Brothers - Pack Special- Complete Set (Books 1 - 8)

by M. L. Briers

  “Connor, friend to the pack, bloodsucking leech, and by all accounts, as annoying as hell.” She looked rather pleased with herself.

  “The last part doesn’t sound like me,” he offered back, still trying to place her.

  “No?” She tilted her head to one side and questioned him with her eyes.

  “Charming, dashing, roguish, runs into the fray to save the damsel in distress…” he stopped when she snorted a chuckle and he leant one arm against the cold stone wall and regarded her with interest. “I like my version better than yours, and you have to admit, I saved your bacon.”

  “That would imply that I’m a pig, and that leads to arguments, magic being tossed about, maybe even that kick in the balls that you were talking about earlier,” she turned her head and regarded him with amusement playing in her eyes. “Do we really want to go down that route?”

  Connor considered her words for a long moment. His eyes flared with the humour inside of him. This little witch was far more formidable that all of the others put together, because she intrigued him…

  “Let’s not and say we did.” He offered back.

  A slow smile took her lips upwards and her eyes stared up at him. For a long moment he could see the cogs practically turning inside her mind, and then she cocked just one eyebrow…

  “I have to say I’m a little disappointed,” she turned on her heels and walked away leaving Connor somewhat surprised. He followed on after her.

  “Disappointed?” He was on her heels in no time. She stopped at the end of the long corridor and looked in both directions. Connor pointed right and she set off again without questioning him.

  “In you,” she offered back.

  “Me? Impossible.” He teased, but for some reason her words irked him.

  “I was told you were this kickass vampire with a barbed tongue and a great comeback line for everything.” She shot a look over her shoulder and his hard length twitched at the sight of her.

  Connor’s mind shot to something decidedly dirty, totally X-rated, and he had the urge to reach out and make it happen…

  “Hmm, Kickass, check, vampire, check, barbed tongue, double check, comeback line for everything…? Not, everything…” he offered as she got to the top of the stone staircase and started down the well wore steps with him following on behind her like a puppy.

  Vicky could feel him there. It wasn’t just the play of the supernatural against the magic of her shields, it was more, but she wasn’t sure what that more was. Just a sense of him…

  “And yet, here you are, muted, unanimated, stunted to act…”

  “Wait, what?” Connor had been lost in thought, still imagining all of the things that he’d like to do to her curvy body.

  She stopped and tossed him another look. There might have been amusement in her eyes, but there was also a sinfully wicked smile playing there too. He guessed she liked games as much as he did, but he had to admit that some games were riskier than others. He just needed to figure out how risky this one could be.

  “I suppose the words – don’t believe the hype – come into play here.” She raised her eyebrows and gave him a look of pure sympathy. Then she was off again before Connor could even get his bearings.

  “You have me at a disadvantage,” Connor said, watching her stop at the bottom of the staircase and look about her. “Left.” He offered over her shoulder and she moved off again straight away.

  “Well, that’s a given, considering you’re male.” She offered back over her shoulder and he caught the side view of her face. Just that sight made his length twitch once more.

  Connor reached out a hand and wrapped it around her wrist. With one quick yank on her arm, he’d turned her back to him, and her palms hit the solid muscle of his chest as his other hand palmed her back.

  A rush of something so carnal went through his body.

  “Let’s start again,” Connor offered.

  He didn’t like feeling off of his game. He certainly didn’t like the fact that she seemed to know him when he had no damn idea who she was… and he definitely didn’t like feeling as if he was playing catch up with a mind full of cotton wool. And this little mind game that she had going on was starting to work on him.

  “Oh, somebody flicked your on switch.” She grinned with so much confidence that she was winning this battle between them that it riled him.

  Connor resisted the need to look right into her mind and steal the very answers that he sought, but at the same time; he found that even though she might be screwing with his mind, body, and the even keel of emotions that he’d crafted for himself over the years – he was actually enjoying this thing that they had going on.

  “Careful what you wish for now, witchy,” he warned her and she grinned harder, those eyes sparkling back at him with such clarity that he could lose himself in them as he took her down his length, over and over, balls deep and bringing them both to new heights.

  “Oh, be my guest, dazzle me with your barbs, just ply me with alcohol first.” She pushed her palms against his chest, and he took one long moment to consider it. Then he let her go, lifted his hand and pointed.

  “That way for the booze.”

  Vicky eyed the room. His tastes weren’t hers. The room looked like a medieval fortress only with a few home comforts. What she supposed were antiques were dotted here and there, clunky wooden furniture that fitted the setting and yet didn’t make the place feel like anything other than a showpiece.

  By the time that she finished nosing around and turned her attention back to him; he was standing there with two crystal cut glasses in his hands and what looked like a decent measure of Scotch in each one, and the smirk on his face said that he wanted to play.

  “Your wish is my command.” He offered her a glass, and so she reached out and took the other. He frowned at the move. “Trusting soul, aren’t you?” He offered looking a little put out by her actions.

  “A girl can never be too careful.” She turned and strolled away from him, putting a little too much distance between them for his liking as she settled in a large wing backed chair by the fireplace.

  “So, back to me being at a disadvantage,” Connor offered and her smiled filled her eyes. “You would be?”

  “Enjoying your discomfort,” she offered and her nose crinkled a little in her mischief.

  “What makes you think I’m uncomfortable? I have you locked away inside my castle, nobody knows where you are-”

  “Please,” she chuckled. Dismissing his antics. “If you wanted to scare me or throw me off balance you’re going the wrong way about it. I know too much about you.”

  “I could lock you in my dungeon,” he shrugged, feeling that niggle inside of him.

  She was right, she had the upper hand here and that was annoying. She didn’t seem overly worried about him being a vampire, although, she hadn’t trusted him with the drinks, and she did seem to have him on the hook like some poor damn fish, but that was his own fault – there was just something about her that he couldn’t quite put his finger on…

  “I thought this was the dungeon.” She offered back as she made a point of looking about her. Connor opened his mouth but said nothing. His eyes did flick around the room taking in what she saw.

  “How old are you, exactly?” She leaned back in her chair and sniffed her drink.

  “Who are you?” Connor’s need to know clawed at him as if he had one of those damn wolves inside of him.

  She was beautiful, check. The long raven hair that had scented of expensive shampoo and fresh air had made his fingers itch to run through the silken strands. Those big brown eyes of hers held his attention so well that he had to drag his gaze away from them. Her full lips, a deep red without the need for cosmetics, called to be kissed, and her curvy body, snuggly adorned by tight fitting jeans that showed off her hips and the curves of her backside fuelled his erection, and the padded leather jacket that fit over her ample breasts made him want to strip that fabric off to uncover what lay
beneath…

  But there was something more to her. A challenge long since forgotten in his youth, back to a time when he wasn’t practiced in wooing women into his bed, and he had no vampire pull to achieve his aims.

  She was worth winning. He just wasn’t sure why.

  “A friend of a friend.” She offered with a smirk, enticing him further into this game, before lifting the glass to her lips. How he wanted to be that inanimate object…

  Just before she took that first sip she saw his eyes flare with life, then they slowly closed as recognition rushed through his mind.

  “You’re in Morgan’s witchy-dex.” He nodded. His eyes coming open and taking her in again. “Vicky.” He looked decidedly smug.

  “Bingo, give the man a prize, some taste might be in order,” she flicked her eyes around the room again.

  “Ooo, baiting the vampire, bold move.” He was back on his game. Now that he’d discovered who she was, he felt his inner self relax a little more.

  “Hitting home?” She teased, giving him a small pout and a sympathetic look, and he drew his head back on his neck.

  “Nice pun. So, Morgan’s friend.”

  “Guilty as charged.”

  “And the vampire is?”

  “Y-o-u.” She said it slowly, dropping her chin and giving him a worried look. He smiled, she was a tease.

  “The other one, smarty-pants.” He tossed back.

  “Vane.” She offered no more than that when she saw him frown.

  “Why do I know that…?” he snapped his fingers. “Vane, yes, got it…” then he frowned harder. “That’s – not – good.”

  ~

  CHAPTER THREE

  ~

  “I noticed.” Vicky bit out before sipping at the liquid in the glass and frowning hard. She wasn’t so jovial anymore. He could see the worry in her eyes and it goaded him.

  “What did you do?”

  “Let’s just say-”

  “No, I need to hear the gory details.” Connor wasn’t playing now either.

  He’d been right – that vampire was old, probably as old as he was. The man’s reputation was clouded in mystery, much like his own, and yet, Connor knew that Vane didn’t have a decent bone in his body.

  He needed to know everything before he could make a decision on the best way forward. How to protect her, because for some damn reason he wanted to do that, and the cost might be high, but it didn’t seem to matter.

  “I stole. Money.” Vicky offered back and Connor’s head tilted to one side as he studied her. There was more, he could tell, and he wanted to know it all.

  “And?”

  “I worked for him.” Vicky shifted in her chair. It was uncomfortable, but not as uncomfortable as having his eyes on her now. Judging – she didn’t like to be judged at the best of times, but somehow this man, this vampire who was assessing her, made it feel worse.

  “And?” Connor pushed.

  “I worked for him.” She repeated on another shrug off her shoulders. There was more, Connor could feel her holding back from him, feel her emotions, unease, guilt, shame... that was one that didn’t thrill him.

  “You were in his bed?” Connor practically held his breath waiting for the answer. He didn’t know why, but that didn’t feel right to him.

  “Give me some credit.” Vicky shot back, her top lip curling at the thought of Vane’s hands on her body. That wasn’t to say that the man hadn’t tried a few times, but he’d enough willing women not to bother with one that had vowed revenge should he take it further.

  He needed her skills as a witch – pissing her off was contradictory to those needs of the flesh. He’d gotten those needs filled elsewhere, and she was grateful for it.

  “You work for Vane, how much credit should I afford you?” Connor tossed back. It was harsh, and the moment that those words left his lips he wanted to snatch them back again.

  He watched her back straighten, saw the way her shoulders pulled back. The flash of anger in her eyes, chased away by… more shame, perhaps? She dropped those eyes down to her glass and he mourned the loss of them.

  “I’m still alive.” She brought her eyes straight back to his – challenging him to say something more, and yet almost begging that he didn’t. That was what she had told herself over the years. She worked for Vane because it kept her breathing – now she’d gone against him and all bets were off.

  Pain. He saw pain there in her eyes, and he hated himself for bringing it to her. He couldn’t take it back, as much as he would have liked, but he could make up for it.

  She’d tensed, looked like a caged wild thing. Her foot tapped nervously against the stone floor and her eyes looked anywhere but at him.

  “How much money?” Connor asked.

  “It’s not a matter of the money with Vane.” She shook her head, still keeping her eyes from him.

  “It’s a starting point.” Connor said. “A way in – a bargaining chip.”

  Vicky looked at him then. Really looked at him, and for one long moment she was sure that the connection between them was telling her that this man was going to fight to protect her, but then he looked away and that moment was lost.

  She was on her own as she had always been. He could judge her for working for Vane, and she’d seen that judgement within his eyes, heard it within his words, and it stung, but he wasn’t in her shoes. If he’d had to walk in them for a month or two then he would know why she’d allowed Vane to control her life, until then, he was in no real position to judge her.

  “I don’t need your help.” She said quickly. He’d put her defences up and now she was running blind and scared from him. That wouldn’t do. She pushed up to her feet and placed the glass down on the side table.

  “You already did.” Connor reminded her. He wanted to sooth her angst, but he could see that she had her back to the wall, and a woman like her always came out fighting.

  “Yes, and I thank you for it.” She bit out. “But Vane isn’t going to stop until he gets what he wants-”

  “Which is you – dead.” Connor knew the way the land lay with a man like Vane. He was old school – too old school. There was a time when Connor would have walked to the ends of the earth to get his revenge, make his point, take his pound of flesh, but not anymore.

  Unfortunately, Vane still lived in those times.

  “It was nice knowing you.” Vicky took a step and that was as far as she got. He was in front of her in a heartbeat and she had to tip her head back to look up at him.

  “Let’s not be rash.” Connor warned her.

  “What are you going to do, lock me in your dungeon?” She smiled, it was cocky, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

  Connor sighed.

  “Yes.” He finally said, after calculating all of his options, and her mouth came open to speak, but he was already lifting her up and tossing her over his shoulder.

  “Wait, Connor, stop!” She ground out from down his back.

  The speed with which he was travelling made her nauseous and dizzy, and a dizzy witch wasn’t able to draw on her magic so easily.

  She felt herself flying, falling, and she reached back for him, trying desperately to save herself, but found nothing but thin air until the bounce of the mattress beneath her back swept away her anxiety and filled her with anger…

  Now it felt as if her head was swimming. Her body felt strange… weaker than normal as she drew on her magic and found it wanting…

  “What the hell…?” She bit out as she pushed up onto her elbows and flopped over onto her stomach, fighting against the waves of dizziness in her head to push up onto her hands and knees on the bed.

  Connor folded his arms across his chest and watched her. Just the sight of her on the bed warmed him, made his hard length twitch, and his mind play a slideshow of everything decidedly dirty that he could imagine doing to her, with her, for her.

  He knew that he wasn’t playing fair, and yet he doubted this woman was going to do the same.

  �
�I wouldn’t try to use your magic to-”

  She thrust a hand out in his general direction and pushed her magic through her palm towards him. It came right back at her like a damn boomerang, and she shrieked in pain…

  “Stings like a bitch, right?” Connor teased, but his conscience grinded within him for her pain.

  Vicky dropped her hand to the bed and tried to get her breathing back in order. The room wasn’t spinning as fast, and yet she felt off, so damn off…

  “The drink.” She bit out with disdain for his actions. “What did you do to me?” She bit out, her eyes snapped up to his and he felt her wrath. It was a bitter taste to swallow down.

  “Oh, it’s not me.” Connor assured her, lifting a hand and motioning around his bedroom. “This room is spelled against a witch’s magic. You can never be too careful and I like a good night’s sleep safe in the knowledge that no witch can harm me in here.”

  “That’s…” she shook her head. She felt weak, weaker than she had ever felt before. It wasn’t physical, it was more like her Fae essence was being swept away from her, drained out…

  Connor knew the moment that her shields came down. Her scent, stripped of that overwhelming Fae veneer, was truly breath taking – overwhelming in its magnitude. She’d covered it well, but now it was clear to him, and for a long moment he revelled in it.

  “I need you to be a good little… not – so – much – a – witch… right now, and stay put while I go and seek out Vane.” Connor backed away towards the door and she panicked, scampered towards the edge of the large bed, and tried to stabilise herself enough to get to her feet.

  “No, Connor…” she started to explain, but he was gone.

  The loud clunk of the bedroom door closing chilled her heart. She shook her head, trying to shake off the remnants of the dizzying speed of the ride to wherever she’d found herself…

  “Connor, wait…” She bit out. Pushing off the bed and losing her balance as she tumbled to the thick rug upon the stone floor. She bit down on the pain of landing, and padded towards the bedroom door on her hands and knees.