Pack Master (Undeadly Secrets Book 4)

by Aaron L Speer

  “Let go of this door, right now!”

  “Tell me.”

  “I am not telling you a thing. Let. Go.”

  “Mrs O’Brien…Nicole’s bedroom is upstairs. The second door to the right. It is painted lilac in one shade except for a small patch, just above her bed, where she tried to cover a dent she made at eleven. Your dining room table seats seven, not the usual four or six. One chair for Nicole’s deceased grandmother because she meant so much to your family and adored family meal times. Your fireplace has two igniters but only one works. The hardwood floors of your sitting room were redone, less than two years after your renovations, because of water damage from a burst pipe under the house. I could go on.”

  Mrs O’Brien looked frozen. “How…”

  “Because I adore your daughter and when she talks, I listen. Please help me. She might be in trouble. I need to find her.”

  “How do you know what her bedroom looks like?”

  Nick faltered at that. He didn’t think it appropriate to admit that he had spent a great deal of hours in there, but how to approach this when he didn’t want to lie? “Well, um…”

  “So it’s you…”

  “I’m sorry?”

  “The last thing my daughter said to me was that she’d slept with someone while we were away on our cruise.”

  “Oh…” Nick looked down for a moment, thinking. He didn’t want to deny it as he wasn’t embarrassed or ashamed, but it seemed very uncharacteristic of Nicole to be so candid. “Well, yes but I don’t see how that is relevant?”

  “That conversation was months ago. We haven’t spoken since. Because of you.”

  “Me?”

  Mrs O’Brien looked ready to strangle him but was called by the presence of her husband. Nicole’s father was slightly taller than his wife, with a round belly, and generous grey moustache.

  “Sit down, darling. I’ll escort the young man out.”

  He casually walked Nick to the front gate, ignoring Nick’s pleas for understanding. “Shut up,” he said, looking sideways at the front door. Nick followed his gaze and saw it closed. Mrs O’Brien was nowhere to be found. “Right, I need to know face to face what you intend to do if you see Nicole.”

  Nick’s answer was out before he could stop it. “Grab her and never let go.”

  “Don’t give me that. I want to know if you’re going to step up to your responsibility.”

  “Responsibility?”

  “Will you look after that child? And I mean look after it and her.”

  “What child?”

  But Nick already knew before her father spoke. It clicked. She was pregnant. Nicole. Pregnant with his child. “You didn’t know, did you?”

  Nick shook his head and Mr O’Brien continued, “They fought over the phone months ago. Maria thought Nicole would’ve gotten it aborted but she didn’t. They haven’t spoken since. I can’t stand it. She won’t take our calls, and she’s just over seven months along if I’m not mistaken. I can live with my wife hating me…” his voice started to thicken, “but not seeing my daughter or my grandchild, it’s torture. She’s in England. She’s alone and vulnerable in a strange country. I wired almost five thousand dollars to her account for a plane home but it hasn’t been touched and now she would be too far along to fly. We have been on the phone to immigration. Consulates. No one cares or takes this seriously. Not with all this shit going on,” he said, waving his hand to the sky. “I have no idea what’s happened to her and I can’t bare that. Please, bring her home.”

  Nick watched him walk slowly back towards the front door and disappear into the house. Nick found his arse meeting the top of the brick mailbox and sat. A whole range of thoughts and emotions flooded his mind. Nicole, the love of his life, refused to abort their baby. What a choice that must’ve been for her, thinking she would never see him again. The same word kept repeating over and over in his mind. He wasn’t an eighteen-year-old boy. He wasn’t an Alpha. He was going to become the greatest thing in the world, something he had wanted for so long.

  He blinked away the tears that fell as the word kept churning, bringing more tears and a sense of being overjoyed. He leapt up from his position and marched on. He was going to be a dad. He didn’t care he had no money. No passport. The weight with the authority over his head. He had to get to England. He didn’t know how he would do it or how long it would take, but he had to find her. And he would.

  Chapter Eighteen

  I Want My Baby

  Nicole shoved off Tynan’s attempt to ‘help’ her out of the aircraft. She marched a few feet in front of him, determined to put as much distance between them as possible. “You’ll enjoy your time here,” he called, “as long as you cooperate of course. The best room we have.”

  “And the most heavily guarded I’d wager.”

  “No. You will only have one guard necessary.”

  “You think I’ll just stay in the room? You don’t think I’ll try to escape?”

  Tynan chuckled and pointed directly ahead. A thick, stone tower lay ahead. In the bricks were embedded spikes and nails, some serrated.

  “There is only one way in or out of that tower. One staircase. You want to risk it scaling down the thirty-foot wall? I think you’ll find the experience short lived and quite painful. Or you could simply realise this is the only solution in which everyone gets what they want. You get your son and your life. Your bodyguard gets to thank me for my gift.”

  “Gift? What gift?”

  “Awesome power and the defence against all sickness for starters.”

  It wasn’t Tynan that answered. Instead, a voice she recognised brought bile to her throat. Anthony stood waiting for them at the doorway to the tower. The smug smile on his poisonous rat face brought a scowl to Nicole’s face. “What the hell are you doing here?” she snapped.

  “I’m your bodyguard.”

  Nicole turned to Tynan, “Is this some kind of joke?”

  “Not at all. You’ll find young Anthony here is very pleased with the rewards I give for service. I have told him your life is in his hands.”

  “Is that supposed to mean anything?” Nicole flashed a look of cold menace to Anthony. “You took my son. I’ll fucking kill you.”

  “Give it your best shot,” he replied softly, just before fangs grew out from his casual smile. “Those rewards are awesome. Don’t think I would hesitate to kill you or save you if my Alpha wants it. You want to take a shot at me? Go ahead. Just don’t complain when you are digging your teeth out of the wall.”

  “That’s enough,” Tynan sighed, “You have more duties to attend to before nightfall. See that they are carried through.”

  Anthony gave a nod and pursed his lips to Nicole before sauntering away.

  Nicole followed Tynan up the long, spiral stairs. “You rewarded him for taking my baby by turning him?”

  “Not I. Unfortunately, our nature decrees only a pure blood Alpha can create another of our kind by choice. The rest of us might scratch or bite and that can turn another, possibly, but the chances are much more rare. Death and severe sickness is more likely. No, instead I had Talia do it.”

  “You made her turn him?!” Nicole cried.

  Tynan scoffed. “You make me out to be such a monster. I did no such thing. I simply ensured she bit him while asleep. She wouldn’t have even known.”

  “Are you kidding me, and you see nothing wrong with that?”

  “It isn’t ideal, granted. But with your boy, these are weaknesses and faults of our kind that can be eliminated.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Your son is key. I always thought a tenth-generation child would be the key, but Nicholas escaped me. I never knew about Talia. I don’t know if that says more about Creed’s skills of deception or my lack of awareness. In any case, once an eleventh child was known to me, I knew I had to claim him. I am one of thousands that have been passed over, ignored or pushed aside by fate or design for another. My brother was a lot of things but a goo
d Alpha was not one of them. My father never understood the merit of my wonder at science. He chose Wilson to succeed him due to Wilson being so much like him. Brute strength. Life, like my father, had decided I was not good enough, not strong enough. It was in that vein that I decided to never let fate determine my destination again. Your son’s blood will ensure anyone with enough fortitude to earn an Alpha title will receive it. The world is not given to us. The strong take what they will. No one again will suffer because someone thought they were not worthy. The old ways must die. And with that death comes rebirth. A new generation lead by me and eventually your son. Surely you must see this is the best way.”

  “I don’t know what I see. None of this makes sense. You are upset because your father didn’t choose you. I’m sorry, but that doesn’t make you anything more than a child with a tantrum. You are building to war because your dad didn’t love you. I wish you would’ve looked for professional help instead of this madness.”

  “Is it madness to grab life by the throat? To not be satisfied and to look for change? To force it? To bend others to your will?”

  “Do you listen to yourself? You kill people who disagree with you! Look at my friends! Alan and P.J. They did nothing to you and you had them murdered!”

  “You will find, my dear, it was you who killed them. I gave you every opportunity to work with me, to choose the path of peace, but you didn’t. Their blood is on your hands.”

  “You were going to take my son and breed me! How was I supposed to know what you were going to do?” Nicole said, her voice breaking just a tad.

  “You had to learn the price of resistance. The choice is, was and always will be yours. Resist and face the inevitable consequences, or yield and live in reasonable comfort and happiness. There really is no other way. You have now seen the price to be paid. As you say, two strangers to me are dead. Imagine what Alicia and Talia will suffer should you continue your insolence. Rage. Storm. Curse. Shout. Do whatever your young mind wishes and you will pay a penalty each time. The choice is up to you.”

  “Why don’t you just kill me?”

  “As I said, your son is sick. This is your chance to be with him. My show of mercy. We are quits. I need him alive. You want to be a mother. Do not be foolish with your new age millennial garbage. Take the opportunity and shut up.”

  They finally came to a steel door and it was here Nicole heard the cries of a child, her baby, behind it. Her breasts ached with heaviness thanks to the milk in them, her thighs burned from the torturous walk up, but all her thoughts were to bash the door down to get to her boy.

  “I will give you time with him but it is my wish you accompany me when the heads of house get here in a week.”

  “What for?”

  “You do not see my vision. But you will. You have heard me talk about it but seeing is another thing. You are not the only one that does not share my view. I have invited any heads of state to come along and share their grievances without violence. There will be four Alphas there. You will hear their views, then mine. You will see how I conduct my affairs and then you will understand the world you and your son will live in.”

  She opened the door, and Tynan let her through, not following. Nicole stood in a lavish room that could be a one bedroom apartment. There, in the middle of the room, sat a woman trying to settle the infant child with a bottle. The boy was crying, coughing and struggling for air. Nicole reached out with shaking hands. She was expecting a catch, something else she had to do, but the woman gladly handed him over. Nicole wrapped him in her arms and his crying slowed to a still. Eventually nothing. Nicole was the one now that couldn’t control her emotions, sinking to her knees and sobbing, finally holding him. He was real. He knew her. By her scent? Her touch? She wasn’t sure, but he quieted and knew he was safe in the arms of one woman that loved him. Her tears fell onto his tiny cheeks and her sobs shook him, but he remained calm, looking at her with a curious expression. She held him to her face and rocked him.

  “He’ll be wanting a feed, miss,” the woman said. “You can try this but your milk is much better for him.”

  Nicole didn’t pay her any attention, trying to calm herself down so she could get a good look at him. The bub started to wriggle as his bottom lip curled, crying a second later.

  “I can show you how to do it, if you like…” she reached out for him and Nicole snapped.

  “Fuck off! Go away!”

  “But I was only trying to-”

  “Leave us alone!” Nicole screeched over the cries, herself quivering with emotion, shielding her baby from the woman. Nicole was finally left alone to feed her baby, but the task proved more than difficult. Nicole stripped her top and positioned the nipple into his mouth but the infant was fussing too much to notice.

  Chapter Nineteen

  How The Mighty Have Fallen

  Dante gazed down at the dancers and drinkers of T, his clients. The music thumped away but even with his enhanced hearing he didn’t register it.

  “Come in,” he said.

  The door to his office opened and shut with barely a sound. “Help yourself to a beverage, if you like,” he said, still with his back to the woman. He had spotted her and had Bison collect her. She was staggering on the dance floor, half spilling her cocktail. He could sense her trying to remain as upright as possible, fixing her ridiculously short and tight skirt.

  “I don’t see any drinks…” she giggled.

  Dante gave a huff. Jesus Christ. “The fridge has all you would need. Shall I prepare one for you?”

  He turned around to find her sitting on his desk. Legs partially open, using the forefinger of one hand to flick over what she wanted Dante to see.

  “I know why you brought me up here…” she said through another half giggle.

  “Oh?” Dante replied, moving closer to her.

  “Yeah…” she said, stretching her neck back. “Owner of a nightclub…bringing only one girl up to his private room. I’m down…”

  She began undoing the buttons of his business shirt and ran her fingers over his stomach. “Oh…I’m definitely down.”

  Dante snatched her hands so fast she gasped. He leaned in close and whispered, “What makes you think I need your permission?”

  He twirled her around so she was bent face first over the desk which sent papers scuttling along the floor and heaved it about an inch. She gave a shocked squeal of delight just before Dante sank his fangs into her shoulder. “I can tell under that expensive perfume this won’t be your first time.”

  It was then she cried out. Years of feeding off humans, not even the last few where he had only fed off one at a time, hadn’t diminished his experience. He still had the skills along with the hunger. He could make her feel whatever he wanted from his bite. Explosive pleasure to agonising pain. All that mattered was how deep his teeth went and the angle and pressure he sucked with.

  Even now she moaned as if he was inside her. He could feed and she wouldn’t even know what he was doing. She would know she’d been in a rough make out session. But that’s all. But this one had known the touch of a vampire before.

  Dante retracted his fangs and cleaned up the blood from the wound with his tongue, before healing the punctures. He pulled himself away from her and turned his back once again as she collapsed to the ground, still giggling.

  “Oh baby…hail to the King.” She smiled. He could see her reflection reaching up for him. All pretence now gone. She knew who he was. And what he was. “So that’s the way you like it…bring that cock over here.”

  “Get up.”

  “Hard to get huh…” she said, rising unsteadily. “I like that.”

  She gripped his arse and bit his shoulder. “Honey, playing hard to get doesn’t work when I could feel how hard you are just then.”

  “I want you to tell me everything you know about Julian Kent.”

  “You must be joking.”

  Dante turned around, allowing his eyes to glow. “Do I look like I’m joking? I coul
d smell him on your neck.”

  She tensed and took a step back. “What the hell?”

  Dante flashed his fangs. “I just took a quart of your blood. I can very easily take all of it in less than four minutes. You worked for the Battys as their nanny.”

  “You…yeah so?”

  “Julian leaves none alive unless they are useful to him-”

  Dante lifted her via her throat and slammed her to the window, speaking in a deep, calm voice, “Tell me what he told you to do.”

  “No…it wasn’t like that.”

  Dante pressed harder. The pressure caused her to moan as tears leaked from her eyes. “OK…OK…! He got me one night coming out of here. He fed off me and said if I wanted to live forever I just had to pass on a message.”

  “What message?”

  “He wanted me to tell the Battys I’d found a doctor that could help with their daughter. Her condition was secret. They wouldn’t have believed him if he just turned up at the door. I don’t know what he told them to do and I just wanted to help her, I swear.”

  “You’re lying…”

  “No…he said he could cure her! And he did! It worked,”

  Dante’s eyes twitched with rage. “You knew…you knew something would happen…you knew it wouldn’t be that easy. You couldn’t be that fucking stupid. Does he know what she is? Why come after her…tell me what you know.”

  “He wants you defeated. He’s going after her, whoever she is, because he wants revenge on you after what you did to his father. He says she’s your weakness. He’s been obsessed with this idea and he won’t let it go. I don’t care about any of that. I don’t want anyone to die. I just wanted to be a vampire. He said he had one last thing to finish before he’d turn me. I don’t know what it is, I swear.”

  “An innocent woman suffered because of you. She did nothing to you…to anyone. But she was beaten…” The words Dante used caused her to cringe and look away from him. But he continued… “Tortured…. Ravaged. Broken and bleeding. She screamed for help. All because of you. That’s the last thing he has to do. Kill her.”