by Liza Street
“Come here?” he asked her. “Just for a minute.”
She padded across the room to him and sat down. She’d changed into a set of form-fitting, tiny sleep shorts and an over-sized shirt. He reached an arm around her shoulders and hauled her closer, so she leaned her head against his arm.
“You were great in there,” he said, kissing the top of her head.
“That was fun,” she said. “I didn’t expect it to be, but it totally was.”
“Good.” He kissed her again. “You should probably get some sleep.”
“I will.” She snuggled closer into him and sighed.
He picked up his phone and pulled up an ebook to read. Viviana wriggled a little bit, trying to get comfortable, and soon her head was in his lap and she was breathing quietly and evenly. She’d fallen asleep like this, with him. He felt bigger, all of a sudden. Important. Like things in the world mattered more than they had before.
How much his life was changing. He’d avoided the notion of fated mates ever since he was a teenager. Despite his mother’s experience with Clay, he’d believed the whole mates thing was just for the wolves in his pack, not for him, a human. But now he’d met Viviana. He wanted to resist her—his mom’s heartache was so extreme. But at the same time, he really didn’t want to resist Viviana at all.
The only option, he decided, was to give in, and tonight he’d done just that. He and Viviana, whatever happened, were meant to be together.
He stayed awake all night, reading his book and listening to her breathing, his eyes frequently glancing up to look at her darkened window. The night was quiet. He could hear faint sounds and voices from other rooms in the house, but nothing that concerned him or Viviana.
When dawn broke, he picked Viviana up. His muscles were sore from sitting so long—he’d barely moved all night, just occasionally to stretch his muscles. Each time he came right back to Viviana and rested her head on his thigh. She’d barely stirred.
He carried her to her bed and tucked her in. Kissed her forehead. Viviana. His mate.
He had to get some sleep, but first he should shower Viviana’s shampoo scent out of his hair. He left her room, carefully shutting the door behind him.
Facing him was the alpha, her eyes blazing.
“I know,” she said.
Anger and indignation coiled in his spine. “You know what?” he said.
“I know what you’re doing with my daughter.”
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about.” He was careful not to lie—he’d honed this kind of doublespeak from a young age, as soon as Clay and his mom had gotten married and Hudson had joined the Evergreens.
“Are you or are you not sleeping with my daughter?” Marlana asked. “No, wait. Let me reword that. Have you had sex with my daughter?”
“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.” It really wasn’t, but she wouldn’t see it that way.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Marlana said. “You’re dismissed.”
Twenty-One
Viviana woke to Hudson’s voice, loud outside her room. He said, “That’s not a wise decision, Marlana.”
Her mom responded, “It is wise. You’ve compromised her and you’ve compromised our pride. You aren’t worthy to be here as a bodyguard, much less a friend. You have betrayed me.”
“It’s not a betrayal if I love her,” he said.
“Just go.” Marlana’s voice held a coldness that Viviana hadn’t heard since she’d shipped Mendy off to be an Exchange.
Viviana shot across the room and opened her door to see them standing in the hallway. “No,” she said. “You can’t send him away.”
“I hired him,” Marlana said, those ice blue eyes of hers looking colder and more determined than ever. “I hired him and I can send him away. He’s not allowed to be here.”
“But—”
“Don’t speak,” Marlana said.
Viviana felt her mother’s alpha power wash over her. She opened her mouth to argue, but she felt sick immediately. Marlana was exercising that alpha power, when she’d said she wouldn’t do that to Viviana. The cruelty of it hurt almost more than the illness Viviana felt when she tried to disobey.
Not only that, but shouldn’t she be able to defend Hudson if they were mates? Laura had been able to defend Dristan, all those months ago. But Dristan’s life had been in danger, and this wasn’t the case now.
Viviana stomped her foot, gesturing that her mother allow her to talk, but Marlana wouldn’t even look at her.
Hudson turned to face Viviana. “I love you,” he said. “I love you and I know you can’t say anything back right now, but I know you love me, too.” He bent forward and fit his lips against hers, taking her mouth in a passionate kiss that made Viviana want to leap for joy and cry for sorrow.
“Get out,” Marlana shouted.
Hudson gave Viviana one last kiss, then went down the hall. Turning, he said, “You know where to find me, Viviana. When you’re ready to leave, you know where I am. Always.”
He touched his chest over his heart, as if pledging it.
Viviana touched her chest in the same place, showing she understood, showing she felt everything he was saying, showing that she meant it, too.
Marlana waited until Hudson was gone, then turned her wrathful gaze to Viviana. “You’re a fool,” she said. “And now I have to use our Guardians to protect you.”
Viviana watched as her mom texted Ben and Doug Channing. Last week, the thought of the Channing twins guarding her would have been mortifying. Now, she didn’t care. She just wanted Hudson back.
Twenty-Two
Hudson flipped on the lights in his mom’s house. The place was clean now, thanks to Viviana’s help, and after arriving this morning, he’d stocked the fridge with some easy meal options. Gregory had invited him for dinner with the pack, but Hudson wasn’t up for seeing everybody. Returning to the Evergreen Pack was like coming home to a house full of relatives, some of whom he liked, others he didn’t. Right now, he couldn’t handle any kind of socializing or drama.
He waited until after dinnertime, then walked down to the picnic area. Some of the other pack members were still hanging around, but Gregory sat apart from them, sipping a beer.
“Grab one,” he said to Hudson. “Cooler’s over there.” He gestured to a blue ice chest on the picnic table.
Hudson got a beer, opened it, and dragged a lawn chair over to Gregory. “Thanks.”
“So, she kicked you out, huh? What kind of orders weren’t you obeying?”
“I was obeying everything,” Hudson said. “She just didn’t like me.”
“Ah, that just. You know I can smell the half lie. What happened down there?”
Hudson sighed, took a sip of beer. “I fell in love.”
“Ooh-hoo-hoo. Hot dog,” Gregory said. “That’s a doozy. With the princess?”
“Who else,” Hudson grumbled.
“Her mama is not gonna like that.”
“Obviously,” Hudson said, gesturing to himself and the small area around them. “That’s why I’m here, isn’t it?”
Gregory gave him a light punch on the shoulder. “Here I thought it was because you missed me so much.”
Hudson didn’t have a response for that. He wasn’t in the mood to joke around.
“Tell me more about this vampire issue,” Gregory said.
“Not much to tell. Some rogue vamp from Europe came in and wants revenge on the Corona Pride—at least, that’s what the Corona Court is thinking. I guess the vampire was raving about losing his consort, and it’s the pride who took her out.”
Gregory gazed thoughtfully at the darkening sky. “People will do a lot of things to avenge lost loved ones.”
Hudson nodded, although he really didn’t know.
“They grieve different ways, is what I’m learning. Your woman taught me that.” Gregory gulped down the rest of his beer and stood up.
Hudson could hear Gregory’s joints popping. Gregory was ge
tting up there in age, and Hudson wondered how long until someone else stepped up, wanting the role of alpha. At least in the Evergreens it was a peaceful process. Hudson hoped it was the same in the Corona Pride. The thought of Viviana having to fight someone for the spot made his body hurt.
“Gonna call it a night,” Gregory said. “Don’t stay out too late. You’ll want to get some rest to figure out your problem.”
Hudson nodded. “Thanks.”
He watched Gregory amble away, and then he finished his beer. Yeah, he should get some rest. He wasn’t going to stay up here forever. He tossed his empty in the recycling and walked back to his mom’s house. Once inside, he grabbed his phone and texted Viviana. You there?
No response. Then a few seconds later, words came up on the screen. Leave my daughter alone.
Viviana wasn’t a child. Her mom had no right to take her phone like she was a misbehaving thirteen-year-old. Swearing, Hudson tossed his phone on the couch. It buzzed immediately with an incoming call.
“What,” he growled.
“Easy,” a male voice said. “It’s Fraze.”
Gracie Jane’s mate, and Viviana’s friend. “Hi.”
“Hi,” Fraze said, his voice amused. “Marlana giving you hell?”
“Wouldn’t you know it. Can you get a message to Viviana?”
“Sure.”
“Just tell her I miss her. Have her send me a message if she wants me to come down there.”
“Will do. She’s lying low right now, from what I can gather. Wouldn’t come down from her room all day. She’s pissed that the Channings will be guarding her tonight instead of you.”
“That’s not why you’re calling, though, is it?” Hudson asked.
“No. Look, Gracie Jane is here, and she learned some more about Astor. They have a guess about where he’s staying.”
“Where?” Hudson asked, voice sharp.
“There’s a small, rundown cabin about a mile from the southwest corner of the Pine Trail reserve.”
Hudson switched the call to speaker and opened a map app on his phone. “I see where it might be. Road leads right in.”
“Don’t go out there,” Fraze said. “Marlana’s sending Agatha and Michael out at noon tomorrow and they’re trained to handle it, but I wanted to let you know, too. If Viv’s your mate, then you’re just as invested in this as the pride.”
“Thanks,” Hudson said.
After ending the call, Hudson stared at the wall of his mom’s living room. He’d go out to the reserve, and have a look around. During the day, of course. Even if Astor was awake during the day, the sun would work in Hudson’s favor. Hudson would simply stay out of the dark parts of the cabin.
*
In the morning, Hudson got up early and knocked on the alpha’s door. Gregory answered, wearing a pair of pajama pants. “Early to be calling, don’t you think, Hudson?”
“Maybe. Just wanted to let you know I’m heading out for now. I’ll be back later.”
Gregory nodded. “Be careful.”
“Will do.”
The drive to the Pine Trail Reserve took about an hour. By the time Hudson circled around to the southwest edge, it was eight a.m., and the sunlight streamed strong and cheerful through Hudson’s window.
The cabin in front of Hudson was decrepit. It hardly looked light-tight enough for a vampire to want to live inside. Had Fraze and Gracie Jane been mistaken?
Hudson got out of his car and circled the small building. From what he could guess from the fallen walls, it looked like there used to be a kitchen, a bathroom, and a single bedroom.
Carefully, he walked closer. If the vampire was burrowed under a piece of the wall, Hudson could expose him. It might work. Then the sun would burn the guy. Job done.
He poked around some of the rubble, but this seemed pointless. Nobody was here. The cabin was completely abandoned—nobody alive, nobody dead.
Hudson turned toward his car. A shape fell from the trees above him. Hudson only had a glimpse of shadow before something tackled him and he fell to the ground. Hudson squirmed, twisted, and bucked off his attacker.
It wasn’t a lion. It was a human. But…what human could fight like this? This, this thing, it could only be a vampire. Except it was daytime. Vampires couldn’t be exposed to sunlight, and while there were trees around, he didn’t think they would provide enough shadow.
What did he know, though? He’d never fought with a vampire before—he’d only met one for the first time a few days ago. Maybe faint shade was enough shelter for vampires.
Either way, the vampire had disappeared. Hudson spun around, looking at the trees above him. He moved to a sunnier spot. “Come out here, you bastard! Come get a tan!”
Nothing happened. Hudson’s car was in the shade of a large pine tree. If he went for it, he’d be at risk again. Still, he couldn’t stand here all day. It would take hours, but eventually it would get completely dark and he’d be vulnerable.
He looked one way and then the other. The shadowy figure was still nowhere to be seen—not above him, not on the ground. Shit. There was only one thing to do—run.
Hudson bolted for his car. Something followed him on swift feet, but Hudson kicked backward and spun into the kick. The shape fell right into a patch of sunlight.
Hudson stared at the stunned vampire. The eyes were closed, but Hudson suspected that if they’d been open they’d be just as black as Gracie Jane’s. The vampire’s long, dark blond hair was pulled back in a low ponytail. His mouth was partly open, revealing sharp fangs. His face was pale, and, most surprising of all, unmarred in the sunlight.
The sun didn’t do anything to it.
Hudson backed away from the still form until his spine touched his car. He felt behind him for the handle, flung open the door, and leaped inside. Then he peeled out, leaving the very much alive and unharmed vampire in his wake.
There was no time to waste. If this guy wasn’t affected by sunlight, then Hudson had to get out of here so he could warn Viviana.
Twenty-Three
Viviana leaned against the shelves in the garage. Her bedroom seemed to be fair game for her mother lately, and Marlana barged in whenever she felt like it. Viviana needed…space. She needed her own house. She was twenty-two, plenty old enough to be moving out. Why had she stayed so long?
It was time to grow up.
She’d never gone to Chase for advice on anything, but now that he was gone, she found herself wondering what he would say in this situation. He’d seemed smart enough, solid enough. Viviana bet she could have depended on him to provide an unbiased opinion.
That would never happen, now. Nobody had any idea that when Chase had gotten up that morning, it would be his day alive. Chase couldn’t have known, either.
Life was so short, so unfair. Her eyes filled with tears, but she held them back.
The door from the kitchen opened. Faint light spilled into the dark garage. Shit. She didn’t want to be found, didn’t want to talk to anyone. They’d go blabbing to Marlana, and Viviana would lose yet another hiding place. Viviana took a step to the side, trying to blend in with the shadows next to the shelves.
Someone leaned in and set a plate on the hood of Marlana’s Porsche Cayenne. Viviana stared at the sandwich. Peanut butter and strawberry jam—she could smell it from where she stood. “Dad?”
He stepped the rest of the way into the garage. “Thought you might be hungry.”
“Yeah,” she said, and her stomach growled, as if on cue.
They both chuckled quietly.
“Your mom’s really worried,” her dad said, breaking the silence.
Viviana shrugged. “She’s overreacting. This vampire thing will settle down soon. In the meantime, she sent away the best bodyguard we have.”
Her dad’s voice got cold all of a sudden. “He acted unprofessional. In how he behaved.”
“No, he acted like a man in love. And I love him back, Dad.”
Her dad’s eyes softened. “I know
you think that, princess.”
“Dad, you have to stop calling me that. You know it’s a joke to everyone else, right?”
“Sorry, I keep forgetting.”
She sighed. It wasn’t his fault Ben and Doug had stolen the pet name, twisted it into a taunt.
He continued, “Anyway, I know you think you love him, but this is a new thing. Your first…crush, or something.”
Viviana scoffed. “It’s not my first crush. He wasn’t even my first lover. I was with Ben for months and you guys didn’t even know.”
“Ben.” Her dad’s voice sounded even colder.
“Yeah, it was a huge mistake,” Viviana said. “But see, because I had to sneak around, I couldn’t get your or Mom’s counsel on it, could I? You’ve kept me from anyone my age for years.”
“You’re better than all of them,” her dad said.
“No,” Viviana said. “I’m not. I’m just me. I’m Viviana. And that doesn’t make me better than anyone else. Even if I become the alpha after Mom—”
“You will become the alpha. There’s no if about it.”
“Yeah, fine. But even so, I’m still their equal. It doesn’t make me a princess now, and it sure as hell doesn’t make me a queen later. This is a pride, not a vampire court.”
Her dad’s gaze softened as he looked at her. “You’re forming some very strong opinions, young lady.”
“Yeah, I get it from you and Mom. You can only blame yourselves.”
He smiled. “Enjoy your sandwich.”
“Thanks.”
He went back inside. Viviana ate the PB and J, licking the remains of jam off her fingertips. She was tired of being a chicken and hiding out, avoiding her mom. It was time to face the lion, so to speak.
Straightening her spine, she took her empty plate into the kitchen. Her brother’s wife, Agatha, stood scrubbing dishes at the sink.
Viviana frowned at her back—usually Agatha was out kicking ass with the Guardians.
“Where’s Marlana?” Viviana asked.
“She’s in her office, last I heard,” Agatha said, her voice shaking and strained.