Raven returned his grin, ducking her head before saying. “Good. I want them to.”
14
“What news do you have for me?” the General demanded, glaring at the two imbeciles in front of him.
“They’re back at the White River Wolves compound,” one of them said, and the General grinned in satisfaction when he saw the man was literally shaking in his boots. Good. He should be, because he fucked up. And he was about to pay the price.
“And the woman?”
“We haven’t seen her, but we assume they have her with them.”
“You assume?” the General thundered, ignoring the throbbing pain in his throat. “You didn’t actually see her?”
“Well, no, but where else would she be?’
“Where else, indeed?” He’d had enough of both of them. They were the reason one of his most prized possessions was missing in the first place. It had been their job to remove her from the facility in D.C. when the alarm sounded; a job they neglected to do. Instead, they’d ran like the cowards they were.
Glancing over at Ebony, he said, “I’m done with them.”
She nodded, knowing what he wanted. He heard their protests as he turned and walked away. He didn’t listen. They’d failed him. Death was their punishment.
Two shots rang out, one right after the other, and soon his daughter was walking beside him.
“We need to keep moving, General,” she said as she slid her gun back into the holster at her hip. “This facility doesn’t have the safeguards some of the others do.”
“I have some decisions to make first,” he replied, making his way to the back of the building to the room he was using as his office for now.
“Yes, Father.”
“When is Jinx expected to arrive?”
“Soon.”
“I’m here.” The General almost jumped at the sound of the assassin’s voice as he entered his office, his gaze going to where Jinx stood by the one window in the room. The man was fucking scary, even to him.
“You didn’t check in.”
Jinx turned to him, a sardonic look on his face. “When do I ever check in, General? I do the job you send me to do, then I come back.”
It was the truth. The cocky bastard never checked in until he saw the General again, but he always got the job done.
“They are dead?”
“Did you send me to kill them?”
The General stiffened, rage filling him at the man’s condescending attitude. If he didn’t need the little bastard, he would have gotten rid of him years ago.
“They are gone,” Jinx confirmed, his gaze going back to the window and beyond.
“And what did you find in D.C. when you went back?”
“There were no bodies.”
“None?”
“None.”
That’s what he’d suspected after watching what there was of the video in the basement before the building blew. That meant Raven was still alive, as were all the others. Damn. He’d been hoping to get at least a couple of the bastards. “That’s disappointing.”
Jinx shrugged. “It is what it is.”
“I have a job for you, Jinx.”
Jinx moved from the window, leaning his back up against the wall next to it, crossing his arms over his chest. “Go on.”
“I lost something in D.C., and I want it back.” When Jinx raised an eyebrow, but didn’t respond, he went on, “A shifter.”
Jinx frowned. “We didn’t have any shifters in the facility. You moved them all before your accident.”
Accident. The General’s hands clenched tightly into fists, the pain in his neck now clawing at him. There had been no accident. Chase Montgomery had tried to tear his throat out and had almost succeeded. For that, the man would die someday. Soon.
“No, he didn’t,” Ebony said, sitting in one of the chairs in front of the desk, crossing one leg over the other. “He kept one locked up like an animal in the basement.”
“They are all fucking animals,” the General snarled, rounding the desk to sit in his own chair.
“Really?” Jinx asked, raising an eyebrow, his face a blank mask.
“Really,” the General snarled, slamming his fist into the desk, forgetting for a moment that Jinx was one of those animals.
“What are my orders, General?” Jinx asked, his voice low and controlled.
“You will go to the White River Wolves compound, and you will bring back my acquisition that they stole.” Turning to a monitor, the General pulled up the last video feed he had of the woman. “This is Raven,” he said, pointing to the screen. “She’s a shifter, but we haven’t been able to determine what kind. I’ve had her for a year, and we were getting close to breaking her, but then the D.C. facility was raided and she was stolen. I want her back.”
“You want me to infiltrate the White River Wolves compound, find her, and bring her back here?”
“Yes, unless you think you can’t complete the mission for some reason? If not, I can give it to someone who can.”
“I’ll do it for you, General,” Ebony purred. “Sounds like fun.”
“Jinx?”
“I’ll handle it.”
“Good. I will expect to hear from you within the week. That will be all.”
Jinx strode from the room without another word, shutting the door behind him on his way out.
Sitting back in his chair, the General rested his elbows on the chair arms and steepled his fingers. “Now, let’s discuss the Amber issue.”
Jinx paused in the hallway when he heard Amber’s name, wondering what kind of trouble the woman had gotten herself into now. Her bleeding heart was going to get her killed someday if she wasn’t careful.
“I’ve placed her somewhere no one will find her, not that anyone will look,” Ebony said snidely.
“I don’t want her killed…yet. She may still be useful to us.”
“Yes, Father.”
“That being said, she doesn’t need to be too comfortable, either.”
“Oh, trust me, she isn’t anywhere near comfortable.”
Jinx stifled a low growl and he clenched his hands tightly into fists. Amber was in trouble, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it right now. He had his orders, and he needed to at least act like he was going to follow through with them.
“What about Vixen?”
“Oh, that bitch is definitely up to something.” Ebony’s voice was hard, like ice. “I haven’t figured out what yet, but I will.”
“Don’t waste your time,” the General said, and Jinx heard him slide his chair back. “She won’t be a problem to us for much longer.”
“And if things don’t work out the way you plan?”
“Then, I will let you take care of it.”
“Yes, General.”
Jinx had heard enough. He needed to get the hell out of there before the General’s viper of a daughter opened the door. Baring his teeth, he stalked down the hall, careful not to make a sound. He needed to get to the White River Wolves compound first. He would figure out what to do about Raven on the way. Then, he was going hunting for Amber.
15
“This is where we will live?” Raven asked softly, her eyes roaming over the living room of the apartment before she wandered into the kitchen. It was after eight at night, but she had hounded the doctor enough that she’d finally allowed her to leave the hospital. Even though Raven wasn’t hurting anymore, Doc Josie wanted to monitor her to make sure everything healed correctly. While the bear had managed to make all of the pain go away, whatever she’d done hadn’t fully healed all of Raven’s wounds. Alanna and her gifts were a mystery to her, but Raven would be forever thankful for the woman.
“I have a place in Denver, but have been staying here most of the time these past few months,” Jaxson told her. “It’s better that we are all close in case the General tries anything.”
That explained why the apartment was so bare. It had all the necessities—furniture, a tele
vision mounted to the wall, a kitchen table and chairs—but there were no personal effects. “So, we will be staying here for now?”
“Actually, I was thinking we would move in here permanently, if it’s okay with you,” Jaxson said, holding out a hand to her. “Your brother and his mate are just down the hall, and Rubi is in this building, too. I thought you might want to be close to them.”
“Yes, please,” she whispered, her heart filling with joy at the thought of living near her family. “I’ve missed them so much.”
“Raven,” Jaxson paused, resting his forehead against hers. “Once this is all over with the General and it’s safe, I will live wherever you want. Here, the place you used to call home, I don’t care.”
“What about RARE and your pack?” Raven whispered, her hands going to his chest.
“They are my family, but you are my life.”
A slow smile spread across her face as she looked into his eyes. “My home is with you, wherever that may be, but I am thinking that is here, my wolf. My sister and brother are here, you’re here, that’s all I need.”
As she watched, his eyes darkened, his wolf showing through, and there was a low growl as his fangs appeared. “I don’t want to wait anymore, Raven.”
She knew what he meant, and she was in full agreement. “Then don’t,” she breathed, licking her lips in anticipation. His gaze dropped to where her tongue had snuck out and he groaned, closing the distance between them to capture her mouth with his.
Jaxson lifted her into his arms, and she felt as if she were floating as he made his way down the hall, kicking open a door at the end. Lifting his head, he smiled, his eyes going to the room behind her. “I hope you like it.”
Following his gaze, Raven gasped in surprise, her hands clutching tightly to Jaxson’s shirt as her eyes misted over. “You did all of this for me?”
“You deserve the best,” he whispered, bending his head to gently rub his cheek against hers.
The room was aglow in a soft light, lit by the candles in the room. There were so many of them. Light pink rose petals were scattered across the floor leading to the large king-sized bed, that was covered with darker red ones. “It’s so beautiful,” Raven murmured in awe.
“You’re beautiful,” Jaxson said, closing the door behind them and crossing the room to lay her gently on the bed. “I am so lucky to have found you, Raven. I will spend my entire life loving you, cherishing you the way you should be cherished.”
Raven’s bottom lip trembled as she stared up at the man who would be hers for all time. She was the lucky one. When she was young, she’d dreamed about the day she would someday find her mate. In her dreams, he had always been a fearless dragon, but she wouldn’t trade her wolf for anything. He was everything she’d ever wanted; kind, considerate, caring, protective, loyal. And he was hers. “Jaxson, please.”
“Please what?” he growled playfully, as he removed his shirt, then sat down on the bed to untie his boots. She waited until he had them off before she responded.
“Bite me.”
Jaxson froze, a shudder going through his broad shoulders before he slowly rose. Turning, his hands fisted at his sides, he growled, “Be sure, baby. There’s no going back once I claim you.”
“I’m sure.” Her heart pounded in anticipation as she watched his hands go to his jeans. She was more than sure. He undid the button, slid the zipper down, and his cock sprang free. Her mouth watered at the sight, and she rose to her knees, making her way over to him. Grasping the sides of his jeans, she shoved them down, waiting impatiently for him to kick them off. “No underwear?”
“Don’t like the way they feel.”
Raven reached out and trailed her fingers up his cock, loving the way the skin felt velvety soft over the hard length. When a drop of pre-cum leaked out, she spread it over the tip with her thumb. Moaning, she slid from the bed so she was kneeling in front of him, and leaned in close, inhaling his scent.
“Fuck, Raven, you put your mouth on me, I don’t know if I will survive.”
“You better,” she whispered, “because I want to feel you deep inside me when you sink your fangs in me and claim me. But first, I need to see what you taste like.” Not waiting for a response, she leaned in and licked the tip of his dick, moaning as her eyes closed in passion, and then she sucked him deep.
“Raven!”
Cupping his balls in one hand, she wrapped her other hand around the lower part of his cock, moving it up and down, matching the motion of her mouth. Low growls of pure pleasure slipped from her throat and she began to move faster.
“Raven! Shit, I’m going to come.”
Hell yeah, she wanted him to. The growls built up, louder and louder, her entire body on fire.
Suddenly, Jaxson pulled free from her mouth. Before she could argue, he helped her to her feet and turned her around. “I’m not coming in your mouth, mate. I’m making you mine.”
“Oh!” she gasped, when he bent her over the side of the bed and spread her legs. Then he was there, deep inside her, filling her slowly. “Jaxson!” It felt so good, so right.
“Baby, you’re fucking tight.”
“More!” she begged, arching back into him. “I need to feel you, Jaxson.”
“I want to be gentle,” he growled. “I’m trying so hard not to take you the way I want to. You deserve better.”
“Screw gentle,” she snarled, pushing back against him. “I’m not going to break, Jaxson. What I deserve is my mate.”
Gripping her hips firmly, Jaxson held her still for a moment. “Is this what you want?” he growled, before he thrust deep inside her. Pulling out, he slammed back in again. “Like this?”
“Yes!” she cried, her claws lengthening, tearing holes in the sheets. “Make me feel alive, Jaxson! Make me yours!”
A loud roar tore from his chest and Jaxson began to move faster, thrusting into her again and again. “Mine!” he snarled, lowering his head and covering her shoulder with his teeth.
“Yes! Yours!” Raven felt the fire before she saw it, the flames moving along her arms and over her body, and knew it would transfer to Jaxson as well. It wouldn’t hurt him, though. A dragon’s fire never hurt their mate. Her body shook with desire, so close to exploding. “Jaxson, please!”
He bit down, and she flew apart, screaming his name as she came. She felt him stiffen, and then he was pulsing inside her, low growls emitting from around where his teeth dug into her shoulder. “Mine. Mine.”
She let him hold her still for a moment longer, and then she growled, “My turn.”
Sliding him out of her, she turned and lay on the bed, opening her arms to him. He didn’t hesitate, covering her with his body, and slipping back into her heat. Opening her mouth wide, Raven hovered over his shoulder for a second, and then sank her fangs deep. Jaxson yelled her name and she felt him jerking inside her again. Then, their souls merged as one, bringing with it a peace that she’d never known before.
Jaxson held Raven close, her head on his chest, as he stroked his hand gently over the silky skin on her back. He couldn’t believe he’d found her. His mate. He had RARE and his pack, and they were his family, but now, he had so much more. He had someone to come home to, to love and to spend the rest of his life with. It made him happier than he’d ever been, but it also terrified him. What if he couldn’t protect her from all of the evil in the world? There was so much of it.
“Jaxson, where did you go?” Raven whispered, tilting her head up to look at him.
Leaning down, he placed a kiss on the tip of her nose. “I’m right here, baby.”
Kissing his chest, she smiled, “You know what I meant.”
He did, but he was having a hard time trying to figure out how to respond. He hadn’t talked about that part of his life in so long, he wasn’t even sure where to start.
“Jaxson?”
Sighing, he pulled her close and closed his eyes. “I was thinking about my family,” he admitted.
“Family?”
“Yeah.” It had all happened years ago, but the thought of it still crushed him. He was silent for several minutes before he finally said, “I lost my family fifty-three years ago. My parents, my sister, my brother. All of them.”
“What happened?”
“Our alpha died, and a new one took over,” Jaxson’s arms tightened around her as he thought back to a time he wanted to forget. “He was cruel. A real son of a bitch.” He swallowed hard before continuing, “I was in the military and away on tour in another country. I knew we had a new alpha, but I didn’t know everything that was going on until I got back.” Raven raised up and placed a soft kiss on his chin, then snuggled up closer to him. “I missed my family so much. We were very close, which must be why they kept what was happening from me. They knew I would be on the first plane back and there would be hell to pay.” He gritted his teeth, taking a deep breath before he continued, “I got home late one night. I hadn’t talked to anyone in my family in over a month because where I was, the mission I was on, made it impossible. But I was home for good. My time with the military was up, and I’d decided not to re-enlist. I wanted to surprise them.” Pain engulfing him at the thought of what he’d come home to, he rasped, “When I walked into my parents’ house, there was blood everywhere. It was old, but it was theirs. My dad’s, mom’s, Connel’s, and Moon’s. I went straight to the alpha’s house and confronted him. He told me my family had been attacked by a rogue wolf pack. None of them made it.”
“Oh, Jaxson.”
Gritting his teeth, he ground out, “It was a lie. I smelled it on the fucker, but had no grounds to go after him. So, instead I dug. I dug as deep as I could, discovering things that tore me apart. I found out the alpha had wanted my sister. My fourteen-year-old sister, Raven. When my parents refused, he had them murdered. When my brother and sister tried to intervene, they died, too.”
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