by Erin R Flynn
“Yes. One was here a bit ago with a Cirque du Soleil show, but they’ve since moved on.” She cleared her throat and thanked the agent for the water, taking several long gulps. “Two weeks ago I was approached by one of us. I’d never seen him before, and he didn’t smell like any pack I was familiar with. It was weird. He didn’t smell rogue, but something was off, maybe how nomad would smell if I had to put a scent associated with it.”
“Like too many regional scents to keep up with?” I suggested, and she nodded, smiling at me that I didn’t just brush her off. “I understand what you mean actually. That’s invaluable information, Regina. Can I ask what he said to you?”
“He said they wouldn’t be here long and to not get in their way or affect their business ‘like bitches always do’ or they’d be back and take everything, the pack, the club, us, whatever they wanted. I told him we didn’t want trouble, but we wouldn’t be bullied, that we had protection. He looked me in the eye, and I swear I saw the crazy living in his mind, and all he said was, ‘don’t worry, the wolves can’t touch cheetahs, babe, and Vegas’ top dog ain’t nothing but a pussy. Push us because I’d love to prove it.’”
“Charming. Did you tell the Alpha?”
“Yeah, but you know how most wolves are,” she replied, wincing when she met my eyes. I shrugged and waved her on. She wasn’t wrong really, but I got it, she didn’t mean me. “He brushed it off just as the other guy brushed off the wolves protecting us. We didn’t want to get in the middle of it, and we don’t want trouble.”
“How could you not report this or that you had contact with the bank robbers hitting all over the city?” Hull pressed her when I was easing off the questions. I was about to snap at him, but Regina’s retort was much better.
“You seem like a douche, to be honest, but still, I don’t send people to their deaths. This guy would have ripped through you as easily as he probably drinks his morning crazy.”
It was hard not to laugh at that, but I focused on her and not the steam coming out of Hull’s ears. “Anything else you’ve heard through the grapevine?”
“A few people have been asking if another pack has moved in or if we’ve expanded to the Tropicana. They have that shifter lagoon with the swim up bars and the whole nine, you know? Guess people have noticed cheetahs there, or something made them think cheetahs have moved in there as if that’s where they’re staying. I get the feeling it’s the club and them being there reoccurring, because no one does that unless it’s their turf. I guess I’m saying I wouldn’t trust the Tropicana owners to give you information.”
“Got it. I promise no one will ever know this came from you or land back on your pack. I have a few ideas how to handle this, but for now, the Tropicana is a solid lead. I also wanted to let you know there’s a cheetah coming in on my team.”
“Simone said. She’s mentioned Michael before. I’m glad that’s been your introduction to our kind, I truly am.” She gave me a sad smile. “He’s a rarity. Most cheetahs are solitary because they’re overly aggressive and pretty abusive. I used to wonder if it was the speed of our animals that pretty much always has us moving fast and a bit high strung in human form; mix in testosterone, and that’s what happens. I stopped caring and just found a way for my pack to make a living and cool our animal sides. I’d like to keep it that way.”
“I understand completely. I do. I have a lot of wolves who were in similar circumstances, recently freed from that life. Simone’s been a big help.”
“She’s good like that.” She smiled at Simone and then shook hands with me. I watched Simone walk her out and flopped back into my chair.
“So we’re going undercover at the Tropicana tonight?” Hagan asked, practically wagging his tail at the idea.
“Yeah, we are.” I couldn’t help but smirk at him. Goof.
“We’ll get you wires and backup in the club from our guys,” Hull informed us.
I couldn’t help it. It was maybe one of the stupidest things he’d said so far. I met the looks of the Cooney twins, and we all burst out laughing. It was so bad I could barely stay upright in my chair.
“Oh god, I needed that,” I sighed, wiping my eyes. “One, you guys wouldn’t get in the door. I mean that literally. We can smell each other, Hull. Please pay attention. They might not even need to take a whiff to know they weren’t shifters.”
“We can hear radios, so there’s no surveillance you could put on people we can’t catch,” Reagan added.
Hagan took the last one. “And my favorite of the funny there—what do you think is the dress code for shifter clubs, Chief Hull?”
“It’s a pool, so swimsuits. I admit, the surveillance would be trickier then, but fine, it’s out anyway.”
“Oh no, shifter clubs have a much stricter dress code,” Hagan purred, his eyes on me.
I rolled my eyes and looked at Hull. “Nude. Most shifter-only clubs, the dress code is no clothes, Hull. Shifters are very okay with nudity. Rips less clothes if we change forms.”
Hull turned bright red and scratched the top of his head. “Oh, well then, no, I doubt any of my guys could pull off being your backup then.”
“And stay focused,” Wu drawled.
“Yeah, it’s distracting.” Wu raised an eyebrow at me, and I snorted. “I’ve only been a wolf a few months, remember? I’ve been to a shifter club once, and no one warned me. I think I was there a whole half hour before I bailed. At least this time there will be water to hide in.”
“No bikini required,” Hagan cooed. I picked up a few cold fries and tossed them at him, his laughter echoing in the conference room. Dick.
11
“Hey, you’re beautiful. You look amazing, Sera,” Hagan murmured, giving me a pep talk later that day. “Nothing’s waiting for you out there. Reagan and I aren’t Riley, and we listen to you, know what you need, and that throwing you for a loop when you’re nervous isn’t how to get you to relax, okay?”
“I wonder if I ever give you guys what you need?” I whispered, staring up at him.
“You do. I know it’s been a lot, too much for all of us, but please don’t ever doubt that we’re happy. If there’s something we need, we’ll tell you. Now go have fun, align with her, but don’t let her take you over. Feed and play. We’ve got your back.”
I nodded, knowing already they weren’t fans when my siren fully took over. It weirded them out as it did me, like I was being possessed instead of just another side of me like with my wolf. I took a few deep breaths and nodded to Reagan that he could go ahead and lead the way. The cover was easy—a visiting Alpha with her Betas so they could guard me.
Simone was already out there acting like a panther who was thinking of moving to Vegas for work and gathering the dirt from locals. Probably wasn’t needed, but it never hurt to have an extra layer of information and protection. If there ended up being a problem, people wouldn’t think of her as on our side until she was needed.
But I had to give her major props. There was no way I could ever walk into a place like that, especially naked, and fit right in. Sure enough, she was sitting at the bar, talking with several people already as if they were old friends.
That will never be me. I’ve never had the ability to blend and relax like that. I tried to let go of the negative and aligned with my siren, letting our energy flow and giving her permission to feed from as many kisses as she wanted. I wanted her to use the part of me that was clairvoyant and be rude, find out what we could so maybe we could locate the cheetahs instead of trying to sniff them out with so many scents there.
I spotted a girl who reminded me a bit of me, awkward, standing off to the side alone, and headed in her direction. My siren didn’t thirst for her energy, but understood me better and promised to make her look good. I smiled at the girl, and she obviously felt my energy, reacting to it as I leaned in and gave her a kiss, feeding. She cried out, and Hagan grabbed her. Then I moved to the closest hot guy and kissed him, giving him the same treatment.
�
�There, you’re both primed for fun,” I purred, nodding for Hagan to hand her over to him. Her eyes went wide, and I winked at her before kissing a few of the guy’s friends, shivering at the power I drank in.
“More,” one growled, trying to pull me back.
“You couldn’t handle it, pup,” I chuckled, shoving him away playfully. After another dozen, we were at the bar, and I asked Hagan to order me something blended and fun—since it was hot in Vegas in July even later in the day—and get us seats at the pool. Then I kept going with Reagan all around the bar. It was weird, like dancing between people, flowing with the energy all around me and letting it build and grow, my siren needing it. Half of it we digested, if that was the right word, and made it a part of us just as we would food when hungry.
This was a hunger too, though. Half of it I saved, a plan in mind. Most of what I got from people was nothing important. Some were excited to be at a place like this, some thought it was lame, most wanted fun… Some had an idea of fun that went way beyond my level of comfort, but hey, it was Vegas.
Finally, after about a quarter of the way through the lagoon club, I felt it—cheetah. I pulled on his arm and turned him to me, kissing him. “Mmm, tasty.”
“What did you just do to me?” he demanded, his voice breathy.
“Fed. Don’t worry, you got as good as I took, right?” I gave him a chaste kiss on the lips, our prearranged sign of when I found one. “You’re delicious.” I turned away, guessing his friends were the other cheetahs and would go back later, but right then, I wanted to leave him hanging with intrigue. Sure enough, I felt his eyes on me as I made my way over to Hagan, Reagan taking up position at the bar to watch us, basically the two of them shifting in their role in guarding me.
“Cherry vodka limeade,” Hagan offered, and I took the plastic glass from him. He was already sitting at the edge of the pool, his legs hanging in the water with his own drink. I took a long sip and then sat down as well.
On his lap.
“Want to see how it feels?” I breathed in his ear, my arm snaking around his neck to keep my balance. Then I kissed him, sharing the power I’d collected instead of taking any. Hagan moaned, his hands moving to my hips and holding me against him as he climaxed from the rush of power. We practically vibrated together as his tongue searched every corner of my mouth, his body hard and strong under mine. My power flared, Hagan’s enjoyment stirring it like embers in a fire.
He wanted me so badly. Reagan had gotten me first, and Hagan didn’t even know how or that I’d submitted, but Reagan had been first. Sure, he didn’t think he really was my favorite, but that we clicked amazingly and it hurt that I could wait so long to be with him when Reagan had been with me fully. Hagan also wanted everyone there to see I was his. Damn, looking at me through his eyes, I couldn’t even put it into words.
I saw how he’d watched me move around the pool, fluid, perfect, every inch of me he desired and for so much more than sex. He loved me. Wanted to worship me as the goddess and perfect Alpha he thought I was, the missing piece of his life to give it meaning for Reagan as well.
“I’ve never shared power with Reagan,” I informed him, leaning back to take a sip of my drink. “That I wanted to do with you, Hagan. I want to give you everything you desire tonight, but I worry that Reagan will then be jealous you had this, and then you will of something else he got first.”
“We’re not like that,” he swore to me, his hands massaging my hips. “First times are tricky, Sera. You know that. We’re exploring this, and that’s great, but there will be a bit of ‘am I as good as my twin?’ We’ll get past that once we know where we stand with you, that we please you. I know it in my heart. I don’t know what you saw, but I can’t help how I feel. I’ve not started trouble, though.”
“No, you guys never do. I’m scared of failing you both.” I leaned in and gave him a chaste kiss. “Was it good?”
“Yeah. I’ve never felt this keyed up. It’s like a new level I didn’t think my power would hit.”
“It’s not just the weaker female wolves I want to feed the power to. I want us all to be more. There’s got to be some good that comes out of what I am, what I can do. If I can give this to you guys then…” I trailed off, not sure how to finish that sentence.
“You’re amazing,” he whispered, his eyes never leaving mine as his hand moved from my hip and went lower. His fingers found my best spots and pleased with crazy speed that brought me faster than I would have thought possible. I ended up leaning back, my hands on his knees for balance as he took good, good care of me.
When I came back down, I stared into Hagan’s eyes, and finally something clicked that maybe I had known but not fully comprehended. Or more likely it had been close to a full thought and I’d only had the bits and pieces.
Hagan and Reagan were wolves, Beta wolves, through and through. They wanted to please me in any way they could. I was their Alpha. It made them happy to do it. Not in that way that doing something nice for the person they loved felt warm and fuzzy, but way more. Maybe in a way I would never understand because I wasn’t born a wolf. Or maybe I had always been an Alpha before I was ever a wolf. Who really knew?
But it all clicked. They weren’t just accommodating, easygoing guys that put up with my crazy. It made them happy… In the same way protecting people made me happy and was my purpose in life.
I saw it all in his eyes, and mostly not just that he wanted to have sex because he wanted me. He wanted it because people were there, shifters were there, and they would see his Alpha give him the gift of her body, the ultimate “you’ve done good.”
“Always so perfect, my Beta,” I praised, feeling lots of eyes on us after the show I’d just put on. I couldn’t keep quiet if my life depended on it when I was having fun. I licked my lips and moved his hands to my breasts, carefully balancing. “No one could ask for a better Beta, a better man, Hagan.”
“Yeah?” he breathed, his eyes lighting up at the compliment like a kid at Christmas. “What else can I do for my Alpha?”
“No, this is your reward. Take what you want. Anything you want from me. You have more than earned it.”
“Jesus, Sera,” he gasped. “Do you know what you’re saying?”
“Yes. I trust you with all of me, with the pack, with the boys—everything, Hagan. You’ve proven yourself beyond a doubt, and you have never failed me, will never fail me. So this is my gift to you. However, whichever way, whatever you want from me, you get tonight.”
Hagan snarled, and in a flash we were moving through the water, me wrapped around the front of him. He pulled us up on an island in the center of the pool that was only an inch under the surface, obviously made for people to dance on or whatever. I guessed we were going to be the whatever.
“What do you want?” I purred, knowing what it was when he moved us to stand.
“Please, please, my Alpha, my love,” he begged as he bared his neck to me.
I dropped to my knees. Who could say no to a hot, begging man they felt so much for? I swallowed him down and did a pretty damn good job of not gagging as he took control. Hagan’s wasn’t mean or rough, but he also wasn’t small. Rather, both the twins were damn huge.
God, I was lucky.
When he finished, I didn’t even have to ask what came next, turning around and dropping my shoulders down into the water as I pushed my ass up. Hagan didn’t hesitate or check again, plunging into me seconds later. I cried out in pleasure, glancing around and meeting Reagan’s gaze.
All I saw was longing. No jealousy. It made me feel good that I wouldn’t be some chew toy between twins. But then his eyes bugged out, and I got worried as Hagan kept thrusting.
Someone grabbed my hair and turned my head.
“Feed from them, Sera. I want to feel it when I’m inside you,” Hagan growled as I met the eyes of a stranger. Geez, did public fun at this place mean people thought they could join in?
The guy’s eyes were glazed over, and I realized my power was
still out and playing, flirting with food for me. Whoops! I kissed the guy and took a big gulp, knowing he’d back off then, especially with the fine orgasm it would give him. He did, and someone took his place. I pushed up onto my forearms so I had some maneuvering room as I kissed the girl who was next… While someone else grabbed my breasts.
“Touch her again, and I’ll gut you. Kissing only,” Hagan snarled, and the hands let me go.
When I finished with the girl who was practically spasming in the water, I glanced at him over my shoulder. “Always my perfect Beta, even when fucking my brains out so good.”
“Gods, you’re going to kill me,” he groaned, his hips moving faster. I screamed as he hit that perfect spot in me, my power flaring. Someone grabbed my face and swallowed my next cries as I drank from them.
We went on that way for what felt like forever, giving and receiving too many orgasms for me to count.
“I can’t hold it anymore,” Hagan informed me, and suddenly the hands that touched me I knew. I blinked and was staring into Reagan’s eyes.
“Say yes,” he begged.
“Always.”
He pulled up onto the island with us so I was on my knees, his hands touching my breasts as he kissed me. I shared a fraction of the new power I’d taken in since it had been so much more than earlier. Still, he probably got more than Hagan had, and he came against me the same time as Hagan finished inside me. I fell over right with them, and when we were all spent, I collapsed, only their arms and perfect bodies keeping me up.
“We have to do that again and a lot,” I panted, smiling even as my eyes were closed.
“You are opening a club,” Reagan chuckled, kissing the tip of my nose.
“I don’t think it’s going to be that kind of club.”
“Oh, might be worth it. Look around, everyone’s had a night they’ll never forget,” Hagan murmured in my ear. I opened my eyes and really took in the lagoon. People were going at it like love potions had been slipped into their drinks. Some were already finished and sated with big grins on their faces. It should have been kinky, maybe a bit trashy, and definitely dirty.