“Dad—”
“Listen to him.” His mother stood near the window, tears streaming down her face. “I don’t want to see you dead, and without Dad here to protect you under Keith that’s what’s going to happen unless you wise up.”
“Son.” His father turned to him. “He won’t let you and Rachel leave, and we have no choice. He sees me as a threat. You’ve got to be smart, bide your time, and when the time’s right, you’ll know what to do.”
“I wouldn’t leave her.”
“Then get her and Rachel out of here.” Dad nodded. “But make sure you can escape, otherwise the three of you will be dead.”
Before she could understand who, the vision ended, sending her spiraling forward into the next one. Slamming into the next vision, she realized she was standing in Keith’s quarters. Sparks was alone with him, and that alone sent fear soaring through her. Being in his presence alone rarely resulted in anything good, normally there was a lot of bloodshed and screams.
“You need to stay away from her,” Keith boomed. “She’s not your mate.”
“Sir—”
“I’m warning you, if you press me on this, you won’t like the outcome for either of you.” Keith turned to face Sparks. “You’ll be putting your sister’s life in jeopardy, too.”
“We’re friends. That’s all,” Sparks tried to reason with him.
“It better stay that way.” Keith took a step toward Sparks. “She’s weak, and you have much potential. You need someone strong by your side. Someone who can handle the things I have planned for you.”
The thought of Keith’s plans for her mate tightened her chest. No matter how much Keith tried, he wouldn’t have been able to turn Sparks into the man he’d envisioned. Her mate was kind and caring, he wasn’t malicious and sadistic like Keith.
As the memory began to fade, she had a moment to wonder if Keith had known they were mates? If so, why had he kept them apart? Before she could give too much thought to it, she was sucked into another memory.
“Who the fuck gave her permission to go to him?” Keith raged, his eyes already glowing with his beast.
“I did.” Sparks stepped forward.
“You what?” Keith stalked toward him. “You gave her permission to enter his chamber?”
“Sir, he’s not like us. He wouldn’t have survived without medical aid. She—”
Keith backhanded him, hard enough that blood splattered out of Sparks mouth. Still Sparks didn’t look away. He kept his gaze on Keith, defiance clear in his eyes. “Take him downstairs. Wolf will no doubt want to deal with him for allowing Henry any relief. Maybe afterward I’ll have some fun with him.”
Every muscle in her body tightened with knowledge of who he meant and the entire situation.
“Stay with me, Mer. It’s almost over.”
Even as the vision played out in front of her, she knew she wasn’t there. She was still in Alaska, cuddled in bed with him. Needing the contact, she wrapped her arm around him, clinging to him. This was what he was hiding from her, and there was nothing stopping it now.
Sparks laid chained face down on the table, a heavy collar around his neck, wrist and ankles. But those weren’t what stole her breath. It was the rack lowered from the ceiling until the silver blades buried in his skin. She knew from her own experience the blades were just over an inch wide and could be driven into a person’s skin several inches. Not deep enough to kill a shifter, but enough to torture the victim to the point of going rogue. Silver was the one thing a shifter couldn’t heal from quickly, and the burning sensation it caused would drive someone insane if left there long enough.
“You fucking idiot. Is that bitch worth this?” Keith snapped as Wolf lowered the blades another notch, causing new blood to seep from the wounds. “Henry was meant to suffer, but you let her ease his pain. Now you’ll suffer in his place. Anytime you want to trade places with her, just holler. I’ll have a guard outside, listening. She deserves this, not you. You’re just like your father, both of you are too stupid to realize the truth. Your family has been nothing but trouble, always trying to protect those who deserve a painful death.”
“Sparks!” she screamed, even though she knew the one she was seeing couldn’t hear her. She wasn’t there with him, at least not that version of him. Still she could feel the pain he was suffering as if it was hers.
“Almost, sugar. Hold on, sugar.” Sparks words echoed through her thoughts on top of the vision, grounding her a little.
Twelve hours. He laid there, the silver blades irritating his skin and his beast clawing at him, demanding a shift, yet with the collar around his neck and chained to the table, he was helpless. Still he never called out. He could have gave her up and released himself from the Hell he was going through. He suffered through it because of her, and it added to the heartache.
“It seems you’re stronger than I give you credit for.” Keith hit the button, rising the rack from Sparks back, revealing dozens of inch wounds along the back of his body. “But we’re not done yet. Wolf allowed me the honor of round two.”
Another guard stepped into the room, a large bucket in hand as he came near the table where Sparks waited.
“Do you want to change your story yet? I know she went there by herself and without your permission. However, if you’re determined to accept her punishment…” Keith paused before leaning closer. “Last chance.”
Unmoving, Sparks remained quiet as if waiting for whatever Keith came up with.
“Very well.” Keith stepped back and nodded to the guard. “One hour and the guard will release you.”
As Keith strolled from the room the guard lifted the bucket higher, but he hesitated before spilling the liquid. “Trust me, take his offer.” Still Sparks stayed silent. As if realizing he wasn’t going to change his mind the guard nodded. Resigned to his duty, he mumbled, “I warned you.” Tipping the bucket, liquid splashed out, spilling over Sparks naked and tortured body.
The agony stole her breath as every cell of her body felt as if they exploded as the burning sensation bloomed through her. Bleach, Keith used bleach on him. Tears rolled down her face as she watched her mate suffer through what should have been her punishment.
As quick as the pain bloomed, it was gone and the vision ended with it. “Oh, Sparks!” She clung to him, tears freely falling from her eyes. “You should have told him the truth.”
“Never, sugar.” He rolled toward her, pressing the front of their bodies together. “Never.”
“It’s my fault.” Her fingers trailed over his back, feeling each of the wounds she caused. Her heart broke a little more with the knowledge of how deeply he suffered to protect her. “My actions and you suffered for them. Now I realize why you didn’t want to tell me.”
“Don’t, sugar. I’d do it again.” He pressed his lips to her forehead. “I never wanted you to know, and I sure the fuck never wanted you to see that.”
“You might have gotten your way, but life threw us a curveball and made us mates.” She clung to him tighter as if terrified if she let go, he’d slip away from her. “My mate, my protector. I love you, Sparks.”
Before Sparks could speak, the mating bond flooded toward him, spilling her past through him. Most of it was how he expected, yet seeing it play out before his eyes made him wish he could have done more to protect her. His sweet Merrie had suffered greatly at the hands of their former Alpha, to the point it had nearly sent her rogue, and he’d have lost her forever.
“Henry,” She whispered, nearing the side of his bed with the first aid kit in hand. “I’m just going to clean your wounds and patch them up. Would that be okay?” She hesitated, as if waiting for an answer or some sign, he’d allow the comfort she was offering him.
Sparks wanted to scream at her to stay away but he knew it was pointless. This was the past, nothing could change it. He’d been too late to protect her from Henry’s attack. He needed to remember he’d been there to save her from herself.
Sitting o
n the edge of the bed, she placed the supplies she needed on the mattress and begun her work. Removing the blood from his skin had taken time and created a large stack of used gauze. It wasn’t until she begun to clean the wounds that Henry even roused. The new pain had served to bring him back from his unconscious state.
“Why won’t they learn this will only make things worse?” With her gaze on his wounds, she hadn’t realized his eyes were open.
“They sent me a reward,” Henry’s voice was low as he wrapped his hand around her wrist.
Startled the antiseptic ointment she had in hand dropped, hitting against a large diagonal slice along his stomach and the rage bloomed in his eyes. Snarling, he was off the bed, pressing her against the wall in a flash. Henry might not be able to shift, but he still had the speed and strength of a shifter.
Something caught the light, sending a shimmer of reflection around the room, and for the first time Sparks saw Henry use the item he’d found in his room after Henry had disappeared. A glove, with sharpened knives sticking out, as if to resemble a tiger’s paw. Five long, sharp knives. Before Merrie could react, he swiped the glove across her midsection. Her eyes widened with pain as blood stained her pale blue shirt and dripped down her body.
“Henry…” The softness in her voice startled him enough he pulled back, the glove still in hand but now lowered to his side.
As if realizing this might be her only chance, she kept her gaze on him and stumbled toward the door. She didn’t bother to collect the evidence of her visit, her only thought was leaving. A roar echoed as she managed to stumble from Henry’s holding chamber and into the hall.
“Hold on, sugar, I’m coming.” He knew in seconds he’d be there because this was the part of the vision he’d been part of. He’d felt a sliver of her pain and knew what had happened. At that time he hadn’t questioned it, he just went.
He could feel how close her tigress was. Too close, closer than he’d known at the time. He shouldn’t have been able to protect her from her tigress, but he had. He tried to remember that as he watched her fight her beast.
Unable to keep moving down the hall toward where she knew others would be, she leaned against the wall, sinking down to the floor, her arm around her waist as if that would slow the blood. The decision to die rather than shift had already been made.
“Sparks…” Her voice broke. “I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry for. You’re going to be okay. I’m coming.” He hadn’t realized he spoke those words aloud until he felt her fingers caress along his cheek.
“You came for me,” she whispered still clinging to him. “You saved me from myself.”
“Mer.” His arms tightened around her, pulling her snug against his body. “I didn’t realize how close your tigress was then.”
“Me either,” she whispered. “You saved me, you gave me the strength I needed to fight back.”
I shouldn’t have been able to. We weren’t mated yet, and I’m not your Alpha. Even as the thought passed through his mind, he wasn’t ready to voice his concerns.
“I felt that.” Sliding her hand along his face, she worked up until she tangled her fingers into the strands of his hair. “You’re stronger than my tigress, she accepted that and allowed you to pull us back from the edge. She recognized you for what you are to us, even if our human sides didn’t. We’re mates and our tigers knew it then.”
“If I hadn’t been there…” Unable to finish he pressed his lips to her forehead.
“I know.” Her words were soft. “But you were. By then I was already losing track of time as my tigress fought for control. I knew it was only a matter of time before I’d lose control completely, but I didn’t know what to do. Keith would have seen this as weakness and would have…”
“You should have come to me.” He told her because he too knew Keith would have killed her for not being able to keep her beast under control.
“None of it matters now.” She snuggled into his embrace. “I’ve regained control over my tigress, put the past behind me—at least I hope—and we’re together.”
“You trusted me then. I could feel it before the vision ended. You knew without a doubt I wouldn’t allow your tigress to take control. So now with us linked through the mating bond you should know I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” He rubbed his hand down her back. “Your past, our past, it means nothing now. It’s the future that matters. The triggers waiting for you in Ohio, you won’t be facing them alone. I’ll be there and together we’ll get through them.”
“I know.” Her words were barely above a whisper but the conviction in the statement could be felt strongly through their bond.
Mated for all eternity, they were in this together. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Chapter Nine
With the morning light streaming through the curtains Merri snuggled closer to Sparks, not yet ready to face the day. Mixed feelings surrounded the return to Ohio until she wasn’t sure if she was excited or terrified about the trip. She longed for things to be simple. To be able to just enjoy life and her mate.
“Morning, sugar.” Sparks dragged his hand up her arm until he reached the tips of her hair. “I see your tigress assisted with your hair color.”
“Strong-headed bitch.” She smirked, knowing her hair was back to the white strands it normally was. “Though I seem to be less upset about it than normal. It seems my mate doesn’t mind the unusual color.”
“Never.” He tipped his head toward her. “I love every inch of you, including your white hair. It reminds me I’m mated to a very special white tigress, one who’s overcome a lot of shit to get her where she is now.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself. The battle might only be starting,” She reminded him.
“Unlike the previous battles this one will be easy,” he reassured her. “You’ve got me at your side, along with Korbin, Layla, Rachel, and the rest of the clan. That link will keep the fight alive in you. More than that, returning to Ohio is not going to be harder than coming back from almost turning rogue. If you can pull your beast under control when she’s ready to take over, you can face whatever memories are reawakened when we return home. I have faith in you, sugar.”
“I’m glad one of us does.” She teased her hand along his stomach and glanced at the clock. They had a little over an hour before they had to meet Taber at the airstrip. There were a few ways she thought they could spend the time.
“Sugar.” Sparks growled as her hand slipped lower under the covers.
“Shower with me.”
“What? Can’t reach your back?” He grabbed her hips and pulled her toward him, rolling so he was on his back, and she was above him. “Maybe I had a rough night making my tigress scream, and now I want you to ride me.”
“Rough night?” Rolling her hips, she teased her body along his hard shaft as she eyed him. “You enjoyed every minute of it. As much as I’d love to take a ride, we’re limited on time. Shower sex is like two birds, one stone.”
“Hell, when you put it like that, how could I refuse?” He tapped her hip, letting her know he’d join her.
Slipping off him, she then climbed off the bed, and without looking back, she headed toward the bathroom. “I’ll get the shower started. Join me or don’t. Though if you don’t, you’ll have to wait until we’re settled in Ohio. Who knows what things will be like back home, so it might not be until tomorrow or even the next day. Maybe Layla will throw me right into the work she wants me to help with. Then where will that leave my unsatisfied mate?”
“Don’t think I’m waiting that long.” He growled.
In the bathroom, she turned on the water, knowing he’d join her. There was no way he’d wait idly by while she showered. If he did, then she’d have to find a way to ease the unspent sexual tension herself.
Steam started billowing out from the glass shower as she stepped in, allowing the water to cascade over her tight muscles. Dipping her head under the water she heard
the soft click of the shower door a second before his hands were on her.
“Damn, sugar.” His voice deeper as his tiger lingered below the surface.
Needing to touch him, she looped her arms around his midsection, drawing him closer. As her fingers brushed along the scars his muscles tightened, and his body stilled. “Sparks.” Continuing to caress along the scars, she waited for him to meet her gaze. “They’re part of you, and I love every part of you.”
“They serve to remind you—”
“You’re right. In a way they do.” Keeping one hand on his back, she brought the other one to the side of his face, allowing her fingers to tease over the stubble along his jaw. “They remind me I’m mated to my protector. A man stronger than I even realized, and let me tell you, I thought you were as strong as they came. You went through Hell for me, and no matter what the future holds, I know it’s not as painful as what we’ve come from.”
“I don’t want them to remind you of that bastard or the events.” Even as he spoke, he ran his hands down the length of her body.
“They don’t. Do mine?” she asked as his fingers trailed along the claw marks from Henry.
“They remind me when I first knew there was something more between us. I wasn’t sure we were mates, but it was something stronger than friendship, and I knew I wanted you in every way possible.” His gaze stayed locked on hers as he caressed his fingers down each scar.
“Mate, make love to me.” She ran her hand through his hair, pushing the wet strands away from his face. “I need to feel you inside me.”
“You decided the place, but I decide how I take you.”
Pushing her back against the shower wall, the cool tile worked in contrast with the warm water, making her nipples harden as a chill ran through her. Taking hold of her wrists he brought them above her head, holding them hostage with one hand.
Roaring Change Page 7