel like I have a purpose, a reason to exist. Before I met you, I was just a grumpy powerful vampire. But now, I can use my powers to make you happy. To make you smile. It fills me with motivation. I love you, Melissa.”

My heart swells with emotion at his words, tears prickling at the corners of my eyes. “I love you too, Damien. More than anything in this world,” I take his hand in mine, interlocking our fingers. “And I’m glad you chose me as your mate. I’m looking forward to spending an eternity with you.”

Damien’s eyes meet mine, and I see the love and adoration reflected in them. He leans in, capturing my lips in a passionate k**s that leaves me breathless.

As he pulls away, Damien smiles before his expression turns serious. “There’s something else I need to tell you, Melissa. Something important.”

I feel a knot form in my stomach, suddenly apprehensive. “What is it?”

“I have enemies, Melissa. Powerful enemies. And they will stop at nothing to destroy me and everything I hold dear, including you.”

My heart skips a beat at his words, and I can feel the fear and uncertainty creeping in. “What kind of enemies? Who are they?”

Damien takes a deep breath, his expression grave. “Vampire hunters. They have been after me for centuries, and I’ve always managed to outsmart them. By staying with my family, that are werewolves, the hunters stay away, but… this is the reason I’m living with my family. I hope you don’t mind that decision.”

I snort. “Isn’t it also because you love them?”

Damien chuckles, shaking his head. “Well, that too. But they do offer protection, which is why I asked if you would like to live with us. It’s safer that way.”

I nod, feeling a sense of relief, knowing that I will be protected. “Of course, I will stay with you and your family. I trust you, Damien. And I know you will do everything in your power to keep me safe.”

“Absolutely,” Damien pulls me into his arms, holding me close. “I will never let anything happen to you, my sweet. I will protect you with my life.”

“Smooth-talker.”

He laughs. “Do you hate it?”

“No,” I whisper. “I love it.”

“Good answer.”

I snuggle into his embrace, feeling safe and loved. And as we sit there, under the moonlight, I know that no matter what challenges we may face in the future, we will face them together as mates.

I close my eyes as I lean against Damien. “Damien?”

“Mhm?”

“Do you want me to turn me into a vampire?”

He is silent for a while. “No, but…if you want to, I could. I mean, my reason to keep you human is entirely selfish.”

“Why do you want to keep me as a human?”

There is a dark chuckle, and I shudder when he flips me over and comes down to nip at my neck. I laugh in surprise and try to fight him, but he is stronger and licks my neck. It tickles like hell, and I snort.

“What are you doing, you weirdo!”

Damien laughs with me, and eventually, he stops tormenting me and instead presses a k**s to my neck. “I wish to keep you human so that I may drink from your b***d.”

“Oh, so that’s what you meant by selfish.”

“Yeah…”

I beam up into his face. “I don’t mind,” my hand cups his warm cheek, and I blush when he smiles. “In fact, I prefer it—don’t get me wrong, though. I think vampires are sexy, but I rather not drink b***d myself.”

Damien breathes a laugh. “You really are perfect, you know that, right? The best mate that I could have ever picked for myself. I love you.”

My heart swells. “I love you too.”