Spider Web

by Danielle James

  Michael was determined to teach his new family how to protect themselves. He sparred with everyone, including Jolice, because he knew the most about how demons fought. He was careful with Jolice, though. He could not hurt her, even if he wanted to. He had loved Shannon. He knew that. But time heals all wounds, or at least that was how the saying went. He didn’t consider himself over her, and he doubted that he ever would be. He knew that he would miss Shannon every day for the rest of eternity. He also took comfort in knowing that his friend, Gabriel, was taking good care of her. He now understood that he was never meant to be with her and that she would find her true happiness on her own. He knew that she was living her life, as she would have if Michael had never intervened. His heart still hurt from her loss, but Jolice brought him peace that he thought he would never feel again. She healed his broken heart and his broken soul. Because of her, he had his wings back. He had been lost, both in heart and soul, and she found him in more ways than he could’ve ever imagined. For that, he would be eternally grateful. He knew now that what he had felt for Shannon had been love, but it was nothing compared to what he felt for Jolice. He also knew that as an angel, he would never be allowed to be with her. He would not make the same mistake twice. He had been given a second chance and this time, he was going to prove himself worthy of his wings, even if it meant that he could never have her. He would protect her with his life and when the time came, he would leave her. It broke his heart all over again, but he would do it so that she would never know the pain of losing him.

  “Man, you are looking way too serious,” Nick said, slapping Michael on the shoulder.

  “I’m sorry, I was just thinking,” Michael replied.

  “Go, be with her,” Nick said. Of course he knew just how Michael was feeling; that was what Nick did.

  Michael grunted. “I wish I could, my friend, I wish I could.”

  Nick didn’t pressure Michael for more. He knew exactly how it felt to wait for his mate. He also knew that no matter how the angel felt about the witch, he would never act on it. Once bitten, twice shy was the saying that popped into Nick’s head. Speaking of bitten, he had a new wife to go to.

  He crossed the yard, a man on a mission. He walked right up to Jules and without a word, lifted her up and tossed her over his shoulder. “Nick!” she squealed. “What are you doing?”

  “We have business to attend to,” Nick growled as he marched her back into the house. He ignored the cat calls and hoots from his family as he took her inside and up the stairs. He walked straight into his bedroom and kicked the door closed behind him. “Strip,” he said. “Now.”

  Jules bristled at the command, but did as he said. It wasn’t because his stern voice sent shivers down her spine, but because she was nice and wanted to. Or at least, that’s what she told herself. She sent him a sly half-smile and slowly lifted her shirt over her head. Since turning into a vampire, she had the perfect body in her mind. She no longer had need of a bra, because her breasts sat perfectly on her chest. It was one of the things she liked about being a vampire. Her smile turned into a full blown grin when she heard his sharp intake of breath. She turned her back to him, taking away his view, and unbuttoned her jeans. She tucked her fingers in the waist and slowly pushed them down her legs.

  “You’re killing me,” he groaned as she turned to face him.

  “We can’t have that,” she said as she approached him. “Your turn.”

  It took Nick all of about one second to ditch his clothes into a pile on the floor. He stood in front of her, tall, lean, muscular, and gloriously naked. Best of all, he was hers. The black mating mark on his shoulders declared that to the world. Jules’s fangs elongated in her mouth as the need to mark him again hit her hard.

  “That is so fucking sexy,” Nick growled as he pulled her into a hard kiss. He fisted her hair while he ravaged her mouth. Jules could feel the need he felt for her and she understood, because she felt her own need roaring inside her. Tomorrow was the big day, and if this was the last time they would be together, it was going to count.

  Jules pulled out of the kiss and skimmed her razor sharp teeth along his neck. He held her head to him, expecting her to bite. She did not. She continued her path down his body and dropped to her knees in front of him. “Oh baby,” he whispered when he realized what she was up to. Jules ran her tongue along the ridge of his cock, enjoying the way it jumped at the contact. He was still holding her head, but allowed her to have complete control. She worked her way down to his balls, laving her tongue over it. She was rewarded with a pained groan from him. She licked her way back up to the head and then took him in her mouth. She opened her mouth as far as she could and took him until he was brushing the back of her throat. He had begun muttering incoherent syllables and she smiled around her mouthful.

  His half human blood called to her and Jules released his cock from her mouth. She licked and nipped at his skin until she got to the juncture where his leg met his hip. The large vein under his skin pulsed, and without thinking, Jules sank her teeth into that soft skin.

  “Holy fucking hell!” he shouted out. Jules took his cock in her hand and his ass in the other, and held on as he bucked wildly. “FUCK!” he roared as he came right there. Semen sprayed wildly onto her hand, her shoulders, and she was pretty sure it was in her hair. She licked the wounds closed and laid her cheek on his hip while the tremors subsided.

  He pulled her to the bed and sat down. “If I don’t sit,” he told her, “I’m gonna fall on my face. Holy shit that was intense.”

  “You like?” Jules smiled.

  “Fuck yes,” he replied. “And as soon as I can see straight again, I am going to return the favor.”

  Jules laughed. “I have never heard you say fuck so many times before.”

  Nick gave her a sideways stare and then jerked her body by the feet until she was spread out on the bed as he wanted. “I will probably be saying it a lot more tonight,” he growled as he lowered himself between her thighs.

  He dropped his head and shoved his tongue inside her without warning. Jules’s hips arched off the bed and her hands went into his hair. He ate at her like a starved man. “Heaven,” he growled against her core as he licked at her clit. “Mine.”

  As her orgasm built, Nick teased and pushed, but never let her fall over the edge. “Nick, please, stop teasing me,” she begged.

  “I want you to come while I’m inside you,” he told her.

  “Then get inside me!”

  Nick slid his body up hers and kissed her lips. She could feel the blunt head of his cock at her entrance and she tried to wiggle under him. When he broke the kiss, he hooked his elbows under her knees and pushed his hips forward. He entered her in one stroke. Jules screamed out her pleasure as he started rocking his body back and forth.

  Her orgasm crashed over her in long, luxurious waves. “Yes Baby, like that,” he moaned. Before her body stopped shaking, Nick flipped her over to her stomach. “On your knees,” he demanded.

  Jules brought her knees under her body and Nick ran his hands over her ass, which was now in the air. He ran his hard cock over the crease a couple of times and then entered her from behind. “I can’t hold back,” he warned her.

  “I don’t want you to,” she said with a sexy smile. Nick began moving faster until he was throwing himself into her. One orgasm after another rocked through Jules’s body. Neither of them spoke words after that as they pushed into each other.

  Nick folded his body around her back and bit into the back of Jules’s shoulder. Ecstasy crashed through her as he took her blood and her body. She heard Nick’s roar as he claimed her once again.

  CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

  They all stood side by side at the chain link fence separating them from the warehouse in the desert. They had approached under the cover of night. The place was desolate and hidden and they knew they had arrived undetected. Hell, no one in their right mind would have willingly sought this place out. Not unless they wanted to be food
for the coyotes. It really was a great place for the Dark Alliance to set up shop. They could have held this meeting in the middle of the day, and no one would be the wiser.

  Their little recon mission from earlier that evening proved that most of the important players were present, including Harwin and Franchesco, not to mention a multitude of other sentient creatures. It would not be an even fight. They were outnumbered by about a hundred, but they had the element of surprise on their side.

  Michael didn’t seem worried about the colossal number of demons. He had that demon killing light thing going on and he would take them out first thing, as many as possible, all at the same time. Phoenix and Jared were to deal with the vampires and shape shifters. There were only six of them. Jolice had perfected a spell to incapacitate anyone within a few yards of her. Victor and Rachel were to see to her safety, also taking out as many as she could incapacitate. Nick and Jules were to immediately go after Franchesco and Harwin, as the others would keep everyone else very busy. Andrew had very strict instructions to wait outside the fence. He wasn’t happy about it, but they couldn’t promise his safety if he entered the warehouse, and they needed someone to look after their families if things went very wrong.

  Jules glanced around, taking in the landscape once more. There was nothing but sand, the occasional cactus, or rock. The old warehouses were nestled into the east side of a large rock formation. It was well hidden. They would have to attack before dawn; the sunlight would certainly give them away. Nick also knew there would be no help for them once they went in, no one would hear the fighting, and no one could get there fast enough even if they could hear it.

  She felt Nick’s eyes on her, but didn’t return his gaze. She knew it would only make this harder. They had a job to do, and she couldn’t waste precious time worrying. And that was exactly what she would do if she looked into his eyes.

  But that was exactly what she was doing anyway; worrying. Even though she knew her family could hold their own, she couldn’t help but to be scared for them. She made the decision to do anything to protect them. Anything. Even if it meant giving her own life to do it.

  She looked over at him and he took her hand. He pulled her into his embrace for a moment. “Nick,” she whispered into his shoulder, “Please, be safe tonight, I…”

  “I know, Jules, I know.”

  He lifted her face and kissed her hard, as if it were the last time. Jules knew it very well could be and she kissed him back with all the love she felt in her heart. She became aware of her family doing the same thing. They were embracing each other and declaring words of love and wishes to be safe. Jules wanted to cry. She wanted to run and hide away from all of this. She wanted to go home and never have to feel this fear again.

  And then, too soon, it was time.

  Lights came on in the biggest warehouse; a dull yellow glow from a dozen light bulbs. Jules could hear light conversation coming from inside, but even with her vampire hearing, she wasn’t close enough to make out the words.

  Suddenly, she heard a sound from behind her. It was the light shuffling of footsteps. Two, maybe three people. Or creatures, she couldn’t tell the difference. Victor heard it too, and when they turned their attention toward it, it was too late.

  They were caught.

  Three vampires stood directly behind them. Instantly, Jolice began muttering her incapacitation spell. She didn’t get three words out before one of them leaped at her and held her by her throat.

  Michael lunged for the vampire holding Jolice, only to be hit in the head by another. He fell to the ground with a thud. He was knocked out.

  Jules shot like an arrow at the third vampire, perching herself on his back as she had done to Nick when he first told her what she was. It was successful. He twisted and turned in an attempt to free himself, but Jules was stronger. She held on with her strong arms, and concentrated. She tapped into the gift she copied from Victor, and willed the thrashing vampire to a sitting position.

  Victor had the vampire that hit Michael by the throat, raised up from the ground so that his feet were kicking wildly. She saw it in Victor’s eyes when he willed the struggling creature to sleep.

  Nick was trying a more subtle approach. He used the distraction Victor and Jules provided to get himself around and behind the vampire holding Jolice silent. Phoenix was approaching him from the front, hands out in front of him, palms up.

  “We don’t want to kill you,” he said to the vampire. “Just let the girl go. You can run away now and we won’t follow. Make a good choice man, you’re outnumbered.”

  “Go to hell,” the vampire spat at Phoenix. His eyes were blazing red with fury, his teeth bared.

  “I warned you,” Phoenix said calmly. Then he opened his wings. The vampire lost concentration at the sight. It was breathtaking, and it was the opening they needed. Rachel, who was the most gentle creature Jules ever met, pounced like a leopard on its prey. She connected, teeth first, with the vampires neck. It made a disgusting crunching sound as she bit down. The vampire let go of Jolice, and Jared jumped, transforming into the tiger midair. He lashed at the stunned vampire again and again. When it was over, there were pieces of the slain vampire scattered on the desert sand.

  They turned to the two remaining vampires on the ground. Victor woke the one sleeping and they stood around the pair in a tight circle. Victor continued to will them to sit, and Jules spoke to them.

  “What are you doing out here?” she asked to the first. When he didn’t answer, Phoenix hit him hard in the face. “Tell me,” she demanded, trying to use her gift for the truth.

  “We were standing guard, looking for you,” he growled at her.

  “How many more are out here?” she demanded.

  “Just two, on the north side. But they already know you are here.” He said this while tapping his temple. Great. Mind readers.

  With their cover effectively blown, they shook Michael awake, and, at Michael’s insistence, had Phoenix fly Andrew and Jolice out of there. Michael would not risk Jolice’s life. Jules silently wished Nick would have gone as well, but that would be like telling the sun not to shine. She knew he could hold his own, but he was half human and that part was more vulnerable. She was just going to have to keep an extra sharp watch over him. Phoenix did as he was asked and dropped the other two humans off on a small plateau in the desert cliffs, where he was sure of their safety.

  The two remaining vampires were killed by Jared and he scattered their ashes.

  “Well, they know we’re here,” Nick said. “How do you suppose we go about this now?”

  “Head first!” Michael said with a grin. No doubt he was ready. He had been a guardian for many centuries, but he was also a warrior.

  Nick took Jules’s hand in his, and they made one graceful leap together over the fence. Michael and Phoenix flew over, and Jared, still a tiger, jumped nimbly over like it was only a foot tall. They ran, or flew, with exceptional speed and precision, at the warehouse filled with the enemy.

  Once they arrived at the huge cargo bay doors, Phoenix lifted it open in one simple gesture. “Hello, boys!” he shouted into the room of Dark Alliance members with a huge grin on his face. Their heads turned in unison, their eyes full of disbelief. There were so many! Jules began to doubt their chances of coming out of this alive as the sound of many hisses and growls filled her ears.

  Michael wasted no time. He marched himself the center of the room and spread his wings. The heavenly light swelled from his inner core, shining so brightly that it hurt to look at. It was blinding. As the light emanated from him and crept through the room in an ever growing circle, demons were caught in it and burned. They screamed. They ran. There was no escaping for them though. The light was blinding and stole the senses of the demons, so even if they ran they had no sense of direction. They were scattering like cockroaches when you turn on the light, but all that scampering was in vain. Even the creatures not affected by his light were temporarily blinded. That was the cue.


  They surged forward into the large open space, head first. The sounds of flesh ripping and snarling teeth filled the night air. Jules worked as efficiently as possible, going straight for the kill whenever possible. Michael and Phoenix seemed to be enjoying themselves. She heard Phoenix’s booming laughter when he got a werewolf in his wings. Fire was everywhere, and smoke filled the warehouse. It burned her nose and stung her eyes, but she kept on fighting.

  Jules found herself surrounded. She saw out of the corner of her eye that Phoenix was swooping down to her side. Then they were both surrounded by wolves. They were enormous creatures, much larger than a natural wolf, with eyes that were clearly human. Jules and Phoenix turned so that their backs were touching and they could face both directions at the same time. The fire on Phoenix’s wings spread, and even though it was red hot to her skin, it did not burn Jules. Thank God for small favors, she thought, as a wolf made its move and lunged for them.

  Phoenix knocked it away with a quick motion of his right arm, but the others were now leaping into the loose circle around them. They stood there, back to back, fire and ice, working together in perfect harmony, fighting off the wolves attack. It reminded Jules of when she was a kid, her best friend in first grade and she would stand back to back and fight the neighborhood bullies. She found herself laughing out loud at the memory as she fought. The wolves probably thought she was just as crazy as Phoenix was, and at that moment, she kind of thought so too.

  She was vaguely aware of her family fighting outside their little circle, but had no time to see how that was going. Every time she thought they would break free of the wolves, more would attack. There must have been at least twenty.

  She saw Nick from the corner of her eye as he broke the neck of another vampire. He shoved his fist through its chest and ripped out its still beating heart. The vamp turned to ash and Nick moved toward her and Phoenix.