“Because this was engineered. Everyone here has been manipulated,” Zane responded. “By fighting, you give the puppeteers exactly what they want.” He grinned. “And we’re a perverse lot.”
“Be assured,” Vivianne spoke up, “what happened here—Nightwing were lied to just as much as you. We accept responsibility for our actions, though, and I will discuss reparation with all parties.” She looked meaningfully at Caleb. “I, for one, am truly sorry for what has happened here,” she said softly. Any father who would fight to keep his daughter alive had her full attention and respect. “And I intend to make sure it never happens again.”
Caleb’s eyes narrowed, but a young woman draped in a large coat stepped forward to tug on his arm. He frowned at the girl, but whatever she said to her father made him nod reluctantly.
A slight shuffling noise echoed down the hallway, and she turned to see Dave Carter, the witch, emerge. Behind him was a troupe of about a dozen people, all of whom she couldn’t quite get a read on. Vampire? Werewolf? Human? Witch?
Dave looked about the room. He clutched his side but otherwise looked strong and healthy. His expression showed disappointment. “Did I miss the fight?” he asked, surprised. Vivianne glanced around the room. Everyone was quiet, somber, but at least the blood zest had been taken out of the situation. She nodded.
Dave swore, then, “Well, at least tell me I’m in time for the beers?”
Zane reluctantly smiled at the comment as the werewolves cheered. The vampires nodded, then retreated quietly, picking up their dead and injured as they went.
Dave crossed over to them, and newcomers followed closely behind. The witch smiled as he looked at Zane and Vivianne. “Well, aren’t you two a surprise?”
“Did you know?” Vivianne asked him. “Did you know we were...changing?”
Dave moved his hand from side to side. “Sort of. I got a weird reading off both of you.” He sobered. “I had to see whether you could handle the change, or whether it was a mistake I had to rectify.”
Vivianne’s eyebrows rose. By rectify, she assumed...kill.
“And you think we can handle it, then?” she asked quietly.
Dave looked at Zane and nodded. “Yeah, I do,” he said. “So much so that I think you can help these folks.” He indicated the group behind him. “These people were under your father’s home when Natalie was captured,” he murmured.
Vivianne’s eyes widened. Natalie’s blood had saved her, turned her—and by association, Zane—into something...different. And these people were just like her and Zane...different.
Zane nodded. “We can help them,” he said, eyeing the group. He nodded once more. “Yeah. Definitely.”
Epilogue
Four months later, Vivianne walked into the building she now called home. She yawned. The house had been built on the rise above the site that had once been her father’s facility. That had been demolished, and while there were still things that needed to be completed, the large house had a roof, a floor and walls, and indoor plumbing. Zane and the rest of the group were currently working on the final touches. Like carpet. She was so looking forward to carpet. She’d discovered a new affiliation for all things tactile in the past few months.
Vivianne clutched her stomach as a wave of nausea rolled over her. Ugh. She’d been dealing with the side effects of the mating bond since the night her father died. She’d expected it to dissipate, but it must take a little longer. She and Zane still couldn’t seem to get enough of each other, and she still sensed him, just as he sensed her—Zane had told her that wouldn’t change.
She’d expected the perspiration and butterflies in her stomach to go, though, and was trying to be patient.
Her engagement ring sparkled in the sunlight. That had been another shock, and one Lucien had finally told her to test. Having the Lycanism traits, she’d discovered she was now a Daywalker—as was her brother, the sneaky bastard. She shook her head. She still found it hard to believe her life at the moment. Once she had negotiated reparation with River, Alpine and Woodland Packs, she’d stepped down from the Vampire Prime position. Harris now ruled the colony, and while he had his own internal squabbles to deal with, he was establishing control with an ease that made her both surprised and proud.
The facility had been demolished. Completely. As had any records that had been created during the time of its operation. Lucien had transferred the Vale property to her personally, and Zane and she were working with all those affected by her father’s first round of medical experiments. Each of them manifested the combined traits slightly differently, and she was surprised and impressed by Zane’s patience as he worked with each of them. He was a master of control—as he’d proven in their bed time and delicious time again—and had earned the respect and loyalty of each of the “experimentals,” as they were called. So much so that the group had petitioned Reform council, and just two weeks ago they were formally recognized as the Vale Pack, a hybrid breed with the same rights and privileges as the other breeds. The pack voted unanimously, and Zane was now the proud alpha prime of Vale Pack.
She trotted up the stairs and into the master bedroom, and halted when she saw Zane putting the mattress on their new, oversize bed. On carpet.
“Oh, it’s beautiful,” she said, dropping down to run her hands over the charcoal-gray plush fibers. It was soft and silky to the touch, and the smell of new carpet and timber filled her nose. She closed her eyes. “Thank you.”
Zane chuckled as he knelt down next to her. “You like it, huh? Maybe we should christen it?” He cupped her cheek, leaning forward to kiss her gently, and she sighed as she closed her eyes and leaned into him. He winked, then twisted, laying her gently onto the carpet, and followed her down with a scorching kiss. He made her head swim.
Her eyes flicked open. Like, literally. Oh, God. She pushed him off her and sat bolt upright to keep the contents of her stomach exactly where they should be—in her stomach.
“Oh, ugh, I’m so sorry,” she said, covering her hands with her face.
“Hey, it’s okay, it’s fine,” Zane assured her as he rubbed her back soothingly.
“No, it’s not okay,” she said, pouting as she peered through her fingers at him. “I thought once I accepted the mating bond, all this sick stuff would go away. The perspiration, the nausea—it’s getting worse, not better.”
Zane bit his lip as he sat up next to her. “Uh, this isn’t the mating bond,” he told her gently.
She lowered her hands. “It isn’t? What the hell is it, then?”
Zane hesitated, then slid his hand under the bed. “I need to show you something.” He pulled out a gift box. “This is for you,” he said, his voice all husky.
She accepted the box, but her brows dipped slightly. “A present?”
“Open it. It might explain a few things,” he told her softly.
She gave him a sulky look that made him bite his lip harder and lifted up the lid. Inside was a swathe of blue fabric. She lifted it out of the box, frowning in confusion—Oh, it was so lovely and soft, but, seriously?
“A baby blanket? I don’t get it. Why do we need a—” She stopped talking, her eyes widening. “Noooo,” she gasped.
Zane nodded. “Yessss,” he whispered.
She shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. “But I can’t... Vampires...”
He smiled, his brown eyes warm with those beautiful hazel-green highlights. “You’re not just a vampire, anymore,” he told her softly. He took her hand and placed it on her stomach. “Listen.”
She stopped breathing, petrified to believe him.
And there it was, a faint but strong, thump-thump-thump in rapid succession. A little heartbeat.
She lifted her gaze in wonder at Zane, and his smile broadened. “A baby?” she squeaked.
He nodded. “A baby.”
She threw herself into his arm
s, and he laughed as they toppled back on the carpet. He caught her lips in a passionate kiss, and she responded, wrapping her arms and legs around him. He rolled them gently, bearing his weight on his arms as he pulled back to gaze down at her.
“You are the only woman who can truly drive me crazy, but you’re also my sanity,” he said softly, his voice low and deep. “I love you.” His face became serious. “You brought out the alpha in me, and gave me a pack.” He sighed. “I’m a better man because of you.”
She smiled up at him, tears streaming down her face. “You were always my alpha.” She hugged him. “And you gave me a happy-ever-after, and now...a real family of my own,” she whimpered, then started kissing him all over his face. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”
He made a noise, a rumble that reverberated through his chest, as he kissed her back. Her beast responded to his. She felt joy, she felt love, and those same emotions were feeding back to her from him. She pulled back and gave him a mock frown. “Annoying?”
He nodded. “Oh, very annoying. But for some reason I find that very sexy.” He lowered his head and kissed her thoroughly. She relaxed beneath him, sighing as that same, ever-present passion awoke inside her.
“Sexy, huh?”
“Uh-huh.” He started to unbutton her silk blouse as he kissed his way down her neck.
“How sexy?” she asked breathlessly, arching against him.
“Let me show you.”
And show her, he did.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from WITCH’S FURY by Deborah LeBlanc.
Join Harlequin My Rewards today and earn a FREE ebook!
Click here to Join Harlequin My Rewards
http://www.harlequin.com/myrewards.html?mt=loyalty&cmpid=EBOOBPBPA201602010003
We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Nocturne story.
You harbor otherworldly desires... Harlequin Nocturne stories delve into dark, sensuous and often dangerous territory, where the normal and paranormal collide.
Enjoy two new stories from Harlequin Nocturne every month!
Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!
Other ways to keep in touch:
Harlequin.com/newsletters
Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks
Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks
HarlequinBlog.com
Join Harlequin My Rewards and reward the book lover in you!
Earn points for every Harlequin print and ebook you buy, wherever and whenever you shop.
Turn your points into FREE BOOKS of your choice
OR
EXCLUSIVE GIFTS from your favorite authors or series.
Click here to join for FREE
Or visit us online to register at
www.HarlequinMyRewards.com
Harlequin My Rewards is a free program (no fees) without any commitments or obligations.
Witch’s Fury
by Deborah LeBlanc
Chapter 1
Over the past three weeks, Gilly François and her sisters, Vivienne and Evette, had been living a nightmare that the triplets couldn’t seem to wake from. The sisters, known as the Triad—a special set of witches—were at a loss over all of the strange and unusual events that had been occurring lately. Each sister was responsible for otherworldly creatures known as the Originals, the first of their breed. Gilly took care of the Chenilles, the original zombies, Viv the Loup-Garous, the original werewolves, and Evee the Nosferatu, the original vampires. Lately, however, no one seemed capable of taking care of anything or anyone.
Chenilles had been slaughtered, just like Loup-Garous and Nosferatu. Even worse, many of the members of their Originals factions had simply disappeared, leaving the safe haven created by the Triad years ago.
Although the sisters had cast additional protection and boundary spells over their assigned territories, more times than not, the spells appeared ineffective. The killings continued.
Feeling at a loss and hopeless, the Triad were nearing their wits’ end when four men showed up on their doorstep: Nikoli, Lucien, Ronan and Gavril Hyland. They’d said they were cousins, known as Benders, and had been sent to New Orleans to help the Triad. Whatever they were, there was no denying they were all tall, muscular and drop-dead gorgeous.
Along with their arrival, the cousins brought unsettling news. They revealed that the local deaths of the Triad’s Originals were not due to infighting among the factions as the Triad had first suspected. According to the cousins, the deaths were coming by way of creatures known as Cartesians—massive, monstrous creatures with long, razor-sharp talons and teeth. Their bodies were protected by inch-thick scales that hid behind a heavy matting of fur. Their job as Benders, a special generational group of men ordained by the Church centuries ago, was to destroy the Cartesians.
Gilly and her sisters had heard of the Cartesians before but only in folkloric tales. According to legend, Cartesians were an invisible lot, only revealing themselves occasionally. They fed on other-worldly creatures, anything whose life force exceeded that of an average human, which, of course, included the Triad.
Although it had taken some time for the Hylands to convince Gilly and her sisters that the men weren’t a few cards short of a deck, the Triad was eventually convinced. So much so that they’d decided to split up into three groups with the Benders to cover more territory in search of their missing Originals. Viv worked with Nikoli, Gilly with Gavril and Evee with both Lucien and Ronan.
Sadly, in the midst of a surprise attack on Evee, Ronan, whom Evee knew had a crush on her, had rushed over to save her and had been gored in the head by a Cartesian’s massive talons. The Cartesian had then disappeared with Ronan into another dimension. Evee and Lucien had witnessed it all; Nikoli had contacted the family back home and notified them of Ronan’s death.
Gilly had been sure that after that horrid event, the Benders would be off to their homeland to help console their family and help with Ronan’s memorial service. Instead, they’d chosen to stay in New Orleans. It was evident to Gilly that the Benders met their commitments and finished their missions, no matter what.
The Triad had even set up an elaborate feeding system in Algiers, across the river from New Orleans, using cattle as their feeding stock, so the Originals were always satiated: the Nosferatu fed on the blood, the Loup-Garous on the meat and the Chenilles on the bone marrow. But despite the appearance of the Benders and their offer to help, things had started to take a turn for the worse, and quickly. Word from the Triad’s Elders was that some of the missing Originals had already moved out of New Orleans proper and murdered two people.
In the midst of all the chaos, the Triad met with their Elders—Arabella, Taka and Vanessa—to ask for their advice, help and understanding.
Unfortunately, not only were the Triad’s powers beginning to wane, but the Elders’ powers were, as well. Everything from binding to comehither spells worked, didn’t work, or barely worked. The last two symptoms became more dominant each day. The only advice the Elders had to offer was to possibly speak to the three sorcerers who lived in New Orleans, in hopes they might be able to break through this spell malaise.
While meeting with the Elders, it was discovered that Viv and Evee had already been intimate with their Benders—more than once. The revelation came by way of the Triad’s familiars, all three of which snitched on their mistress for what they thought to be the greater good. Appalled, the Elders demanded that they no longer have any intimate contact with the Benders. Triad members were forbidden to marry or live intimately with humans. If so, they’d lose their powers completely, and the Originals they were there to protect would run amuck, killing humans at will.
Evee and Viv tried to deny that they had been romantically involved with the Benders. But to the Elders, what else explained why t
hings had taken such a severe turn for the worse? It had to be because Gilly’s two sisters had sex with their search partners, and the reason their powers were waning Although Gilly had spoken to her sisters about that hypothesis and they had agreed that it might be a possibility, neither Evee nor Viv seemed to regret their actions.
So far, Gilly was the only member of her Triad who hadn’t had sex with a Bender, and it wasn’t for lack of desire. Every time Gilly saw Gavril, the only thing that crossed her mind, no matter what else might be going on, was kissing his full bottom lip. She wanted to stare into his violet eyes and run her fingers through his collar-length, ginger-colored hair. She could have wrapped up her emotions in one huge, lust-filled package, but it didn’t explain why her heart ached when he wasn’t near. As much as she longed for him, she supposed guilt played a part in allowing it to go any further. After the Elders had found out that Viv and Evee had been intimate with their Benders, they’d confessed their senses of guilt to Gilly. They worried about the role their intimacy played in making things worse. But despite worry and guilt, however, they both declared that the drive, need and love for their men kept them going back for more.
“Fifty bucks for your thoughts,” Gavril said, as they walked to St. Louis I cemetery to check on the remaining Chenilles.
She gave him a sideways grin. “Isn’t it, ‘a penny for your thoughts’?” The Benders had been with the Triad for a little over two weeks now, and the longer they stayed, the more Gavril tugged on her heart strings. His looks were one thing, but she so admired his drive and determination, his caring, thoughtful manner, and his do or die attitude when it came to accomplishing any task.
Gilly and Gavril had been searching incessantly for her missing Chenilles. By last count, twenty-five had gone missing. If her brood wasn’t found before feeding time, chances were extremely high that they would start attacking humans for food. The police were getting involved, and that scared Gilly to death.
The last thing Gilly would admit to anyone, however—especially her sisters—was how badly she wanted Gavril. So badly, in fact, that it wasn’t unusual for her to have wet dreams about him. She felt a bit guilty about that. Viv’s entire troupe of Loup-Garous had vanished, as had Evee’s lot of Nosferatu. She should be thinking of them, of helping them, while keeping track of her own Originals.
Wolf Undaunted Page 25