Shane's Redemption (Maura's Men Book 3)

by Stella Williams

  "I thought you planned to enjoy the full five courses," She gasped as his tongue flicked playfully over her already sensitive bud.

  "I do, but there's nothing wrong with skipping to desert a little early," Shane said.

  He'd wasted too much time away from her to take his time now. He dove right in devouring her, drowning himself in her arousal. His canines extended as her rapid heart rate increased the throbbing of a nearby artery. He pulled back a little, just enough to look her in the eye. A silent plea for her permission to taste all of her in his eyes. He waited until she gave a slight nod of her head before he struck, sinking his teeth into her flesh.

  Molly bucked against him crying out in pleasure as her climax and blood filled his mouth. He took her into him. The primal beast inside roared in triumph as he slid up her body and seated his manhood within her. Molly's legs wrapped tightly around his hips locking him into position above her, her hands dug into the sheets twisting them tightly in her grasp as she frantically rocked her hips against him.

  "Mine," Shane heard himself growl as if it were truly a beast inside him and not his own voice.

  Beads of sweat dripped down Shane's body as he tried to maintain control. As he fought his own release to ensure he made good on his promise to always thoroughly pleasure her before his own release, but his effort was futile. His hips matched hers. Thrust for thrust. The only sensation he could discern over the roar of his impending orgasm was the rhythmic slapping of their bodies and Molly's unrestrained screams of pleasure. Like a ticking time bomb, tick, tick, tick, boom. He exploded, his hips locking with hers like the horns of two fighting bulls before he collapsed on top of her thoroughly satisfied.

  Shane could stay in bed with her forever, at least if she were finally willing to forgive him. He knew better than to assume that all because she'd allowed him back into her bed this once that everything was back to how it had been. Molly was a different person now. They both were. Shane knew it would take more than just a fantastic night of sex to break down the walls she'd erected around her feelings for him. Tonight, however, had been a start. Shane snuggled in to cuddle with her for the night. Sadly a peaceful end to the night was not in the cards.

  The Weak and The Restless

  Rodney yawned, wiping his hand over his face. He repositioned himself against the brick building at his back. He was hiding in shadows like the creep everyone knew he was. Doing Maura's bidding like she was Jesus, Moses, and Mary herself.

  "More like Beelzebub," He snorted to himself.

  All because of his stupid muscle head little bro. Ax had gotten them into some things but this one. There was no turning back from this. They were vampires, controlled by an evil bitch hell-bent on world domination. Rod had two options, die bleeding like a stuck pig or try and make a go with this half-cocked insanity. He and his brother had already died once and came damn close to it a few months back in the woods. Both times had been hell and well if that's where he and his bro were destined to end up. It was probably best to prolong his current situation as long as possible. Unfortunately, that meant stalking this cute little blond who had no idea the horrors in store for her.

  Where the hell is she? She's usually home by this hour.

  He flicked the end of his cigarette before putting it back between his lips. It wasn't lit since smoking would be a dead giveaway to his hideout but it also gave him a plausible reason to be skulking about in shadows if anyone did catch him. No need to alert the human authorities that there was a vampire war pending that hinged on the kidnapping of this one little girl.

  It had been three hours since Rod had made his report to Maura and he would surely have hell to pay for not following the "immediately" of Maura's directive. Hopefully, Ax was dulling the knife a bit with the bedroom perversions he and the She-Devil engaged in. Never in his life had Rod been so glad to fly under a woman's radar because of his less than stellar looks. At first, it had bothered Rod to see his brother so torn up and on the edge of death after each session with the mistress, but now Rod saw it as Ax finally paying for all the screwed up things he'd dragged Rod into over the years. Too bad the twisted fuck actually enjoyed it. All those years of steroid use had turned his brother into some kind of sexual sadist.

  A tear rolled down his cheek. Rod would blame it on an icy wind except it wasn’t quite winter, and California was nowhere near as cold as his hometown in Montana. He'd say it was sweat but vampires were a little light on those type of waterworks. It would take all sorts of strenuous exercise to even get a drop of that stuff. That or one look at Maura in her element.

  Carrie was finally over it. Her infatuation with Shane was done. She couldn’t be a desperate clinger. That wasn’t who she wanted to be in her new life. New Life. That had a beautiful ring to it. She was free of her father and now free of her unhealthy obsession with Shane. The new independent Carrie didn’t need a man for validation.

  Still, it stung as she stood there like an idiot watching Shane and Molly drive off into the sunset together. Carrie hoped that they were able to work things out. She was no fan of Molly’s but who was she to tell Shane what was in his heart. If only it hadn’t come to her complete embarrassment in front of all his friends. All in all the party hadn't been a total wash at least until she was abandoned to the pitying stares of his friends.

  "Would you like me to take you back to town?"

  Carrie turned to see the newly transitioned male that had seemed so out of place all evening. Greg, if she remembered his name correctly. The brother of Gretchen, Molly’s second and Claude’s Mate. Carrie smirked at how quickly she applied titles to these people. They may be outcasts, but Maura’s Men were more like Purebloods in their family structure than other turned vampires.

  “You move pretty well for a newly transitioned male. I don’t have much experience with that, but from what I know it should take at least a year before you are capable enough to drive,” Carrie said.

  Greg snorted and shrugged.

  “I can call you a cab if you prefer, or stay. There are plenty of rooms here for you to crash for the day,” He said.

  “I can’t stay here,” Carrie said.

  During the party, Greg’s stare had been worse than the others. He'd pitied her but also had the nerve to want to protect her. Carrie had noticed the way he'd circled her and Shane all evening. Careful to keep her and Molly from ever coming within arm's length of each other. He was worse than the guards her father had forced her to have as a child, but she welcomed his protection. She felt way too vulnerable in her present state. Too many old wounds rising to the surface. Poor little Carolina, always the outsider, always wanting what she can’t have.

  “A ride or a cab? Which is it going to be,” Greg asked.

  "A ride please," Carrie whispered.

  Greg led her to a black sedan without touching her. He was thankfully silent after she gave him the address of where she was staying.

  "Don't take it too much to heart. Shane and Molly have a destiny that can't be changed by anyone's will but their own," He offered as she got out of the car.

  Carrie just nodded. She didn't need his encouragement. In the weeks she'd known Shane he'd talked about Molly almost nonstop. It was plain as day that Molly was Shane's moon, stars, and sun. Once inside Carrie realized she wasn't in the mood to be alone. Carrie peeked out of her curtains and waited until the guy who'd driven her was gone before heading back out the door. She had no idea where she was going, but it needed to be crowded and full of energy.

  A car drove passed Rod's hiding spot. The headlights almost blinding in the dark of the alleyway. Luckily Rod was far enough back that he wouldn't be seen. The car pulled up to the house he'd been watching and stopped. Rod clasped his hands together and looked up at the sky.

  Finally! Date night is over. Dear whoever I'm supposed to worship as a vampire other than Maura, please oh please let this just be a drop-off.

  The last thing Rod needed was for any of the traitors to be hanging around her place.
Rod had grown stronger as a vampire, just not as strong as those men. They had years of training and living experience on him. Not to mention his last encounters with them hadn't gone so well. If caught they would either kill him or worse torture him for information about Maura. Not that he would put up a fight. If they ever got his hands on him and didn't kill him immediately, he'd dime that bitch out quicker than ink dries on paper. Thankfully, the girl bounced into her house alone. Once the car pulled off Rod would make his move.

  After the car left Rod counted to ten before making a move to leave his hiding spot but just his luck, Blondie came bounding right back out the door. He was just about to follow her down the street when he saw a familiar figure following her. It was the Boy Scout that Maura had captured for a short period of time. Even as a human he had managed to put up a good fight with Ax. Not a small feat when Ax was a man let alone now that he had vampire strength going for him.

  There was distance between the two, but Rod was going to need back up if he were going to get this girl without a fight. He followed after them, careful not to give himself away as he made the necessary calls. Blondie turned towards the fairgrounds, and Rod sighed with relief. The crowds would work in their favor. Rodney just needed Boy Scout to see who had her. No use having taken the bait and not dangling it a bit. There was no way that Rod was going to be paying any personal calls to the Traitors. That had been Declan's mistake.

  Greg watched as the young woman he drove home slipped back out the front door. Typical emotional female making bad decisions. He'd known Carrie wasn't just going to call it a night. She reminded him of Gretchen when she was in her teen years. Greg parked a little way down the street but with a direct view of her door. As soon as she was on her way, he got out and followed. She was much too vulnerable to be out without protection. Call it a hero complex if you want, but Greg had never been able to pass up a damsel in distress.

  "Fucking Fabulous," Greg cursed when Carrie headed towards the fairgrounds.

  It would be harder to keep track of her in the crowds of families and rowdy teens. He almost lost her twice and almost got caught a few times as well. Sure he was following her for her own protection, but he also didn't want her to get the wrong idea about the situation. Greg wasn't interested in her in the same way Shane wasn't. Greg had unexpectedly met his destiny, and he was sure Rachel was watching his every move. At least, when she wasn't busy pulling strings to facilitate Maura's demise.

  Carrie was swallowed by the crowd. Greg was just about to give up when he spotted her. She'd stopped in the middle of the fray. Her whole body stiff, her hands curled into fists as Carrie stared off in the direction opposite of him. Whatever she was looking at seemed to have made her angry but before Greg could reach her a crowd of vampires surrounded her and then scattered leaving nothing but the hint of her perfume behind.

  A deep panic began to set in as he recognized the one vampire left standing in her place. The little weasel that worked for Maura. He eyed Greg cautiously, almost as if he were silently trying to warn him away before he turned to follow the others. He wasn't trying to be evasive. As far as Greg could tell the man was leading him to where they had taken Carrie.

  Greg knew it was a trap, but there was no way he would allow Carrie to fall victim to Maura. From the stories he'd been told about Maura, there was nothing good to come. If human women were the source of her power, draining a female vampire might be the extra rush Maura needed to make her final play. Almost as an afterthought, he decided to call for back up. He pulled out his cell and dialed Claude.

  "Where are you?" His sister answered almost immediately. He chose to ignore her protectiveness this once. His baby sister, the girl who had always needed his help now acted like he was an invalid. Not that he could blame her given the circumstances but it still grated.

  "Put Claude on," Greg said.

  After a minute or two, he heard Gretchen transfer the phone to her mate.

  "You know you can't just run off like that. With everything that's happened and the continued threat of Maura..."

  "Maura has Carrie. I'm following her henchmen right now," Greg cut Claude's lecture short.

  "Carrie," Claude asked.

  "Shane's blond friend," Greg growled.

  The girl had been hanging around Shane and the mansion for the past month. No one seemed to care who or what she was other than a hindrance to Shane and Molly being together. It was something he would definitely have to talk to them about. As much as they claimed to be better people than when they were under Maura's spell. The men still had a lot of people skills to catch up on if they were going to be accepted into any kind of modern society.

  "Shit! Can you stay on them – I mean, follow them but don't get too close. We don't want you falling back into Maura's thrall. Don't hang up just keep this line open just in case," Claude said.

  Greg pocketed his phone. This confrontation with Maura had been months in the making. He only hoped that he wasn't walking right into one of Maura's grand schemes and actually had some element of surprise. He knew to wait for the others, but he also couldn't risk an innocent life. Maura couldn't and wouldn't get his hands on Carrie if he could help it.

  The Best Laid Plans

  "Time? Time is not on anyone's side here," The Shadow screeched back.

  Cat had never experienced the Shadow this out of control. Angry? Sure, but never out of control. The shadowed form paced back and forth in front of her. Like a ghost haunting the courtyard, the very first place Cat had ever come across this creature.

  "Look. Molly and Shane have their own demons to contend with that far exceed this week timeline you've thrown at me," Cat said as calmly as possible.

  The Shadow had never done anything to really hurt Cat. With its erratic behavior now, there was no telling what may happen.

  "If you had only done as I told you. That girl would be a non-issue," The Shadow spat.

  Cat rolled her eyes.

  "Hey! Molly has her head up her butt. That girl, her name is Carrie by the way, was a possible solution to this whole matchmaking scheme of yours. You only said that Shane needed to find love. You didn't specify it one hundred percent had to be with Molly," She said.

  "Of course I meant with Molly. This whole thing started with her, and it will end with her," The Shadow said before disappearing.

  "It was so nice talking to you as always," Cat grumbled.

  She pulled her cardigan tighter over her chest. There was a sudden chill in the air that hadn't been there before. Cat went back inside, the dinner party she'd thrown in honor of Shane's progress in staying sober had been short yet eventful. The tension in the air had been so thick everyone seemed to be chocking on the bad vibes. It was one of the reasons Cat had escaped to the courtyard in the first place. Molly had broken first, running away once confronted with the reality of her feelings for Shane, Shane left poor Carrie to chase after Molly, Carrie went shortly after that, and Gretchen sent Greg to see that Carrie got home safely before disappearing with Claude.

  As if that wasn't enough Xander had chastised her for once again meddling where she didn't belong. Of course, that led to an argument and him storming off to go hit something. Cat should have known that things were not likely to get better when she'd sought the relaxing calm of the courtyard. Too bad the Shadow interrupted her chill with crazy half-cocked accusations and demands. Always with the demands.

  Another judgmental rant from the Shadow and Cat was going to explode. It had been over a year since the shadow first appeared and even with Claude finding love with Gretchen the atmosphere was still pretty dire. Maura still hadn't made another appearance. Xander wasn't exactly open about the investigation which pissed her off, but she knew her mate was just trying to protect her. If only he knew how deep into it she already was.

  Other than the stupid necklace on her neck or the crazy shadow stalking her and torturing her best friend. Cat's heart was very much in this fight as well. She'd come to think of all the men as her family an
d Gretchen too. She even found herself checking on Gretchen's brother Greg from time to time. Having gone through an unwanted change, she knew how isolating those first few months could feel. Adjusting to your newfound strengths and weaknesses.

  However, that wasn't what was pressing at the moment. Cat had to find a way to get Molly and Shane back together. It was a start that they had left the dinner party together even if it meant an awkward moment with Carrie.

  Cat began to clear the glasses of blood left around the room. Some dinner party when all the courses were liquid. She hated to waste it considering the source but once warmed the blood would be rancid in a few hours. She headed for the kitchen only to be nearly knocked over by a half-naked Claude.

  "Hey! Where's Xander," He said pulling a black t-shirt over his sinfully defined abs.

  "Wrecking shit out back. What's going on," Cat asked.

  "Carrie's been taken," He called out as he ran towards the backyard.

  Cat nearly dropped the glasses in her hands as the reality of his words sunk in. No wonder the Shadow had been acting strangely. Shane had lost his shit when Molly had died. Even though he wasn't romantically interested in Carrie, she was still an innocent caught in the crosshairs because of him. Cat ran into the house to change into more fight friendly clothes. It didn't matter what Xander or the other's said they were going to need the help tonight. Speaking of help. Cat pulled out her phone and dialed Molly. Carrie was probably the last person Molly would ever want to save, but this would be the best chance they all had of getting rid of Maura once and for all.

  Cat still remembered how her friend had managed to save them all during the last encounter and she knew Molly and her powers would be needed tonight. She just hoped she wasn't interrupting anything good between Molly and Shane.